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Food for Thought
The Slow Food Orange County Newsletter
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Welcome
Welcome to the March issue of "Food for Thought." We're so glad you've chosen to receive our newsletter and share exciting news of our events.While you will find the most current information about our chapter in this newsletter, be sure to visit our website. Learn more about excellent local restaurants and markets, and find out how to share your talents and play a larger roll in the Slow Food family. We would love to hear from you. Send us an email. Our fundraising efforts support the Monkey Business Cafe in Fullerton.
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New to Slow Food?
Slow Food is an idea, a way of living and a way of eating. It is a
global, grassroots movement with thousands of members around the world
that links the pleasure of food with a commitment to community and the
environment. For more information, visit their website.
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How are we doing?
We welcome additions to and comments about this newsletter. Please send us an email
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Our last event
Master Gardeners Kay Haven and Irmaagard Waltz gave a presentation titled "Home Vegetable Gardening." We learned soil preparation and irrigation, the use of fertilizers, warm vs. cool season crops, crop rotation and crop harvesting.
Almost 40 guests feasted on a potluck dinner that featured in-season produce. Dishes included (and there were too many to name them all!) vegetarian lasagna, soups, an array of bean, lettuce and pasta salads, casseroles, and homemade apple and strawberry pies.
- Chrisi Hughey, Slow Food OC Outreach Committee
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 Another recent event
Brew Making Workshop & Potluck
On Sunday, March 15, about twenty Slow Food Orange County members and members of the Long Beach Home Brewing Association came together in Cypress to enjoy a Brew Making Workshop led by home brewer Robert Wise.
The step-by-step demonstration on Robert's home equipment was punctuated by tastings from his incredible beer "cellar". Robert claims that "if you think you don't like beer, you just haven't tasted the beer you like". In true Slow Food fashion, Robert even grows his own hops for brewing! His wife Victoria provided beer-basted pulled pork, and numerous other beer-based dishes appeared at the potluck, including salad dressing, pretzel rolls, and chocolate stout cupcakes. Events chair Stephanie Georgieff also contributed two types of homemade sauerkraut. It was a beautiful afternoon and both new and long-time members enjoyed sharing stories, food and drink with the home brewers. -Heather Stoltzfus
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Produce of the Month
How fortunate we are to live in a place where so much fresh produce is available year round.
While much produce that fills the local supermarket has been shipped from all over the world, a few local farms and farmers markets allow us to eat well close to home.
Visit our website for a listing of local farmers markets, and the website of South Coast Farms in San Juan Capistrano.All kinds of delicious information is available at NRDC - The Earth's Best Defense, and Local Harvest - real food, real farmers, real community.
Scroll down to the bottom of this newsletter for more produce tips.
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CALENDAR
MAY
May 5-18 Cooking for Solutions - Monterey Bay Aquarium
This event is a signature culinary gala featuring sustainability grown seafood and produce designed by chefs
from around the globe. Read more about it on our website.
May 30 - Slow Food Orange County Barbeque and Potluck in Bommer Canyon, Irvine
Slow Food Orange County will hold its first barbeque in Bommer Canyon, in the City of Irvine, at One Bommer
Canyon Road. It is an event for the whole family and will focus on awareness of good, clean and fair food.
Be sure to purchase tickets in advance, as space is strictly limited and there will be no on-site ticket sales.
More information is available on our website, where you can purchase tickets.
Come to the Slow Food Orange County Barbeque, enjoy the rustic setting of Bommer Canyon, dine on delicious,
sustainable fare, make new friends and learn about the Slow Food movement!
Mark you calendars today. This is an event you won't want to miss.
JUNE
June 28, 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Canning & Potluck (Potluck starts at 4pm)
Visit our website for future events.
PLEASE NOTE:
Workshops that may be substituted throughout the year include a tortellini and sauce making workshop
and chef demonstrations. Please contact us if you would like to conduct a workshop.
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Recommended Reading
"In Defense of Food," by Michael PollanA brief review from Roger McErlane:
"I am almost finished with the book, 'In Defense of Food,' by Michael Pollan.
It is a very educational book on how the food industry and the American Diet got to be
where it is and why it is in such bad shape. It is a very searing indictment of the food industry
and the giant business, marketing and advertising resources that are at play here and how
that has shaped the western diet. It concludes with what we should be eating. There is hope,
and it very much reinforces the Slow Food principles that have attracted us all."
About the author: Michael Pollan is the author of five books: Second Nature, A Place of
My Own, The Botany
of Desire, which received the Borders Original
Voices Award for the best nonfiction work of 2001 and was
recognized as
a best book of the year by the American Booksellers Association and
Amazon, and the national
bestsellers, The Omnivore's Dilemma, and In
Defense of Food. A longtime contributing writer to The New York
Times
Magazine, Pollan is also the Knight Professor of Journalism at UC
Berkeley.
Read more about the book here.
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Food News
Alice Waters on "60 Minutes"
"We make decisions everyday about what we're going to eat," Waters
said.
"And some people want to buy Nike shoes - two pairs, and other
people want to eat
Bronx grapes, and nourish themselves. I pay a little
extra, but this is what I want to do."
Read the article and watch the video here.http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/03/13/60minutes/main4863738_page2.shtml
More Food News
The White House Vegetable Garden
New York Times, March 19
WASHINGTON - On Friday, Michelle Obama will begin digging up a patch of White House lawn to plant a
vegetable garden, the first since Eleanor Roosevelt's victory garden in World War II.
There will be no beets (the president doesn't like them) but arugula will make the cut. Read complete article here.
View the White House garden here.
More about local produce
March is truly the month of green - not only for the Irish, but for asparagus lovers as well.
The season for this A list veggie has begun, even though this delicacy is available
year-round at the in the supermarket, The really good stuff requires a trip to the farmers
market right now.
The tender young spears require little more than snapping off the woody ends and a quick
rinse under the faucet. Fatter spears, which will probably be around soon, can stand a little
thinning with a vegetable peeler.
Clean, trim, toss with salt, pepper and a little good olive oil, and spread on a cookie sheet. Pop them into a
350 degree oven for abut 10 minutes. Turn as needed and continue roasting until as tender as you want.
A little light or dark balsamic vinegar or lemon juice and, voila!! Really thin spears are probably better prepared
in a vertical asparagus steamer.
Find more asparagus recipes here.
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Become a Member
We invite you to join the Slow Food movement! Slow Food OC is working hard to preserve and protect local foods and food traditions. Our convivium plans events and programs in places across OrangeCounty-anywhere from community gardens, taste education dinners, and farm tours-join the network and become active in planning and participating in these diverse initiatives.
Click here for Benefits of Membership. Send us an email if you have any questions.
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