Saturday, September 24, 2011 6:00 PM TV Pilot Shoot-Fundraiser for FORGOTTEN FOODS  

Would you like to participate in a TV food pilot shoot and dinner??    Participants will meet and greet Chef Benjamin Hargett of the Coyote Café and Cobalt and will watch him prepare authentic and ancient renditions of Mexican cuisine that are not often experienced in the US.  The filming for his TV pilot entitled "Forgotten Foods" will be followed by a full dinner of items featured in the pilot with a talk about the food and its origins by Chef Hargett.    We have a very limited number of tickets available for anyone who would like to be a part investor in this TV Pilot.  Each contributor will be named as a producer in the credits.  The threshold contribution is $125 per person.  If you would like to attend: Please contact Tabrina Hughes ASAP at tabrinalea@gmail.com or call 410-258-5700.  Please also cc Marianne and Howard at Jazzway 6004 @ mmkatz@jazzway6004.org  or leave us a message at 410-624-2222, by Thursday September 22, so we can plan for the correct number of guests.     Forgotten Foods Professional Chef & Archeologist Ben Hargett is in a race against time to save the World’s culinary secrets and traditions from the brink of extinction.  Each informational packed episode will feature Chef Ben’s latest forgotten food discovery while, in the first season, uncovering a new Culinary Trail in the Americas.  Whether continent hopping, braving the city underground, or unearthing clues fromancient temple ruins; adventure is always in the air and the margin for error is all around. A flavor driven exploration at its finest; the story lines will emphasize theimportance of cultural education, world travel and discovery, all combined with the unique opportunity of experiencing these through our taste buds. The colorful story lines woven into each episode will crisscross one another throughout the show culminating in the end to reveal a pattern previously unseen.  These patterns will reflect the lives of niche communities of people with real names, living in real towns, experiencing real life.  Filmed in a myriad of locations, Chef Ben’s enthusiasm for connecting the dots of history, food, and culture, will often be ignited in precious moments of conversationwhere the whispered words of a tribal chieftain are connected several episodes later in the stirrings of an adventurously spiced soup.  The insights we gain are not trivial observations of culture-clash, or cynical quips of a city chef, but rather archeological clues illuminating the next forgotten food discovery.  Forgotten Foods–THE FOOD  Like the Seventh Oaxacan Mole’ which stands a generation away from extinction,each of the foods that are revealed will have personalities unto themselves.  Viewers will learn of the cultural significance of the foods as well as their ecological importance, understanding that these are living and breathing traditions, which have braved hundreds, sometimes thousands of years to be upheld.   Journey with Chef Ben through camouflaged cultures, ancient pyramids, restless volcanoes and shamanic blessings... while Chef Ben leads a new Culinary Trail Expedition from the Southwest United States down to Belize in Southern Central America. This new type of food archaeology will expose viewers to a point of view which encourages a respect for food beyond its status as entertainment, or as strictly utilitarian.  Chef Hargett will be rallying people all over the globe to come together, dusting off old notebooks, recipe card boxes, and their own fading memories in hopes of rescuing the next forgotten food.   TV Pilot Menu:  Botanas  Ceviche of white fish. Crab Tostadas with Tequila Cured Salmon Albondigas de Puerco con Chile Rojo  Tacos Duck Tacos with Red Pipian Beef Short Ribs with Mole Chichilo Calamari Tacos with Fire-Roasted Tomato, and Avocado Mushroom and Huilacoche Tamales, with Queso Fresco and Truffle  Dessert Chocolate Atole with Handmade Canela Scented Marshmallows Guava stuffed Eclairs with Cajeta.   About Ben Hargett   Ben Hargett is a young travel-loving chef who has cooked in Europe, the Caribbean, Mexico and the United States. After acquiring two degrees, learning three languages, and obtaining two passports full of stamps, Ben was ready to share interpretations of his experiences with his food. Within a week after graduating from culinary school, Ben bought a one-way ticket to Rio de Janeiro and began to explore the sights and sounds of the world south of the United States. Ben explored these new cultures through their food, particularly in the street food served up by vendors throughout South America.  Ben’s passion for food has been refined by years spent working with world renowned Chef Emeril Lagasse, who inspired a sense of showmanship and Chef Mark Miller, who inspired him to pursue anthropology.  Ben was the Executive Chef of Coyote Café under Mark Miller, in Santa Fe for many years before returning to Gulf Shores. The pair co-wrote the “Tacos” cookbook, available from Ten-Speed press.  Ben is currently a Chef at Cobalt; an exciting new high end restaurant in Orange Beach Alabama. www.cobaltrestaurant.net