Special Event: Slow Oven Dining at Kapalai Farms
A fundraiser to support our Terra Madre delegates
September 29, 2012 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Kapalai Farms in Maunawili Valley
Would you like a truly unique, truly slow experience, and help us send our very special Slow Food O`ahu delegates to Slow Food International's bi-annual Terra Madre in Torino, Italy?
We invite our Slow Food members and supporters to a special evening at Dean and Michele Wilhelm's Kapalai Farms. Dean and Michele will represent Slow Food O'ahu in Torino, Italy, this October. The event includes a tour of Kapalai and true slow food cuisine featuring organic produce from the farm that will be cooked in the homemade wood-fired earthen oven the Wilhelms have built with clay from their taro lo'i. It will be a great opportunity to tour their farm and hear about what they are doing at Kapalai and with their nonprofit Hookuaaina.
Situated in Maunawili Valley, Kapalai Farms is the family's 7.6-acre parcel of land being restored to loʻi kalo. Although the land has been out of production for more than a century, the Wilhelms, together with their four children and many helping hands, are returning it once again to a thriving source of produce, education and inspiration for the community.
The evening will be limited to 20 people in attendance at Kapalai Farms. Guests must be a member, although they may bring up to 2 non-members. The fortunate 20 people will have an opportunity to visit the farm and enjoy the evening of wonderful food.
The evening will be a grazing experience that reflects the Slow Food principles of good, clean, and fair. The following is a glimpse at the variety of culinary delights you may expect. The actual menu may vary, according to what's ready to harvest that day.
* Kalo Bruschetta with Roasted Peppers
* Kale Chips
* Wood Fired Pizza
* Corn and Kale Frittata with Kapalai Eggs
* Mixed Greens with Fresh Herb Vinaigrette
* Roasted Vegetables
* Kalo Gnocchi in a Sage Butter Sauce
* Banana Flamb�
* Wine Pairings with each course
We at Slow Food O'ahu are proud to support the Wilhelms in their journey to Terra Madre. Please come to support them as well.
Please RSVP to [email protected] by Saturday, September 22. Since this event is LIMITED TO 20 PEOPLE and is sure to fill up please RSVP quickly so you won't miss out on this unique experience. Please include in your name, member status, phone or email and the name of any non-member guests you would like to bring. You MUST be a member to attend although each member may bring up to 2 non-member guests. The cost for members is $75 and for non-members is $90. Payment MUST be received by Wednesday, September 26 to hold your spot(s). Please note: Due to the nature of this event and the necessity of purchasing ingredients beforehand, if cancellations are required after the RSVP deadline and we are unable to fill your spot, you will be held responsible for payment. Payment information will be sent following your RSVP, and address and final details will be sent to all confirmed guests a few days prior to the event.
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A little more about the Wilhelms and their farm ...
Hawaii was once a thriving land able to support her people completely. The land and ocean, together with excellent stewardship and innovative technologies of the Hawaiian people, provided all the essential resources: water, food, shelter, and clothes for healthy, vibrant community. Today, we see first hand the crisis that our youth face. Dean, a Native Hawaiian himself, teaches at Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility where over 50% of the prisoners are Hawaiian and come from dysfunctional families facing drug addiction, abuse, poor nutrition and homelessness. Kids are less and less engaged in the outdoors where their food comes from and more and more dependent on their computers, video games and TV. In Hawaii, we import 85-90% of our food from distant lands. 90% of our energy is dependent on oil. Our ability to sustain ourselves disappears as important agricultural lands are sold off for more development, depleting our limited natural resources and diverting them from growing more food. If these issues are not addressed and resolved we are not leaving much hope for the future generations.
Dean and Michele are part of a local grassroots movement and join the handful of organizations striving to provide opportunities for leadership, mentorship and inspiration to the youth with the hope that they will be the ones to lead the charge for a healthy future. It started with a dream and a vision.... For many years they had a strong desire to provide a place for people to retreat, refresh, and restore. Thus began their current journey and a three-year search for an appropriate space to accomplish their vision resulting in the birth of Kapalai Farms. Nestled in the heart of Maunawili Valley, once the thriving bread basket of the Kailua ahupuaʻa and surrounding lands, Kapalai Farms seeks to restore the overgrown, weed infested land that has been out of productivity for over 100 years and return it once again to a thriving source of produce, education and inspiration to the community. The main crops are the staples that were once a part of the original healthy Hawaiian diet consisting of kalo (taro), uʻala (sweet potato), ulu (breadfruit), maiʻa (banana), and niu (coconut). The farm is also growing a variety of other organic fruits and vegetables to diversify the offering of produce offered to the community.
The farm recently gained its non-profit status in order to host a variety of educational and cultural programs for the community with a focus on the ʻopio (youth). Currently they are running a teen mentorship program focusing on at-risk teens from windward communities teaching them important life skills to boost success for their future. For information about programs or how you can help volunteer, go to www.kapalaifarms.com or contact the Wilhelms at [email protected].
The above was excerpted from an article in Midweek magazine. To read more go to: http://archives.midweek.com/content/zones/windward_coverstory_article/The_Wilhelm_family/
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