Viewfinder: Le Cordon Bleu Presents Fresh and Local

The joy of cooking with fresh, local ingredients was explored Saturday as two dozen area cooking enthusiasts got a brief lesson at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Mendota Heights.

Chef Mark Seaberg and students from Le Cordon Bleu whipped up a simple salad of local lettuce and organically grown tomatoes and desserts of melons and berries and caramelized apples for the guests to sample.

Seaberg encouraged the Saturday attendees to seek out local produce at venues such as the St. Paul Farmers’ Market, which has a regular market in downtown St. Paul and also makes weekly stops in communities such as Lakeville, South St. Paul, Woodbury, Burnsville, Inver Grove Heights, West St. Paul and Eagan.

The superior taste of locally grown produce makes it worth seeking out, Seaberg said.

“The difference is dramatic,” he said.