The mini chicken taco from Boxcar Cantina was crunchy, flavorful and beautifully presented with a topping of micro greens.

The 11th Annual Celebration of Connecticut Farms hosted by Jones Family Farm in Shelton on September 11 was a spectacular day – both in terms of the weather and the event itself. Two immense tents shaded an impressive lineup of 24 restaurants, 10 wineries, breweries, a distillery, artisan food producers and specialty retailers as they prepared and served their best seasonal food and beverages made with CT Grown ingredients from more than 50 farms.

Jason Sobocinski declared "We are the food truck scene" when asked about the Caseus Food Truck. On his left is John Turenne of Sustainable Food Systems, an obvious fan.

Fine farm-to-table restaurants including the Dressing Room in Westport and Heirloom in New Haven, plus more casual eateries including Boxcar Cantina in Greenwich and Caseus Fromagerie & Bistro in New Haven, served tantalizing mini versions of menu favorites. Celebrity cheesemonger Jason Sobocinski of Caseus, aka “The Big Cheese” on the Cooking Channel, served wedges of perfectly toasted grilled cheese sandwiches made from both cow and goat’s milk cheeses from Sankow’s Beaver Brook Farm and Whole G’s Bread. “Every cheese has a story” said Sobocinski. He should know. Caseus Fromagerie sells more than 175 cheeses, 70% of which are from the US. He recently visited and made cheese with small and large producers alike in Utah, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, California, and of course Connecticut with the Cooking Channel for a series that aims to educate the public about cheese.  The Cheese Truck is a mobile offshoot of Caseus Bistro which sells grilled cheese sandwiches, soups and salads in the city of New Haven. In fine food truck tradition, you can follow the The Cheese Truck @caseusgrilled on Twitter to  find the day’s location and what’s being featured on the menu.

Westford Hill Distillers now makes an Aged Apple Brandy from a blend of CT Grown Macintosh, Jonagold and Melrose apples.

Micro distilled spirits are all the rage and we’re lucky to have a top notch distiller that crafts European-style spirits using local ingredients in Ashford, CT. The impressive and ever-growing line of artisan distilled spirits from Westford Hill Distillers belong in every household and restaurant bar. We sampled their aged apple brandy (Calvados) made from a custom blend of three different varieties of CT Grown apples, organic vodka made from corn, and fruit eau-de-vies (clear brandies) made from local orchard fruit. If you’re ever in need of a gift to impress the impossible foodie, reach straight for the Poire Prisionniere (imprisoned pear) version of their Poire William. The whole Bartlett pear literally grows inside the heart-shaped bottle in the orchard. Pear eau die vie is added after the pear, and bottle, are harvested in unison.

Farmer Terry Jones urged us all to carefully consider the impact of our food choices.

After guests were sated from several hours of tasting, the stage switched from live music to an address from honorary event co-chairs Jacques Pepin, Faith Middleton and Christine Baranski. Jacques Pepin gave a touching tribute to his fellow food professionals who lost their lives in the attacks on the Twin Towers on 9/11. Farmer Terry Jones’ address snapped us all to attention. You can’t ignore a “Call to Farms” that includes a homework assignment to grow healthy food, serve it to every citizen in our state, and harvest health and jobs. It was “Farm to Kids” that clinched it for me. Jones said that he’d been invited by Governor Malloy to serve on the State Board of Education and was working with “fierce cooperation and determination to have every kid in our state have access to CT Grown food in their schools.” He asked every eater to think with intention, each time we eat and drink, about where it  comes from and how our future depends on choosing local food.

The Annual Celebration of Connecticut Farms is an important fundraiser for CT Farmland Trust and a unique opportunity for guests to taste the bounty of our farms prepared by some of the state's finest chefs.

The Annual Celebration of Connecticut Farms is an important fundraiser for Connecticut Farmland Trust (CFT), the only private organization dedicated solely to preserving working farmland in the state of Connecticut. Since its founding in 2002, CFT has worked to preserve over 2,000 acres of farmland on 26 farms throughout the state and worked with partners to preserve an additional 600. For more information about how CFT works to preserve our precious working farmland, or to volunteer or make a donation, please visit them online at www.CTFarmland.org or call 860-247-0202.

Don’t miss the foodie event of the year on September 11, 2011!

Jacques Pepin reaching for a grilled cheese sandwich from the Caseus truck at the 2010 Celebration. Photo c/o Elizabeth Keyser.

The 11th Annual Celebration of Connecticut Farms will take place on Sunday, September 11 at Jones Family Farms in Shelton, CT.  Returning as honorary chairpersons of the Celebration are Tony Award winning actress Christine Baranski, WNPR’s Two Time Peabody Award winner Faith Middleton, and celebrity TV chef and author Jacques Pépin.

Tyler Anderson, Executive Chef of The Copper Beech Inn, puts the finishing touches on his dish at the 2010 Celebration. Photo c/o Elizabeth Keyser

Guests of the Celebration of Connecticut Farms can enjoy spectacular dishes featuring ingredients from over 50 farms across the state and prepared by chefs from 24 of Connecticut’s best restaurants including:  Metro Bis in Simsbury, It’s Only Natural in Middletown, The Dressing Room in Westport, The Suburban in Branford, Polytechnic ON20 in Hartford, and many more.  Attendees can also enjoy wine from 10 Connecticut wineries and vineyards and beer from Connecticut breweries.  Musical entertainment will be provided by the band, Bone Dry and paintings by members of the Connecticut Plein Air Painters Society will be on display and for sale.

The Jones family is thrilled to welcome the Celebration of Connecticut Farms back to its farm.  The first event in 2001 brought together Connecticut residents, artists, farmers, and chefs resolved to protect Connecticut’s productive farmlands for future generations.  The generous food bounty of Connecticut was expressed through unforgettably delicious dishes created by farmers and chefs, working side by side in an idyllic setting.

Tony Award winning actress Christine Baranski and James Beard Award-winning Chef Michel Nischan at the 2010 Celebration. Photo c/o Elizabeth Keyser

Farm owner Terry Jones says, “what seemed so amazing in 2001, chefs partnering with farmers, has almost become commonplace today.  In only ten years, significant progress has occurred regarding citizen desire to protect farmland, as well as in the actual number of acres set aside for permanent protection.  But, the battle is far from over and there are new challenges ahead for all of us in preserving Connecticut’s agriculture.”

Jones Family Farms in Shelton produces Christmas trees, berries, pumpkins, grapes that supply the farm’s winery, and much more.  You can learn more about the farm and its products at JonesFamilyFarms.com.

Tickets to the Celebration are $150 each (with $75 of that being tax-deductible).  To purchase tickets or request an invitation, visit CelebrationofCTFarms.org, or call 860-247-0202. Proceeds from the Celebration are dedicated to Connecticut Farmland Trust’s mission to preserving our state’s working farmland.

Jones Family Farms owner Terry Jones walking through his fields with his grandson, Jackson. Photo c/o Jones Family Farm

Connecticut Farmland Trust is the only private statewide conservation organization dedicated solely to permanently protecting Connecticut’s farmland.  Established in 2002, CFT holds agricultural conservation easements that protect 2,096 acres of farmland on 26 farms around the state, has assisted partners in the preservation of 602 additional acres, and serves as a leading resource on conserving Connecticut’s working farmland.

Read about last year’s Celebration of Connecticut Farms.

It’s time for blueberry picking! Find your baskets from last year, pack some water and a snack, and head over to Jones Family Farm in Shelton Tuesday through Saturday from 9-5:30 to do some picking with the family. Always call ahead to hear Farmer Jones’ field report before heading over. Call 203-929-8425 for complete picking details.

Freeze blueberries in a single layer on a cookie sheet overnight and then place them in a container or plastic bag for storage in the freezer.

What will you do with your blueberries? Make smoothies? Serve them with ice cream or yogurt? Freeze them for later use? Or make pies or jams? If you pick many more than you need, be sure to preserve them quickly to catch them at their peak. Click here to read “Preserving the Summer Harvest” and watch the Ch. 8 video.

If you pick at Jones Family Farm on a Friday afternoon, you can also catch their Friday Farmers’ Market held in the Harvest Kitchen courtyard of the Homestead Farm from 3:30pm-5:30pm through the end of August. This Friday will feature HONEY. Pop into their Harvest Kitchen cooking demonstrations and learn how to make Pizza with Honey, Ricotta Cheese, Blueberries, and Arugula. SPECIAL: Meet the author! Come meet local beekeeper C. Marina Marchese of Red Bee Honey to learn about bees and sample some of the finest honey in CT.  Her book, Honeybee: Lessons from an Accidental Beekeeper, is a great summer read.