been on board with the Farm-to-Table movement for some time. Cuvée got involved with Connolly Ranch a year ago by creating a “Corks for Kids” program, where corkage fees are waived but guests are asked to make a donation to Connolly Ranch. This has raised thousands of dollars that help Connolly Ranch expand its school field trip program, which includes paying for school bus transportation, insurance and experienced instructors. Cuvée General Manager Morgan Craft and Chef Jordan Mackey also want to begin converting their ornamental landscaping around the restaurant to include more edibles and herbs that the kitchen can use year- round. They believe guests would like to learn more about what Connolly Jordan and prepare a meal with ingredients from Connolly Ranch and Ranch does and to see where their donations go. So Connolly Ranch other local Bay Area farms. The kids used their math skills to determine brought a little bit of the ranch to Cuvée on a sunny day in November, the right amount of each ingredient to make the crust for the quiche they as a third grade class of students from Stone Bridge school broke ground would be eating for their lunch. They learned that mustard can be used as on a small garden plot on the south side of the restaurant. This field trip an emulsifier to mix oil and water for a dressing for a salad. They chopped was an extension of what the students were already learning as part of the fresh collard greens, tomatoes and other vegetables for use in the quiche and curriculum in the classroom – farming and biodynamic gardening. salad. They even got to make homemade potato chips! Chef Jordan took the The children conditioned the soil with compost and built organic matter students in the kitchen, where they helped sauté the vegetables and deep fry with fava beans and cover crops for the winter. If having a day away from the chips. Their visit was followed by a fancy feast in the courtyard of the the classroom wasn’t enough, the class also had a chance to work with Chef restaurant. J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 3 47
NVLife Jan-Feb 2013
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