By TIM THORNBERRY
Kentucky Correspondent

FRANKFORT, Ky. — It’s Kentucky Derby time, and that means fast horses, good food and lots of celebrities will be in abundance for one of the biggest and most-recognized sporting events in the world.

This year’s guest list includes England’s Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip. Not only will they get their share of horse-racing’s elite, but they’ll be treated to the finest cuisine Kentucky has to offer.
Executive Chef Gil Logan of Levy Restaurants, the official caterer for Churchill Downs, plans a meal in honor of the Queen built around many “Kentucky Proud” products produced across the state.
Kentucky Proud is the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s (KDA) program for marketing state farm products. More than 800 farmers, processors, retailers and restaurants are members of Kentucky Proud. The familiar blue, green and red logo tells consumers that the product was raised or produced in Kentucky by Kentuckians.

Products include fresh fruits and vegetables, jams, jellies, salsas and other products made from family recipes, and meats and seafood that are raised and processed under the highest standards.

“We really want to provide Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip with quintessential Kentucky Derby cuisine, done regally,” said Logan, who will personally prepare the meal. “The Queen will sample the fan favorites that will be enjoyed by everyone, and with the phenomenal ingredients from Kentucky farms, the flavors and freshness will be at their peak.”

Since becoming the state’s Agriculture Commissioner nearly four years ago, Richie Farmer has led the Kentucky Proud program, making it a priority to raise awareness of the products not only among local customers but all over the world.

“By incorporating so many locally-grown products into his Churchill Downs menu, Chef Gil Logan has become a leading goodwill ambassador for Kentucky Proud,” said Farmer. “More and more people in Kentucky realize that the food here tastes better. Thanks to Chef Gil, the Queen of England and the world are finding out, too.”

In preparing the menu, Logan visited farms around the state and hand-selected ingredients to ensure the highest quality. It will include roasted prime rib; Kentucky Bibb Salad featuring sliced strawberries, almonds, feta cheese and cider vinaigrette, served atop Bibb lettuce; a main course of roast chicken breast, topped with wild Kentucky shiitake mushroom cream sauce; barbeque shrimp; side dishes of western Kentucky-style pole beans, flavored with onions and ham hocks; country cassoulet, a mix of chicken, duck, country ham, black-eyed peas and vegetables; and for dessert, silks cookies and mint julep strawberries with spring biscuits.

Phil Heiskell, a member of the Green River Cattle Co. (GRCC), which is supplying the prime rib and hamburger for the Derby, said the all-natural gourmet beef producers have been preparing for this event for some time.

“I asked months ago to make a presentation to Chef Gil, to tell him about the company and talk about Green River cattle,” said Heiskell. “He was so impressed, he requested some of our ribeyes for dinners he held for different guests at Churchill Downs. Afterward, he had immediate feedback for us.”

GRCC is comprised of seven farm families who have all been in agriculture for more than one generation. The company began direct sales in January 2004 and uses source coding, which can track beef back to its origin and stores its information in a database. It was through their database they found the perfect beef for the Queen.

“When Chef Gil found out that the Queen would not be bringing her own chef, instead wanting something he prepared, he thought of GRCC. We searched our database and came up with four sides of beef that would meet their standards,” said Heiskell.
“We have sold 685 head of cows from 24 farms and six surrounding counties, including Green County. When you buy from GRCC, you are purchasing directly from the farm.”

GRCC hamburger will also be sold at the Kentucky Cattleman’s Association’s booth in the infield on Derby Day.

Events such as the Derby help to showcase Kentucky products, and taking advantage of a local food economy has been part of the Kentucky Proud program. In March, state officials and those from the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture and Allied Food Marketers of Louisville announced a new website that will make it easier for Kentucky agricultural businesses, farmers and markets to get the state’s food products to consumers.

MarketMaker:Kentucky is an interactive mapping system developed by private and public partners that provides a comprehensive directory of Kentucky businesses and farms, including about 500 Kentucky Proud members who are buying and selling food-related products.

Anyone can visit the site and find farmers, farmers’ markets, restaurants, processors, wholesalers, distributors and retailers.

“This partnership is a great example of what MarketMaker can do for Kentucky,” said Michael Judge, executive director of the KDA Office of Agriculture Marketing and Product Promotion. “The website will serve as a catalyst for new relationships among food buyers and suppliers.”

Kentucky became the fourth state to participate in this national program, with six more joining since then. The program was piloted in Illinois. The website is free to consumers, farmers and businesses, and any Kentucky farmer or food business can register.

For more information about the program, visit www.marketmakerky.com or contact the Office of Agriculture Marketing and Product Promotion at 502-564-4983. For details about GRCC, visit its website at www.GreenRiverCattle.com