Gala Fresh Farms hosts international food tasting to large turnout
Don Posillico’s business card says he’s a local real estate developer. But on Saturday, he was a chef serving free samples of his family’s recipes for lasagna and ziti during the second annual international food tasting at Gala Fresh Farms in Riverhead.
“I love to cook,” he said. “These are my grandmother’s and mother’s recipes — this is just a fraction.”
There were nearly 30 booths offering free samples during the event, which the supermarket co-sponsored with Peconic River Community Development Alliance and Family Community Life Center of Riverhead.
Donna Stovall, who heads the Peconic River Community Development Alliance, said the event aims to bring people of different ethnicities and backgrounds in the Riverhead and Riverside areas together. The first international food tasting was held in November and had about five indoor booths.
This year’s recipes included South and Central American cuisines, Chinese dumplings, Italian dishes and soul food.
Store manager Luis Correa said the festival also aims to get people to try new types of food. The store, which has two aisles devoted to international foods, donated the ingredients for the foods served inside the store.
Dorothy Lewis of First Baptist Church’s culinary ministry served “Southern North Carolina baked ribs,” which is a recipe from her friend Wendy Alexander.
Cindy Clifford of Riverhead, who was sampling some Salvadoran cuisine, said, “In this world right now, we need more of this.”
“We need more people coming together and sharing their cultures,” she added.
Photo: Don Posillico serves lasagna and ziti Saturday at Gala Fresh Farms in Riverhead. (Credit: Tim Gannon)
