Urban Barn Dance and Harvest Supper

Mass Farmers Markets Announces

The Second Annual Urban Barn Dance and Harvest Supper: A Farmers Market Fundraiser and Harvest Celebration

Buy Your Tickets Now for Oct. 16^th!

(Cambridge, MA) … On Friday, October 16^th from 6:30 – 9:30, Mass Farmers Markets and Chef Bob Sargent will host the second annual Urban Barn Dance and Harvest Supper – the most important fundraiser of the year for farmers markets, as well as a lively and delicious celebration of this year’s growing season!

The Barn Dance will take place at the Dante Alighieri Italian Cultural Center in Kendall Square, Cambridge, MA (www.dantealighieri.net/Cambridge). Tickets are just $50 each and include both dinner and dancing!

Advance ticket purchase is strongly recommended: call Mass Farmers Markets at (781) 893-8222 or e-mail staff@massfarmersmarkets.org for ticket information.

Guests at the Urban Barn Dance will toast to the hard work of their favorite farmers with a hearty locally grown supper, and then continue the celebration with live music and contra dancing. Full details below, and at www.massfarmersmarkets.org.

Dinner will feature several different preparations of pork raised locally at Austin Brothers Valley Farm (www.austinsfarm.com) in Belchertown, MA. Bob Sargent, head chef and owner of flora restaurant (www.florarestaurant.com), will be at the helm in the kitchen creating a mouth-watering menu of meat and vegetarian-friendly dishes. Dessert will be donated by beloved Copley Square vendor Hamilton Orchards (www.hamiltonorchards.com) and local baking legend Petsi Pies (www.petsipies.com) . A variety of libations will be available at the Alighieri Center’s cash bar.

After dinner we’ll push the tables back and bring country-style dancing to the city! Music will be provided by contra dance band Third Reel (www.freewebs.com/seansmithmusic/thirdreel.html), and contra caller David Titus will lead us in the dancing (no experience required!).

When catching a breath from dancing, attendees can bid on a silent auction with prizes including a weekend of mountain biking for two in the foothills of the White Mountains from Back Country Excursions!

More About Mass Farmers Markets

Mass Farmers Markets (MFM) harnesses the power of farmers markets to create healthy communities across the state. Farmers markets strengthen local economies, improve public health, preserve open space, and re-vitalize civic and cultural life in 200 communities and counting. Mass Farmers Markets is the only organization working state-wide to facilitate relationships between farmers and consumers of all income levels in order to improve the livelihood of farmers and increase access to fresh, local food.

www.massfarmersmarkets.org

Our New GOOGLE CALENDAR!

After much technical 'futzing' (which is, of course, a VERY technical term) we have finally embedded a Google calendar on our Events page, showing not only SF Boston sponsored gatherings, but all the other local events that we get wind of.

Consider it your one stop shopping for important things to get involved in

Check it out!

Ten Massachusetts Wineries - on Boylston Street

An amazing opportunity has just been brought to our attention:
This Friday, July 10th from 6 to 8pm, Cathy Huyghe of 365 Days of Wine and Red, White, Boston is hosting a collection of local wineries and their lovely products; from the sparklers from Westport (so old hat by now!) to the unoaked Chard from Travessia in (yes!) New Bedford and Cab Franc from Sakonnet all the way to the yummy apple ice wine from Still River in Harvard.

Tickets are $20 and can be purchased ONLINE.

And that Boylston Street location? None other than the very chi-chi Bulthaup Design Showroom at the corner of Charles Street overlooking the Gardens.

Missing out on our event with author Lisa Hamilton next Saturday?

Don't worry, because you have another chance, this time in town, rather than out on the FARM.

On Thursday, June 25th at 7:00PM, Lisa will be appearing at the Harvard Book Store - along with Carolyn Mugar of Farm Aid.

Together, they'll talk about Lisa's book Deeply Rooted: Unconventional Farmers in the Age of Agribusiness and the great work that Farm Aid does to help those Unconventional Farmers...

More info can be found on the bookstore's website.

Don't let the rain stop you from taking a Taste of Westport

So I know that the weather report isn't looking so hot for tomorrow... But don't stay inside & mope about it!

Instead, head down to the Westport Rivers Winery for the annual Taste of Westport - enjoy wine & food & beer & even music, all from local producers. The event is being held at the winery, and they have a tent all set up to shield you from the rain. And being with like-minded folks that are willing to brave the weather in the name of good grub should definitely make you feel better.

Check out their WEBSITE for more info and to purchase tickets.

Potluck Opportunity this Thursday in Concord

For those of you lucky enough to live in the Concord/Carlisle/Lincoln areas, we have a great option for you for dinner this coming Thursday.

Debra's Natural Gourmet is hosting an amazing potluck dinner of local, seasonal, health-minded folks at their store -- a convivial gathering over wonderful food. A perfectly 'Slow' way to celebrate a summer evening and the current harvest season.

And speaking of 'Slow,' our very own Annette Lee will be attending the event in order to share more information about Slow Food USA and catch everyone up on things that our Boston chapter has planned for the upcoming months.

So, a few details:
Thursday, June 18th @ 6:00PM
Debra's Natural Gourmet, 98 Commonwealth Ave, West Concord - click here for a map

Here is copy from Debra's email laying out the ground rules for the food:
"Rules are simple. Every person brings a dish to feed ten (that means a couple brings two dishes because they bring two mouths…). Each dish should be as organic and local as possible. Do you have to slave over a hot stove? No. If you’re not a cook, but love to eat and get together with terrific people, do simple. Could be a bowl of berries with local honey, or local baby greens drizzled with pumpkinseed oil. In other words, we want you to come for fun, community and friendship."

Hope you can attend!

Saturday's Activities: Fair Trade, Greens, Weeds & Herbs

Fair Trade Boston is taking this Saturday June 13th to celebrate -- join them for food, music, fashion and (of course!) coffee. It's all taking place from noon to 6pm at the Artists for Humanity Epicenter inteh Fort Point Channel. More info on the whole shebang is here.

And once you're all jittery on Equal Exchange fairly traded 'joe' -- head on out to Roxbury to the Haley House Cafe. Didi Emmons and the Boston Vegetarian Society are putting on another of their great cooking classes beginning at 4:30pm. For $37, learn how to compose a spectacular local salad using unusual greens, weeds, and herbs and then cook up a Mustard Green Turnip Stew with Cornmeal Dumplings and Tomato Broth and a Rhubarb Cobbler - and finish the evening sitting down to eat with your fellow class attendees! Email Info@BostonVeg.org to reserve you spot!

Microbes. Bacteria. Yeast.

No, no, not the bad stuff that might cause the next salmonella spinach scare or the next piggy flu, we promise! Rather, this is about the *good* stuff... The friendly kinds that give us cheese and pickles and yogurt and other yummy yummy foodstuffs.

Folks over at Harvard's Microbial Appreciation Club (yes, there is such a thing) are organizing a workshop for this Saturday, May 30th from 1:00 to 4:00pm entitled 'Multitalented Microbes: How These Tiny Organisms are Transforming Your Life.'

According to their email, the focus is on "...how microogranisms (like bacteria and yeast) play an important role in the food we eat, as well as many other aspects of our life." For those of us with an interest in how our food is created, this could prove to be fascinating. And you get to satiate your tummy as well as your curiosity: they'll have samples from Real Pickles and Formaggio's Kitchen, and demonstrations of making yogurt, bread, and wine.

Beneficial Aspects of Micro-Organisms in Food

Buzzards Bay Brewing gets Cooking!

If you find yourself down in the Westport area this Thursday, May 21st in the evening, stop by Buzzards Bay Brewing Co for their kick-off Summer 2009 Lager Education Night Cookout!

From 5 to 8pm $5 gets you a pint glass and two fills of either the Lager or the Summer Wheat. They'll have the grills fired up on the lawn and are encouraging attendees to bring something along to throw on the fire!

A great way to move into the long holiday weekend....

FRESH. The Movie.

So our food should be fresh. Yup, check - we generally know that. But what is 'fresh'? Ana Sofia Joanes set out to explore the concept of fresh food and the people who create it in her new documentary, entitled just that: 'Fresh.'

She will be screening the film next Thursday, May 28th @ 7pm in the Harvard NW Building at 52 Oxford Street, and following the show with a panel consisting of a interesting range of folks involved in the food, agriculture and health community. The chef Michael Leviton, the farmer Joel Salatin (remember him from Omnivore's Dilemma?), as well as Will Allen, founder of Growing Power and councilmember Henrietta Davis.

The best part? There are a limited number of *free* tickets available to Slow Food Boston members! If you would like to attend, email Lisa Madison at: lisa@freshthemovie.com and in the subject line put your FULL name and 'Boston Slow Food FRESH ticket'

First come, first served!

Edible Seedling Sale in Newton May 17th

Newton Community Farm wants to help you get started on your home gardening... on Sunday, May 17th from noon to 4pm, go by the farm to purchase veggie & herb seedlings and hear tips on transplanting and seedling care.

While you're there, talk to them about their classes - in June they'll be offering sessions focusing on planting in pots, creating nine foot square gardens and how to introduce edibles into your flower gardens...

Allandale Events Upcoming

Allandale Farm teamed up with the West Roxbury Reads program this past month to offer a number of farm events. The culmination of it all takes place next Tuesday, May 12th. Go by the farm in the afternoon and learn more about its history & current growing practices (tours by foot or in a haywagon!), and then head over to the West Roxbury Branch Library that evening to hear Michael Pollan speak. You'll end your day thoroughly knowledgeable about food and farming practices!

Once the hullabaloo dies down, head back over to the farm on Saturday May 16th for experty advice from arborist Dave Anderson on how to prune trees & shrubs. There will be discussion & demonstration of techniques. Email allandale@allandalefarm.com to sign up!

What Does the Future of Food Hold for Us?

It's a question some of us may ask everyday -- and probably even more of us attempt to AVOID asking!

Whether it holds you in awe or in anguish, the Institute of Human Sciences at Boston University would like you to gather with them on Saturday May 9th to explore what the future may hold.

This free conference involves five 'sessions' in addition to opening & closing remarks (from Satish Kumar and Michael Ableman). Topics range from the 'Ethics of Eating' to 'The End of Cheap Food: Food & Geopolitics'. You MUST register in advance through the website, where you can also find more information about the event as a whole.

Before you can test your academic side on Saturday, though, you must have sustenance, correct? Luckily the Institute has thought of that as well, and is offering a lecture, demo & dinner on Friday evening May 8th at 5:30pm with Bryant Terry, vegan soul food chef extraordinaire. Cost is $45 (which includes his new book!).

If vegan food isn't your thing, what about wild foods and fermentation? At 2:30pm on Friday, Sandor Ellix Katz (aka 'Sandorkraut') will be lecturing on live-culture fermenting. Cost is $30 and includes his book Wild Fermentation.

Go! Explore the nutrition behind fermented foods, and then proceed on to eat yummy vegan cuisine on Friday... Sleep well and then return to join the discussion on where our food systems are going and how we all might participate in setting things on a better path.

Help Out by Eating Out!

The Fireplace in Brookline has joined the chorus of voices trying to raise awareness of the disappearance of mass numbers of honey bees... May sound trite to some of you, but honey bees are responsible for pollinating nearly a third of all the food we eat. Without them, no wonderful flowers to see, but also less varieties of fruits and vegetables to eat!

In order to raise money for research at UC Davis and Penn State, The Fireplace will donate 20% of revenue from items ordered off a special 'honey' menu during the month of May. What better way to enjoy a meal out and ensure that we can enjoy many more meals to come?

Check out the menu here.

Enjoy!

Last Minute - Film & Talk by James Lionette @ MIT Tuesday April 21st!

Sorry, but we just heard about this ourselves and felt that we needed to pass it on, just in case you have some free time tomorrow evening!

The MIT Food Initiative is sponsoring the screening of Our Daily Bread at 6:00pm, to be followed by James Lionette (of Lionette's Market in the South End) discussing his impressions of the film as well as our local food system.

Check out more about the film on the website. It is an astounding look into the industrial systems of food production - very pure, as they do not make comments, allowing the audience to form their own opinions.

Details and the screening location are on the MIT events calendar.

Need More Help in the Gardening Department?

Well, you have a few opportunities coming up to expand your knowledge & get you prepped to enjoy TRULY local (from your own backyard/fire escape!) food this summer.

First up, this Saturday, April 18th NOFA/Mass is presenting their 2nd annual Statewide Spring Organic Gardening Day - a full day of gardening workshops all over the state! They'll cover everything from mulches & cover crops to organic soil fertility to the basics of what to start when. A map & details are here, and registration can be done either online with a credit card or by downloading & printing a form to mail in with a check.

If this weekend doesn't work for you, you have another chance: NEXT Saturday, April 25th Green City Growers is holding an all-day intensive workshop learning all the skills necessary for 'urban' gardening. It will be held in JP at the HeartBeat Collective House, and costs $90 in advance. More info and registration directions can be found on their website.

Go on! Get yer hands dirty!

Tuesday April 6th: Wine, Food, and a great Local Farming Cause

Rialto Restaurant, in Harvard Square, is hosting a fabulous springtime dinner tomorrow night in honor of one of our favorite local organizations: The Food Project.

Students who are a part of TFP will be cooking alongside Chef Jody Adams, presenting dishes made from local & regional ingredients and paired wines.

Great food, and a great cause!

Tuesday April 7th @ 6:30pm
Rialto Restuarant
$100 includes tax & tip
Call Rialto @ 617-661-5050 to reserve your spot

Urban Gardening Workshop

Boston Natural Areas Network is hosting three people this Wednesday evening, April 8th from 7 to 9pm to teach you all about the planning and execution of an 'urban' garden. Learn "...garden design and layout, sourcing plants, record keeping, and organization of both vegetable and ornamental gardens in the urban environment."

Call 617-542-7696 or email info@bostonnatural.org to sign up!

More of BNAN's workshops & lectures can be found on their website.

Looking for more Pig?

If the fabulous Pork & Beans dinner last Wednesday at Hungry Mother just whet your appetite for amazing tasting pork dishes, you're in luck!

This coming Sunday, April 5th, the Liberty Hotel hosts the Cochon 555 event. It brings together 5 local chefs (Tony Maws, Jason Bond, and others), 5 pigs, and 5 wineries - and the lucky guests that get to consume the results!

The event begins at 5pm and tickets are $125 - purchase them ONLINE.

Looking for more info? Local writer & foodie Jacqueline Church has been interviewing each of the chefs involved and giving us the 'inside scoop'!

One MORE Option for Saturday: Gardeners Gathering hosted by the Boston Natural Areas Network

Especially if you got closed out of our Seed Exchange & Workshop on Sunday, go check out the schedule of workshops these guys have laid out for Saturday. The whole thing is FREE to the public!

11am to 5pm at Northeastern University's Curry Student Center, walk-in registration and topics ranging from Organic Lawn Care to the Art Raised Bed Gardening and even Tool Maintenance. What variety - and an opportunity to welcome spring with other gardeners!

More information on the Boston Natural Areas Network website.

Moroccan Food, Woolapalooza, Soups and the Craft of Maple Sugaring all in One Day?

So many options from which to choose - this Saturday, March 28th is shaping up to be quite busy!

10am to 1pm: The day starts with a sweet note: sugaring demos, a pancake breakfast, and even live music at the Bill McElwain Sugar House in Weston, hosted by Land's Sake Farm. More info on their website.

10am to 4pm: With your full belly, go check out sheep shearing and herding demos at Drumlin Farm in Lincoln. A chance to see the new babies and follow the "Sheep-to-Sweater Interpretive Trail" $10 for adults & $8 for kids. It's Woolapalooza!

2pm to 5pm: Time for lunch - a soup swap! The opportunity to flaunt the soup cooking skills you've been perfecting over this looooong winter. Organized by HomeGrown.org and held at Atwood Tavern in Cambridge. Check out their website listing to get more info.

3:30pm to 7:30pm: After you trade soups with other like-minded folks, hurry over to Haley House for a cooking class focusing on Morocco cuisine. Hosted by the Boston Vegetarian Society and taught by the famed Didi Emmons, you'll discover harissa, quinoa, tagine and green tea, all for $38. Demos and dinner! Check out the BVS website for more details and to reserve your spot.

Phew. Luckily, you get to sleep in on Sunday! Enjoy....

Locavorism Discussion at MIT on Thursday

MIT is hosting a panel this Thursday (March 26th) from 7 to 9pm on the hot topic of eating locally... The lecture will be held in the 20 Chimneys Room (W20-306) in the MIT Stratton Student Center at 84 Massachusetts Ave

Steve Johnson from Rendezvous, along with professors from Cornell & Dartmouth, will attempt to answer some of these questions for us: "...how much do food miles matter? And what does this cavalcade to the farmers' market say about our fears and hopes as a culture faced with overlapping crises? Is buying "local" necessarily ethical, or is it more complicated than that?"

Could be an interesting evening!

Wine Notes: Italian Tasting @ Dave's

We had another great tasting at Dave's Fresh Pasta at the end of February. Wine buyer Felisha Foster followed up her grand January French tasting with (to my mind) an even better round of Italian wines. Her notes on the wines can be found below. Personally speaking, I would really urge you to give the Vino Rosso da Tavola and the Lagrein a try. Both are amazing, deeply flavorful wines that go beautifully with a host of foods. The nose on the Vino Rosso is crazy, particularly when you first open the bottle--all violets and strawberries that then mellow into something more dark and earthy as the wine sits. Lovely...

-Alex

2007 Lini Lambrusco Bianco "Labrusca"

region: Emilia-Romagna

grape variety: 100% Lambrusco Salamino

notes: It’s made without any skin contact. Has aromas of red apples and white grapes and a racy zestiness that makes it an ideal apéritif wine.


2002 Clivi Galea

region: Friuli-Venezia Giulia

grape varieties: A blend of Tocai and Verduzzo

notes: Quite rich and full in the mouth despite no barrel aging. Mineral driven with lemon and vanilla notes. Very complex with a long finish.



2007 Institut Agricole Régional d’Aosta “Vin des Chanoines”

region: Valle d’Aosta

grape varieties: A blend of Pinot Noir and Petit Rouge

notes: Aromas and flavors of cranberries and raspberries. Juicy upfront fruit but well restrained. Smooth and easy drinking. This is a great food wine.


2007 Tenuta Migliavacca Grignolino del Monferrato Casalese

region: Piemonte

grape variety: 100% Grignolino

notes: Aromas and flavors of red licorice, cherry and raspberry. Refreshing and tart with a chalky, dusty texture. Light-bodied and elegant.


2006 Cascina Roera Vino Rosso da Tavola

region: Piemonte, Italy

grape variety: 100% Barbera

notes: Organic winery where everything is done by hand. Displays a nice fresh nose of blackberries and cherries with a slightly earthy note. Remarkable complexity for a wine in this price range.


2006 Georg Mumelter Griesbauerhof Lagrein

region: Alto Adige

grape variety: 100% Lagrein

notes: Voluptuous, dark and concentrated. A mixture of black currants and blackberries with an underlying hint of plum. Spicy and savory with hints of tobacco. Great acidity with well-integrated tannins.

Cambridge Brewing Company Brewer's Dinner!

The good folks at CBC are having their annual Brewer's Dinner tomorrow (Saturday, 3/14) night. This event is always a hit and gives you an opportunity to try out a number of brewmaster Will Meyer's special creations. See the menu below and call CBC at 617.494.1994 if you're interested!

Cambridge Brewing Company’s Brewers Dinner
March 14, 2009

Soups

Cheddar Beer Soup
Homemade Pretzel Nugget, Pepper Relish
Gilman’s Hot
Spring Training I.P.A.

Roasted Pepper Bisque
Peekytoe Crab Salad, Fin Herbs
Golden Slumbers Continental Pilsner

Apps

Morning, Noon, Night Oysters
Raw, Pickled, Fried
Om Chardonnay barrel-aged Belgian golden ale

Grilled Miso Marinated Quail
Kimchi, Long Beans, Shiso Vinaigrette
Cask-conditioned Pale Ale Japanese ‘Sorachi Ace’ dryhops

Torchon of Hudson Valley Foie Gras
Black Pepper Brioche, Mache, Huckleberry Sauce
Abbey Normal Belgian Dubbel

Salad of Asparagus and Bitter Greens
Cantaloupe, Fresh Fig, House Made Mozzarella,
Aged Balsamic
Special A organic fig and date-infused Cambridge Amber


Entrees

Roasted Skate Wing
Warm Fennel Salad, Green Olives, Tangerines,
Fresh Garbonzos, Saffron Emulsion
Sgt. Pepper Belgian Saison with peppercorns

Locally Foraged Mushroom Risotto
Fontina, Sweet Peas,
Black Truffle
Bannatyne’s Scotch Ale


Honey Lavender Glazed Duck Breast
Confit Thigh, French Lentil Pilaf,
Spiced Endive
L’amour du Jour 2008 Saison with Botanicals

Harissa Rubbed New England Lamb Chop
Fresh-pressed Carrot jus-infused Cous Cous,
Green Beans, Kalamata Olives,
Tomato Salt
Big Man Ale

Desserts

Chocolate Porter Crepes
Bittersweet Ganache, Raspberry Mousse
Vanilla Cream
YouEnjoyMyStout 2007 Barrel-aged Imperial Stout

Lemon Torte
Kriek du Cambridge Cherries
Buttermilk Anglaise
Tripel Threat Belgian Tripel

CaCow! Chocolate Milk Stout Float
C.B.C. Ice Cream
Warm Whopper Chip Cookie
CaCow! Chocolate Milk Stout

For information and reservations please call
Laura Peters, Asst. General Manager, at 617.494.1994
Or visit us online at
http://www.cambridgebrewingcompany.com/happenings.html


Cambridge Brewing Company
One Kendall Square
Cambridge, MA 02139
617.494.1994
www.CambridgeBrewingCompany.com

Thoughts of Spring and of the Garden

It must be spring, at least somewhere... Or maybe just in my head? Anyway, info about upcoming gardening workshops are beginning to come into our email box here at Slow Food Boston. If you can't make it to our event on March 29th at the Arnold Arboretum, here are some other options:

Saturday March 28th from 1 to 3pm, Allandale Farm in Brookline hosts a Seeding Workshop for $10. More information and sign-up can be found on their website.

Saturday April 18th, NOFA/MA (Northeast Organic Farming Assocation, Massachusetts Chapter) is staging their second annual Statewide Spring Organic Gardening Day. They will be offering workshops all around the state. Visit their website to see details and reserve your space today!

PANCAKES!

Two local farms are hosting their annual pancake breakfasts in the next few weeks... Multiple opportunities to stuff your tummies with pancakes, REAL maple syrup (no Aunt Jemima around here!) with local potatoes, sausages & bacon. What better way to spend a weekend morning in this late bitter wet winter?

Saturday March 7th from 8am to 11am Natick Community Organic Farm's Pancake Breakfast will be held at the Memorial Elementary School adjacent to the farm. Adults are $8 and kids are $4. The meal is part of their 'Maple Magic Day.' See more info on their website.

The following week, you can do either weekend day - or both! Saturday March 14th & Sunday March 15th from 9am to 1pm Drumlin Farm holds their Sap to Syrup Farmer's Breakfasts. The cost is $14 for adults and $11 for kids, and pregistration is required. More info is on their website.

March 1st Brings Choices Choice Choices!

But if you're industrious, you can do a little learning (feed your mind!) AND do a little socializing (feed your tummy!). Check out what's on the schedule:

Sunday March 1st 11:30am to 4:00pm Fee: $125
Sharon Kane, who taught our Fermented Foods class last fall is offering a four-hour class all about sourdough bread - gluten free, easy on the digestive system, AND, she claims easy! She'll teach both quick bread & a standard loaf, and you'll leave at the end of the day with starter for home, a loaf of bread ready to rise & bake, finished bread and many recipes. Bring lunch and there will be savory pancakes to go along with it! More information and signup is on her Food as Medicine website

Sunday March 1st 5pm ($20) or 7 to 10pm ($50)
Once you've exhausted yourself learning the intricacies of sourdough, head on over to Cambridge, and let JJ Gonson of Cuisine en Locale revive you with one of her fabulous dinner series: O.N.C.E.: One Night Culinary Event. This time around, she's cooking up amazing local and seasonal foods in two seatings. 5pm is an easy buffett style for those with kiddies in tow that must get home for bedtime... And 7pm is a served multi-course feast for those sans children - or for those who are smart enough to find a babysitter! Check out her blog for more info and to reserve your space. Do it soon!

Middle Eastern Cuisine in Waltham Saturday

The Center for Arabic Culture has forwarded this event notice to us -- and it looks yum, yum, yummy!

Come join the Center for Arabic Culture for a culinary adventure with Chef Ahmed Yasin of the award-winning restaurant, Kareem's which was voted twice by Boston Magazine as "Best Middle Eastern Cuisine" and received Zagat Survey's Certificate of Distinction.

Saturday Feb 21st from 11am to 2pm
Yasin Culinary, 99 Common St, Waltham
$75 per person -- demo, a little hands-on, and lunch at the end!
RSVP to Fatime Jafri @ Fatima.Jafri@CACBoston.org

Chef Yasin will show you how to prepare a colorful and nutritious salad, a delectable soup, a tantalizing appetizer, and a scrumptious desert.

Time to think about those Gardens!

OK, so we've had a nice day or two -- maybe, just maybe, Spring may come... And that means gardens!

And the first step to gardening is the seeds. Have you been frustrated in the past trying to get your seeds to, well, sprout? If so, the Arnold Arboretum has just the thing for you: Saturday March 21st from 9:00am to 1:00pm, Jack Alexander, Plant Propagator will present a workshop on 'Growing Plants from Seeds' in the Dana Greenhouse Classroom.

"There's nothing more satisfying to a gardener than growing plants from seeds. From annuals and perennials to trees and shrubs, success can be achieved if you understand what triggers germination. Expert propagator Jack Alexander will share techniques and tips for starting various types of plants from seeds. This workshop is for beginners and those who have been frustrated in past attempts to transform seed to seedling. Students will leave class with a selection of seeds raring to grow. Aftercare will be necessary."
$45 for members, $55 nonmembers. Call the Arboretum at 617-384-5251 to register.

Free on Friday morning March 6th?

If you happen to be available on Friday March 6th from 7:30am to 9:30am, we have just the thing for you to do.

Join yours truly (that's Willow here) and attend the annual International Women's Day breakfast. Each year they choose a theme & corresponding speakers & participants. This year, they have gone with the important and timely focus of 'Who Owns Your Food: Globally and Locally.' Wow, certainly a question that we should all be asking -- and maybe even demanding the answers to!

The breakfast is being held at the Linda K. Paresky Conference Center at Simmons College at 300 The Fenway, near Park Drive. For more information you must contact Diane Hammer at diane.hammer@simmons.edu, but I've copied the basics below:

"This year, the Boston International Women’s Day Breakfast will examine the impact that corporate ownership of food and water has had on women, their families and their communities – locally and globally. Join us for an engaging and informative morning of presenters as they address the concerns, challenges and effects that corporate ownership of food and water have on the health of women, their families and their communities.

Local farmers and specialists on the issues surrounding corporate ownership of food and water and the impact to us here in our own communities will give real accessible steps for advocating for open access and how to make change in our neighborhoods."

I will be there representing Slow Food Boston and answering questions about some of the local movements missions and actions. Stop by and say hello!

Don't You Dare Skip our Movie for this...

But if there's really NO way you can make it out to West Roxbury, or you truly don't have interest in learning more about sustainable farming methods and their affect on our soil... We have another option for you!

Boston Localvores is teaming up with Haley House Cafe for a 'Souper' Sunday event! (Ah, didn't anyone alert them to the fact that they're a week late??)

Anyway, they're offering up five soups made from local ingredients (really! you CAN eat local, even in the winter!) plus bread, cheese and beer. You need to bring a bowl, plus $10.

The kick? Gotta RSVP - and do it NOW!!

info@bostonlocalvores.org

Learn to Make Curries tomorrow at Haley House!

So it's supposed to stay cold tomorrow -- ugh. Rather than huddling down on your couch, get out to Haley House and spice things up with Didi Emmons and the Boston Vegetarian Society!

Together they are offering 'Roaming the Globe with Curries' a demo cooking class and tasting beginning at 3:45pm. Cost is $27

The BVS website has more information including how to reserve and pay for your spot.

Eat Local, Even in the Winter

The folks over at Drumlin Farm are convinced that even here in New England, we can eat locally all year round -- and to prove it, they're hosting a fabulous Winter Harvest Dinner on Friday, February 6th at 7pm out in Lincoln.

The cost is $40 and includes such scrumptious sounding things as Tuscan Kale Soup, cheeses from local milk, roasted winter veggies and Drumlin Farm meat.

To register, you must call 781-259-2206 BEFORE January 30th. So do it now!!

To learn more about Drumlin Farm, which is a part of Mass Audubon see their website.

Sharon Kane & Fermentation Classes

Sharon Kane, who taught one of our Food Preservation classes last year, is offering her range of classes again starting up on Sunday, January 25th in Ashland.

The sessions focus on detoxifying and strengthening your health with specific food preparations - she covers living foods like kefir and pickles, sourdough, and raw foods as well.

There are 8 classes in all, and you can sign up for the whole range, or pick & choose the ones that interest you. Check our her website.

Ferran Adria - can you believe it? HERE on Tuesday!

Wow. I'm still in shock myself. It's true, though!

Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences has THE Ferren Adria, from El Bulli speaking as part of 'Gastroscience Week' at the University on Tuesday, December 9th at 6:30pm.

AND (drumroll, please) it's FREE.

The hook? Seating is on a first-com, first-served basis. It is being held in the Physics Department's Jefferson Hall 250, which has a capacity of 212. (wonder if that includes those of us that might be willing to stand crammed together in the back???)

Anyway, details of the talk, entitled 'Cooking & Science with Ferran Adria: A Conversation on Creativity' can be found on the school's WEBSITE.

The Garden screening at Harvard

Friday, Dec 5th @ 6:30pm
Piper Auditorium, Gund Hall, Harvard University - 48 Quincy Street

A couple of student groups at the Harvard Graduate School of Design are joining together and showing an amazing film about urban agriculture, policy and social & environmental justice - The Garden is based in South Central LA and covers the story behind the destruction and rebuilding of a community garden.

Interesting, eye-opening, and hopefully mobilizing for those of us in urban areas working to open land in the city for use in both edible and ornamental gardening.

Check out more about the film HERE.

Butchering Demo at BU on Thursday

So at first glance, it may not really seem like the most, well, appetizing way to spend a Thursday evening -- but we beg you to take a second look.

Imagine an evening with James Lionette (of Lionette's Market) working his way through a locally raised pig, showing the most efficient and effective way to use the whole animal... And all the way talking about eating a sustainable diet and the importance of local foods!

Our comrades over at Slow Food BU are sponsoring this FREE demo in the back kitchen of the Myles Standish Dorm (610 Beacon St). Just RSVP to slowfood@bu.edu or call Kate at 203-414-8902 for more info.

Fermentation 101

For those of you who attended the Fermented Foods class last month (and all those that WISH they had!) a reminder that Sharon Kane will be offering a three-part class on Sundays beginning on Sunday Nov 2nd. The classes will comprise of Kefir, Sourdough Bread and a multiple topic session on Detoxifying and Raw Foods.

Classes are $75 each or $220 for all three... Info requests and questions can be directed to Sharon via phone: 508-881-5678 or email: Gpath2003@yahoo.com. You can also check out her WEBSITE.

Sharon is a fabulous teacher, we highly recommend her classes!

Slow Food lecture in Beverly Farms this Wednesday

Late notice, our apologies - but it's a great opportunity, so in case some of you can make it...

THIS Wednesday morning, October 29th at 9:30am David Buchanan, manager of Turkey Hill Farm in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, and leader of the Portland Maine Slow Food Chapter will be speaking St John's Church in Beverly Farms.

A note about the event came through from Emily Brown of St John's with the following description:
"Of particular interest to us might be a more specific passion of David’s…creating and designing kitchen gardens in unlikely spaces. David’s talk will include photos of his educational work at the farm, his design work on community, residential, and school gardens as well as his travels to Turin, Italy for Slow Food’s Terra Madre gathering of world food producers. He will provide actionable information so that we too can get back to basics and real food even if we lack paddocks and fields."

Tickets will be available at the door for $10, including a reception at 9:30am and the lecture at 10:15.

Harvest Time Everywhere!

Next weekend holds TWO fabulous opportunities to celebrate the Fall and the end of the harvest here in New England... So make your plans NOW to attend one or the other (or even both!).

First up, Saturday October 25th from 10AM to 2PM head out to Weston to Land's Sake Farm. Their Harvest Festival has everything from pumpkins and hot cider to games, hayrides, educational activities, and a live bluegrass band. Oh, and don't forget to wear your costume! For more information contact Dave at dave@landssake.org or see their website: Land's Sake Farm.

And because we know you're the intrepid types... You'll be up for another party the very next day!!

The Newton Angino Community Farm, in Newton is planning their Fall Harvest Festival for Sunday October 26th from 1PM to 4PM. They're using the day to give farm tours and demos, and folks can listen to some live music, participate in a silent auction, and go nuts decorating pumpkins! For more information, email newtoncommunityfarm@comcast.net or call Sam Fogel at 617-969-9039. You can check them out online here.

How much more do you need to go have a little fun and enjoy the crisp fall weather??

It's Time for Fall Foods

Brrrr... The temps are dropping, squash is abundant at the final farmers markets. Don't you think it's time for comfort and warming fall foods?

If so, Didi Emmons and Haley House are a few steps ahead of you... Next Saturday, October 18th join them for a Community Cooking Class class celebrating New England fall foods.

On the menu are things like lentil dosa, the under-appreciated quince, local venison and pumpkin bread pudding. Yum! The best part is, once you've cooked it, you get to sit down as a group to enjoy the fruits your labors.

Class is from 5:00 to 8:30pm at the Haley House Cafe in Roxbury and the cost of $40 includes instruction and recipes. Beer & wine will be available for purchase during dinner for $5.

You MUST register in advance with Diana at diana.limbach@gmail.com.

Alice Waters & the new Slow Food USA Prez come to Harvard!

Hoorah for the Harvard Humanities Center - next Tuesday, October 14, 2008 at 6:15 p.m. they kick off their Sustainability Week by hosting a round table discussion not only with the 'great' Alice Waters, but also with Josh Viertel, the brand new president of Slow Food USA! The two of them will be conversing with Homi Bhabha, the Director of the Center.

Location is the Faculty Room in the University Hall. The event is open to the public, but seating is limited, so get there early....

Enjoy, and give Alice & Josh a warm welcome from the Boston food community!