Students, administrators, and staff from Porterville Unified School District enjoyed tasting various new foods, fruits, and vegetable combinations at the 4th Annual Food Fair on Wednesday.
Held at the Porterville Miitary Academy multipurpose room, PMA cadets and other students enjoyed the morning and early afternoon event. Vicki Edward’s an instructor from the school district tried the overnight oats that were made with dried peaches from The Ugly Company, from of Farmersville. “It was delicious,” she said. Clay Cederquist from the company, said the oats were made with honey and peaches by the PUSD Cafeteria. They package dried peaches, apricots, nectarines, and plums.
Isaac Salazar is a campus supervisor from Sequoia Middle School and he enjoyed some of the snacks at the food fair.
There were beautiful displays by local farmers of fruits and vegetables.Some of the PMA Cadets were trying kumquats, and other fruits, There were also displays with blackberries, blueberries, carrots, lettuce, chard, apples, oranges, eggplants, and much more.
Amidst a display of oranges, mandarins, and apples there were packages of Sour Blue Rasberry and Sour Watermelon raisins that were an interesting taste treat. There's no added sugar, corn syrup, dyes, etc. to the raisin snacks, and the majority of foods given out at the food fair.
Cyndi Cunha and Deanna Anes said it was a great event.
8th grade instructor Joseph Villa from PMA was impressed with a cheese bite he tried. “It’s surprisingly good. And I own a pizza restaurant in Bakersfield.” The crust was crisp. “This speaks volumes. The students are getting to pick what they eat for lunch.”
Another delicious item was a frozen peach Chamango Pop from the Wawona Fruit Company. It was amazingly delicious. Full of fruit and healthy. It was made with peaches, mangos and pineapple with a spicy flavor.
“It’s really good and it reminds me of a Mexican Mangonada or a Raspado,” said Yajaira Garcia, an instructor from Granite Hills High School.
Rhyane Stanley, PUSD Climate Action Pathways for Schools Program Manager was enjoying the fair. She seeks out Madera Queen Honey and says it’s the best she’d ever had in the Central Valley. Luis Elizondo handed out samples of Gouda Cheese with Honey drilled over it. Surprisingly delicious.
PMA Cadet Milagros Ceballos tried the honey. “It was really good,” she said.
Olga Sanchez from PUSD Student Nutrition said they use the Madera Queen Honey in a few of the recipes at the PUSD Main Cafeteria.
Another one of the favorites during the day, was the Sriracha Chicken entree, and the other was the Bacon and Cheese Egg Bites from International Food Solutions/Asian Food Solutions and Comida Vida. The most popular was the Sriracha Chicken, students and adults alike were standing in line waiting for it. “This is my 3rd tray of the chicken,” said Chris Henry.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity for the students to actively be involved in planning their school menu,” said Adie Santos, with Chris Henry, who was serving the food.
Foster Farms Chicken was serving samples of Chicken Chili Verde Protein Bowl, and Chicken Parmesan Pasta Salad. They were both excellent. The protein bowl was a winner with rice, black beans, corn, jalapeños, with White breast chicken meat. It was excellent and savory. Foster Farms chicken has no hormones or antibiotics. “And no bird flu,” said the Fostern Farms Representative who was serving the samples.
Bridget Kidder is part of the family who has taken over the former Gisler Farms Corn Stand at Olive and Newcomb. She said they employ high school students during the summer to run the stand, and they opened last year. “We will be there with sweet corn this summer. And we supplied PUSD with sweet corn last year.”
Producers Dairy Representatives were there with milk for everyone, as well as apple and orange juice. The dairy is in Kerman. They recently acquired Umtqua Dairy in Oregon and Sunnyside and work together with all the dairies and their employees.
”I hope that everyone was able to engage with the vendors and farmers, and tasting all the food,” said Sanchez, PUSD Student Nutritionist,. “And educate themselves about the food and where it comes from. It’s most important that the students provide feedback and tell us what they like and don’t like.”
