White Barn Inn Chef Jonathan Cartwright Puts
Wild Blueberries in The Chef’s Kitchen Spotlight
When The Chef’s Kitchen, a cable broadcast cooking show that provides video tips and techniques from the nation's top chefs, visited the Maine food and wine festival, Harvest on the Harbor, Wild Blueberries got their close-up. Harvest on the Harbor, presented by Portland’s Convention & Visitors Bureau, was conceived as a complement to the increasingly influential farm-to-table movement whereby chefs create their culinary masterpieces from the freshest locally grown and harvested ingredients. Visitors came to toast Maine’s rich culinary arts scene and share in the rich coastal bounty by participating in tastings, seminars, and exhibitions from food experts passionate about showcasing Maine’s diverse offerings.
Upon arriving at the three-day event,The Chef’s Kitchen crew discovered top creative chefs from around the state using local foods in inspiring ways. Chef Jonathan Cartwright of the renowned White Barn Inn in Kennebunk Beach highlighted the excellence of Maine ingredients by preparing Venison Loin with Wild Blueberry Sauce. He combined venison with the explosive flavor of Maine Wild Blueberries, creating a uniquely tempting dish that perfectly displays the possibilities of the berry, a year-round chef favorite.
Wild Blueberries make many dishes remarkable. They combine taste, cookability, and antioxidant properties, while providing a taste of their region of origin. Frozen Wild Blueberries, used in Chef Cartwright’s recipe, prove to be the perfect ingredient. Because they are flash frozen, nutrition and taste are preserved, and their low water content when compared with their high-bush counterparts helps them maintain their shape through boiling, cooking, and stirring to emerge in this dish as the perfect accompaniment to a venison entrée.
