CHARLESTON — Eight West Virginia State Parks will host farm-to-table dinners this summer to promote the use of locally grown produce and food products at park restaurants.
The dinners are scheduled between Thursday-Sept. 27 and are hosted by the West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA), West Virginia Farmers Market Association (WVFMA), West Virginia Department of Natural Resources (WVDNR) and West Virginia state parks system.
Seating is limited for these meals. For more information, visit wvstate
parks.com/farm-table. To make a reservation for the first dinner on Thursday, call Pipestem Resort at 304-466-1800.
The menu for the first dinner, Thursday at Pipestem, will include:
— Arugula salad with shaved golden beets, spiced almonds, gouda and strawberry vinaigrette.
— Chilled cauliflower soup with fire-roasted corn, rendered pork belly and chili oil.
— Smoked duck confit with habanero molasses barbecue, pickled onion and blue corn pancake.
— Mountaineer Roasting Company 1867 Blend coffee-rubbed beef tenderloin with fried baby Brussels sprouts and horseradish parsnip puree.
— Lemon pound cake with Greek yogurt, macerated berries and basil-infused whipped cream.
The purpose of the dinners is to incorporate more locally sourced products into restaurant menus and develop connections between farmers markets and local buyers. The WVDA, WVDNR and WVFMA hope to create a seamless conduit for supplying local demand.
Locations and dates for the dinners are as follows:
— Pipestem Resort State Park, Thursday
— Cacapon Resort State Park, June 21
— Cass Scenic Railroad Historical State Park, Aug. 2
— Chief Logan Lodge, Aug. 9
— North Bend State Park, Aug. 16
— Holly River State Park, Aug. 30
— Hawks Nest State Park, Sept. 13
— Blackwater Falls State Park, Sept. 27
