In a semester-long effort to support locally grown foods, the Tearoom will feature an Iowa-grown meal today.

The Tearoom, 23 MacKay Hall, works with the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, a program to promote awareness of locally grown foods in commercial and institutional food service operations, to encourage buyers to consider Iowa-grown foods, said Catherine Strohbehn, adjunct assistant professor of hotel, restaurant and institution management.

“The goal is to increase buyer awareness of local-grown foods,” she said. The Tearoom has been trying to incorporate Iowa foods into the Tearoom’s menus throughout the semester.

The menu consists of chili con carne, a fresh vegetable relish plate and apple torte for dessert, Strohbehn said.

She said the chili is made of ground beef from Mid-Iowa Beef in Ankeny, and the beans are Mrs. Grimes brand from Grimes. The spices are from Tone’s Spices in Ankeny. The carrots, cucumbers, and peppers from farms in the Practical Farmers of Iowa’s Growing Network make up the vegetable plate. The apples for the dessert torte are from the Center Grove Orchard in Cambridge.

The Tearoom usually has patrons that consist mainly of faculty and staff, but the Tearoom is open to everyone, Strohbehn said.

The planning for today’s menu was done by the department, but the Tearoom itself is left up to the students in the Quantity Food Production Management class, said Janice Dana, Tearoom program coordinator. The 30 students in this semester’s class are responsible for planning the meal, preparing the food and serving the food, she said.

The students learn to use locally owned foods in their dinners.

“It exposes [the students] to the availability of products from local farms,” Dana said, “and it shows support for the local economy.”

The Tearoom has its own herb garden to raise lemon balm, mint and basil, Strohbehn said. It has been operating at Iowa State since 1919 but has been a part of the Home Economics department since 1927, Dana said.

The menus for Tearoom and to make reservations can be found on its Web site at www.fcs.iastate.edu/tearoom.