WELCOME TO OUR HARVEST KITCHEN CULINARY SCHEDULE

To read Norma Chang's Blog about her experience at the 2011 Festival Click Here!

2012 Harvest Demonstration Kitchen Schedule
New York State Sheep and Wool Festival

Saturday, October 20th:

11:00 AM: Jennifer Brizzi, local author and columnist.

12:30 PM: Sean Lacy, Adams Fairacre Farms meat expert.

2:00 PM: Norma Chang, expert gardener, author and teacher.

3:30 PM: "Great Sheep Cheeses, Part 1" (presenter TBA).

Sunday, October 21st:

11:00 AM: Wil-Hi Farm Lamb Sausages, presented by Jack Ford.

12:30 PM: Norma Chang, expert gardener, author and teacher.

2:00 PM: "Cooking Lamb with Herbs", Andrea Carvalho, Nature's Healing Farm.

3:30 PM: "Great Sheep Cheese, Part 2", Debbie Decker, Adams Fairacre Farm Cheese Expert.
 
**There will be a display of lamb-friendly herbs in the back of the kitchen audience area during the festival.**

The cooking demonstrations will be held in the Harvest Kitchen in Building E.
 

Jack Ford
A thirteenth-generation descendant of English settlers, Jack has helped promote the efforts of local food producers for over thirty years, first as a chef, and later in sales and marketing roles.  Best known for his work creating large public cooking demonstration programs, he has worked with a vast array of regional food companies, promotional groups, food writers and culinary schools, as well as a majority of the celebrity chefs from PBS andThe FoodNetwork.  One of Jack's proudest moments came in September of 1995, when the legendary Julia Child introduced  him to a group of culinary professionals as “ a champion of the American farmer.” 

Biography of Norma Chang 
Norma Chang, The Travelling Gourmet, is a food lover who enjoys sharing her skills and ideas with others through her many food related activities.
Norma Chang is the author of "My Students' Favorite Chinese Recipes, Updated Edition" and "Wokking Your Way to Lowfat Cooking".
Norma believes cooking should be fun. The food you prepare and eat should not only be good for you but look and taste good too. This philosophy is reflected in her cookbooks, demonstrations and workshops.

Norma Chang will be making Lamb in Oyster Sauce and Lamb in Hoisin Sauce.  Copies of the recipes will be available for the audience.

To read Norma Chang's Blog about her experience at the 2011 Festival Click Here!


Biography for Jennifer Brizzi

Jennifer Brizzi writes about eating and cooking the classic dishes of the U.S. and the world. She has been a food columnist for thirteen years and her current column "Ravenous" has appeared since 2003 in several weekly newspapers in Upstate New York. She has worked for a variety of caterers and restaurants. She teaches cooking classes and does demonstrations at festivals and farmers markets. 

Brizzi has a web site at www.jenniferbrizzi.com with examples of her writing, as well as a blog at www.tripesoup.com on cooking and food writing. Brizzi is a member of the Southern Foodways Alliance and the International Association of Culinary Professionals. 

Debbie Decker
Even after 34 years behind the counter at Poughkeepie’s Adams Fairacre Farms’ cheese shop, Debbie Decker is as enthusiastic and informative as ever.  A native of Poughkeepsie, Debbie has watched in amazement as the availability of cheeses has evolved from “the usual” imported and domestic cheeses, to the unbelievable array of sizes, shapes and varieties that her department carries today.
Debbie is especially proud of the accomplishments of small, local artisan cheese makers.  Almost nonexistent twenty years ago, these talented, dedicated people are responsible for some of the finest cheeses in the world.  It has become Debbie’s mission to educate the public about these wonderful products.  In an effort to learn as much as she can about the cheeses and their producers, she visits every farm in the region, and is particularly delighted when the cows, sheep, or goats have names.  “Healthy, happy animals make the best cheese!” she says.
In her spare time, Debbie volunteers at a local animal shelter.
Debbie’s two presentations at this year’s Sheep and wool Festival will feature a variety of the world’s finest sheep’s milk cheeses.


Andrea Carvalho
Andrea Carvalho began cooking as soon as she was able to pull up a chair to the counter top.  Having grown up on a farm, she loves to use farm fresh ingredients.  "I love the challenge of cooking a meal from scratch, from entirely locally sourced ingredients.  It's a creative experience that gives me such a feeling of self-sufficiency and it always tastes amazing!"  Currently she owns a green house business with her husband in Clinton Corners, NY, specializing in herbs.  With such a wonderful herb supply at her fingertips, Andrea  is always looking for new ways to incorporate herbs into her cooking.


Sean Lacy
Sean Lacy has been working in the local food industry for over 12 years.  For the last 5 years, he has been providing the Hudson Valley with quality catering services and food logistics.  He is a full time meat cutter and gourmet sausage maker at Adams Fairacre Farms in Newburgh, NY.  He can provide simple, inexpensive barbeque to multi course plated service and everything in between.