Here in Atlanta, the whole farm-to-table conversation seems to be at a fever pitch. We are reeling from the pending departure of two of our most talented chefs - Nicolas Bour and Michael Tuohy - whom are both huge proponents of the farm-to-table movement. While I wish both of them the best of luck with their moves, it has made me think about our dining scene here in Atlanta. With celebrity chefs moving in, two restaurants opening for every one that closes, and a fairly substantial farmstand/CSA presence here...why can't we support farm-to-table eating here in our restaurants here?
One of the people here who has been doing it very successfully is David Sweeney at Dynamic Dish. This little sparkling gem in a rough, transitional part of town has a cult following among foodies in Atlanta. His approach is simple: all organic, mostly vegetarian...and all purchased the day or so before it's prepared. I have run into him scouring the farmer's market for whatever looks fresh that day. There is no set menu - you trust his palate and his combinations of tastes and textures.
The salad in this post was inspired by one I had at Dynamic Dish. The softest, lightest organic red leaf lettuce acting as a cushion for organic black mission figs, chunks of Sweetgrass Dairy chevre, and toasted pumpkin seeds. I whipped up a quick dressing of honey, balsamic, wonderful olive oil, sea salt and pepper. It was a marvel of textures with the airy lettuce, ripe figs, and creamy goat cheese. All thrown together in an impromptu way with whatever looked incredible that day.
Next week, I will be taking part in a week long Eat Local Challenge sponsored by Whole Foods here in Atlanta. It's something I have wanted to try for a long time - I buy lots from the local markets but not 100% - and this is the perfect opportunity. With the exception of a meal out for Downtown Restaurant Week, everything I eat will be fresh and locally grown. I will be trying to blog about my creations as much as I can. I will be documenting it on Flickr as well in a special photo set. Follow along. Contribute. Better yet, eat local with me!
