Thursday, September 10, 2009

Celebrate Idaho's Bounty during September

September is officially Idaho Preferred® Month 2009, when the Idaho Department of Agriculture and local communities will to celebrate Idaho farmers, ranchers and specialty food producers.

The fifth annual Taste of Idaho will be held on Saturday, Sept. 12, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Qwest Arena in Boise. This event features the state’s best food and wine, along with amazing chef demonstrations and samples of award-winning recipes. Fresh peaches, pears, apples and grapes; flavorful huckleberry jams and syrups, Idaho beef, fresh-baked breads, locally grown plants, and award-winning wines are just a few of the unique local products to be enjoyed at this event. Admission is $5 for food sampling and $5 for a wine or beer sampling glass. Children under 12 are free. Tickets are available at the door. The event is jointly sponsored by Idaho Preferred®, Albertsons, Sysco Food services, and Peak Communications.

To kick off Idaho Preferred® Month, the Idaho Dept. of Agriculture’s Idaho Preferred® program, Sysco of Idaho, and Thunder Mountain Line teamed up to give locals and tourists a chance to become locavores for a day. More than 300 people jumped on board the “Locavore Express” in Horseshoe Bend to sip Idaho wine and enjoy locally prepared hors d’oeuvres while rolling alongside the scenic Payette River on their way to an all-Idaho gourmet feast in Banks. Much to the delight of local growers and producers, the event was a quick sell out and smash hit.

On September 10, Wal-Mart locations in Meridian, Idaho Falls and Twin Falls celebrated Idaho Preferred® Month by announcing that Wal-Mart stores throughout the state are now offering larger selections of locally grown food products. This effort supports local economies, farmers, ranchers, and lets Idahoans access homegrown foods.

Two years ago, Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter declared September “Idaho Preferred® Month” to recognize the bounty and abundance of Idaho products. Now the month-long celebration is one of Idaho’s premier culinary affairs highlighted by several events.

For more information about Idaho Preferred® Month or the Idaho Preferred® program, please visit www.idahopreferred.com.