​Southern Illinois Rocked the Plate

​The second annual Rock the Plate event celebrating local food and local music packed the Old Feed Store in Cobden, Sunday, August 28th. The Swamp Tigers rocked the house after an array of local chefs rocked the plate using all-locally grown ingredients, right down to the cocktails.
The food included ratatouille quiche by Walkers Bluff, Israeli Salad from the Neighborhood Coop Grocery, Vegan Potato Salad by Town Square Market, LaColina Linda’s Spanish Gazpacho, Fat Pattie’s Zesty Squash and Rice Soup; from Yellow Moon Café Pork and Veggie Kabobs with a Chimichurri Sauce; and for dessert, Cristaudo’s Mixed Berry and Peach Boo Boo Bars and the Longbranch Cafe & Bakery’s Lemon Basil Bars.

Local farms represented included Lick Creek Beef & Pork, All Season’s Farm, SIUC Farm to Fork Sustainable Vegetable Farm, Flora Bay Farm, Washington Street Gardens, McKaskle Family Farm, Marcoot Jersey Creamery, Rendleman Orchard, Dayempur Farm, Grier Lost Creek, Toad Hill Farm, Angie’s Farm, Mileur Orchards, Five Hens Farm, and Spring Valley Farm. Thanks to all of you who raised the food that gave us an amazing taste of our region!
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Local wine from Orlandini and Owl Creek Vineyards, Hard Cider from Apple Knocker Ciders, beer from Big Muddy and from Scratch Brewery, and Coffee from Steam Shovel Coffee comprised the array of beverage choices (with local water and iced tea as well). Two custom local cocktails, the Lemon Black Berry Tiger (Grand River Lemon Moonshine and Rendleman Orchard’s Blackberry Cider garnished with Lemon Balm) and the Apple Crisp (Appleknocker’s ‘The Bad One’ Hard Cider with Grand River’s Red Eye Pie Moonshine) showcased local spirits and ciders.
 
The event sold out for the 2nd year in a row! Proceeds will support Food Works programs.
 
Thanks are also due to everyone who donated for the raffle items including The Old Feed Store, the Carbondale Farmers Market (at Murdale), Rendleman Orchards, the Community Farmers Market, Scratch Brewery, Grand River Spirits, The Swamp Tigers, Orlandini Vineyards and Apple Knocker Cider.
 
Many, many people and organizations came together to make Rock the Plate happen. Thank you to all of you! We owe an especially big debt of gratitude to Amanda Pankau who took the organizing lead. Thank you to Nathan Graham, graphic artist. Thank you to Food Works staff Reanna Putnam, and volunteers Brent Pease, Ryan Pankau, and Ben Russo. We are grateful to our generous sponsors who make it all possible: Lawler Brown Law Firm, Scratch Brewery, Grand River Spirits, and Apple Knocker Hard Cider.
 
We heard your calls for bigger bowls next year…we’re listening!

Photos by John Longmire. Click here to view a full album of photos from the night.