Change Locavores can believe in...

Photo (US Library of Congress): 1918, Woodrow Wilson's White House Lawn, Baaa!
Photo (Lexi Van de Walle): Fall 2008, Garden of Eve, Riverhead, NY

Are you ready for a White House farm? The 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Farmers Market? Only 11 days into the new administration and Michelle Obama has recruited their locavore personal chef from Chicago, Sam Kass, to join the culinary team of Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford at the White House.

That's great news for locavores and Maryland and Virginia farmers and DC farmers markets. THANK YOU FIRST LADY and LOCAVORE MICHELLE OBAMA!! (I suspect Mrs. Obama read Michael Pollan's letter to President-Elect "Farmer in Chief", The New York Times, October 9, 2008 ). Rumor has it, last fall President Obama said he read it.

According to Marion Burros at The New York Times, Mr. Kass and his Inevitable Table home chef service is dedicated to local and sustainable food. Kass' vision and philosophy is spelled out (thanks to cache I was able to get these excerpts from his recently shutdown website).

"Inevitable Table is your link to clean, healthy food.....we improve your health, bring pleasure to your table and connect you to your food community."

"we share our understanding of how food can improve our health, increase our energy, and connect us with our land and local community in a sustainable way. With our support, the table once again claims a central place in the home, enriching our bodies, lives and relationships."

"we source basic grocery items mainly from local farms such as milk, eggs, bread, etc."

"Through our partnerships with small sustainable wineries"


And a SAMPLE MENU from Sam Kass' Inevitable Table

MONDAY
SALAD
Citrus Salad with fennel, oranges and grapefruit, orange vinaigrette

MAIN COURSE
Seared Diver scallops, Middle Eastern couscous and pecans, cavolo nero

TUESDAY
SALAD
Mixed greens with radishes, endive and pepito, Riesling vinaigrette

MAIN COURSE
Ancho chili rubbed pork loin, rapini and polenta

KIDS
Spaghetti with tomato sauce, broccoli

JUICE
Apple-Grape
Carrot Ginger

WEDNESDAY
SALAD
Simple salad of mixed baby greens, radicchio, radishes and shaved fennel with a James Balsamic vinaigrette

MAIN COURSE
Braised chicken in maderia with root vegetables and prunes, Himalayan red rice, and sautéed escarole with pine nuts

JUICE
Ginger Carrot
Orange

THURSDAY
SALAD
Arugula salad, carrots, radishes, almonds, honey Dijon vin

MAINCOURSE
Whole-wheat pasta, soffrito, cauliflower, escarole, currants, pine nuts, green olives, ricotta solata, prosciutto

FRIDAY
SALAD
Frisee salad, cashews, pickled red onions, apples.

MAINCOURSE
Thyme and lemon marinated roasted chicken, Swiss chard, fingerling potatoes in persillade

JUICE
Apple Fennel
Carrot Apple"