Slow Food Austin reconnects people with the food they eat. Our
educational initiatives, social activities, fundraising events, and
community volunteer projects inspire respect for where food comes from
and awakens true pleasure in eating. To learn more about Slow Food
Austin and become a member, visit our website!
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Welcome to our monthly newsletter & our New Year preview of events for 2011. The New Year is typically a time for resolutions and I am not immune to this tendency so I try to look for ways to improve my life while also benefiting my community. When considering personal change for the greater good, food choice is always a natural place to start. As you reflect on what the year holds for you, consider your food choices and what you'd like to do differently to impact the food system.
We are fortunate in Central Texas to have a community passionate about local food issues. Slow Food Austin is gaining steam with the involvement of foodie Austinites and through partnerships with other food groups like Sustainable Food Center, Slow Money Austin, Citizen Gardener, Foodways Texas, and edible Austin (just to name a few). It will take the energy of all of these organizations (and more) to change the way our food system works - locally, regionally, nationally, & internationally.
I always experience a little anxiety around this time of year in anticipation of all the new challenges and adventures that the year will have for me. Fortunately, I am anxiously awaiting all the fun food events in 2011 because it is shaping up to be the busiest year yet for the Austin Slow Food chapter. Below is a preview of all the wonderful food events we have planned for the year. As usual, stay tuned to our website and make sure you are getting our monthly newsletters because you never know when an unexpected event will pop up on the calendar.
The New Year is also when we (the board members) renew our volunteer commitment to the organization and we make plans for how to manage the chapter this year. If you are interested in volunteering to help with board responsibilities, don't hesitate to email me! president@slowfoodaustin.org
Starting off Slow
Sara Weber
President- Slow Food Austin
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Educational Slow Sessions
Slow Food Austin hosts an educational slow session on the second Monday of the month. Our Slow Food Session are open to the community and are free of cost. Some of our previous topics in 2010 included foraging for wild edible plants, the culinary history and traditions of Texas, and organic and sustainable Texas wines. In 2011, you can look forward to topics ranging from bees and honey to cultivating a slow lifestyle! Stay tuned to our newsletter for upcoming dates and topics. |
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Farm Tours
Slow Food Austin is excited to launch our Spring 2011 farm tours! Local food culture and community begins on the farm, so come with us to witness the innovation, hard work and love your neighboring Texans pour into the craft of farming, and enjoy the company of like-minded locavores.
Each farm tour will include a structured talk, a walking tour and a purchased sample of the farm's fare. Some tours will include tasting opportunities. Central Texas is rich in family farms, so expect five brand-new enjoyable tours this spring between February and June. Check slowfoodaustin.org regularly for details, or email
betsyL@slowfoodaustin.org
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Happy Hours, Pairings/Tastings, and our Annual Event
Our first event of 2011 will be a Happy Hour at East Side Showroom on January 20th, 2011 from 5-7pm. Mark your calendars and please plan to join us!
Happy Hours: Slow Food Austin hosts third Thursday Happy
Hours each month at either a farm-to-table restaurant or farm.
The Farm Happy Hours typically are in the peak of growing seasons approximately April-June and September-November.
Past Happy Hour locations have included: Wink, Olivia, Texas French Bread, Fino, Cipollina, Eastside Cafe, Jeffrey's, Peche, Green Gate Farms, Boggy Creek Farm and a special beer and cheese pairing at 512 Brewing Company with Antonelli's Cheese Shop. For our Farm Happy Hours we use caterers who source directly from the host farms with Ecstatic Cuisine for the Boggy Creek Happy Hour and for the Green Gate Farms Happy Hour we used Cake & Spoon and El Locavore. The Tipsy Texas and Bill Norris of the newly opened Haddington's served up cocktails at these very lively farm happy hours.
If you think last year's Happt Hour schedule was great, get ready for 2011's killer schedule including Eastside Showroom, La Condesa, Foreign & Domestic, and Tecolote Farm among others.
Pairings/Tastings: In 2011 you can look forward to special pairing
events including two cheese pairings. The first will be a summer wine and cheese pairing with our friends at Antonelli's Cheese Shop. Our second will seem familiar to many of you, our ANNUAL December beer and cheese pairing with 512 Brewing Company and Antonelli's Cheese Shop at 512 Brewery. We also plan to offer a charcuterie pairing with one of the local charcuterie masters...stay tuned to find out who it will be. Check the website for dates!
Annual Event: Save the Date!! In August of 2011, Slow Food Austin will host a very special, exciting and educational 3rd Annual Event that will bring the food community of Austin together for a little healthy competition. This event is meant to educate the Austin Food Community of what Slow Food is and what it means to be Good, Clean and Fair. Our goal is to personally help to preserve the artisanal ways of eating, living
and learning in Central Texas. You are going to Love it!
Thanks and I look forward to seeing you all soon!
Your Host,
Karla |
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Local Slow Food Restaurant Guide
The Eat Well Guide is partnering with Slow Food Austin to provide a web-based restaurant guide that is fully searchable and printable. This is a pilot program that is only happening in a few cities in the U.S. and the list has not gone live on the website yet. We will post on the Slow Food Austin website when our guide is available on the Eat Well Guide's website.
How did we choose restaurants to be included in the guide? The Slow Food Austin board determines which local restaurants will be endorsed for this restaurant guide based on their attempt to practice Good, Clean, and Fair food sourcing and preparation. We don't expect restaurants to be perfectly "Slow" but we do want to see them trying. For a refresher on what Good, Clean, and Fair means, see: http://www.slowfoodusa.org/index.php/slow_food/good_clean_fair/
If you have a suggestion for your favorite restaurant to be added to the guide, email me at president@slowfoodaustin.org
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Get your Garden Started
Baby, it's cold outside...a perfect time to snuggle in with seed catalogues for your spring garden. But how to choose? Keep in mind that you'll have greater success when you use native seed, though these can be hard to find....Wilhite website
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Eat Great Food, Invest in Your Community, Join a CSA
The spring season has started for your local farmer. Yes, January means area farmers are sowing seed and filling greenhouses with starters for seasonal fruits & veggies. Your support is needed now so don't wait to join a CSA. In addition to farmer's markets, Austin has certified organic farms that will grow fresh, incredibly tasty food for you each week. Many of these farms are committed to preserving regional and heritage flavors. This is labor-intensive, important work, so give them your support. CSA farms that have memberships available include: Green Gate Farms, Hairston Creek, Springdale Farm,Tecolote, & Urban Roots (a.k.a. Hands of the Earth Farm), among others. To find a farm near you, check out www.localharvest.org.
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Thanks for reading all the way to the end- you are truly a Slow Foodie!!
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