A sustainable foods group hosts a dinner tonight to recognize area hospitals for reducing their meat purchases.
On the menu at the $100-per-person dinner at Baltimore's Pier Five Hotel: Chicken and beef.
Despite the evening's meat-reducing mantra, no one should have trouble swallowing the Pan-Seared Roseda Beef Tenderloin on Whole Grain Crostini with Sweet Three-Onion Relish or the Honey-and-Herb-Roasted Murray's Chicken with Dijon-Riesling Pan Sauce.
That's because Roseda Beef of Monkton and Murray's Chicken of Pennsylvania are both sustainably raised, said Louise Mitchell, sustainable foods coordinator for Maryland Hospitals for a Healthy Environment.
Besides, she noted, the group is pushing hospitals to reduce the meat they serve patients and cafeteria customers, not eliminate it entirely. (Their goal is to improve diets and the environment.)
There will be lots of veggie dishes to go with that meat. The 90 or so hospital executives, food service directors, doctors, farmers and chefs expected at the event will round out their meals with Sweet Potato Pancakes with Apple Cider Sauce, Vegetarian Chili and Organic Spinach and Artichoke Dip Profiteroles. For dessert: Apple, Honey and Goat Cheese Tart.
Roseda Beef burger at Abbey Burger Bistro. Sun photo by Lloyd Fox