LEWISTON — The weather forecast looks like it will be cloudy and cool, but dry for this year’s Lewiston Auburn Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce Taste the Harvest event on Lisbon Street. It’s all made possible by Androscoggin Bank and a bevy of people behind the scenes getting it all ready.
Lisbon Street will be closed to vehicle traffic between Ash and Main streets from 1:30 to 9 p.m. Wednesday for the event that is billed as a celebration of the local food economy, which runs from 5 to 7:30 p.m. There’s reason to celebrate as four of the businesses taking part in this year’s tasting event are new to downtown Lewiston.
It takes a lot to put on an event like this one and organizers tapped the culinary program at Lewiston High School for help doing prep work for the event. Tuesday morning found chef Jules Muzyka from Obscura Cafe and Drinkery working with four students at The Green Ladle as they peeled and prepped 100 pounds of potatoes for Obscura’s offering of The Funky Chicken. It’s a garlic herbed cheddar mashed potato pancake (usually a waffle) topped with chicken fritters and a herb cream sauce.
Sourcing for her tapas-style dish comes from Mailhots, Pineland Farms and R. Belanger & Sons Farm.
Obscura Cafe and Drinkery chef Jules Muzyka, left, works Tuesday morning with Lewiston Regional Technical Center students Emma Omiecinski, middle, and Kyah Brown at The Green Ladle where they were preparing a dish for Wednesday’s Taste the Harvest event in Lewiston. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
At another station, Som Mantasut from Orchid was busy with two culinary students and her helper preparing scallions as part of their offering of a Thai-styled apple salad with toasted coconut and pecans. The 100 pounds of apples will be peeled and prepped Wednesday to maintain their freshness. The apples come from Wallingford’s Fruit House, while other ingredients come from Stonecipher Farm, Little Ridge Farm, Blackie’s Farm Fresh Produce and Blais Maple Syrup.
The other chefs taking part in the Taste the Harvest were either waiting their turn at The Green Ladle or working in their kitchens getting their dishes ready. You can check the complete menu for the event.
LA Metro Chamber President and CEO Shanna Cox said it’s one her favorite things the organization does to have impact on the community and businesses.
“It isn’t just an amazing event, it’s a strategic choice to grow our local food economy and part of our bigger collective work with the Local Food, Local Places Action Plan,” Cox said. “This event brings together farmers, food producers, culinary students, seven chefs, Baxter Brewing and Cellardoor Winery to showcase all that is happening in and around Lewiston.”
Lewiston Regional Technical Center head chef Anthony Scherrer said hosting the prep work for the event is great for the community and the students.
“We’re lucky to have this big kitchen and we’re a public school so we’re happy to let people come in and work with us,” he said. “It’s good for the students, too, to see other people. They see us every day, they learn our style, they learn what we’re doing but now to see something else I think it’s good for them, too.”
Tickets are still available at the event for $70, which are good for one drink ticket plus one ticket for each restaurant’s dish, six total.
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