Farmer feast will be open to public

There are tricks to roasting red peppers and tomatoes that magnify their flavors without cremating them, and guest chefs will teach those secrets eventually at the Kootenai County Farmers’ Market.

But first the nonprofit market needs to raise enough money to enable its visiting chefs to cook safely.

“We need a stainless steel surface, a heat source, refrigeration,” said Barb Arnold, a farmers’ market leader for 18 years. “We need a place to cook that meets health standards.”

To raise the money to buy cooking equipment, the market is inviting the public to dinner next week. It has 64 seats available for a gourmet dinner made with the fresh foods farmers sell Saturdays, May through mid-October, at the market’s Hayden location. Tickets to the dinner cost $25 per person.

Feast with the Farmers began last year as an invitation-only thank-you gift to market patrons. Market organizers dropped in a hat the names of anyone who spent more than $20 at the market in July, then drew 25 names. Dinner for those people was free, but each was allowed to bring a guest for $20. Coeur d’Alene caterers Jeanette and Matt Enns created a meal with fresh meats, vegetables, fruits and more from the market. Diners ate at tables on the market grounds and listened to live music as the sun set.

Many of the invited patrons wanted to bring more than one guest, but the market wasn’t prepared for more than 50 diners last year, Arnold said. The interest motivated her to suggest the market offer Feast with the Farmers to the public this year. The market board of directors liked the idea and saw the meal’s potential to raise money for the guest chef project.

This year, the market will thank 10 patrons with free dinners and allow them each to bring a guest for $25 per person. It will sell 64 tickets at $25 each to the public.

The dinner is Aug. 18 at the farmers’ market. It will start with appetizers that include fresh vegetables with fresh basil dip, baba ganoush, dill goat cheese on toast and red pepper spread on baguettes. Salads will include a fresh corn and tomato selection, green salad and green bean with new potatoes mix.

For the entrée, the Enns will cook kebabs with fresh lamb from Good Shepherd Lamb Co. in Bonner County.

“I’ve eaten their kebabs and they’re wonderful,” said Jan Gilstad, who’s organizing this year’s feast.Enns also will offer a vegetable kebab. The meal will end with a berry compote.

Gilstad said the market invited 12 farmers/vendors to sit with dinner guests and answer questions.

“They don’t have time at market, so this will be a good time to ask those gardening questions,” she said.