New Farm-to-Table Restaurant in Carlstadt Offers a Local Twist on New American Cuisine

Terre à Terre, a vibrant farm-to-table restaurant featuring locally grown and sustainably raised foods, is slated to open in Carlstadt next Friday evening, October 18. Veteran chef Todd Villani will serve simple yet elegant New American Cuisine enhanced by the foods raised and grown throughout the region.

"Until very recently, our local farmers have not had the direct channel to consumers," said Villani. "We're about to change all that. Residents in Carlstadt and the surrounding Bergen County area will now have access to a steady supply of seasonal and local ingredients, including meat, fish, produce, and artisanal food products. We're providing that connection to where our food comes from and featuring those foods in our restaurant and in our retail area."

For Villani, the term "local" extends well beyond produce, meat and fish. "We have worked tirelessly to feature an extensive list of local foods -everything from small-batch, handcrafted local soda to bread, locally roasted coffee, cheeses, grains, legumes, cured meats, and other delicacies. We are profiling these dedicated producers and other information on special events, food festivals, and area farmers' markets on our website at http://www.terreaterre.biz. We hope we will not only be a source for simple yet elegantly prepared meals but a channel to our local farmers and a source of information for consumers who want to learn more about where their foods comes from."

Terre à Terre is working with a number of farmers, ranchers and food artisans who are committed to sustaining a vibrant local food system. Among those farms and food artisans featured on the menu:

• Rosenkrans Farm, Finger Lakes region of New York: The Rosenkrans family has been raising cattle for over 40 years along the banks of Lake Cayuga in the Finger Lakes region of New York. This particular micro climate of the Finger Lakes Region where the Rosenkrans have their farm constitutes an idyllic location to produce exquisite Grass-fed beef. The cattle are sustainably and humanely raised and never introduced to antibiotics or growth hormones.
• La Belle Farms, Hudson Valley: La Belle Farms is located on a 43 acre farm in Sullivan County, NY. The Farm has been in operation for 10 years and is one of only three foie gras producers in the United States. La Belle has worked with Cochecton Mills and their nutrition experts to produce a natural feed free of hormones, vaccines and unnatural alterations.
• Shibumi Mushroom Farms, Princeton: Shibumi cultivates gourmet specialty mushrooms of the finest quality, serving communities and restaurants with locally grown, fresh mushrooms using 100% organic inputs and sustainable cultivation methods.
• Sfloglini Pasta Shop, Brooklyn: Sfloglini is a Brooklyn-based producer of small-batch, freshly made pastas from the finest organic semolina flour produced in America. They source their ingredients from New York City based rooftop farms and green markets to create a splendid selection of seasonal pasta.
• Gus handcrafted local soda: New York City based Gus is 100% natural soda with no preservatives or caffeine and sweetened with natural cane sugar.

Terre à Terre also features a number of artisan-produced local foods in a retail area, including Eat This, a family-owned and operated producer in beautiful Bucks County, Erwinna, PA; Brad's Raw Crackers, gluten-free chips made in Pipersville, PA; Bea's Gourmet Sauces; The Brooklyn Salsa Company; Homestead Coffee Roasters, based in Upper Black Eddy, PA, and dozens of other local brands.

In addition to an extensive list of food artisans, the Terre à Terre team commissioned a talented group of artisans to make many of the restaurant's furnishings. "The renovation of our restaurant has been a labor of love. We've commissioned unique one-of-a-kind furniture pieces made by artisan craftsman from the area and throughout the Northeast. Everywhere people look they will see artisan-made furniture, accessories and lighting. Among my personal favorite is a Mason jar track light made from salvaged wood. Local artisan Jennifer Lengares couldn't have found a better use for the debris left in the wake of Hurricane Sandy than this beautiful fixture."

Chef Villani brings many years of restaurant experience working for some of Manhattan's top restaurants, including Marcus Samuelsson's renowned Aquavit restaurant and at his subsidiary interest, World Yacht, combining simple fresh foods with a creative blend of exotic flavors and ingredients - his signature approach to preparing foods with an international flair.

With almost 45 seats and a private dining area, the Chef's Table, which offers a multi-course gourmand tasting menu, Terre à Terre provides dining from Wednesday through Saturday 5:30 - 10:00 and on Sunday for brunch 11:00 - 2:30 p.m. In addition to private parties, the restaurant also does catering.

Terre à Terre, which in French means "down to earth," is located at 312 Hackensack Street. For more information, or to learn more about The Farmers and artisans supplying Terre à Terre, visit http://www.terreaterre.biz. The restaurant has begun taking reservations online for dates on or after October 18 at http://terreaterre.biz/reservation/ and by phone at 201.507.0500.

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