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Food for thought

Published on 12/11/2006

It was all P’s during the annual Omelet Breakfast during annual meeting: Chef Pierre Wolfe prepared pork loin, poached pears and provided plenty of entertainment to the morning cooking demonstration.

Wolfe is the official chef of the Our Ohio television series. He led the cooking demonstration with the help of OFBF Young Farmer Committee chaircouple Chris and Sarah Helsinger from Montgomery County and Our Ohio television host Gail Hogan.

Wolfe and company prepared Ohio pork loin cutlets with Ohio apples and sweet potato hash and poached pears with port wine for dessert during the morning program called "Food for Thought."

Hogan and Wolfe emphasized the importance of buying local foods when possible; Wolfe said most food travels 1,200 miles before it gets to the dinner table. He said it is possible to eat locally year-round if you eat seasonal foods. He also said there are some year-round farmer’s markets, such as the West Side Market in Cleveland and the Shaker Heights Market, that make it easier for consumers to purchase local foods.

While they were cooking, the Helsingers shared some information about their 500-acre farm operation. They said the greatest challenge facing young farmers is the rising costs of inputs and the cost of changing technology. "We could never be where we are now without Chris’s family," Sarah said.

The recipes are posted at OurOhio.org. Click on recipes, then Chef Pierre’s recipes. You also can watch Chef Pierre on upcoming shows airing the weeks of Jan. 20, Jan. 27, Feb. 10 and Feb. 17. Check local listings for air dates and times.

For more information about buying local, visit the Buying Local Directory of farmer’s markets at OurOhio.org.

Caption: (Top) Our Ohio Chef Pierre Wolfe prepared a pork dish and pear dessert with the assistance of Young Farmer Committee chaircouple Chris and Sarah Helsinger and Our Ohio television host Gail Hogan. (Bottom) During the cooking demonstration, Hogan and Wolfe discussed cooking tips and insights from the Our Ohio television series.

 
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