SUMMER 2013 DAMES who FARM 2 013 GRANDE DAME NOMINEES IN THIS ISSUE FEATURES SUMMER•2 O13 Dames Grow the Food for the Fork 4-15 Dames who Farm While researching my latest book, The Best of Virginia Farms, I 16-18 2013 Grande Dame Nominees found that the state’s first farmers were women: Virginia Indian women. They were responsible for growing the crops that sus- 19 Dames Gear up for Conference tained their tribes. Where were the men? Out hunting. Somewhere between the Indian nation and today’s mega-farms, 20 Works Added to LDEI's Carol Brock Collection men took over the nation’s farming – and not for the better. 21 Last Dinner on the Titanic Today we have “factory” farms turning out fruits and vegetables developed for their shipping quality, not for their flavor. For- 12 Global Culinary Postcard tunately, food professionals such as Les Dames helped fuel the better-food movement with an emphasis on eating local. Last spring, my chapter held a “Farm-to-Fork” tour to nearby DEPARTMENTS Rappahannock County, Va., where we visited several farms and enjoyed a luncheon prepared by Dame farmer Susan James (see 24-27 Chapter News page 9), co-chair Drew Faulkner, and pastry chef Bev Bates. I began to wonder how many other farmers are members. So I perused the “Professional Skills Index” in the back of the LDEI 28-29 Member Milestones directory (thank you, Greg), and found nearly a half page of 31 Submission Guidelines Farmer/Growers. Having worked with our Quarterly magazine for the better part of two decades, I remembered that we had never done a feature about farmers. So after 200 emails and many phone calls, I ON THE COVER: Liz Mulholland (Northeast) coaxed stories and photos from many of these remarkable, busy and her goats at Valley View Farm. Photos by women for the feature you can read on pages 4 to 15. Kindra Clineff (Northeast). Kindra travels far The response was gratifying. “Too often the farmer is forgotten! and wide specializing in location photography Thanks for doing this,” wrote LuAnne Bonanno (Northeast), for commercial and editorial clients. She see page 12. My pleasure – and I hope, yours. regularly produces feature assignments for In the photo here, you see me with a hand-crafted Colonial national magazines, and her images have hayfork, made from white oak by a craftsman in Virginia’s appeared in numerous books. When not chasing light, Kindra can be found cultivating Shenandoah Valley. Sometimes people forget that farm tools had heirloom vegetables and attempting to tame to be made by hand for thousands of years. No Home Depot in the perennial garden of her17th century home 1607. in Essex County, Massachusetts. Her passion Also in this issue are the seven nominees for Grande Dame—a for local agriculture has brought “Magnificent Seven.” See pages 16 to 18 for synopses of their about several personal projects. One amazing accomplishments. Add to all this, interesting chapter of her favorite has been recording programs and much more about Dames from every chapter. the life and times of Valley View Keep the Dame news coming. Please send information for the Farm in her hometown of Topsfield. fall issue to editor Susan Slack before or by August 1 per Submis- Kindra’s latest book, Farmhouse A TEXAS Modern, a book she created with sion Guidelines on page 31). See you in Austin, I hope. stylist Terry John Woods and the third WINE & DINE in a series, will be out in August. CiCi Williamson, Editor Summer Quarterly EXPERIENCE A walk-around tasting featuring The mission of the LDEI board is to foster the growth and success of the organization by Texas Dames’ wineries, restaurants supporting the development of new and existing chapters. It provides guidance, education, 2013 LDEI BOARD OF DIRECTORS connectivity and effective communication among LDEI members. and artisan food products. President Second Vice President Secretary Chapter Board Liaisons Immediate Past President MARY ELLEN GRIFFIN LORI WILLIS AMY HOOPES MARIA GOMEZ MARY S. MOORE Dames: $45 | Public: $55 Owner Director of Communications EVP Global Sales/Chief Manager, Global Accounts Founder/CEO Thursday, October 24, 7-9 pm www.myMEGusta.com Schnuck Markets, Inc. Marketing Officer HelmsBriscoe The Cook's Warehouse 320 Strawberry Hill Ave., #58 11420 Lackland Rd. Wente Family Estates 11241 Avenida del Gatao 1075 Zonolite Road, NE, Suite 1-C AT&T Conference Center Stamford, CT 06902 St. Louis, MO 63146 5565 Tesla Road San Diego, CA 92126 Atlanta, GA 30306 (203) 975 7610 (314) 994-4602 Livermore, CA 94550 (858) 633-7515 (404) 492-9018 1900 University Avenue [email protected] [email protected] (209) 602-7139 [email protected] [email protected] Austin, Texas 78705 [email protected] BRAIDEN REX-JOHNSON Twitter @Cookswarehouse Founder/Owner First Vice President Third Vice President Treasurer Northwest Wining and Dining, LLC Executive Director BETH ALLEN CRICKETT KARSON ANN STRATTE 98 Union Street, Suite 1009 GREG JEWELL Founder/President Owner Owner Seattle, WA 98101 President Beth Allen Associates, Inc. LiefKarson Public Relations Ltd. My Personal Chef (206) 233-9491 AEC Management Resources 347 W 22nd Street, Suite #9 23533 Merchantile Road, Suite 118 100 Severn Avenue, #506 [email protected] P.O. Box 4961 New York, NY 10011 Beachwood, OH 44122 Annapolis, MD 21403-2622 STACY ZEIGLER, CMP, CPCE Louisville, KY 40204 (212) 206-1138 (216) 831-3767 @ (410) 903-2682 Director of Sales (502) 456-1851 x1 LDEIaustin [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Bold American Events [email protected] Twitter @LaDamefoodie 877 W. Marietta Street NW Presented by the Austin Chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier Studio K-102 Atlanta, GA 30318-5285 (678) 302-3232 [email protected] 2 Les Dames d’Escoffier International 2013: The Year of the Grande Dame, Partners and Leaders As the halfway point in my term approach- Another optional pre-conference event on es, I’m reflecting on what a terrific year this Thursday is a Green Tables Food Day/Com- has been, and the best is yet to come, particu- munity Service morning at the Sustainable larly in Austin where we will have so much to Food Center, followed by lunch and a tour celebrate, learn, and enjoy. at the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary As this Quarterly is being written, ballots for Arts. Other optional activities will include the Grande Dame are about to be distributed an Austin Food Truck Tour, an Urban Farms to the Chapters for voting. You’ll read about Tour and Lunch with the Farmers, and a visit this year’s fabulous nominees elsewhere in to Salt Lick Bar-B-Que, enjoying Fall Creek this issue. Each and every one of these ladies Wines with lunch and a Duchman Winery is an inspiration to us all. Tour. Chapters: Don’t forget to vote for your If at all possible, plan your travel to arrive in top three by June 15! The winner will be time to take advantage of these great optional announced this summer, and she will be pre-Conference offerings on Thursday. You honored on October 26 at the Grande Dame won’t regret it! Gala Dinner at the Austin Hyatt’s Grand Beth Allen, 1st VP/President-Elect, and Ballroom. Brent Frei, Director of Partnerships, are hard Plans for the Austin Conference are starting at work securing support for LDEI. If you to jell nicely. The keynote speaker will be Roz have leads or ideas as to potential Partners, Mallet, CEO/President at PhaseNext Hospi- please be sure to pass the information along tality, and National Restaurant Association for their follow-up. Chair of the Board of Directors. On Thursday evening, October 24, we kick Chapter Presidents and any Dame interested Best regards, off Conference with the optional “Dames in learning more about how to effectively run Across Texas “walk-around tasting that fea- a chapter should attend the Chapter Leader- tures Texas Dames, their restaurants, spirits, ship Forum on Thursday afternoon where wineries, and food products. I personally Attorney Jackie Henson will speak on “Run- Mary Ellen Griffin cannot wait to sample delicious foods and ning Your Chapter Like a Business, Part Two” President, Les Dames d’Escoffier beverages from all over the Lone Star State. --focusing on 501(c)(3) compliance and International This is an event not to be missed. other important legal issues affecting all of us. A TEXAS WINE & DINE EXPERIENCE A walk-around tasting featuring Texas Dames’ wineries, restaurants and artisan food products. Dames: $45 | Public: $55 Thursday, October 24, 7-9 pm AT&T Conference Center 1900 University Avenue Austin, Texas 78705 Sysco was a LDEI Gold Partner in 2012. Here Brent Frei, Director of Partnerships, met with the LDEI Board in Denver this January Marsha Palanci (New York), Mary Moore (Atlanta), and Katherine are Trish Pohanka, Chef Neil,Doherty, and Shelley to review the partnership program. Clockwise from Brent’s left: Second Vice Presi- Newell Smith (Washington, D.C.) participate in the Chapter Leadership Carr at the Partnership Luncheon in St. Louis. dent Lori Willis (St. Louis), Treasurer Ann Stratte (Washington, D.C.), and Third Vice Forum at the St. Louis LDEI Conference. Photo by Lori Willis. Photo by CiCi Williamson. President Crickett Karson (Cleveland). Photo by Braiden Rex-Johnson. @LDEIaustin Presented by the Austin Chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier SAVE THE DATES! H LDEI International Conference, October 24 – 27, 2013, Austin, Texas H SUMMER QUARTERLY 2013 3 DAMES who FARM By CiCi Williamson economy are impacted by their food choice,” (Washington, DC) CELESTE ALBERS confides Celeste. “It is wonderful to farm (Charleston) close to such a vibrant city.