TUSTIN, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Two Orange County leaders in sustainability, Alegria Farm and Bluewater Grill, are teaming up to host a natural, healing foods celebration consisting entirely of ingredients grown or harvested locally with the least environmental impact possible.
The March 7, 2013 "Locally Grown Healing Foods Dinner" at Bluewater Grill in Tustin will feature a five-course menu of sustainable seafood locally sourced by Bluewater Grill and greens and vegetables grown naturally in Laguna Beach by Alegria Fresh using high-performance vertical hydroponic agriculture methods. Tolosa Winery of Paso Robles will pour organic wines crafted at its solar-powered facility.
The inaugural dinner is the first of several collaborations by the two companies designed to demonstrate the possibilities of sustainable food production and preparation.
"We're honored to partner with Alegria Fresh to serve our customers the finest in farm-to-fork cuisine – which in our case, also means the most responsible, ultra-fresh sea-to-fork cuisine," said Jimmy Ulcickas, Bluewater Grill co-owner and founder.
"It's very exciting for us to pair our fresh produce with Bluewater's sustainable seafood. The sumptuous menu and wine pairings we are serving up will showcase the amazing creativity of our chefs and leave a delicious impression on everyone who attends," said Erik Cutter, managing director of Alegria Fresh.
Created jointly by executive chefs Jessica McLeish and Yolande Smith of Alegria Fresh and Brian Hirsty of Bluewater Grill, the menu features Wild Halibut and Portobello Pesto Stack, Sweet Potato Coconut Milk Soup with Black Mussels, and a Collard, Beet and Carrot Wrap with Smoked Wild Salmon. Also served will be Alegria Fresh Salad with Creamy Pimento and Cashew Dressing and Wild Baja Bay Scallop Croutons, followed by Raw Vegan Apple Cheesecake for dessert.
A pre-dinner reception will enable participants to sample a host of raw, vegan appetizers and meet the chefs, Cutter and Ulcickas.
Throughout the evening, Tolosa Winery of Paso Robles, Calif., will pair organic wines made locally at its solar-powered Santa Barbara County facility using sustainable farming practices including recycling, composting, non-pesticide management methods and low-volume, low-pressure drip irrigation.
The cost of the meal including wine pairings and gratuity is $75, and advance ticket purchase is required. Space is limited. For tickets and event details, visit AlegriaFresh.com. Bluewater Grill Tustin is located at 2409 Park Avenue in The District at Tustin Legacy retail and entertainment center in central Orange County. The phone number is (714) 258-FISH.
Bluewater Grill is a recognized leader in the seafood sustainability movement. Ulcickas speaks regularly on the benefits of sustainable operation and advises restaurateurs nationwide on the most responsible fishing and harvesting techniques.
To date, more than 90 percent of the restaurant's seafood offerings are sustainably caught or farmed – among the highest of any seafood restaurant in California. Every seafood item purchased is audited to verify its "sustainability/environmental status" by the Aquarium of the Pacific Seafood for the Future program or Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program, or is sourced from approved fisheries of the World Wildlife Fund's Marine Stewardship Council.
Alegria Fresh greens and vegetables are grown locally in Laguna Beach employing high-performance vertical hydroponic urban agriculture processes. The resource-efficient system uses zero toxic pesticides and 90 percent less water, 50 percent less fertilizer, 80 percent less energy and 70 percent less land than traditional organic farming.
About Alegria Fresh:
Alegria Farm is a new demonstration hydroponic vertical farm employing over 120 hydroponic towers growing over 8,000 plants in less than 1/8 acre. Alegria Farm is Orange County's first hydroponic vertical farm which uses no soil, 90 percent less water, 70 percent less land and 50 percent less fertilizer than traditional organic farming and zero toxic pesticides. The high-performance growing system produces clean, natural food faster than traditional farming and allows plants to grow bigger and stronger, making them naturally pest-resistant.
Alegria Farm produces an exotic tasting variety of leafy greens, medicinal herbs and heirloom vegetables. Hydroponic farming is soilless and utilizes coconut fiber instead of organic soil, which virtually eliminates pesticide usage to produce stronger plants that are substantially more nutrient-rich. For more information on Alegria Farm or to schedule a tour, please visit http://www.AlegriaFresh.com/ or follow on Facebook and Twitter. Alegria Farm is the high-performance food division of EnviroIngenuity. Produce from the farm is sold under the Alegria Fresh trade name.
About Bluewater Grill:
Since the first restaurant opened in Newport Beach, Calif., in 1996, Bluewater Grill has honored the rich history and traditions of its fishing forefathers, and worked with fisherman around the world to source the highest-quality seafood in peak season. Owner-operated from the beginning, the restaurant has made its mission to provide guests with the freshest sustainably caught or farm-harvested seafood, innovatively prepared, in an atmosphere of casual style.
In addition to the original location in Newport's Cannery Village, there are Bluewater Grill seafood restaurants at King Harbor in Redondo Beach, at The District at Tustin Legacy in central Orange County, and in the Camelback neighborhood of central Phoenix.
For more information, go to http://www.bluewatergrill.com/ or follow Bluewater Grill on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bluewater-Grill/144948182221242 . We are also on Foursquare.
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