Early last week I had the opportunity to catch up with Paul Miller of Morristown’s Office of Sustainability.  We talked about the various goings-on in the sustainability realm in town, one of which is an exciting new supper club series.  The Morristown Sunday Supper Club Series is designed to bring funding into Sustainable Morristown as it weans itself off grants from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation.  The series, scheduled to occur quarterly, will be hosted by the Highlands Dinner Club (experts in the supper club scene), Grassroots (the fabulous new section in the Daily Record) and Sustainable Morristown.

The first-ever supper club event will be held on Sunday, October 30 in tandem with the first-ever Grassroots Awards ceremony (more on that later).  Hosted at the Hyatt, well-known chefs from area restaurants with a focus on local and seasonal food (Blue Morel, EnoTerra, Pluckemin Inn, twofiftytwo restaurant, Elements and George and Martha’s) will prepare delectable dishes using food from local farms (Grow It Green Morristown, Alstede Farms, Totten Family Farm, Valley Shepard Creamery, Mini Mac Farm, Metropolitan Seafood and Hoeffner Meats.  Wine Chateau in Morristown is also providing organic and biodynamic wines!

The Grassroots Award will go to a local community member who has made significant strides in Sustainability.  One award will be granted in each of these 5 categories: Social Impact, Bottom Line, Courage in Leadership, Citizen Scientist and What a Great Idea!  For more information on each of these designations and how to submit a nomination (you have until Oct 14th!), please read this informative article from the Daily Record.  Winners will be announced at the dinner on the 30th.

Buy your tickets for this event and keep an eye out for a new supper each quarter.  I think we can all agree that local food + local businesses + good cause = sustainability trifecta.

[EDITED 10/24/11:  DISCOUNT.  You can now receive 30% off ticket costs by using the discount code: "DR-grassroots".  Please spread the word.]

Given that Earth Day (April 22) is this month, and April is supposed to be when things get warmer (ahem), there is a plethora of things going on around town!

Morristown Green (credit: flickr Wallyg)

Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up:

• Restaurant Week: Now through Saturday, April 16 is Downtown Morristown Restaurant Week.  Support local businesses by visiting one of the many participating restaurants that have prix fixe menus for under $30 per person.
• Willow Hall: On Tuesday, April 12 at 2 p.m., Willow Hall will be officially added to the National Register of Historic Places.  Willow Hall was saved by the Passaic River Coalition, a local nonprofit organization that now has offices in the building.
• EcoCenter Info Session: If you missed the first presentation on the Morristown EcoCenter, don’t miss your second chance!  On Wednesday, April 13, from 5:30-7:30 p.m., get a tour of the facility at 55 Bank Street and learn about the plans for this exciting proposed project.  See my previous post for more detailed information.  Please RSVP to Chris Kogler (ckogler@sbinj.org; 908-334-8263).  Lend your support!
• Share the Bounty: Support the Community Soup Kitchen on Wednesday, April 13 from 6-9 p.m. at the Madison Hotel.  They’re holding a benefit cocktail buffet and silent auction called Share the Bounty.  Tickets are $60.  The Community Soup Kitchen hasn’t missed a day of service in 26 years.  Now that is impressive!
• Revolutionary Times: Next weekend (April 15-17) is Revolutionary Times Weekend.  I think an argument can be made that part of sustainability is keeping history and culture alive, so celebrate Washington and the rich history we have right at our fingertips.
• Brownfields: As part of Schiff Nature Preserve’s Raritan Watershed Project, they’re having folks from the Edison Wetlands Association talk about brownfields (or polluted sites).  There are many in NJ, and they’ll discuss how to turn those into greenfields on April 20 from 7-8 p.m.
• Earth Day: Mark your calendars for Saturday, April 30.  That’s Earth Day in Morris County!  Held at Lewis Morris Park from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Earth Day is fun for all ages with games, activities and information galore.  Check out local nonprofits and businesses that are working hard to do right by Mother Earth!

Delaware Water Gap (credit: flickr Sed Navs)

Now that your schedule is all filled up, check out a few additional things I’d like to share with my ecoMotowners…

• Rebates for Energy Efficient Appliances: Our clothes washing machine recently bit the dust, so we took that opportunity to invest in an EnergyStar-labeled water and energy efficient washing machine.  We’re in the process of getting a $50 rebate from the state for doing so.  The trick is, you have to make sure that your old washer is properly disposed of (so we payed $10 extra to have Sears take ours away – apparently their takeback program qualifies with the state).  To learn more about different benefits you can receive from the state of NJ for buying new appliances or HVAC systems, visit www.njcleanenergy.com.  It’s a great resource, and no one paid me to say that!
• Protect the Delaware Water Gap:  The Delaware River Basin Commission is considering allowing hydrofracking in the region, a controversial process where highly pressurized water and chemicals are shot down into the earth to extract natural gas.  NJ Conservation Foundation and the National Parks Conservation Association have both sent out pleas for public comment to stop this from happening.  I’ve learned about the dangers of hydrofracking in class, and you can read one of my professor’s takes on the subject here, from an NYC perspective.  If you’d like to stop this controversial process, please read their two sites by clicking on their links above and submit your comment with the National Park Service.
• Easter eggs: And finally, for something a little more lighthearted…  If you celebrate Easter, buy eggs from a local farm (or just find some in your backyard like we do) and use natural dyes to color them.  Wouldn’t you know, Martha Stewart has come to the rescue with her ideas.  Oh Martha!

On Friday evening, I was able to attend an informational event about the new proposed Morristown EcoCenter at 55 Bank Street in town.  While I had to duck out before the official slide show started, I did take a tour of the humongous building (20,000 sq. ft.) and glean some information that I’m happy to share with everyone.  (I also got to enjoy some delicious organic wine and local cheese!)

Plans for the proposed EcoCenter, which will be retrofit from the building that most recently housed the BMW and Mini Cooper dealerships,  feature an organic farm-to-table restaurant, rooftop gardens (which will supply some of the food for the restaurant), an eco-friendly retail store, a local food hub, community kitchen, sustainable business incubator companies, creative community space (for movies, talks, etc.) and a research center.  The project will be a joint venture with the building owner Jack McDonald, the Sustainable Business Incubator of New Jersey and community investors (they’re looking for people to step up to the plate).

Kevin at MorristownGreen.com has already done an excellent job of covering the story, so rather than reinventing the wheel by writing up the same things, I encourage you to visit his coverage and check out his photos.

While the project is still in the proposal stage, I’m hopeful and excited that this project could take off.  How amazing would it be to have an organic restaurant in town, or an incubator for sustainable businesses nearby?  I know the town is very supportive of the initiative, and I’m hoping all of the pieces come together!

One of last year's Sustenance on the Farm Dinner (credit Bohm-Marazzo Studio)

I’m having major food envy over the folks that will be attending Sustenance Events’ “Sustenance on the Farm Dinners” this month and next.  While on the pricey side, they look delicious and are a great way to connect to and support the local food movement.

Sustenance on the Farm Dinners take place right on the farm that grew the food or raised the animals (plus food from other local farms).  The meals are prepared by local chefs and served in a classy, sustainable way.  No plastic solo cups here, my friends!

Paul Dalrymple, owner of Plaid Piper Farm

The first six-course dinner will be at Plaid Piper Farm in Branchville, NJ on Sunday, July 18 from 4-7 p.m. (no need to disrupt your no-doubt busy weekend!).  You may have read about my visit to Plaid Piper during the colder months, but if not, you can read all about it here.  Chef Joseph Cerniglia of Campania Restaurant will be preparing the meal, and winemaker and agronomist Pablo Cuneo of Ruca Malen Estate will delight your palettes with wine pairings.  There will also be bagpipes!  Best of all, the event proceeds benefit the Slow Food Northern NJ Chapter.  Sure, tickets are $155 a person, but it’s all for a good cause, and these sorts of events aren’t exactly cheap to put together!  Also, you must be 21 or older, so leave the kiddos at home.

(credit Bohm-Marazzo Studio)

There will also be another dinner on Sunday, August 22 at Fosterfield’s Living Historical Farm in Morristown.  Resident Farmer Ron Kibbe will give a farm tour and the meal will use heirloom vegetables grown on the farm and accompanied by local grass-fed meat and poultry.  It will be prepared by chefs from Equus Tavern and Donna & Co. and wine pairings are TBA.  There will also be a fiddle player there, so it’s sure to be a good evening.  Proceeds from this event will benefit Fosterfield’s.

You can buy your tickets here.  And if you decide to buy an extra ticket, my calendar is looking pretty free for those dates!

I hope you all had a happy Earth Day.  While it’s a great day, working at an environmental nonprofit sort of makes you glad when it’s over!

Anyhow, I thought I would share with you an update on Restaurant Week.  Some of the participating restaurants will be serving organic wines from Rodney Strong Vineyards (California) and Montes Premium Wines (Chile – so definitely not local, but hey).  So, when you go for dinner, be sure to ask for the organic wine!  This will, of course, show how much you care about these things.  Maybe the restaurants will continue to stock them afterwards.

Participating restaurants include:

The Famished Frog
George & Martha’s American Grille
Grasshopper off Green
Mehndi
Ming II
Pazzo Pazzo
Sebastian’s Steakhouse
Valentino Ristorante & Piano Bar

For more info on Restaurant Week, see my previous post.

I’m very excited to write about Morristown’s first ever Restaurant Week!  The folks at the Morristown Partnership have worked with the local restaurants in Downtown Morristown to offer deals on lunch and dinner all week long (April 19-24).

Even though you probably can’t coin most of the restaurants downtown as “eco-friendly,” supporting local business is definitely a part of a sustainable community.  There are over 37 local restaurants and two wine & spirit shops participating this year, which is pretty significant.

Each participating establishment has their own menu, and they participate every day they are open for lunch, dinner, or both.  Lunch could either be a special offer (buy one get one, free chips & drink w/purchase, etc.) or a prix fixe.  Dinner must be a prix fixe under $30.  Not a bad deal!

Check out the list of restaurants and see their menus and special offers here.

Local food writer Warren Bobrow lives in Jockey Hollow and grew up on a biodynamic farm in Morristown.  After a long career in the corporate world, Warren took his layoff last year as a blessing.  He recently took a few minutes out of his day to chat with me.

In a recent article, you mention that you saw an opportunity to completely change your life after your job was offshored.  Can you tell me about that?

I couldn’t wait to get out of the corporate world.  I was doing it for 20 years as an executive assistant in various capacities so I was ready for a change.  I told them, “You’ve given me the greatest opportunity you could give me, which is to be myself.”  I didn’t look at it as a curse, but rather as an opportunity to become the person that I am today.

You mention you grew up on a local, biodynamic farm.  How do you think that has influenced what you do?

It definitely influenced what I do.  I’m somewhat of a self-taught authority on biodynamics.  I was encouraged to have a vegetable garden, although it was organic, not biodynamic.  I grew fresh herbs, and I gave them to restaurants like Il Mulino in NYC and Po.  I grew ancient seeds from Johnny’s Seeds in Maine.  At the time no one had ever heard of chocolate mint.  It was never about the money.  I did it strictly out of the passion of sharing and being able to be a part of the meal the chefs created.  I don’t know everything, but I’m a sieve for new information.

How did you decide you wanted to turn your career to food?

I went to Johnson & Wales in Charleston, SC, but didn’t finish.  I was a self-trained chef, and I always had an ease of speaking about food and cooking. I worked for a wine school run by 56 Degrees Wine in Bernardsville.  I would describe Chris Cree, the owner, as one of my mentors.  I’ve had great teachers who all tried to nurture me to be someone in the food business, and I did all of this on the side.  I have a natural gift of gab which comes out of my passion.   I have a distaste for factory wines.  I really like to work around people who work with wines that speak to the soils they are grown in.  Small producer, handmade wines – if they’re organic & biodynamic, all the better.

Can you tell me about any stories you particularly enjoyed covering?

I wrote about Metropolitan Seafood, with owner Mark Drabich in Clinton.  They were written up in the New York Times as the best seafood store in NJ – everything is sushi grade.  I went to the Hunts Point fish market in the Bronx, and it was a life changing experience.  You’re there at 12:30,  1 a.m. in the morning and the people that are buying the most incredible fish you’ve ever seen are all the great chefs of New York.  No other tourists were there.

How has the Morristown area changed over the years?

There are no farms left in the area, and the only farms here are the ones owned by people who are incredibly wealthy and can afford to pay the taxes on the property.  I have a lot of appreciation for those who can do that and to be able to share in that is really magical.  The farms that you do see have to have a certain amount of wherewithall to be here.  Most of the great soil has been plowed under from all of the development, too.

What are the area’s biggest environmental achievements?

The expansion of the Jockey Hollow National Park is one the greatest gifts to the those of us who are fortunate enough to live around here, but also to everyone who is fortunate enough to visit.  There was a motion to build in the area, but luckily it didn’t go through.  There are other victories like the Greystone property and the Schiff Land Preserve.  It’s very important that properties like this are preserved, and it’s important that these places are open to the public.  It’s a great victory.

Where do you feel the area still needs work?

The less fortunate areas in town need work with community gardening, more community gardening.  I really dig what Grow it Green Morristown is doing at the Early Street property, and I really think there are more opportunities that are underutilized.  Community gardens increase people’s understanding of farm-to-table cooking.  I’d like to see more locally grown food feeding people with the culturally important foods that they grew up on.

Where do you get most of your food?

I only have flower gardens, but we’re thinking of putting up a garden – we need to install deer fencing though.  We mostly go to Whole Foods, we also go to Delicious Orchards in Colts Neck, NJ.  I buy seafood from Metropolitan Seafood.  I have been going to Hoeffners in Morristown, the last German butcher in this part of the state, since I was a baby.  Everything is grass-fed, locally slaughtered.  It’s the most amazing pork out there – sausages with natural casings  and everything from scratch.  If you go in there, tell Steve that Warren Bobrow sent you.

Where do you find inspiration for your culinary creations?

My inspiration comes from the cook to my grandparents, and her name was Estelle Ellis.  I learned how to cook at her knee.  She was from southern Georgia and when she would make soul food, I would watch.  When I worked in South Carolina,  I made friends with Martha Lou who owns one of the great soul food restaurants in US.  I cooked alongside her.   She gave me the task of making chitlins, where you soak them in milk and change the milk every day.  It takes the roughness out.  Estelle taught me how to do that.  They sold out in half hour, and Mary Lou said I could come cook with her.  That’s where the story about the cast iron pan came from.

Do you have a favorite local restaurant?

We love Ninety Acres; they’re doing a Blue Hill utopian form of cooking.  It’s located on the Natirar Estate in Peapack-Gladstone in carriage houses on this huge property.  The driveway to get up there is easily two miles long.  Richard Branson is the owner.  The carriage houses are open to the public and they have a Viking cooking school.  The focus of the wine list is all small producer, under-the-radar wines, most of which are organic.  They also offer old vintages, which is difficult to find in restaurants these days.  I also wrote an article about Guerriero’s in Morristown, which is a really great place to get southern Italian cooking with “mamma making the gravy.”

A favorite park, or particular spot within a park?

In Jockey Hollow, there’s a spring  that George Washington’s troops drank out of – pure branch water that comes straight to the surface, and you can make a cocktail out of it with bourbon.  Branch water is defined as pure natural water from a stream or brook often distinguished from soda water.  The physical interatction of adding branched bourbon combines hundreds of years of Southern culture and drinking lure.  “It’s the essence of purity and grace.”

What’s your best “green” tip for locals?

Buy local.  Support local business and local stores – eat locally and don’t eat chain food.  I think it’s really important to help people who have this passion for feeding because you can see the love that comes through every plate they do.

What are some recent articles you’d like to share with ecoMotown readers?

Vietnamese restaurant in Florham Park

Review of Carmel Haifa in Morris Plains

The last two Jewish delis in Newark

Smashburger in Montclair serves grass-fed organic meat in their burgers

Tuna Melt recipe in Saveur Magazine

Hannukah recipes

I wouldn’t be where I am today without WildRiverReview.com.  They gave me my start, and now I’m the editor of the Wild Table blog.  Without them, I don’t know where I would be.

You can read Warren’s writing on his online column, Wild Table at WildRiverReview.com.  You can also follow him on Twitter: @WarrenBobrow1.