Read "Nicole O’Reilly's" (Sentinel Review Staff Writer) article about Oxfordlicious.

Read "John Chambers" (Sentinel Review Editor) article about Oxfordlicious.

By Nicole O'Reilly, – Staff Writer, WOODSTOCK SENTINEL-REVIEW

It seems many residents across Oxford County enjoyed locally produced meals during the debut Oxfordlicious event, even though many did not acquire enough stamps to enter for prizes.

The two-week event ran from Aug. 6 to 17, with patrons invited to nibble their way through 10 local restaurants that featured locally produced meals.

Tourism Oxford's Cathy Bingham declined to say how many people submitted their Oxfordlicious passports with five stamps -- which was the entry requirement to win prizes – as she felt it would not properly reflect the number of people that actually visited the restaurants.

She said surveys were distributed to participating restaurants and to those who submitted their passports. So far, Tourism Oxford has learned that many found the 12-day period was too short. Others suggested perhaps allowing people to submit passports with two or three stamps for the smaller prizes, and the five stamps for larger prizes.

While the event is scheduled to return next year, Bingham said Tourism Oxford will look at rectifying this year's issues.

One thing that was not a problem was the quality of food available, as many people commented to the restaurant staff
and Bingham.

"People said to me that they were really impressed with the local content. They said they could taste that it wasn't
frozen, that it was really fresh," she said.

Pauline Bucek who runs Six Thirty Nine restaurant in Woodstock with her son and chef Eric Boyar, said the restaurant will absolutely participate again next year. The restaurant features a completely local menu, based on the produce available that season.

It also offered a prix-fix, three course menu during Oxfordlicious. For $38 the menu featured such delicacies as beef carpaccio with organic watercress, walnut and goat cheese encrusted chicken supreme, apple smoked pork loin and apple and blueberry crumble.

Bucek said she liked the event because she "likes people to see what's really available locally."

Newspaper: Woodstock Sentinel-Review