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Slow Food O'ahu News
Number 2010-02
Mailed January 29, 2010
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Annual Meeting Summary
Approximately 45 Slow Food O'ahu enthusiasts and members attended our Annual Meeting on January 24, 2010 in Manoa.
President Laurie Carlson welcomed all members and noted that this was the largest Annual meeting of the Convivium, in part due to the new members from the Time for Lunch campaign and the growing awareness of food security issues in Hawai'i. Laurie announced that Hawai'i is no longer part of the Southern California/Nevada Region and now is its own region with its own Governor, Shelby Floyd, of the Big Island Convivium. She hopes that the next year will bring more volunteers into activities, including more political involvement in food and agricultural issues at the state and national levels. With more consciousness raised from the Time for Lunch Campaign, the momentum for public policy on food issues is increasing. Laurie thanked several chefs (Ed Kenney, Savas Mojarrad, Sean Priester, Sean Congdon, and Karen Miyano) who have donated their time, especially for our fundraising or outreach events.
Treasurer Mae Isonaga reported a net gain of $846 for 2009 with revenues of $11,757 and expenses of $10,911. Our current balance is $16,619.
Events Coordinator Michelle Phillips was very busy in 2009. Among the events sponsored by Slow Food O'ahu were several fundraisers (Shangri-La event, Tuscany Dinner at Town Restaurant, North Shore Regional Lunch at the Tomato Patch, Culinary Swap Meet at the Green Market), and food eating events (Beak to Tail Dinner, Chinatown Tour and Lunch at Indigo, Macrobiotic Cooking, Terra Madre Supper in the Bean Patch), tours (Olomana Gardens, Ka'ala Farms, Fish Auction, Sumida Watercress Farm). Slow Food O'ahu is committed to education and outreach to the community and either hosted or participated in events such as the KCC Farmers Market table with Whole Foods, the Time for Lunch Campaign and showing of the movie 'Food, Inc.' with Kokua Foundation at BYU and Punahou School, a Gary Paul Nabham lecture, and booths at the Green Market, Conservation Council Fair, and Farm Fair. Michelle tries to average 2 events per month, with one event being a lower cost event to reach out to the most members. Several members discussed possible quarterly potlucks and a quarterly cooking club in 2010 and are working with Michelle to make this a reality. If you have suggestions for an event or are willing to help coordinate the quarterly potlucks, please let Michelle know at sfo.reservation@gmail.com.
Secretary and Membership Coordinator Francine Wai announced that our current membership is at 149 members, up from approximately 60 members in summer 2009. The increase was due in large part to the Time for Lunch campaign and promotion. A newsletter was started to help keep members abreast of activities. In addition to the members, there are about 130 additional 'friends' on the newsletter mailing list. She noted that we have 'misplaced' a number of members who might be on the Big Island Convivium list who signed up for Slow Food Hawai'i rather than Slow Food O'ahu. If you know of someone who is a member but not receiving this newsletter, please let Francine know at slowfoodoahu@yahoo.com.
KCC Coordinator Rike Weiss demonstrated our new organic bags ($15 for members, $20 for non members). She welcomes anyone able to help with the monthly KCC farmers market outreach effort.
In addition to all the news and sharing, we all ate very well - at probably the healthiest and most local potluck on the island. For those of you who were not there, you missed a good meal and great conversation.
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Meet Your Executive Committee
From left to right below: Mae Isonaga (Treasurer), Francine Wai (Secretary/Membership/Newsleter Editor), Rike Weiss (Volunteeer & KCC Coordinator), Laurie Carlson (President), Michelle Philipps (Events Coordinator).
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Raw Cacao/Chocolate Truffle Making Workshop and Demo
Wednesday, February 10, 6pm-8pm
($32 members, $35 nonmembers)
Learn to make healing and nutritious chocolate truffles with raw cacao and other organic, raw, and local or Fair Trade ingredients! Nadia Fairlamb, former co-owner of Living Arts Bakery, which specialized in wheat-, gluten-, and dairy free European-style pastries, desserts, and confections, has been working with raw cacao for three years to make delicious chocolates and desserts for those with food sensitivities and allergies. She began experimenting with raw cacao for its health benefits, nourishing the body with every chocolate. This will be a hands-on event, learning to make several varieties of chocolates (Chocolate Almond, Chocolate Mint, Fruit and Nut), and you will be taking home what you make. Her workshop will include a discussion on the health benefits of these ingredients and the history of raw cacao. You will need to bring a mixing bowl, a rubber spatula, and a seal-able container to take chocolates home in. The workshop will take place at the cooking facilities for the Lyon Arboretum in Manoa Valley (Honolulu).
This event is limited to 20 people, and the cost for the event is $32 for members, $35 for nonmembers and guests. If you would like to attend this event, please RSVP to Michelle at sfo.reservation@gmail.com and include with your RSVP your name, and the name and member status of any nonmember guests you would like to bring. RSVPs will be accepted until February 7. Please note that due to the short turnaround for this event, an RSVP constitutes an agreement that you'll submit payment for the event even if you have to cancel at the last minute. All checks should be made out to SLOW FOOD OAHU. Payment address and directions to the event will be sent to you when your RSVP is confirmed.
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Lecture: Changing the Way We Feed Our Children
February 5, 2010, 6:30 p.m., at Iolani School Seto Hall
Chef Ann Cooper is a celebrated author, chef, educator, and enduring advocate for better food for all children. In a nation where children are born with shorter estimated life expectancies than their parents because of diet-related illness, Ann is a relentless voice of reform by focusing on the links between food, family, farming and children's health and wellness. She will be speaking at an open lecture on February 5, 2010 at Iolani School. Although this event is hosted by Iolani School's Institutional Advancement Office primarily for alumni, they are opening to the public, space available. If you plan to attend, please let us know at sfo.reservation@gmail.com by February 3, 2010 so that we can forward an appropriate head count to the school.
A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, NY. Ann is the author of four books including most recently Lunch Lessons: Changing the way We Feed Our Children (2006) and In Mother's Kitchen: Celebrated Women Chefs Share Beloved Family Recipes (2005) . She has also served on the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Organic Standards Board, (a Congressional appointment), and was an Executive Committee member of Chefs Collaborative - all in an effort to raise awareness about the value of healthful, seasonal, organic, and regional foods.
Chef Ann is happily doing the work of three as a Chef, Nutrition Services Director, Consultant, Author, Public Speaker, and Advocate because she sees a need for change and has the gifts to help. She envisions a time soon when being a chef working to feed children fresh, delicious, and nourishing food will no longer be considered "renegade." Visit: http://www.chefann.com/
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New Hawai'i Farmers Union
At the Annual Meeting, one of our members spoke to the importance of the Hawai'i Farmers Union, the newest chapter of the National Farmers Union. We thought we would take a moment to introduce you to this organization, if you don't already know. The Hawai'i Farmers Union advances the rights of farmers to create vibrant and prosperous agricultural communities for the benefit of all through cooperation, legislation, and education. Hawai'i Farmers Union serves as a resource and catalyst for the
organization and empowerment of farmers. It advocates for the rights of
people to earn a prosperous living through the restorative stewardship
of our lands, waters, and communities.
Hawai'i Farmers Union values the spirit of cooperation, education,
and the development of cooperatives. We affirm food sovereignty and
promote the creation of healthy, vibrant communities that feed
everyone
through respect for the 'aina (that which feeds) and the pono (proper)
use of our natural resources.
Hawai'i Farmers Union honors the past and supports indigenous
rights
and cultural traditions in agriculture. We nurture and inspire our
youth
to expand and grow the vision of this organization. Hawai'i Farmers
Union provides a model of prosperity and abundance while recognizing
our
innate connection to all things.
For more information, visit their web site at http://www.hawaiifarmersunion.org/
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Slow Articles For Your Leisure Reading
Honolulu Weekly has featured a number of recent articles that might be of interest to Slow Food members. Check them out:
Up on the Farm by Martha Cheng
http://honoluluweekly.com/restaurants/2010/01/up-on-the-farm/
Better Eating Through Chemistry - About Molecular Gastronomy by Martha Cheng
http://honoluluweekly.com/restaurants/2010/01/better-eating-through-chemistry/
It's My Food in a Box - an article about community supported agriculture by Ashley Brooks
http://honoluluweekly.com/restaurants/2010/01/its-my-food-in-a-box/
Here's a link to a NYTimes article about the Farmers Market in Hilo, courtesy of Slow Food Hawai'i
http://travel.nytimes.com/2010/01/15/travel/escapes/15hawaii.html?emc=eta1
Here's a great article/blog Rethinking School Food: The Power of the Public Plate by Kevin Morgan and Roberta Sonnino in Worldwatch - State of the World 2010
http://blogs.worldwatch.org/transformingcultures/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/Rethinking-School-Food-Morgan-and-Sonnino.pdf
Martha Stewart Living (Jan. 2010) has an excellent article: Fresh Thinking: Organic, Local, Seasonal which provides a good overview of the issues Slow Food is involved in. (Sorry, no link, you need to buy the magazine).
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