Spring has come, and with spring comes a celebration of renewal and freshness direct from our local food artisans, farmers and chefs. Without these passionate people, we would not have this bounty of freshness that they provide. Ger-Nis’ mission to educate our community on food issues near and far, comes alive in this unique spring event, benefitting the Chefs of Marcellus and educating on the harmful issues of fracking. Chefs for the Marcellus is a group of chefs, restaurateurs, and other food professionals who have come together to protect our regional foodshed from the dangers of hydraulic fracturing for natural gas (fracking). This highly industrialized form of drilling is already in widespread use in 34 states, including Pennsylvania, where it is wreaking havoc with farms and the water supply. Unless we say no right now, Governor Cuomo is poised to allow fracking in vast areas of the Marcellus Shale, a geologic formation that covers a large area of the mid-Atlantic region, including much of New York’s southern tier — an area of pristine waters; produce, dairy and livestock farms; and breweries and wineries. Implementation may be approved as early as the end of 2011. Join us for a unique spring educational celebration at Ger-Nis. In honor of spring’s greatest bounty, fresh herbs, we are having a pesto competition, featuring some of Brooklyn & NYC finest and most talented chefs and we are opening up the competition to our community as well, proving that we can all create magnificent dishes! So come gather up your friends on a Sunday afternoon and enjoy live jazz, our special herbal libations bar featuring fresh seasonal drinks brought to you by Brooklyn’s Wolf & Deer & Ger-Nis. Herbal nibbles for all will be prepared by Brooklyn Larders Chris Behr and other amazing local chefs, taste and judge unique and creative spring pestos from amateurs, win fun local foodie prizes and mingle with some of the most intriguing people on the food scene today. Best of all learn about what you can do to stop hydraulic fracturing for natural gas (fracking)! 100% of all proceeds go to The Chefs for the Marcellus organization. Please get involved by writing to Governor Cuomo and asking him to ban fracking in New York State.

Recipes: Herbal Appetizers & Nibbles, Herbal Sweet Treats, Herbal Sparkling Wine & Spring Herbalized Cocktails

Class Type: Special Event, Fundraiser

Class Notes: A special spring fundraiser benefitting the Chefs of Marcellus, with live jazz, herbal libations, a pesto competition, all to raise awareness to the anti-fracking mission. Take home a handful of fresh herbs!

A Gamut of professional chefs and amateurs compete for springs best pesto recipe!

Chefs Du Jour

Carl Raymond , Culinary Teacher, Personal Chef, Food Consultant

Melissa Rickets, Chef, Founder of Dynamic Cuisines, Ger-Nis Culinary, & Herb Center

Herbal Libations Bar

Nissa Pierson

Wolf & Deer

Pesto Competition Contestants

Maneet Chauhan, Chef, contestant on “The Next Iron Chef”

Nissa Pierson , Owner and Managing Director of Ger-Nis Culinary & Herb Center

Cathy Erway , Blogger “Not Eating Out in NY”, Author of “The Art Of Eating In”

Rafael Hasid Chef, Owner Miriam Resturant, Park Slope Brooklyn

Pierre Thiam Chef, Owner le Grand Dakar, Author “YOLELE”, Bed Stuy Brooklyn

Louisa Shafia Chef, Author of Lucid Food

Elizabeth Schula Chef, Owner Saltie

More Chefs to come!