Eat well, feel good.

by Taylor Berry

Out of season, imported produce is simply not tasty, so treat yourself to goodies that are so much better. The Gladstone Hotel and Chef Marc Breton are pairing up to offer fresh, locally farmed food every Wednesday until October 21st. Each week, Breton offers a new local, seasonal menu that features produce harvested by Chick-a-Biddy Acres CSA farm the day before, plus locally-produced cheeses, meats, wines and beers.

What is this adorably named farm, you ask? Chick-a-Biddy Acres is a farm just outside of Peterborough, dedicated to pesticide-free local farming. What’s really unique about this operation, though, is that it is a CSA–Community Shared Agriculture farm, in which farmers grow food for members who pay an annual fee for their share of the harvest. Chick-a-Biddy describes this as “a relationship of shared bounty and shared risks”. Consumers get food that is seasonally appropriate and build a connection to the farmers who grow their produce.

Harvest Wednesdays include both a tasting and prix fixe menus. Tasting events allow you to sample gourmet hors d’oeuvres along with locally produced wine and beers. You can mingle with farmers and producers while enjoying live music for only $17.50. The prix fixe menu offers a relaxed three-course dining experience of fresh off the field produce, as well as local cheeses and meats. The harvest changes from week to week, and so does the menu, so you enjoy something new every week if you like.

Learn more about the connection between the farm and your table, and eat some wonderfully fresh local foods! To make a reservation for tastings, call 416-531-3635 ext 7100, and for a prix fixe dinner call 416-531-4635 ext 7103. Or, visit the Gladstone’s website at www.gladstonehotel.com.