Special Earth Dinner at Gracie's

Gracie’s Pays Homage to the Earth by Celebrating Its
Bounties with Special “Earth Dinner”

Earth Dinner Menu Incorporating Locally Sourced Food Offered on
Friday, April 20 and Saturday, April 21

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (April 12 2012) – Gracie’s restaurant in downtown Providence is among more than 100 Chefs Collaborative-member restaurants across the nation joining forces with Organic Valley to host an “Earth Dinner” in celebration of Earth Day. On Friday, April 20 and Saturday, April 21, Gracie’s will offer guests an Earth Day menu to select from in addition to its spring menu. The nationwide “Earth Dinner” event promotes restaurants that use local, organic and sustainable food – all things that Gracie’s makes a priority in creating its menus – and provides the restaurants with a vehicle for “giving back” to the local farms they secure food from.

“The Gracie’s team is always thrilled to be involved with this initiative as it is a natural extension of all that we already do to celebrate local foods and their vibrant flavors and nurture a more sustainable food supply,” said Ellen Gracyalny, owner of Gracie’s. “Taking part in the ‘Earth Dinner’ event is also an expression of our appreciation for local farmers and purveyors who provide us with the fresh ingredients we insist on using in our menu offerings.”

Gracie’s Earth Dinner will feature a unique menu created by Gracie’s Executive Chef Matthew Varga. Guests will also receive educational materials about the Earth Dinner and Gracie’s commitment to sustainability. The prix fixe menu ($40 per guest) will be broken down into three courses with one choice for each course:

First Course

• Baby Greens Salad – organic cranberries, goat cheese croquette, Providence granola (Baby Greens Farm, Simmons Farm, Fairland Farms, Providence Granola project)

• Rhode Island Parsnip Soup – Empire apples, parsnip crisps, hearty mustard, young parsley (Schartner Farm, Hill Orchard, Silverbrook Farm, Farming Turtles)

• Zephyr Farm Egg – bacon braised cattle beans, winter rye bread, garden herbs & flowers (Zephyr Farm, Green Thumb Farm, Schartner Farm)

Second Course

• Local Skate Wing – pickled baby beets, braised green kale, grapefruit beurre blanc (The Local Catch, Farm Fresh & Company, Schartner Farm)

• Baffoni’s Farm Chicken Ballantine – roasted carrots, charred spring onion, potato puree, herb jus (Baffoni’s Farm, Schartner Farm, North Star Farm)

• Hopkins Farm Lamb – house made merguez, braised lettuce, pea falafel, salty feta (Hopkins Farm, Narragansett Creamery, Absalona Greenhouse)

Third Course

• Slopeside Maple Pudding – fried sweet ricotta, strawberry jam, Providence Muesli (Slopeside Syrup, Narragansett Creamery, Schartner Farm, Providence Granola Project)

• Frozen Nutter Butter – chocolate covered peanuts, caramel popcorn, toasted oatmeal ice cream (Aquidneck Honey, Fairland Farm, Farm Fresh & Company, Virginia & Spanish Peanut Co.)

Gracie’s will donate a portion of the proceeds received from the Earth Dinner to Chefs Collaborative, the leading nonprofit network of chefs and farmers that fosters a sustainable food system using the power of education, collaboration and responsible buying decisions. These funds will benefit the local farms that Gracie’s secures food from. Organic Valley, the nation’s largest cooperative of organic farmers and a leading organic brand, has promised to match all donations to Chefs Collaborative, up to $10,000.

“We’re thrilled! Involvement in this year’s Earth Dinner series has already broken a record – with more than 100 chefs and restaurants participating from every region of the country,” said Melissa Kogut, executive director of Chefs Collaborative. “We attribute this to a growing number of restaurants that make responsible food sourcing part of doing business.”

"Earth Dinner was born to remind us all that 70 percent of the earth’s resources are used to produce food," said Theresa Marquez, founder of Earth Dinner and mission executive for Organic Valley. "Organic Valley farmers and the members of Chefs Collaborative share this knowledge because producing food with the earth in mind is not only delicious but worthy of celebrating. Food to delight the taste buds from the most caring and thoughtful cooks in the world!”

To make reservations for Gracie’s Earth Dinner call 401.272.7811 or make an online reservation through Open Table.

About Gracie’s
Established in 1998, Gracie’s in downtown Providence, R.I. provides guests with a culinary experience that is anything but expected. The 70-seat restaurant, located at 194 Washington Street just steps from Trinity Repertory Theater, entices guests with seasonally inspired American cuisine that is fresh and inventive. In addition to the main dining room, Gracie’s also offers a private wine cellar for up to eight guests and a private dining room that can accommodate up to 70 people. In addition to award-winning food, guests can enjoy five-star cocktails and a wine list of more than 200 wines. Gracie’s can also cater a wide and unlimited range of events through Grace, Events by Gracie’s. For more information, visit www.graciesprov.com or call 401.272.7811.