“You don’t have to eat grass to be green.”

“You don’t have to eat grass to be green.”

That’s the delicious point that can actually be savored at the first “A Sustainable Taste of Fredonia,” a gathering of local restaurants that will serve only locally or organically grown food, on Saturday, April 19, at Barker Commons.   Serving from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., rain or shine, “A Sustainable Taste of Fredonia," sponsored by the SUNY Fredonia Sustainability Committee, helps kick off SUNY Fredonia’s observance of Earth Week that runs through Saturday, April 26.

A large tent will be erected to accommodate five eateries -- The Brick Room, EBC, Eastside Grill, Hook & Ladder and Rocco’s – who will offer tempting samples from their regular menus that have been prepared within organic or homegrown parameters. And all restaurateurs were delighted to participate, organizers said.

“These are selections that you normally go to the restaurant and find,” explained Dr. Sherri Mason, associate professor chemistry at SUNY Fredonia and its Earth Week coordinator, “but for the sake of the event they are doing them with all organic or locally grown food.” Offerings include: flank steak kabobs, black bean burgers, roasted eggplant sandwiches, nori rolls, vegetarian pizza, three different organic soups and chocolate upside down pear cake.

Items can be sampled by purchasing tickets, at 50 cents each. Samples will be sold for one to four tickets.

Patrons needn’t worry about generating any trash. Everything -- from plates, napkins and beverage containers -- will be either recyclable or compostable. “We’ll actually cover up the trash cans,” Dr. Mason explained. “This event is 100 percent trash free.”

Also going on in Barker Commons is the annual Roswell Park Cancer Institute benefit by Fredonia Radio Systems, entitled, "Rockin' the Commons."

All Earth Week Events at SUNY Fredonia