In a new twist on the traditional Restaurant Week promotion, Howard County restaurants this summer were among the first to showcase menus using locally grown or harvested ingredients. The Maryland Department of Agriculture kicked off a statewide "Buy Local" challenge just prior to Restaurant Week, encouraging citizens to eat locally grown products daily, and the timing was perfect for Howard County to entice the growing number of diners seeking out restaurants using local food sources.
"Culinary tourism and eating local are hot trends now, and it makes good sense for the Howard County's independent restaurants to partner with our farms to create unforgettable dining experiences," said Jordan Naftal, owner of Jordan's Steakhouse.
In addition, the partnership between the restaurants, farms and local producers was an opportunity for local businesses to support each other. Also working in cooperation with the agricultural division of the Howard County Economic Development Authority, restaurants were able to find sources of local produce, as well as dairy, beef, pork and seafood.
"It's a win-win situation for both the restaurants and farmers," said Kathy Zimmerman, agricultural specialist with the EDA. "Ultimately, I'd like to see locally produced products in every restaurant in Howard County - it's a strong way to help the farms continue to grow and be sustainable."
Diners readily responded to the promotion, and restaurants reported a significant increase in business during the two-week promotion from July 27-Aug. 9. While the negative economic news may have kept people from planning major vacations, many "staycationers" who opted for an affordable evening out at local restaurant boosted restaurant sales during the promotion.
The flexible pricing option, with menus ranging from $10.09 to $40.09, allowed the restaurants to create a wide variety of options for diners. Eric King, owner of the Crab Shanty, reported his three-course dinner at $24.50 drew increasing numbers of diners throughout the two-week period, while at the Iron Bridge Wine Company the "3 for $30" menu was extremely popular, according to owner Rob Wecker.
The creative challenge - to produce unique meals made from local ingredients at affordable price points - was one that local chefs seized. Thanks to an abundance of ground beef, available from Woodcamp Farms, Chef Marc Dixon at Bistro Blanc made an embellished "Black Angus Hamburger" that is one of the most popular items on the menu. Alexandra's at Turf Valley featured a grilled Bison Burger from a local bison farm, and Choptank Oysters, accompanied by featured wines from Black Ankle Vineyards of Mt. Airy.
Other restaurants used produce picked fresh from Larriland Farm or picked up from local farmers' markets. Many chefs utilized their own kitchen gardens to provide fresh produce and herbs.
"We've made a point of using fresh ingredients for the last four years," said Joe Barbera, owner of Aida Bistro. He makes regular trips to Larriland Farm to pick seasonal produce for his restaurant. "Our customers have become accustomed to eating local products in season, and now ask when it will be incorporated in the menu."
Buying - and dining - locally connects the community in vital ways: It preserves farmland, protects the environment, keeps our money in the community and provides fresh, nutritious food for a healthy diet. Howard County restaurants have shown great promise in developing these important relationships with local producers and plan to respond to customer demand with more healthy choices.
