low oak coffee table
Right out of the finishing room is this low oak coffee table. Very much like slow food, much thought and time and attention went into this thick, heavy, modern natural edge table. And nature left a beautiful signature cracked throughout the top.
low oak coffee table
Imagine a World where the food we eat . . .
Imagine a World where the food we eat . .
Imagine a World where the food we eat . .
by Robin Fulcher, Spring Hill Tennessee
Imagine a world where the food we eat is as healthy and good for our body and planet as it is for the people who produce it. This is the vision and mission behind Slow Food. An atavistic return to agricultural life with awareness and responsibility is a thirst I think we all have deep down. Food is something we all have in common. It nourishes, comforts, sustains and provides. We borrow this earth from our children and grandchildren. Today, less than 30 plants provide 95% of the world’s nutrition. In the past century, 250,000 plant species have gone extinct. Carlo Petrini started the Slow Food Movement in 1986 and said, “It is useless to force the rhythms of life. The art of living is about learning how to give time to each and every thing.” Slow food is the intersection between ethics and pleasure, ecology and gastronomy. It is the opposite of fast food.
Even at Whole Foods the apple that is on the shelf is, on average, 14 months old and has been picked premature, held and then gassed to turn red. Instead, perhaps you can try your local farmer’s market.
When I graduated from Le Cordon Bleu, I was disgusted with most of the knowledge I had gained on the food industry. The things that are added to preserve color and add taste are repugnant. I was told, by my professors, I would never want to eat out in a restaurant again. Prophecy fulfilled, in my case. Food unites us with all living things. There is a respect that should be given to the plants, animals, farmers, cooks and diners. We all deserve it. Good, clean and fair are the ideals we should strive for, not fast and cheap. Let’s face it, the world’s food system is broken! What is farmed = what is eaten = processed food here in America.
Across the world, 1 billion are hungry and 1 billion are obese. Let’s work together towards system change. Vote with your fork!
Imagine a World where the food we eat . . .
Local, Sustainable, Beneficial
Local, Sustainable, Beneficial
By Claire Davidson, St Paul Minnesota
Much like Robin’s belief in American-made products, obtaining your food from local growers and farmers’ markets is equally essential to “living the green life.” Aside from being eco-friendly, purchasing American-made furniture and locally grown produce are both practices that promote economic growth and sustainability. In today’s economic climate, there is nothing more important than buying locally.
I live in Minneapolis, where I am fortunate enough to be surrounded by socially conscious, organic food suppliers. Local cooperatives like The Wedge, which became the state’s first certified organic retailer in 1974, have consistently bought from local farmers to supply fresh and organic products directly to the consumer. Having enjoyed over forty years of success in a highly metropolitan area, The Wedge is proof that sustainable food practices matter just as much to the urban city dweller as they do to the small-town farmer.
Whether you’re purchasing what will become your family’s next meal, or a great new piece of American-made furniture from Robin Wade, here are some tips on how to get the most out of buying local:
Be Patient
So much of our busy lives today revolves around how quickly we can get our needs met, but we often don’t stop to assess how well these needs are being addressed. Sure, your stomach’s growling and you need a quick fix, and fast food sounds increasingly appealing the hungrier you get. But to truly satisfy your body’s need for fuel, you have to supply it with the proper nutrients. Simply taking the time to prepare your meal from fresh ingredients is one of the first steps to having a better diet. If you take a little extra time, you can visit a local farmer’s market and obtain fresh vegetables for a salad you prepare later that day. Sure, it takes a little extra, but ultimately this process is more rewarding. Similarly, at Robin Wade, large slabs of wood are sometimes given years to dry to ensure the finest quality and best product for the consumer. The more appreciation you have for the process, the more you can enjoy the final product.
Take Only What You Need
With many families buying in bulk from mass retailers, the problem of overconsumption is spreading rapidly. If you buy local, fresh food from your neighborhood co-op you are less likely to over-purchase, which leads to less waste. How many times have you simply bought too much of something, only to see what remains get tossed in the trash? As stewards of this planet, we owe it to ourselves to be more aware of how much we are purchasing, how much we are consuming, and how much we are wasting. This is why it is essential to buy only what you truly need and will consume. Similarly, at Robin Wade the belief is that our forests should not be aimlessly cut down to mass-produce furniture and contribute to the problem of overconsumption. As a sustainable company, the goal is to only take what is necessary. Felled trees are saved from the landfill and turned into meaningful works of sustainable design.
Know That You’re Contributing to Local/Small Business
Perhaps the best thing about buying locally is that it benefits both the environment and the economy. As Americans, more and more we must see these two linked together if we want to create sustainable, eco-friendly and economically beneficial practices. To find a farmer’s market in your area you can visit the USDA’s website and enter in your zip code at the bottom of the page:
Local, Sustainable, Beneficial
The Spiral Diner - a Slow Business Model
The Spiral Diner - a Slow Business Model
by Tony Lothes, Dallas Texas
Spiral Diner is part of a brave new movement in modern culture. That movement has been referred to as a sustainable world, a world that is conscious of its actions and how it affect the world around them as well as the future. Spiral Diner is a complete vegan restaurant, getting its start as a humble food cart in the Fort Worth Rail Market with a staff of only four people. They serve only foods that are brought in from local farms and use cooking methods that promote a healthy lifestyle. Spiral was a quick hit with everyone around the Fort Worth Rail Market, gaining patrons hungry for their exquisite cuisine and friendly service. Spiral was the brainchild of Amy McNutt, a visionary young woman whom, after graduating from film school, was making a documentary on the cattle industry. While working on her film, she encountered some secrets that changed the way she looked at food. It also changed the way she saw the world and how we use our everyday resources. After reading a story called “The Little Pencil” she realized how much of the world and our actions are violent, in more than just the physical human-on-human sense. The story makes reference to the ways violence is poured on society and how we perpetuate it. When we throw away clothes or half used items, that is, in its own way, violence against humanity itself. Inspired by these stories and projects, she made a career-changing decision and moved back home to the heart of cowtown to open a vegan restaurant.
Spiral Diner offers a widely varied menu ranging from smoothies to spaghetti and meatballs. All foods are one hundred percent vegan and are made mostly in house, from scratch. Spiral is priced very affordably-- clearly stating that it is not their intention to make money off their clientele, but to provide the community an affordable option when it come to a vegan diet as well as gainfully compensating its staff for their efforts.
Spiral is committed to showing the metroplex that veganism is not only a smart choice for its people's health, but it’s the smart choice for the environment. The livestock industry has been linked to the deaths of countless aquatic life in the Gulf of Mexico due to waste runoff, as well as heart disease, cancer and arthritis. Spiral’s message is clear: veganism is the best choice for the good of our planet.
The Spiral Diner - a Slow Business Model
Slow Food: The Art of Canning
Slow Food: The Art of Canning
by Jessica Bender, Cunningham Tennessee
I am going to be honest with you: when I heard about Slow Food Week, I had to Google Slow Food. I had no idea what I was supposed to be writing on, but once I looked it up I was surprised to learn that my love for food and love for cooking have come from the Slow Food Movement. I guess I didn’t realize that what I had been taught about food was part of a movement taken up by thousands of people. To my surprise, canning foods is one of the techniques that Slow Foodies use.
When I was growing up, I thought for the longest time that everyone’s mom canned beans, potatoes, and jams. It took me a while to figure out that not everyone knows this skill. It seems to have turned into a tradition that some people think archaic, or even prehistoric if you tend to exaggerate. I am in awe of my mom every time she cans. She takes yummy, fresh veggies and turns them into something that we can use at any time of the year. It really is amazing. I decided that my Slow Food Week submission would be an interview I gave my mom on the art of canning.
Q: “Now mom, are you aware that pressure canning food is one of the aspects of the Slow Food Movement?” Before she answered, I explained to her the basics of the SFM, such as choosing seasonal and locally grown produce, and preserving it rather than purchasing in the off-season.
“No. I had no idea that canning would be part of something like this. It is also nice to see that so many people are choosing to eat this way. Everyone may not choose to can, but eating local is very important.”
Q: “There is such a high demand for the canning skill that, in some areas of the country, there are workshops to teach it. How do you feel about this? Do you feel that this should be a traditional skill that most people should learn? Why?”
“I think that the classes are a good idea. Most people who learn this are learning from their mothers and grandmothers. For the people that do not have a family member to teach this, then the classes are a great way to bring the tradition alive again so that the students of today can be the teachers of tomorrow.”
Q: “Why do you think that canning/pressure canning food is such an important thing to do?” “First, there are two techniques that people can use to preserve their food. There is pressure canning and water bathing.
“Pressure canning is what most people think of when they hear the phrase ‘canning food’. This is also my favorite technique to use. Pressure canning is where you put a certain amount of salt and water into a jar with the desired food to be “canned”, and then seal them. The pressure canner itself is filled with water so that the jars’ seals are submerged. As the pressure canner is heated on the stove, steam escapes through the funnel. Once it is steaming, you place a weight on that is made for the canner to allow pressure to build to the desired amount of poundage per square inch within the canner. Throughout this entire process, you are following a recipe that tells you how much salt, water, pressure and how long to apply the pressure. It will come naturally after a time, but the recipe book for canning is always something to have. Once the jars have been cooking at the pressure specified by the recipe, then you let everything cool to zero pounds per square inch. Lastly, take off the canner’s lid and remove the jars to a draft-free place for up to 12 hours. Be sure to check the seals to make sure that they did in fact seal. If they did not, the food must either be used right away or you’ll have to process the food again with a different seal. This can result from too much water in the canner, not enough, or defective seals.
“Water bathing is used for the preserving of acidic foods and foods with high sugar content, such as jams and jellies. In this technique, food is prepared following a special recipe from the canning cookbook and is placed in the water bather’s wire rack. The wire rack within keeps the jars from hitting each other when the water boils. When you add water, the water must cover the jars by at least two inches. You place the jars in the wire rack and bring everything to a boil. Once boiling, you have specific times for different things as to how long they should boil. After time is up - let them cool, take them out and allow them to sit for 12 hours as you would with pressure canned foods. This is the easier process of the two. I use it to preserve things like pickles and tomato-based sauces, along with jams and jellies.”
Q: “How did you learn this amazing skill? What was your first canning experience?”
“I learned to do this from my mother, who in turn learned to do it from her mother. This is somewhat of a family tradition for us.
“I was 11 or 12 when I had my first canning experience. It was when I assisted my mom in canning a bushel of green beans. I was given the very important task of washing them. I can remember that it felt like it took forever, but maybe that was just me being 11. But what I remember the most is when she opened a jar of the green beans that I had helped her with. I was so excited when I tasted them and they tasted surprisingly fresh. From that point on, I knew I wanted to can. Everything that we ever canned together was amazing and without all the preservatives that canned foods from the supermarket had. So fresh.”
Q: “What supplies do you need to begin canning?”
“First, you obviously need a pressure canner. You will also need canning jars, seals and lids to accompany the jars, special tongs, jar lifter, plastic stick spatula, and a seal checker. Water bathing takes a large, special stock pot with a wire basket that keeps the jars separated.
“What is so great about canning is that once you invest in the canning products, such as the jars, lids, and pressure canner, they will last forever. As long as you have extra jars to accommodate your habit, then you are set. The seals are tricky and need replacing every time you can, but other than that this is a very budget-friendly skill. When you consider the upstart cost, it is no comparison to the money you will save on groceries and the good food that your family will have at their convenience.
“I have personally been collecting jars since I started and I have used the same pressure canner for twenty years.”
Q: “Do you buy local, sustainable produce for your adventures in canning? Why?”
“Yes I do, as often as I am able. I love to give back to the local farmers. I also find that local stuff is fresher that whatever they are selling in the supermarket. I have built a great relationship with my produce dealers. It is important to keep our community tight and supporting itself.”
Q: “Any tips on stocking pantry shelves?”
“The most important thing to stocking your pantry with canned foods is to determine what your family will use the most. You need to make sure that you can get things as fresh as possible, when the season comes, and can like there is no tomorrow. I always have potatoes of any kind ready for stews, mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, and they even work for frying. I can carrots for my stews as well; these beauties are great with a balsamic glaze and a little brown sugar too. I also just started making seasoned tomato sauces for chili.”
As I get older and raise a family of my own, I begin to really see my mom as a different person. She is resourceful and amazing. I knew this all along, but now I want to learn her ways. I have started to really appreciate some of the traditional things that my mom does. I want to learn to hand quilt and can, just like she does. I have been busy every summer since I have started college and raising a family, but I have decided that this summer is going to be it. I have gotten a feeling for how I run my own household and how I like to stock my food supply. Canning is one way to cut out an exponential amount of preservatives that I am so desperately trying to get away from. I have learned from my mom that fresh doesn’t have to mean straight from the farmer’s food stand, but can also mean something from a wide mouth Mason - canned last summer. It tastes great and just as fresh as the day we bought it from Mr. Parker (her produce man).
Mason jars have a much different meaning to those who know the art that is canning. They are not only for drinking a nice cold beer or sweet iced tea out of; they are the best receptacle for amazing farm-fresh fruits and veggies to be had at any time of the year, thanks to the age-old skill of canning foods. I wish the newcomers good luck in their journeys through the world of canning and also some to myself. I do have a family tradition to uphold and all in this art of canning.
Slow Food: The Art of Canning
Slow Food Week - Making a Difference?
Slow Food Week - Making a Difference
by Amanda Eberhart, Clarksville Tennessee
June 12, 2012
In a fast-paced world full of deadline-driven people, it can be difficult to find the time to properly take care of yourself. Just thinking about our nutritional needs on top of our daily rituals seems exhausting. And when you're hungry and on a time crunch, it's very easy to fall victim to fast food, processed food, or both. It seems that our daily demands have rendered people too tired to think through and execute a well-planned meal, let alone a meal that sustains organic properties, good for both our body and the environment. But what people fail to understand is that in an effort to take care of ourselves by these "easy" means, we are overlooking how the choices that we make affect not just ourselves, but the environment and our world as well. So it's time to get educated on the problems at hand and the forthcoming solutions, and how you, individually, can help. These are the principles that the annual Slow Food Week celebrates June 18th through the 24th this year.
All it takes is the difference of one individual at the start:
In 1986, Carlo Petrini decided to take a stand against the over-industrializing of our food and achieved a recognition that sparked a movement throughout the world. In doing so, Petrini became the founding father of a small association called Slow Food, a movement that aims to demonstrate how food impacts our state of wellbeing and our environment. Petrini realized that our food traditions were waning and that people were growing more uneducated concerning how our plates and our planet are connected. This movement stands to counter the ever-rising fast food trend by offering alternatives to our over-processed plates. It also supports the workers who are responsible for producing the foods we eat, putting local farmers and artisans on an important pedestal. In the present day, what started as a small association of Italian origin has gained momentum and now boasts over 100,000 Slow Food members. These members are found throughout the world in over 150 countries and are dedicated to spreading this education even further, both by word and action.
In working towards combating how fast food and processed foods are standardizing tastes, the term 'Slow Food' alludes to the exact antonym of the term 'Fast Food'. From the growing and cultivating process, through the harvesting and selling process, nothing about this movement suggests industrialized, processed, or lightning speed. The Slow Food Movement is looking to emphasize the vital role that local agriculture, crops, and livestock play in our environment; the 100,000+ people taking action in this movement are reiterating to consumers the importance of sustainable foods; small, locally-based businesses; and regional agricultural products. The industrialization of these three main aspects has brought on the elimination of thousands of flavors and options for different pairings of food. Culture is being forgotten, wellness is taking a back seat, and, sadly, the means the industry uses in producing the products that we consume have toxic effects on our environment. These priceless elements need to take precedent over what is "quick and easy", especially if we are going to see a major difference in our health and the state of our planet.
So how is Slow Food making a difference in the United States exactly? The world doesn't seem to be slowing down and the economy markets these organic products at a rate that is outside of the average person's budget. Slow Food USA online stands to combat both of these issues and also shares their objectives and their vision through this passage on their website: "Slow Food USA is a national non-profit that believes in a world where food and farming are sources of health and pleasure for everyone. Organized into local chapters nationwide, our supporters, members and chapter leaders raise awareness through local projects, national advocacy campaigns and education, and seek to provide people with a pathway to make a difference in the sustainable food movement. From building a school garden to joining a campaign to make it easier to afford and access real food, Slow Food staff, members and supporters are reshaping the story of food and farming in America."
In addition, here are some highlighted examples of how Slow Food Week is catching on throughout America: “Ironically, Slow Food has proved remarkably successful in the United States. Popular authors Michael Pollan (The Omnivore’s Dilemma) and Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation), as well as celebrity chef Alice Waters, have helped the Slow Food USA membership grow into the tens of thousands.
In 2008, Waters founded the inaugural Slow Food Nation event in San Francisco. The city welcomed the event with open arms, with Mayor Gavin Newsom encouraging the organization to replace part of the city hall lawn with a vegetable garden. The event featured a speech by Petrini, panels participated in by Pollan and Schlosser, a marketplace and food tastings, and other events. More than 50,000 people attended.
In the United States, Slow Food has been involved in post-Katrina New Orleans as well, with members raising money and devoting time and energy to help restaurants reopen.”
So how do you get involved on a small scale, when you’re not a celebrity chef, an author, or someone who knows about these things? Look into your region’s movement further via any means of research; you may discover that there are many local associations and sponsors in your own backyard that provide farmers’ markets, wine tastings from local vineyards, and Taste Workshops or community celebrations involving regional specialties. It doesn’t take any special knowhow to find these events, just a search engine and a few key words. Try to incorporate the name of your town, your zip code, and other words referencing fairs, markets, festivals, local organic food, etc. You’ll be surprised by what’s happening in your hometown that you may not have known about. And then take the next step.
If you don’t want to get involved in a local chapter or donate without giving the principles of this movement a try, start by going out of your way to shop at local vendors and farmers’ markets. If nothing else, you are putting your hard earned money back into the local economy, supporting agriculture and farming jobs instead of feeding the fortune five hundred companies that are selling you “organic” products at sky-high prices. You’ll be paying about half the price for these products, too. On top of that, you know exactly where the products come from, and if you engage the seller, who is, nine times out of ten, the person responsible for the farm itself, you can find out how they take care of their crops, livestock, fruits and vegetables, etc. Then, start finding recipes to incorporate your locally bought goods. Again, search engines are your friend when it comes to this, and it does not need to be too complex or time consuming. A better eating regimen, a better educated outlook on how to take care of yourself and Mother Earth; the possibilities are endless if more people take notice and jump on board.
So, in light of Slow Food Week, I urge you to take a stand and get out into your community. You never know when your next favorite spot will be discovered, what your next delicious meal will be composed of, and how you, taking the time to make a difference, will contribute to making sure we still have a world to pass on to the generations to come.
Slow Food Week - Making a Difference
Slow Food Dallas
Slow Food Dallas
by Veronica Rushing, Lewisville Texas
Slow food week in Dallas has arrived. This week you will be introduced to a diverse, organic way of eating and a cultural lifestyle that’s guaranteed to get your mind working on ways you can incorporate these changes into your every routine.
In 1986, Carlo Petrini started an international movement which promoted the idea of traditional and regional cuisines across the nation. In attempt to provide families with an alternative to fast food, Petrini’s movement encouraged the farming of plants, seeds and livestock characteristic of the local eco system. This movement had an exceptional growth experience across the globe affecting not only individuals but also small businesses.
In the Dallas region there is a wide range of Slow Food restaurants and cuisines fit to please any and everyone’s palate.
Looking for Barbecue? Then Sonny Bryan’s Smokehouse is definitely for you. With locations in Richardson, Irving, and Dallas, Sonny Bryan’s Smokehouse offers nothing but choice smoke meats which includes fall-off-the-bone rib baskets, delectable turkey, mouth-watering sausage, and irresistible pulled pork sandwiches. Their finger-licking tangy barbecue sauce will have you wanting to go back for seconds, and maybe even thirds.
Avila’s Mexican Restaurant in Dallas has been producing many traditional favorites for the last 25 years. Upon arrival, savory salsa is delivered to your table with tortilla chips made from scratch. Since Anita Avila’s dishes consist of the freshest and most delicious ingredients, you will probably have a hard time choosing the right dish for you. Selections include brisket tacos, chiles rellenos, and customary mole that will create a flavorful experience for your taste buds.
Hattie’s, located on Bishop Street in Dallas, is where you need to be if you are looking for the perfect Southern dish. This just what the doctor ordered-- bistro and southern hospitality makes for a comfy experience. All year, Hattie’s menu offers a three-artisanal-cheeses macaroni that you must have before leaving this restaurant. Depending on the season, you might find fried-green tomatoes on the menu, shrimp over goat cheese grits with Tabasco-bacon pan gravy, or pulled pork in a sweet onion sauce.
Other Slow Food cuisines include Naan Sushi, located at the intersection of Bishop and Legacy in Plano, and You Chun at 2254 Royal Lane in Dallas will satisfy the Korean appetite. For a feel of Venezuelan you would want to try Zaguan Bakery and Café at the intersection of Oak Lawn and Routh in Dallas.
Slow Food Dallas
Slow Food: Making a Difference, One Voice at a Time
Slow Food: Making a Difference, One Voice at a Time
by Tanya Wardell, Fort Worth Texas
There’s a change happening in the United States. A new voice soaring up through the crowds, growing stronger and louder with each passing second. A voice, rising in protest against a lifestyle driven by constant demand and fast paced everything. A voice whose words are more than just letters put together, but instead are made up of actions. Actions taken by people like you and me, who are tired of living a life where our bodies and minds suffer from five-minute meals made up more of chemicals than food. People who are fed up with a fast food industry whose big business practices squash real appreciation for taste and quality. People who believe that we have the right to eat and enjoy healthy, natural food regardless of where we live or how much money we make.
This voice believes in the “little man”, the “underdog”, the farmers who work hard every day not only in the fields, but against the threats of those industrial farms who would rather swallow them up than allow them to provide real, healthy, good food to their communities. It believes in slowing down, appreciating what we have, savoring every moment as if we are children discovering the world for the first time.
The voice rising above the fray is the Slow Food movement, a global celebration of food and community. Its motto? Everyone deserves access to “good, clean, and fair” food. Its mission? Defend this right. Free us from the oppression of the fast food industry. Remind us that we are powerful, we are capable, we can make this world a better place. As we celebrate this Slow Food week together, let us remember the motto and mission, let us know that we are not simply eating wonderful meals. We are finding our voice. We are declaring our rights, announcing our freedoms. We are making a difference.
Slow Food: Making a Difference, One Voice at a Time
The Auburn Real Food Challenge
The Auburn Real Food Challenge
by Mollye Marrone, Auburn Alabama
The Auburn Real Food Challenge is an on-campus organization at Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama. It is composed of a group of students eager to promote the introduction of what they call “real food” into the Auburn community. The group boasts the project as ecologically beneficial, human, and a local initiative. The effort strives to reduce usage of fertilizers and pesticides, promote fair trade practices by removing the middle man, support local farmers, and eliminate water and soil waste.
The Real Food Challenge has several ongoing initiatives, including collaborating with campus dining services, building relationships with local growers, and starting a student-run garden and “real food” co-op. Dr. Charles Aldridge is a Master’s student and resident at the Auburn University Veterinary School. He recently joined the Real Food Challenge and is already reaping the benefits. “Besides enjoying the act of gardening itself,” Charley explains while tending his portion of the campus garden, “it is satisfying to put in a few hours of hard work and watch it grow. It’s like a surprise at the end of the day to see what’s ready to be picked and enjoyed.”
The group prides itself on being community-oriented, which Dr. Aldridge considers an appealing aspect of the operation. “It gives you a sense of togetherness to know you’re helping reduce consumer demand” he continues. “I think it’s important for everyone to be a part of it, especially children. It’s good for them to know where their food comes from and that it’s not just given to them; that someone has to work to produce it. Knowing how to be self-sustainable in any capacity applies to so many aspects of life, especially food, which is essential to our survival.”
Although the group is still fairly young, the Auburn Real Food Challenge continues to inspire people of all ages and with varying interests to promote such a rewarding endeavor. For students, the project has become much more than an extra-curricular activity. Not only is it essential to the well-being of the community, it provides the Auburn family with an even greater sense of solidarity and belonging.
The Auburn Real Food Challenge
Walnut slabs from the kiln yesterday
Walnut slabs from the kiln yesterday
In 2008 we purchased a few more walnut logs, but this time we cut a few of them into quite thick rounds and left the bark on. We air dried them for several years and in May of this year placed them in the kiln (offsite) for their final cure. We just received them back from the kiln yesterday and I can't wait to dive in and see what we've got here. Typically I avoid cutting rounds primarily because of the way wood shrinks resulting in lots of wedge shaped pieces of the walnut pie. These rounds seem (at first glance) to have held up a bit better. We'll see.
Walnut slabs from the kiln 
yesterday
Juicing wheatgrass with Linda's Kitchenaid Mixer
Juicing wheatgrass with Linda's Kitchenaid Mixer
I've been juicing, quite sporadically (pardon the pun) for decades, but primarily only when I'm out of town, walking past a juice bar, etc. This spring we begain sprouting wheatgrass seads, growing and in nine days juicing wheatgrass. But, it just hasn't been right. I've been using the wrong blender to juice the grass. Our Blendtec is an amazing juicer, but just not for the delicate leaves of wheatgrass. The blade rotates too fast, making too much heat, and we have to add some water for the process to work.
Linda kept saying let's try her mixer. Well, last week we gave it a shot, 
So good to be in the juice each day or so now. Love my wheatgrass juice shots.
Juicing wheatgrass with Linda's Kitchenaid Mixer
Slow Food at Sea in San Remo
Slow Food at Sea in San Remo
by Anne Elizabeth Jordan, Paris France
San Remo is a cute little coastal village on the northwest coast of Italy. The boat I'm cooking on this summer just happens to be based here. The beautiful Mediterranean sea is shining, the green terraced hills reach into the bright sky with large fluffy afternoon clouds breaking their way over the gentle ridges. I can look out of my galley window and see the sun shining, which is so welcome after a long grey winter in Paris.
Little did I know, until this past week, that the Slow Food movement headquarters are just north of San Remo in Bra (Cueno), Italy. Carlo Petrini actually started campaign in response to fast food in 1986. If you've ever been to Italy, you can see why this would be the home of a movement called 'slow food'. The idea alone is something deeply embedded in the Italian culture. When I think of Italians and food I think of big family meals, prepared with love and eaten over hours of conversation.
The covered market in San Remo is well priced in comparison to those I visit at my home in Paris, and at first sight I thought, "Wow, they have everything!" realizing each stand is hosting seasonally available regional vegetables and fruits - a selection of tomato varieties, eggplant, basil, peaches and berries. It's zucchini season and small varieties with bright orange blossoms still attached are the pride of each stand. This is what I came for, the recipe for a cold soup and stuffed blossoms below.
Fresh zucchini soup and fried blossoms
(local ingredients if possible)
4 zucchini with blossoms attached or purchased separately
1 yellow onion
50g Local salted butter
Local unfiltered extra virgin olive oil to taste
100g Local soft cow cheese (might be hard to find in USA, goat could work as well)
20g Local cream, if possible
Salt and pepper to taste
Milk and flour for frying zucchini blossoms
Regular oil for frying, or olive oil
Cut zucchini into 1" slices and dice onion.
Heat a stock pot over medium heat and add butter to melt, then sauté onion until translucent (do not color).
Add zucchini and sauté for about 5 minutes (again, do not color), afterwards adding just enough water to almost cover.
Bring to boil, then immediately cover pot with plastic wrap or lid, reducing heat to simmer for approximately 45 minutes.
Check that flesh is tender but not falling apart then put into food processor, with half of the cooking liquid (reserve remaining cooking liquid to thin if necessary later).
Once thoroughly blended pass through a strainer to get a more smooth texture.
You can add cream, salt and pepper to taste now.
Place in bowl into refrigerator to cool.
When serving, drizzle with the unfiltered extra virgin olive oil.
Season the cheese with salt and pepper to taste.
The zucchini blossoms can now be filled with the local cheese; only fill halfway.
Dip the blossoms in milk and then gently roll into the flour, being sure to shake off as much as possible (though it's not local, if you have tempura batter it is a great substitute).
In a fry pan, fill with 1" of oil and heat to medium heat.
Make sure oil is not smoking, that means the oil is too hot and you should pull pan off to cool a bit before adding blossom.
Add the blossoms and turn about four times, letting the exterior cook to a gold color.
How you serve this dish is clearly up to your own imagination! If you have some pesto, drizzle this on top...
Buon appetito!
Slow Food at Sea in San Remo
Slow Business Models in Minnesota
Slow Business Models in Minnesota
by Conrad Magalis, Lakeville Minnesota
What do you think when you hear the word Minnesota: Freezing cold weather, the Vikings, Bob Dylan and lutefisk, not to mention freezing cold weather! Believe it or not The North Star State is a hotbed for Slow Food culture and locally produced organic crops.
With half of the year spent indoors, Minnesotans have to supplement their health and habitat inadequacies with every outlet possible. So, eating healthy isn’t just a choice, it’s a necessity. To meet this need, many organic producers have sprung up across the state. Two of these local producers are Sandra Jean’s out of Newhaven, MN, and Tomato King from Albany, MN.
Sandra Jean’s is a local, independently owned and operated, seasonal organic producer that prizes quality over quantity. Sandra Jean’s isn’t just a cliche namesake to hint at a small scale, high-quality outfit. Sandra Jean is actually a real person who gets her hands dirty in the process of growing her specialty organic produce. Sandra Jean’s embraces what slow food culture is all about: loving food, caring about quality and local production.
Her produce can be found in co-ops (community owned grocery stores) across the state and local dining establishments like Luci Ancora, Cafe Brenda and Spoon River. Some of the produce grown by Sandra Jean’s available at my local co-op in St. Cloud, MN has included mizuna, komatsuna, arugula and baby romaine greens.
Tomato King is another small-scale, high-quality outfit based out of Albany, MN. Tomato King is an independently owned and operated business that uses organic hydroponic processes to grow their produce.
All of the water is fresh from Jeff Skalicky’s well and the minerals used to sustain the plants come from naturally occurring sources. Skalicky also uses a wind turbine to generate electricity for the growing operation. He is also in the process of implementing solar power into the operation to cut down reliance on the grid.
Tomato King’s produce is available at several co-ops and farmers’ markets throughout Minnesota. Skalicky grows heirloom variety tomatoes and cucumbers, which are delivered weekly to insure the best quality. At my local co-op, Tomato King’s offerings include beefsteak, yellow grape and red cherry tomatoes as well as English cucumbers.
Sources:
www.wedge.coop
www.minnesotacooks.net
www.sctimes.com
Slow Business Models in Minnesota
Slow Tomatoes - Rubies of the Vine 410
Slow Tomatoes - Rubies of the Vine 410
by Lisa Martin, Greenville Texas
There is something about the taste of a genuine, slow grown tomato that takes me back in time to my grandma’s garden. Biting through the sweet-tart tomato skin, I see my grandma on her knees, weeding amongst her plants; her newly washed Keds drying on the picket posts which divided her garden from her lawn.
She knew the value of a good, slow grown tomato. Even though she would not eat them herself, she grew them in bushel loads to nourish and satisfy her family. Holding the tangy Velcro tomato stem under my nostrils, I smell all of the yesterdays that went into the development of the fruit.
The taut smooth skin covering the sweet rosy meat offers an explosion of all the goodness required to create such a precious, perfect specimen.
Those petrified tasteless objects which pass for tomatoes in most grocery stores can never compare with the conversion of sunshine and rain encapsulated within a slow grown tomato.
My rubies of the vine began life as seeds, tiny packages of promise lovingly swaddled within milk-jug cribs, as they progressed toward their first non-cotyledon growth from the earth.
As a feeble 2012 winter limped into history, my babies were erupting in my sunroom window.
Their thirst was slaked with well water and they were blanketed in Texas sunshine for many hours a day.
One overcast day in April, with the threat of spiteful freeze-over, my gems were planted in the good rich mounds of soil which had been intermingled with pungent compost from the previous year. Filling their burial chambers with life-giving well water, my Homestead tomato babies were ready to thrive.
Several hard rains threatened to cripple the vines, but the strength of nature and nurture prevailed, and my crimson babies matured until they were ready for martyrdom.
My first tomato is a tithe to all that is good in life. The vine bears incense rising up to heaven, and the warmth of the fruit in my palm is an offering, a tangible evidence of the cooperation between God and man.
Swallowing the sweetness, I savor the patience and effort signified by the fruit.
I look at my vines, beginning as emerald pebbles and then burgeoning into baseball size rubies, bursting with nutrition and life.
Before the Texas sun beats my jewels relentlessly, I will have many juicy bites of vitality hanging on those vines, awaiting my hand to pluck and possess all they have to offer.
Slow Tomatoes - Rubies of the Vine 410
Southern Food
Southern Food
by Robin Fulcher, Spring Hill Tennessee
We southerners love sharing our food, the more the merrier! We have fish frys, pot lucks and shrimp boils where all the neighbors and friends come together and everyone brings their best, trying to outdo each other. Competition brings out the best in us and believe me, there are no losers. Everyone wins as we sit down, thankful for what we are about to partake in: a festival of taste, smell and sound. The whistle of sucking on crawfish heads, the sizzle of hot grease as a load of fresh catfish goes in, the rhythmic pounding while shredding pulled pork. Right from the garden, lake, river or woods, we like our food fresh. This is why southerners are known for their great food. The South issues more hunting and fishing licenses than any other part of the country. We love the pursuit of being a part of nature.
Everyone has at least one tried and true recipe that has been passed down through the generations. I know that if my house were on fire, I would grab my old folder of handwritten, 3x5 recipe cards. They are speckled with bits of egg or apple cider vinegar but I would not trade them in for a clean, typed and bound book any day. When I pull one out to begin, iit feels like spirits from the past enter my kitchen to watch and judge my efforts, hopefully giving a nod my way. I often wonder how my ancestors did it. My most cherished recipe goes back to the signing of the Declaration of Independence, which was written by southerners – one of whom was my ancestor Josiah Bartlett. His wife made tea cake cookies which family legend says were Thomas Jefferson’s favorite. I have a Kitchenaid mixer, nonstick silpat pads and an oven I can adjust by 5 degrees. She made them by hand and cooked them in a wood-burning stove…unbelievable!
Cooking fills the senses. It allows you to start and finish something, beginning to end, plus you get to eat your hard work. There is an art to knowing when something is done and ready to be enjoyed and shared by all. Nothing makes us happier than sitting down at a long table covered with big bowls and plates of every type of food imaginable (and preferably straight from the backyard). We saved a spot for you, so come on down for a visit.
Southern Food
Advantages of a Seasonal Diet
Advantages of a Seasonal Diet
by Lauren Foote, Plano Texas
What would an average American say to saving thousands of dollars annually while improving their health? Starting a seasonal diet may be advantageous for many Americans not only due to grocery cost reduction, but also for the body’s overall health. Buying groceries in season is not only about the purchase of crops that are fresh and local, but also acquiring groceries in bulk at peak ripeness, which means lower costs for the average American. Locally grown, seasonally prevalent foods taste better because they are not grown in some hot house, or shipped across the ocean. They are foods that are meant to be in the supermarket. A seasonal diet is easy to follow if you are informed on what kinds of foods are naturally available in each season.
Many people neglect to consider particular crops available within each season of the year, and how eating those foods, during the specific times they are available, can help your health. In spring, we should focus on tender, leafy vegetables that represent the fresh new growth of this season. The greening that occurs in springtime should be represented by greens on your plate, including Swiss chard, spinach, Romaine lettuce, fresh parsley, and basil. In summer, stick with light, cooling foods in the convention of traditional Chinese medicine. These foods include fruits like strawberries, apple, pear, peaches and plum; vegetables like summer squash, broccoli, cauliflower, sweet peas, corn, cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, and green beans; and herbs and seasonings like peppermint and cilantro. As the seasons change our body demands different nutrients and fiber to keep us healthy and warm. In the fall you can find an abundance of fruits and vegetables that can help your metabolism increase when it starts getting cold outside. Some of these are squash, apples, endive, garlic, grapes, figs, mushrooms, carrot, sweet potato, and onions. These foods are good to get your body used to the weather as the heavy frost of winter begins to come over the earth. Once the winter hits you want to focus on citrus fruits, kale, radishes, turnips, and leeks. Also emphasize the more warming spices and seasonings including ginger, peppercorns, and mustard seeds. All of the animal foods fall into the warming category including fish, chicken, beef, lamb, and venison.
There are some crazy diets out there, most directed only at the acceleration of making a person thinner. Those diets put no concern into what this rapid decomposition can do to your body. Most of those diets are oriented towards eliminating carbs, eating only beans for two weeks, only eating green, ignoring meat completely or something as ridiculous as eating a shake for breakfast and a piece of fruit for dinner while at the same time demanding a large amount of exercise out of your now-malnourished body. That is not the goal of the seasonal diet. The goal of the seasonal diet is to focus and pay attention to what crops are available and fresh at that point in time and to build your diet around it. You will save money on items that are abundantly stocked, and it helps your body digest according to the weather and according to what it needs at the time. Your health will improve because you can enjoy that fresh strawberry smoothie in the winter and avoid the browning, out-of-season lettuce in the middle of winter, and you won’t have to subject your body to exhaustive and sometimes dangerous fad diets.
• http://findyourbalancehealth.com/2011/02/seasonal-diets-eating-for-cleansing/
• http://www.art-health.com/htmls/features/bulletin_nov04.htm
• http://www.art-health.com/htmls/features/bulletin_nov04.htm
Advantages of a Seasonal Diet
Learning about the Slow Food Movement
Learning about the Slow Food Movement
Lindsey Thomas, Charleston West Virginia
When I found out that this week’s theme here at Robin Wade was Slow Food, I had no idea what is was. I wondered, was the Slow Food movement something like the vegetarian or even the raw food movements? I live in West Virginia; those movements haven’t quite hit here in the same way that they’ve hit places like California or New York, and I had never heard of the Slow Food movement until I started this internship. Thus, I needed to do some research- one of my favorite things to do- to figure out what exactly “slow food” means.
The first website I checked out was Slow Food USA, a national organization with chapters across the country that sets out to promote access to locally grown and sustainable food, as well as a belief that “everyone has the right to good, clean, and fair food.” That gave me the gist of what Slow Food was all about, but it didn’t really give me a good understanding of what Slow Food was at all, so I needed to dig deeper.
I then looked into the Slow Food movement’s international website, Slow Food. According to this site, this movement was founded in 1986, when the Arcigola association was founded in Italy. Note: Wikipedia’s Slow Food page says that it was founded in 1986 by Carlo Petrini, who headed the Arcigola group which tried to stop McDonald’s from building a chain at the foot of the Spanish Steps in Rome.
From there, I learned that the Slow Food movement isn’t just about giving everyone “the right to good, clean, and fair food.” The Slow Food movement is all about bringing food back to how it was before fast, processed food became so popular, to when food was locally grown and sustainable. Slow Food practitioners also believe in protecting the heritage, traditions and cultures of food and the grassroots ideology of accessible and reasonably-priced food for all, so that everyone can eat a healthful diet. The Slow Food movement also fights for small-scale producers to make sure that they, too, get fair wages and treatment, especially by governments. People who follow these ideals shop for their food at farmers markets or buy directly from those who grow the food. They avoid processed food, meaning that going to McDonald’s for a Big Mac is out of the question.
The Slow Food movement has over 1300 chapters across the globe, in countries from the United States, Canada, China, Japan, India and even Chad and Niger. All of these smaller groups combined have over a hundred thousand members who all strongly believe in preserving food’s rich history, natural state and clean, safe food for all. These chapters participate in activities like presideria projects (sustainable food production), taste and food education presentations within their communities, and organizing events like Slow Fish and Salone del Gusto.
Slow Food isn’t just about making food accessible and healthy for all; Slow Food rejects mass produced, processed food and consumerism through big box grocery stores in order to retain traditions and heritage while they support local farmers. Slow Food is an attempt to return the state of food back to where it was before it became overly manufactured while making food fun, healthy, and enjoyable once more.
Learning about the Slow Food Movement
What is Slow Food?
What is Slow Food?
Greg Smith, Schuyler Virginia
Evolution is one of the slowest production factories known. However, our first and foremost teacher, Nature, shows us that anything good is done SLOW.
Take, for instance, this week’s recognition of Slow Food. We here at RWF are honoring the the works of the many conviviums (local slow food chapters) around the world who are stewarding the uses of Nature’s processes that bring to our palates succulent flavors that only Mother Nature can produce. What is Slow Food? Click the link and enjoy the treasure trove of information on this preservation for those who are truly addicted to food.
This collection of conviviums works to preserve the tasty morsels that could be pressed out of existence by standardization of taste, convenience, and the people who don’t want to slow down.
In short, Slow Food was started to preserve local food traditions. City lifestyles lead to a deterioration in the appreciation of the vast amount of effort that communities and cultures have put forth in order to continue their distinct culinary practices. This is now going further than just cities.
Visiting the Slow Food website, one will find many reasons to leave his or her seat and to a garden! Oh, to taste the freshest flavor of a tomato, arugula or kale! But I digress.. Now the question is: how does this equal fun?
Fun is enjoyment, is entertainment, is amusement. As a gastronomist I know that food is fun. But I have to ask you... do you perceive fast food as fun? Well to us at RWF, slow is divine, and in order to continue using the teachings from our master designer, Nature, we partake in the honoring of the works of Carlo Petrini, Alice Waters, our beloved Robin Wade and innumerable others who believe in the power of slow practices.
Whether you are learning about Slow Food or checking out the latest Slow Food recipe, let your mind wander to all things that you do slowly, and that are of great pleasure, then slow it down a little more... bit by bit!... GOOD!
What is Slow Food?
Karikol Slow Food Bruxelles
Karikol Slow Food Bruxelles
by Richard Harris, Brussels Belgium
A snail is a snail is a snail? Unless it's a karikol, of course. What's that? Anyone connected with the slow food movement is familiar with the international organization's logo: a handsome red snail that symbolizes taking it easy and taking time to grow, prepare and eat healthy food. In Brussels the movement is represented by Karikol Slow Food Bruxelles. A karikol is a whelk, otherwise known as a sea-snail, and is a traditional street 
Over five hundred years ago, when the Willebroek Canal was built to connect Brussels to the sea, large fishing boats 
Karikol engages in many activities including connecting small growers with restaurateurs and consumers, educating the public, promoting urban vegetable gardens, highlighting the wide variety of cuisines available in the city, creating permanent organic public markets and children's programs. Among these is a program to strengthen the growing city-wide production of honey. Since Brussels is 50% open space (composed of forest, farmland, parks and private gardens) and pesticide use is forbidden within city limits honey bees have not only a safe environment but a multitude of different types of flowers to harvest. Karikol has helped Brussels honey to become a hot item. With their support more and more hives are being set up and different types of honey are being produced based on the available flora in each area.
In September they organize a week called TasteBrussels during which almost 100 restaurants feature slow food menus. The week includes open house tours of artisans, organic producers, and related small businesses, films, conferences and how-to sessions. Their close work with Bruxelles-Environnement has led to development of a “My Easy Vegetable Garden” kit which contains four types of seed and all the info necessary to set up a garden. The kit is offered by the city free to anyone interested. The pitch: 1 sq. yd. and one half hour of work per week equals 22 lbs. of harvested vegetables. They hope to double the number of people growing their own in the city.
Slowly but surely, this Karikol is getting results.