DURHAM, N.H. - Eight miles out to sea, a unique workshop will blend science, ecology and the culinary arts August 28–30, 2015, at Shoals Marine Laboratory (SML), the University of New Hampshire/Cornell University marine science facility off the coast of Maine and New Hampshire. Open to the public, "Take a Bite Out of Appledore: An Eco-Culinary Island Retreat" brings some of the region's most celebrated chefs and scientists together to explore the natural gifts of Appledore Island and the Isles of Shoals.

Sam Hayward, partner and chef at Fore Street in Portland, Maine, and Evan Mallett, owner and chef of Portsmouth's Black Trumpet Bistro, along with John Forti of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society and Slow Food Seacoast, share their culinary curiosity with participants and with scientists from UNH and Cornell (Gregg Moore, wetland ecologist and research associate professor of biological sciences at UNH; Jennifer Seavey, executive director of SML; James Coyer, algae biologist and academics director of SML; and sustainable fisheries expert Erik Chapman of UNH Cooperative Extension and NH Sea Grant).

"A collaboration of chefs and scientists, this weekend of educational programming and delicious food and drink is an ideal way for participants to engage and help connect the ecology and economy of our region," says Mallett. He recently made a trip to Appledore Island to forage land and intertidal plants to serve at the retreat.

"Since the era of grand hotels, visitors have come to the Isles of Shoals to recharge and engage on these remote islands. We're thrilled to invite guests to this unique environment to explore the bounty of the sea and the tides, guided by some of the finest chefs and biologists in this field. We will learn how we can eat our way to a more ecologically sustainable world," says Seavey.

In addition to enjoying meals and snacks crafted by the weekend's chefs, participants will learn about the ecological and culinary history of the Isles of Shoals and will explore the island for edible treasures. Room, board and round-trip boat fare from Portsmouth are included in the registration; a portion of the proceeds will support the Chef's Collaborative of New Hampshire. For more information or to register, visit http://www.sml.cornell.edu/sml_culinary.html.

The Shoals Marine Laboratory is located on the Gulf of Maine's Appledore Island, eight miles off the coast of Portsmouth. The field station caters to undergraduate students interested in focusing on marine topics in their college majors. The largest facility of its kind in the world, SML is operated jointly by UNH and Cornell. SML offers summer-credit courses and internships in areas ranging from marine biology to sustainable engineering. The island's "green grid" incorporates a wind turbine and solar photovoltaic array, making it a site for sustainable engineering projects as well as field studies in marine and intertidal ecology, migratory bird banding, and other biological research.

The University of New Hampshire, founded in 1866, is a world-class public research university with the feel of a New England liberal arts college. A land, sea, and space-grant university, UNH is the state's flagship public institution, enrolling 13,000 undergraduate and 2,500 graduate students across three campuses.

Photographs available to download:

/unhtoday/news/releases/2015/08/images/img-3Evan Mallett and Jim Coyer at Shoals by Denise Mallett 2015.jpg
Caption: Black Trumpet Bistro chef and owner Evan Mallett (left) and Shoals Marine Laboratory academics director Jim Coyer are among the chefs and scientists on the faculty of "Take a Bite Out of Appledore: An Eco-Culinary Island Retreat."
Credit: Denise Mallett

/unhtoday/news/releases/2015/08/images/img-9appledoreaboveln.jpg
Caption: Eight miles out to sea, Shoals Marine Laboratory (SML) on Appledore Island will host "Take a Bite Out of Appledore: An Eco-Culinary Island Retreat," a unique workshop merging science, ecology and the culinary arts August 28 – 30, 2015.
Credit: Lisa Nugent, University of New Hampshire

/unhtoday/news/releases/2015/08/images/img-3Foraging on Appledore by Jim Coyer 2015-1.jpg
Caption: Appledore Island, home to the UNH/Cornell Shoals Marine Laboratory and "Take a Bite Out of Appledore: An Eco-Culinary Island Retreat," is rich with food for foraging.
Credit: Jim Coyer, Shoals Marine Laboratory

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