In conjunction with National Farmers Market Week 2014 (Aug. 3-9, 2014), Roland Park Place— Baltimore City’s only nonprofit continuing care retirement community— teamed up with the Johns Hopkins University Office of Sustainability and Keswick Green Team to support the efforts of local farms featured at the Johns Hopkins at Keswick Farmers Market.
On Tuesday, August 5, 2014, Roland Park Place’s Community Involvement Committee hosted a live cooking demonstration where RPP’s Executive Chef Mark Tracey shared a delicious menu of an original Ratatouille of Summer Vegetables with Andouille and Goat Cheese. The dish featured all fresh and locally sourced ingredients from vendors at the Farmers Market including Everblossom Farm and Three Springs Fruit Farm.
Complimentary samples of the dish were distributed to visitors.
Shopper Kysha Keels enjoyed the demonstration and regularly buys fresh, local produce from the market. “The farmers market is something I like,” she said. “I enjoy fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, raw honey, and anything that is organic. It’s good for me and it’s good for my family.”
Following the cooking demonstration, Chef Mark offered his expertise to visitors at the market who might be intimidated about buying or cooking fresh produce. Those at the market who bought produce or other ingredients from vendors were able to ask the Chef for personal recipe suggestions and cooking recommendations based on their purchases.
The Johns Hopkins Sustainability Network is a network of students, staff and faculty who are committed to promoting sustainability in their operations and among the larger Johns Hopkins community. For more information, visit http://sustainability.jhu.edu/.