It was an honor and an absolute privilege to attend such an event as Summer Sol, fundraiser for theMove. The Move is a beautiful organization founded by Executive Director Dave Madan and growing by the hands and hearts of many, many others.
theMove organizes/mobilizes a growing number of urban youth in and around Boston to learn about and assist with urban community farming efforts. Youth are exposed to and educated about sustainable food projects in their communities while becoming increasingly connected to and conscious of healthy food choices and the work required to bring these harvests to the table.
The fundraiser and celebration was a definite success, drawing in a large number of attendees despite the weather.
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| Me and BostonFab's Tiffany Probasco |
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| City Growers! |
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| Ashe Cook and Allison Mariella visiting from NYC |
It was hosted by TV personality Patti "The Garden Girl" Moreno of www.gardengirltv.com at her beautiful home in the Fort Hill area of Roxbury.
Numerous platters of delectable dishes comprised of locally-sourced, fresh ingredients were served at every turn. Various craft cocktail punches and beer were offered as well.
Mezze
Chef Nadine Nelson, of Global Local Gourmet and Chief Chef for theMove, showed up and showed out with her lovely mezze spread!
The talented Chef Nadine is a culinary instructor, recipe developer, writer, and event producer.
Part of Global Local Gourmet's mission: "...to show the interconnectedness of our world through food and culture while promoting business practices that respect the environment and each other."
The mezze spread included a beautiful beet tzatziki; a sharp, herbaceous feta and basil whip; a bright, sweet potato dip; and a spicy eggplant dip.
| Photo: theMove |
Also featured was a smooth North African chicken liver pate which was nicely paired with a spicy apple chutney. A bold and sweet fig mustard was available to drizzle over the goat sausage (Locust Knoll Farm)and the grilled eggplant, summer squash and zucchini platter with an herbal dressing was simple and delicious.
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| Tony Madan (president of Boston Investments), Reverend Joe Cook and Dr. Angela Paige Cook (founders + directors of Paige Academy), Dave Madan (founder + executive director of theMOVE) |
Hor d'oeuvres
- Mediterranean Goat Kebabs
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| Tender morsels of goat skewered with fresh, grilled green bell peppers, summer squash, and white onion. |
- Firecracker Curried Chicken Skewers
(Chef John of Blue Glass Cafe, Back Bay)
| Juicy, tender chicken breast, perfectly spiced and skewered. Photo: theMove |
- Vegetarian Samosas (Mrs. Ritu Madan, ingredients from: Many Hands Organic Farm, Barre, MA)
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| Mrs. Madan |
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| Spicy, flaky vegetarian Indian Samosas made prepared with Blue Heron Farm potatoes |
- Poblano Chicken Cucumber Cups
(Chef John of Blue Glass Cafe, Back Bay)
| I loved the freshness of the cucumber cups stuffed with chicken salad! Photo: theMove |
- Smoked Bluefish Pate on Crostini with Pickled Onion
(Forklift
Catering, Cambridge)
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| As my favorite dish of the evening (I kept heading back for more), I especially loved the smokiness of the succulent bluefish and the pickled onion added just the right amount of zest! |
- California Baja Veggie Rolls (Forklift Catering, Cambridge)
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| The Baja rolls were tasty, made with Kimball Fruit Farm grilled veggies, fresh salad greens, and chipotle crema for a spicy kick! |
- Basil Tree Catering's (Cambridge) Teriyaki Tofu Skewers w/ Pineapple
Basil Tree Catering also served a smoked gouda and apple quesadilla which I did not have the pleasure of sampling.
- Mexican Corn Salad
- Pao de Queijo (Brazilian cheesy bread)
- Vietnamese Beef Salad
...and much, much more!!!!
Cocktails & Desserts
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| Green River Ambrosia spiked Apple Cider |
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| "Roxbury Mojitos" made with Old Ipswich white rum, local mint, local raspberries+blueberries, cane sugar |
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| Haley House Bakery & Cafe (Roxbury) cookies and brownies |
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| Sofra Bakery & Cafe (Cambridge) cookies |
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| Sophia’s Greek Pantry (Belmont, MA) baklava |
Live Music
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| Talented young musicians! |
Please check out the wonderful organizations listed and linked above. Get involved and partake in the harvest!
theMove is consistently looking for dedicated volunteers. Please sign up to help out on a trip or to support the organization's financial goals, click here.
