Mansion at Bretton Woods Hosts Culinary Benefit

The Ninth Annual Food for Thought event took place on Monday evening, June 13 at the Mansion at in Morris Plains. Food for Thought is a benefit established by the Mental Health Association of Morris County.

The Mental Health Association of Morris County was established in 1953 and is a local chapter of the New Jersey Division of the National Mental Health Association, today known as Mental Health America. The mission of the association is to increase public awareness of mental health and mental illness, and to promote mental wellness for everyone.

The Food for Thought event brought together mental health experts, the business community and the public for an evening of socializing and sampling cuisine from area vendors. and of Morris Plains, Angelato Heavenly Ice Cream of Florham Park, and  Verde Restorante and Blackthorn Restaurant & Irish Pub of Parsippany were some of the many eateries which participated in this year's event. 

A silent auction was held and guest speaker Teresa Politano, a Star Ledger restaurant critic and author of the book, "Celebrity Chefs of New Jersey," made an appearance. Politano was invited to speak about food but also had another motivation to attend Food for Thought. She revealed that her father suffered from mental illness.

Politano explained "My father was mentally ill and we (the family) had a difficult 30 years dealing with him but one of my favorite memories with him was a food-related memory ... My grandparents were Pennsylvania Dutch and my grand father used to make his own maple syrup. One of my father's favorite meals was buckwheat cakes and sausage with real maple syrup."

"He died five years ago, but every year on his birthday I try to make that meal," she said. "For that one day it brings back my father and all of the good memories–and that is the power of food."

For more information about the Mental Health Association of Morris County, click here.