Local flavors, foods staples at eatery

Chef David Tallent serves venison from Martinsville and pork from Rockville. He gets most of his vegetables and herbs from the surrounding counties. \nIn fact, the only thing he serves that isn't from the region simply cannot be found in the Midwest -- seafood.\n"We try to keep things local and natural," Tallent, chef-owner of Restaurant Tallent, said. "I want our food to be as fresh as possible."\nRestaurant Tallent's menu changes about five times a year, depending on what is in season. Tallent said he eventually would like to see the menu change monthly both for the sake of variety and to keep up with the freshest products possible. The menu typically offers about eight appetizers, seven to eight entrees and at least two vegan entrees. Because the meals consist of multiple courses and are made "à la minut," or made to order, the dining experience can last as long as two hours, he said. \nAnd that's just part of the philosophy. \n"A lot of what we do is based on the Slow Food concept," Tallent said. \nThe restaurant is part of the International Slow Food movement which promotes traditional dining ideals -- eating local and seasonal food leisurely. The movement began in Italy and works in response to the fast-food way of life, an American fixture that has made its way across the globe, according to its Web site. The concept provides restaurants with fresh products while supporting local farmers. Tallent, who attended IU before culinary school, helped start the Bloomington Slow Food chapter.\n"Bloomington is one of those cool progressive places," he said. "It seemed right to take the opportunity to do this here." \nTallent and his wife Kristen decided to return to Bloomington and open a restaurant of their own in November 2003 after working at upscale restaurants in Atlanta and New York and studying at the Culinary Institute of America. At culinary school, Tallent saw the Slow Food principles put into practice.\n"We saw produce that was fresh from that afternoon," he said. "I was taken with the idea of farmers coming to the door with their food and growing things specifically for the restaurant."\nOwen County farmer Linda Chapman grows flowers and culinary herbs. She supplies about seven area restaurants with flowers for their tables. Chapman said she has begun to grow specific vegetables for those restaurants as well at her "Harvest Moon Farm."\nShe said the Slow Food movement has opened doors for local farmers such as herself.\n"This is a whole new part of my business," she said. "There's a higher demand for organic fruits and vegetables. People really want to know where their food's coming from."\nFarmer Teresa Birtles agrees that restaurants such as Tallent's give farmers new opportunities for business. She has been farming for 24 years but has only been working with restaurants in the last five years. She now works with five small gourmet restaurants that make up a third of her business.\n"I love doing restaurants because the chefs are so appreciative," Birtles said. "I tell them what I'm growing and what's new. Chefs want to be on the cutting edge." \nTallent is certainly up on the trend. His restaurant, located at 620 W. Kirkwood Ave., is the only Bloomington restaurant that uses almost all local products. \nTallent said he sees up to 120 customers on the weekends and between 35 and 50 on weekdays. He said he is pleased that more and more people are appreciating southern Indiana's plenitude. Restaurant Tallent's popularity shows that customers are looking for locally grown food.\n"Customers are just demanding it," Birtles said, who specializes in European and gourmet produce. "People are tired of industrialized produce that's been shipped 2,000 miles."\nBirtles calls the produce "incredibly fresh" because the vegetables are cut just 12 to 18 hours before the chefs get them.\n"Salad greens picked today will still be good in five days, but when you get them from a company and they came from somewhere in California, their shelf life is only a day or two," Tallent said.\nTallent knows that using the freshest products possible helps support farmers like Chapman and Birtles.\n"I'd like to see more people be able to support themselves as farmers," he said. "I'm not supporting anyone in the community if I get salad greens from California."\nTallent also acknowledges that using local food is costlier than ordering products from food service companies. A typical entrée at the restaurant costs at least 20 dollars, but customers pay the price for high quality.\n"I eat there whenever I can afford to," Chapman said. "It's definitely worth it. Tallent has the finest food in town."\n-- Contact Staff Writer Kelly Ginty at kginty@indiana.edu.