OCTA

The beloved local food series HARVEST WEDNESDAYS return to the Gladstone Hotel for a fifth harvest season!

5^th ANNUAL HARVEST WEDNESDAYS

Gladstone Hotel Brings the Farm to Table Experience to Queen West

What is Harvest Wednesdays?

Each month on a Wednesday of Chef Marc Breton offers urbanites farm fresh fare and an opportunity to experience the unparalleled flavour of foods harvested during in the natural rhythm of our local growing season. Each month Chef Breton’s menu is inspired by the fresh produce harvested by farmer Sherry Patterson of Chick-a-Biddy Acres CSA (Community Shared Agriculture) as well as local meats, cheeses, wines and beers from our Harvest Wednesday Partners. Chef Breton’s preparation offers a simple flavour forward approach to enjoy this fresh food.

The harvest changes from month to month, and so does the menu!

There are two ways to enjoy Harvest Wednesdays

Cocktail party style “Tasting” events kick off each month with tastes of the season in progress and an opportunity to meet with local producers. Four Tasting events July through October include seasonal hors d’oeuvres, wine, and beer tastings and live music.  $19.95pp

2010 tasting Dates August 18, September 15, October 13, November 10

OR

Bi monthly dinner starting with Hors d’oeuvres, followed by family style 3 course harvest dinner.  Dinner will include a guest speaker from one of Harvest Wednesday’s participants. $49.95 pp

2010 Prix Fixe Dates September 29, October 27

Check www.gladstonehotel.com for full details

HARVEST WEDNESDAYS ARE…

INSPIRED BY THE PRACTICE OF COMMUNITY SHARED AGRICULTURE

This event is inspired by the Gladstone’s investment in four ‘shares’ of a local Community Shared Agriculture Farm, Chick-a-Biddy Acres. Chef Breton’s menus are inspired by the weekly harvest delivered by the farmer.  By extension all the guests of Harvest Wednesday support the farmer directly by attending the event.

What is Community Shared Agriculture?

Community Shared Agriculture is a concept that allows people to reclaim a connection to the production of food. It allows farmers to be supported locally and for people to eat food grown in their area, not shipped across the continent. C.S.A. farmers grow food for a predetermined group of consumers who pay and annual fee to purchase their ‘share’ of the harvest. It is a relationship of shared bounty and shared risks. The movement is a popular one. At Present there are over six hundred successful C.S.A.s across North America. C.S.A. members have access to a healthy alternative, one that allows them to eat what is in season.

ENRICHED THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS

Harvest Wednesday’s draws on partnerships with local producers big and small to provide guests with the enhanced experience sampling local wines, meats, cheeses, and specialty food products as well as access to information about food advocate groups, community partners and even local musicians. The Gladstone delivers a full on experience!

ACCESSIBLE NOT JUST FOR THE ELITE

The pricing of this event is accessible for a reason. We want to introduce this food to everybody. The politics of this event strive to bring local and artisanal foods to regular folks and facilitate connections to local producers.

Prices start at only $19.95 for our all inclusive Tasting events to the incredible value of $49.95 for the sit down family style harvest dinners.

FOCUSED ON SEASONAL, LOCAL, AND FRESH

For many of us eating in season is a new experience as we get to know the natural rhythm of the local growing season we are richly rewarded by the unparalleled flavour of food that was picked that morning.

Eating in season, means you are getting the most nutritional value, the kinds our bodies need, appropriate to the seasons. Harvest Wednesdays provides this enriched experience to urbanites connecting city dwellers to the land that feeds