Screaming Avocado

The Screaming Avocado Cafe is the brain child of chef/teacher Paul Finkelstein.

It is run by the students of the Northwestern Secondary School here in Stratford where they offer food for sale to students, staff and the public.

Culinary classes are offered by the school, but an energetic group of student volunteers running under the name "The Stratford Northwestern Secondary School Culinary Club" provide the bulk of the work force.

Lunches, biweekly dinners, and occasional catering jobs using organic ingredients from various suppliers, including their own organic garden hosted in one of the school's enclosed courtyards, have created a growing list of fans. (See below for more information)

The 2007 national TV debut of the school's program on the Food network, has only added to the fan base.

Media coverage

Gremolata		http://gremolata.com/slowfoodyouth.htm
	October 2007	http://gremolata.com/fink.htm
Food TV	The FINK TV show summary and episode schedule	http://www.foodtv.ca/ontv/titledetails.aspx?titleid=112078
	Paul Finkelstein's biography	http://www.foodtv.ca/ontv/hostdetails.aspx?hostid=41707
National Post	October 1, 2007	http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=232a5f22-f138-4e82-899f-66dbb30ccce4&k=85791
	October 02, 2007	http://www.nationalpost.com/news/Story.html?id=8702

Lunches

Lunches are available to students at Northwestern Secondary School and the Screaming Avocado seating area is the required lunch area (purchasing food is optional) for the grade 7 and 8 classes at Northwestern (not sure of what school name they use there). Lunches are also sold to students at various other schools throughout the Avon maitland Board of Education jurisdiction on a request-from-school basis.

Lunches are available to the public at $5 per person and are open Tuesday through Friday from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm (noon).

A sample menu includes:

• Osso Bucco with roasted vegetables and creamy polenta
• Pulled Pork Sandwich with coleslaw
• Yummy Fish Burrito with cabbage salad, tomatoes, chipotle mayo and cheese
• Pork Chops with roasted potatoes and salad
• Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich OR Grilled Veggie Sandwich
• Fettuccini Alfredo OR Baked Macaroni & Cheese OR Baked Penne with a Fire Roasted Tomato Sauce served with Caesar salad and garlic cheese bread

The lunches available for Tuesday, January 22, 2008 included:

• Mussels putanesca with fresh saffron noodles
• Atlantic salmon on steamed cabbage with potatoes and mixed lettuce salad
• Roast Chicken with potatoes and mixed lettuce salad
• Philly cheesesteak sandwich
• Chicken and Sausage Penne with bread and Ceasar salad

Dinners

The Stratford Northwestern Secondary School Culinary Club offers dinners to the public throughout the school year as fundraising for various food oriented excusions. They typically feature a guest chef from popular restauarants throughout the area working with the students to create terrific fare. Hosted at the Screaming Avocado Cafe (within the Northwestern Secondary School), it is also a great oppotunity for the public to partake in the student's environment and witness the workings of a kitchen via the adjacent open kitchen and food preparation area.

The cost is:
$30 per person - without wine
$40 per person - including wine
(Please specify when you book how many in your party will be having wine)

Seatings between 5:30 and 6:45

For reservations and more information please contact Cathy Zimmerman or myself (Paul Finkelstein) through email or at the school 519-271-9740 ext.307


Wednesday, March 5th, 2008
Guest Chef: Amede Lamarche, Church Restaurant
Menu to include:

• Beef, sable fish, local cheese and organic vegetables.

An assortment of modern and post modern techniques.


Wednesday, March 26th, 2008
Guest Chef: David Rosen, London Hunt and Country Club
Menu to include:

• Red Wine and Lentil 'Canadiano' with organic meadows sour cream
• Warm and crisp St. Marys C'estbon Goat Cheese on sweet and sour beets with Sleger's organic hydroponic greens and seedlings
• Metzger's Ontario Farm Raised Angus Beef roasted in brown butter served with root vegetables, oxtail juices and organic honey
• Stack of Spiced Griddle Cakes and Poached Crunican Orchard Pears with Wild Ontario blueberry jam

Wednesday, April 9th, 2008
TBA