Ratatouille at Savor the Season tent Thurs.

LACONIA — At the height of the harvest season, what dish better captures the full, rich flavors of summer than the Mediteranean vegetable stew known as Ratatouille. On Thursday, September 11 from 3:30-4:30, Brenda Carey from the UNH Cooperative Extension Service will be in the Savor the Season tent at the Laconia Main Street Marketplace, offering samples of Ratatouille and demonstrating just how easy it can be to prepare.

Ratatouille typically includes tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, green pepper, onion, garlic and a variety of fresh herbs, but it can be easily transformed into a main dish by adding some white beans or some Italian sausage. Including some kale or swiss chard enhances the nutritional value of this already vitamin-packed dish, so be sure to visit the Savor the Season tent on Thursday and chat with Brenda about this versatile and simple to prepare dish. Pick up a copy of the recipe, shop the market for all the ingredients, and head home to make a delicious dinner for yourself and your family.

The Savor the Season tent is sponsored by the Lakes Region Food Network (LRFN), with grant funding from the New England Grassroots Environment Fund and support from the Laconia Main Street Marketplace. According to Karen Barker, Coordinator of LRFN, "We originally envisioned having one food demonstration each month for the market season, but with the support of individuals, businesses and organizations we have been able to include 6 additional events in the tent. Our vision for next year is to have a full schedule, set up before the market opens, with a wide variety of topics from cooking demonstrations to fermentation to food preservation."

To learn more about the Lakes Region Food Network, visit www.lrfn.org or e-mail Karen at karen.barker@lrfn.org.