The Gazette The 8th Annual Culinary Walk in Iowa City will be held from 5:30 to 8 p.m Sept. 10.

Chefs are preening for the 8th Annual Culinary Walk in Iowa City to be held  5:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 10.

“Iowa City has such a great culinary scene. This event is a chance for creative chefs to strut their stuff while promoting fresh food grown on family farms,” says James Nisly, Board President of the Johnson County Local Food Alliance.

Participating food tourists can expect favorites like elk crisps, created by James Adrian, chef and co-owner of Atlas World Grill. “We take elk tenderloin from Wildlife Lakes Farms, blacken it, and serve it rare on a wonton crisp with wasabi cream and a teriyaki reduction.”

Also in the line-up are new tastes like the Motley Cow’s raspberry-corn donuts. Fried to order, this upscale version of an American favorite marries the bright, floral sweetness of local raspberry jam with the unmistakable flavor of Iowa sweet corn. It’s a unique pairing that Chef David Wieseneck assures is worth the few extra calories.

And for about the same price as an indulgence at one restaurant, participants can sample from seven. Proceeds from the Culinary Walk ’09 will benefit the Johnson County Local Food Alliance, a local non-profit tasked with promoting healthy food and agriculture in Johnson and surrounding counties.

Tickets can be purchased at New Pioneer Food Co-op. Students can purchase tickets at the Iowa Memorial Union for a special student rate. Tickets are $25 per person and $15 with current student ID.

See http://www.jclfa.org for a complete event schedule.

2009 Culinary Walk Participants (with chefs):

Atlas – James Adrian

Devotay – Kurt Michael Friese

The Motley Cow – Dave Wieseneck

New Pioneer Food Co-op – B Hawk

One Twenty Six – Tony Carter-Walsh

The Red Avocado – Dave Burt

IMU – Rod Bowman/ Richard Geer