2 Chefs, 3 Restaurants and a Quest to Keep it Local Year Round

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From curing their own hams and fish to growing their own organic herbs and produce, chefs Mark Gaier and Clark Frasier are stalwart forerunners of the sustainable movement.

Paying attention to what's in season along with sourcing local meat and sustainable fish for their restaurants is a challenge for any chef -- no matter what the locale. Add to this living in a part of the country known for its unforgiving winters, and some might find it downright impossible. Not to be deterred by changing of climate or the seasons, chefs Gaier and Frasier have been walking the "eat local” walk for about the past 20 years.

Mark and Clark, chef-owners of Arrows and MC Perkins Cove Restaurants close to the shores of Ogunquit, ME, have recently embarked on a similar green-themed restaurant called Summer Winter, just outside of Boston. Taking advantage of a 4-season greenhouse, the chefs feature heirloom lettuces such as French Black Seeded Simpson and the dark red-tinged Lolla Rossa, typically grown in Central California, as well as off-season aromatics like lemon grass and the ever-delicate and herbaceous tarragon.

With menus shaped by their gardens and what can be produced in their own kitchens without aid of large scale food suppliers, chefs Gaier and Frasier bring true meaning to the term "greenhouse dining".

Check out 4 recipes from the chefs' culinary repertoire, steeped in sustainability, organic hand-picked winter greens, and the inevitable jolt of pure and simple flavors:

Escarole and White Bean Soup

Reine de Glass Lettuce Salad with Roasted Shallot Vinaigrette

Cole Slaw with Creamy Mustard-Ginger Vinaigrette

Winter Greens with Pink Grapefruit and Red Onion

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