When top chefs seek out local, high-quality produce, chances are they're supporting small farmers and sustainable agriculture.
Last Thursday afternoon, I checked in by phone with Jimmy Schmidt, the
chef-owner of The Rattlesnake Club, the favorite restaurant of many auto execs and other Detroit businesspeople. When I asked Schmidt about that evening's menu, his talk quickly became peppered with wild asparagus and ramps (a form of leek) foraged in Northern Michigan forests, organic chicken, and fruits, greens, and mushrooms from the farmers' market. Almost all the ingredients he was using were wild or organic, as well as locally grown.
October
