{"id":12495,"date":"2017-06-05t09:20:16","date_gmt":"2017-06-05t09:20:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dpetrov.2create.studio\/planet\/wordpress\/behind-the-plate-farm-to-table-culinary-creations-at-an-eco-town\/"},"modified":"2023-02-28t18:49:31","modified_gmt":"2023-02-28t18:49:31","slug":"behind-the-plate-farm-to-table-culinary-creations-at-an-eco-town","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/\/www.getitdoneaz.com\/story\/behind-the-plate-farm-to-table-culinary-creations-at-an-eco-town\/","title":{"rendered":"behind the plate: farm-to-table culinary creations at an eco town"},"content":{"rendered":"
by kelley czajka<\/strong><\/p>\n it\u2019s dusk on a tuesday night at kalu yala, an eco-town in the panamanian jungle. at the sound of a double-blown conch, interns, staff, and visitors, sipping cocktails out of mugs and mason jars, abruptly abandon their conversations and form a cafeteria line for the evening meal: \u201cplasagna.\u201d<\/p>\n the dish, plantain lasagna, is a delicacy in the jungle town and educational institute. it consists of layers of thinly sliced plantains, tomato sauce, vegetables and cheese, or a cheese-less option for the numerous vegans here.<\/p>\n but this isn\u2019t your average cafeteria line.<\/p>\n kalu yala, striving to be the world\u2019s most sustainable modern town, embraces that title in the kitchen through its farm-to-table menu and culinary program.<\/p>\n local<\/strong><\/p>\n since kalu yala is not yet a fully farm-to-table operation, the focus is on eating locally. esteban gast, the director of the kalu yala institute, said more than 80 percent of their food once came from less than five miles away, encompassing the kalu yala farm and the local community in san miguel. however, executive chef brigitte desvaux said this number has likely gone down to a more realistic 30 percent as the town\u2019s population has grown. but looking forward, plans to grow the farm include developing substitutes for commonly used products and protein sources.<\/p>\n \u201cthe name of the game where we are now is import substitution,\u201d gast said. \u201cwe are a business, and in terms of both the business program and us as a business that functions. so we buy peanut butter, can we buy peanut butter here? can we make sunscreen here? can we make coconut water here? those are the questions that we are obsessed with, because that is how we become sustainable, that\u2019s how we start businesses, and that is how we become successful.\u201d<\/p>\n