Rover’s ever-ebullient and über-generous chef and owner Thierry Rautureau threw a gala dinner to celebrate the debut of a “must-see” new documentary on sustainable agriculture entitled, “Good Food.” Filmmakers Mark Dworkin and Melissa Young were on hand, along with a handful of farmers, fishers, and ranchers who appeared in the movie, and the wines were all from local wineries we know and love such as Snoqualmie Vineyards 2007 Naked Gewürztraminer, DeLille Cellars 2005 “Doyenne” Syrah, and Ponzi Vineyards 2006 Pinot Noir.

It was a delight and an honor to watch Chef Thierry weave the producers’ fare into his French/Northwest cuisine in dishes such as Radish and Bamboo Shoot Salad with Dungeness Crab and White Sturgeon Caviar Dressing. This appetizer featured the radishes and fresh bamboo shoots from long-time Rockport, Washington, farmer Anne Schwartz.

Above please note the beautiful Baked Halibut with Morel Farro Risotto and Sorrel Sauce, which featured the farro (a highly nutritious and ancient grain) from Blue Bird Grain Farm in the Methow Valley and halibut from Seattle’s Wilson Fish.

Attendees went home with a DVD of “Good Food,” and I really enjoyed watching all 72 minutes of its heartfelt goodness, brimming with big stories of our region’s family farmers, their daily struggles interspersed with their long-term dreams.