The normal grocery store is stocked with items, many of which travel over 1500 miles on average from where they were grown. Most people are completely ignorant of this fact.
Food served at the Festively Local meal tent will be made with locally grown, raised and processed foods whenever possible. We worked very hard to create menus that would use the natural bounty of Southern Tennessee. The menu was constructed with an eye toward the tradition values of real food and real cooking. We avoided processed foods (within reason) and chose a menu with is not too far away from what people living on this land 200 years ago might have been able to make with plant and animals grown nearby. Every attempt within budget and reason has been made to provide the most wholesome meals we can provide. There will always be case where the ingredients we settle for will not be obtained locally either because the type or style of food was not available in season or the variety is not grown or raised in this region of the country. When we find ourselves in this position we try had to balance alternative foods with our original menu intent.
There have been ingredients that we could have grown had we had the time to prepare for the festival last year. In this case, the foods come from other regions but are not actually foreign to the area or season.
Ultimately, it is our goal to inspire a conversation about local food and seasonal food in order to create a more sustainable food system alternative. Realization of this goal will go a long way toward greater food security for anyone who gains this greater awareness.
The Festively Local Gazette (program for the festival, available only at the festival) will go into great detail to explain this philosophy and process. After the festival ends this year we will publish all the articles and references on this website.
Note that there will be no substitutions available at the meal tent. We have made allowances for meat and meatless meals. Unfortunately it was not possible for us to provide a vegan alternative at this time. A complete ingredient list will be available here.
Friday October 16 Dinner Only
Menu: Stew – vegetarian or with added meat, crusty bread, iced tea
Saturday October 17
Breakfast
Menu: breakfast burritos containing: Scrambled eggs, breakfast potatoes, pork sausage. Also available: fruit salad, coffee or tea, cream or milk & honey.
Lunch
Menu: Grilled cheese quesadilla with or without ham, Ham lettuce and tomato and cheese rollups. Iced tea
Dinner
Menu: Chili with and without meat, iced tea, corn bread
Sunday October 18
Breakfast
Menu: Oatmeal with nuts, cream, honey and possibly apples, coffee and tea with cream.
Lunch
Menu: Grilled cheese quesadilla with or without ham, Ham lettuce and tomato and cheese rollups. Iced tea
