December 16, 2009

A New Article about Local Sprouts and other caterers in the Press Herald.

Gone are the days when health-conscious party planners had to worry about whether the event’s caterer knew how to maintain a gluten-free kitchen or spot the myriad foods in which non-vegetarian ingredients lurk.

AVERY YALE KAMILA / NATURAL FOODIE December 16, 2009

Arthur Fink photo

For a recent wedding on Prouts Neck, Local Sprouts Cooperative Catering cooked up a feast that included a gluten-free seafood paella, a gluten-free roasted haddock dish served on quinoa and a seasonal salad with blueberry vinaigrette.

Gone are the days when health-conscious party planners had to worry about whether the event’s caterer knew how to maintain a gluten-free kitchen or spot the myriad foods in which non-vegetarian ingredients lurk. Now local hosts and hostesses have the luxury of hiring an expert.

Responding to the growing ranks of people with food allergies, special dietary preferences and interest in locally sourced foods, a new crop of caterers is cooking up an interesting and diverse array of edibles.

One of the most visible of the bunch is Local Sprouts Cooperative, which formed in 2007 and plans to open a cafe on Congress Street next year. The company aims to use as many foods from Maine as possible, and has expertise in creating gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan meals.

“Our sales have gone up this year at least 100 percent,” says Jonah Fertig, who is one of the Local Sprouts founders.

The organization was created with the intention of providing prepared meals through a weekly subscription service, but it’s special events and parties where the company has seen the bulk of its orders. “Catering is the biggest part of our business,” Fertig said.

Another proponent of locally grown foods is Lisa Silverman, who owns Five Seasons Cooking School on Portland’s Munjoy Hill and has taught classes and offered catering for 15 years. Her focus is on macrobiotic meals.

Initially, Silverman’s customer base was made up almost entirely of people battling cancer, for whom the diet is particularly popular. But that is changing.

“Now it’s really more mainstream,” Silverman said. “It’s really just whole-grains cooking.”

Macrobiotic meals center on grains, beans, vegetables, seaweed and fish, and eschew processed foods.

Ryan Henderson began his catering journey on the road, when he followed Phish and sold food at concerts. In 2002, he expanded to fairs and festivals. Three years ago, he created the Beetroot Kitchen catering company, which specializes in creative vegetarian cooking.

“I’ve found by having a dish that’s accessible to meat-eaters, vegans and vegetarians alike, I get nothing but positive feedback,” Henderson said. “I like to show that you can eat vegetarian without buying a meat substitute.”

Beetroot Kitchen also uses local foods whenever possible; however, finding the appropriate Maine-grown foods for some special diets can be tough.

“Using local foods is a big focus for us, and sometimes it’s a challenge,” Fertig said.

Local Sprouts’ vegan repertoire has been helped by the recent entry to the market of Maine-made tofu, tempeh, canola oil and sunflower oil. However, sourcing locally grown gluten-free grains remains an issue.

“We’re still looking for more gluten-free flours and grains in Maine,” Fertig said. “With the grain growing resurgence in Maine, we’re hoping to see more gluten-free options.”

Between tracking down Maine-grown ingredients and filling holiday orders, these caterers are a busy bunch at this time of year. Thankfully, a number of them are still taking orders for celebratory foods, which are sure to please an array of eaters.

CATERERS FOR SPECIAL DIETS

BAM BAM BAKERY

NICHE: Gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free and some vegan

WHAT: Cakes, pies, breads and sweets, including brownies with peanut butter or chocolate glaze.

ORDER: Three days in advance and by Dec. 19 for Christmas.

CONTACT: 233-6118; www.bambambakery.com

BEETROOT KITCHEN

NICHE: Vegetarian and vegan

WHAT: Appetizers, entrees and desserts, including the company’s signature peanut noodles.

ORDER: At least four days in advance.

CONTACT: 299-6299

FIVE SEASONS COOKING SCHOOL

NICHE: Macrobiotic

WHAT: Appetizers, entrees and desserts, including chickpea burgers and spicy scallops.

ORDER: A couple of weeks in advance.

CONTACT: 233-6846; fiveseasonscookingschool.net

GRO CAFE CATERING

NICHE: Raw, vegan and gluten-free

WHAT: Appetizers, entrees and desserts, including assorted raw chocolates and custom cakes.

ORDER: At least 24 hours in advance

CONTACT: 541-9119; www.grofoods.com

LOCAL SPROUTS COOPERATIVE CATERING

NICHE: Gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan and locally sourced meats and seafood

WHAT: Full-service catering including appetizers, entrees and desserts with an emphasis on locally grown and raised foods. Bar service available.

ORDER: A week to 48 hours in advance.

CONTACT: 615-9970; localsproutscooperative.com

13TH COOKIE

NICHE: Gluten-free, soy-free, vegan and some sugar-free

WHAT: Bakery offering cakes, bars and cookies, including peanut butter chocolate chip and ugly cookies.

ORDER: At least 48 hours in advance.

CONTACT: 899-3874; email: 13thcookie@gmail.com

Staff Writer Avery Yale Kamila can be contacted at 791-6297 or at: akamila@pressherald.com

Copyright © 2009 MaineToday Media, Inc.

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