Reservations are still available for the Health(ier) Baking Swap hosted by Judi Bikel, coleader of Slow Food Los Angeles.
Details, including a reservation link and RSVP information, are available in our original announcement. We look forward to seeing Slow Food members and friends and to swapping treats and recipes.
Homemade baked goods -- yum! But our members often think (and bake) creatively.
Have you experimented with natural sweeteners like agave or unrefined cane sugar? Do you boost the fiber and nutritional content of your recipes with whole grains? Have you tinkered with vegan cupcakes or revised family favorites to make them a little kinder to your health? Let us sample your favorite gluten-free cake or your whole wheat banana bread. If you haven't experimented in the past why not give it a try?
Join Slow Food members and friends as we swap stories and healthier) baked goods. Bring a favorite or try something new--just tell us how it connects to Slow Food. Do you buy special ingredients from the farmers' market? Create or modify it from a treasured family recipe? Seek out local, sustainable, or fair trade products?
Please bring one item to share such as a dozen cookies, a loaf of bread, or a batch of ice cream and a copy of the recipe to swap with other members. Please also bring a container to take home extras. Well-behaved children accompanied by an adult are welcome. Coffee and tea and will be served.
When: Sunday, May 24, 2009 at 2:00pm
Where: Private home (West Hollywood); address will be provided with receipt of donation
Cost: Adults: $5; children may attend free. This event is limited to twenty-five people. Please purchase your tickets via Brown Paper Tickets and RSVP your name, number in party, and email address to judibikel [at] aol [dot] com. Paid reservations are not refundable.
We hope you'll join us for what promises to be a delightful--and delicious--afternoon. If you can't attend the event but would like to share a recipe, please send it to
Come celebrate spring in Vietnam with Slow Food Los Angeles members and friends. We will prepare summer rolls, and watch our experienced Vietnamese hosts prepare a hot pot of beef noodle soup with vegetables and Vietnamese crepes. Learn the secrets of pho and other, less common dishes. Our hosts will share recipes and show us how they prepare an authentic three-course meal followed by local desserts. Ingredient lists, restaurant and market ideas in Little Saigon will be provided.
When: [Easter] Sunday, April 12, 2009, 12:00noon until 3:00pm
Where: A private home Canoga Park. Location will be provided upon receipt of payment and purchase of tickets (see below).
Cost: $15.00 donation to Slow Food Los Angeles
Class is limited to 14 people, age 15 and older.
Reservations: Two steps:
First, to RESERVE, send an email to judibikel [at] aol [dot] com with your name, contact information, and the number in your party.Confirmations are on a first-come, first-paid basis. Ticket purchases take priority over unpaid reservations. No refunds will be issued unless the event is canceled.
Then, to CONFIRM, buy ticket(s) through Brown Paper Tickets.
Reservations are still available for A Spring Tamalada at Mama's Hot Tamale Café™ on Sunday, April 5. Join Slow Food Los Angeles members and friends for a fun-filled and convivial morning of tamale-making, cooking, and eating under the expert supervision of some of the finest local purveyors of this extraordinary food.
The event includes a tamale-making workshop, lunch, tax, and tip. For more information about the event, including pricing, location, and instructions on how to reserve your place, please see our original announcement.
Learn to make rich pie dough with a special method that results in an incredibly tender crust. The event will include a lecture, demonstration, and tasty samplings of fruit pies made with various types of crusts.
The class will begin with a review of ingredients and equipment, then proceed to a demonstration of assembling dough and rolling it out. Participants will then make their own dough to take home. Master recipes for various kinds of delicious seasonal pies will be included. Deborah Trainer, home baker, will lead the class.
When: Saturday, March 21, 2009 from 2:00pm-4:30pm
Where: This event will take place in a private home in Hancock Park. Location will be provided upon receipt of payment and purchase of tickets.
Cost: $40 donation to Slow Food Los Angeles. Proceeds will fund the work of SFLA's Social Action Committee.
Please bring an apron and the metal bowl from your KitchenAid mixer or another high-sided metal bowl.
Class is limited to 10 people. Well-behaved children accompanied by an adult are welcome.
Reservations: Two steps:
First, to RESERVE, send an email to judibikel [at] aol [dot] com with your name, contact information, and the number in your party.Confirmations are on a first-come, first-paid basis. Ticket purchases take priority over unpaid reservations. No refunds will be issued unless the event is canceled.Then, to CONFIRM, buy ticket(s) through Brown Paper Tickets.
About the Social Action Committee:
Kat Alexander and Emily Ventura co-chair the committee. Planned work for 2009 includes expanding access to fresh, sustainable food in the food deserts of Los Angeles by supporting farmer's markets and gardening. In addition, they will be recruiting "student delegates," both high school students from underserved areas of Los Angeles who are passionate about social change as well as college students working to improve food choices on their campuses.
Slow Food Los Angeles & Mama's Hot Tamale Café™ are pleased to invite you to attend A Spring Tamalada.
Join us as we welcome the arrival of spring in Los Angeles with a spring Tamalada at Mama's Hot Tamale Café. We will gather to experience a fun-filled and convivial morning of tamale-making, cooking, and eating under the expert supervision of some of the finest local purveyors of this extraordinary food.
The humble tamale is one of the world's most ancient foods, dating back over 5,000 years to the pre-Columbian era. In many ways basically unchanged from it ancestral origins, this amazingly versatile food nevertheless assumes a dazzling array of shapes, sizes, and flavors. Found in indigenous and Hispanic cultures in all of the Americas, there is no better way to explore the mystery of this enduring staple of human civilization than to make them yourself! You can't go wrong when you're in the hands of the pros!
When: Sunday, April 5, 2009 from 10:00am-1:00pm
Where: Mama's Hot Tamale Café, 2122 West 7th Street, Los Angeles 90057 (a half a block west of Alvarado St., and directly across the southern border of MacArthur Park)
Cost: $45.00 for Slow Food members; $50.00 for nonmembers; $15 for children under 15. Price includes tamale-making workshop, lunch, tax, and tip. You will be provided containers to bring your tamales home with you.
Class and lunch is limited to 35 people. Well behaved children accompanied by an adult are welcome.
Reservations: Two steps:
First, to RESERVE, send an email to judibikel [at] aol [dot] com with your name, contact information, and the number in your party.About Mama's Hot Tamales:Then, to CONFIRM, buy ticket(s) through Brown Paper Tickets.
Confirmations are on a first-come, first-paid basis. Ticket purchases take priority over unpaid reservations. No refunds will be issued unless the event is canceled.
Participants acquire the knowledge, abilities, and skills to pursue opportunities in the food service and hospitality industry as bakers, cooks, caterers, hosts, restaurant owners or managers, waiters/waitresses, or permitted sidewalk vendors. Featuring authentic presentations of regional dishes from throughout the Americas, this unique dining experience engages patrons as valuable participants in the education training process of our future culinary professionals.
For more information on Mama's Hot Tamales, visit Mama's website.
We hope you'll join us!
Denise Aronow notes: "Don't want to drive and hassle parking? Mama's is extremely easy to reach by transit from the MTA Red/Purple Line: Get off at MacCarthur Park Station, walk South on Alvarado one-half block (Langers Deli) and West one-half block on 7th Street from the Station. $5.00 buys you a day pass good on all trains and buses. If you want to come through Union Station on Metrolink Saturday trains your ticket is good for a free transfer to the Red/Purple line." Thanks, Denise!
A reminder that this Friday, Slow Food Los Angeles will welcome David Szanto, the North American representative of the University of Gastronomic Sciences, to Los Angeles. David will speak about undergraduate and graduate programs at the UNISG, offer practical information about application procedures and academic requirements, and will talk about the history of the University and its close relationship with Slow Food.
Details about the event, to be held at the California NanoSystems Institute on the UCLA campus from 7:00pm until 9:00pm, are available in our original announcement.
The venue for the event is graciously being made available by the UCLA Art|Sci Center + Lab. Prior to David Szanto's presentation, Slow Food members and friends are also invited to attend the opening reception for the exhibit of Beatriz da Costa's work, "Invisible Earthlings." An interdisciplinary artist and researcher who works at the intersection of contemporary art, science, engineering, and politics, da Costa's latest work, presented in this exhibit, is an investigation into the possibilities of relating between humans and members of the lived non-human worlds that we are least likely to recognize as social actors within urban environments: microbes. Microbes, partially defined by their small size and the fact that they are commonly not visible to the human eye, quite literally escape our view and thereby our awareness of their existence.
The University of Gastronomic Sciences information session will take place in the Auditorium; the reception for "Invisible Earthlings" will be held in suite 5419. Both events are free of charge.
For more information about the information session, read the original announcement. For more information about Beatriz da Costa's work, visit her website.
Slow Food Los Angeles is pleased to announce that it will welcome David Szanto, the North American representative of the University of Gastronomic Sciences, to Los Angeles for an information session at the UCLA Art|Sci Center + Lab at CNSI:
When: Friday, February 27, 2009 from 7:00pm-9:00pm
Where: California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI), UCLA Campus, Los Angeles. Directions to the CNSI are available at artsci.ucla.edu/08sym/cnsi.html.
Cost: Free of charge. (On-campus parking is available for $9; limited on-street metered parking is available on Westwood and LeConte.)
RSVP: If interested in attending, please email your name and telephone number to David Szanto at d [dot] szanto [at] unisg [dot] it.
Co-founded in 2003 by Slow Food and the Italian regions of Piedmont and Emilia-Romagna, the University's innovative approach is to create a new understanding of gastronomy, linking the act of eating with the act of producing, along with all the phases in between. Four programs at two Italian campuses follow a multidisciplinary learning model, merging science with humanities, sensory training with communications, classroom study with field seminars (including travel to five continents).
David Szanto will explain the Slow Food–inspired educational philosophy of the university, present the undergraduate and graduate degrees, discuss internships and work opportunities within the food world, and answer other questions. The session is open to all students, professionals, and members of the public. This program will be of particular interest to prospective students who wish to learn more about the school, its foundation, and its programs, including:
++ Undergraduate degree in Gastronomic SciencesFor more information about the University of Gastronomic Sciences and its programs, visit the UNISG website.
++ Graduate degree in Gastronomy and Food Communications
++ Master of Italian Gastronomy and Tourism
++ Master of Food Culture and Communications
For brief background information on the programs noted above, continue reading...
The University of Gastronomic Sciences offers four programs, each with different subject areas, durations, and application requirements:
++ Undergraduate degree in Gastronomic Sciences: This three-year program includes classes in both the humanities and scientific disciplines, as well as such ancillary courses as marketing, statistics, law, IT, and aesthetics, which together provide a complete overview of food culture. The syllabus is made up of 30 subjects and numerous field seminars, which take students to regions within Italy, in Europe, and overseas. Classes take place in English and Italian.++ Graduate degree in Gastronomy and Food Communications: This two-year program focuses on the administration of gastronomy industries, including tourism and food marketing. Designed as a specialization program to follow the UNISG three-year undergraduate program in gastronomy, it is also open to those with related undergraduate degrees. A study-abroad period at the University of New Hampshire in Durham, NH, and a 10-to-12-week internship conclude the program. Classes take place in English and Italian.
++ Master of Italian Gastronomy and Tourism: This one-year master program takes a cultural, social, and historical approach, providing students with knowledge of food products and the issues of sustainability and ethical practices and gastro-tourism businesses. Lessons include Italian language and cultural studies, as well as seven weeks fo field study in various Italian regions for a full immersion in the country’s foodways. The program concludes with an 8-to-10-week internship towards a final thesis. Classes take place entirely in English.
++ Master of Food Culture and Communications: This program, also one year in length, is designed for international students seeking a holistic perspective on food culture as well as the tools and modes of contemporary food communications. Students gain knowledge about high-quality food products from a cultural, social, and historical perspective, in order to develop professional skills in food promotion and education. The program includes extensive travel in Europe and throughout Italy, as well as a 6-to-8-week internship and final thesis. Classes take place entirely in English.
Are you participating in our annual soup swap? There's still a bit of room for those interested.
Unbeknownst to us when we announced the date of the swap, The Kitchn declared February to be soup month, and they're offering readers a host of posts on soup history, soup recipes, soup accompaniments... You name it, the Kitchn's talented contributors (including Joanna, Elizabeth P. Faith, Sara Kate, and Emily) seem to be writing about it. It's still early in the month, but check out a few of the standout posts thus far (each with links to recipes):
++ Soup and Social Change;Whether or not you'll join us for the swap, don't overlook the possibilities soup offers. A visit to the farmers' market and a few pantry items can yield a tasty, satisfying, and budget-conscious meal.++ How to Serve Soup at a Dinner Party;
Chicken and Dumplings
Cuban Black Bean with Soy Chorizo
Bison Chili
Scotch Broth with Root Vegetables
Join other Slow Food members and friends as we swap stories and soup. Bring a favorite or try something new--just tell us how it connects to Slow Food. Do you buy special ingredients from the farmer's market? Create it from a treasured family recipe? Seek out local and sustainable products?
Please bring four quarts of soup and a copy of the recipe to swap with other members. Soup should be packed in four containers you don't mind giving away such as glass canning jars or plastic. Want more soup? Bring eight quarts and take home eight quarts. Well-behaved children accompanied by an adult are welcome. Coffee, tea, and light snacks will be served.
When: Sunday, February 15, 2009 at 2:00pm
Where: Private home (West Hollywood); address will be provided with receipt of donation
Cost: Adults, $5.00 per person; no cost for children
This event is limited to twenty-five people. Please RSVP with number of guests to judibikel [at] aol [dot] com, and purchase your tickets via Brown Paper Tickets.
In conjunction with Freshlunches, Healthy Child Healthy World, and Clif Bar, Slow Food Los Angeles is pleased to support the free screening and Los Angeles debut of Two Angry Moms, a documentary by Amy Kalafa.
What happens when two fed-up moms try to change the school lunch program to get better food for children? Freshlunches has generously agreed to host the Los Angeles screening to help support filmmaker Amy Kalafa's mission of raising awareness for healthier school food. Two Angry Moms takes you on a nationwide journey that will inspire you to take action and suggest how you can make a huge difference in your neighborhood and schools.
When: Saturday, October 18, 2008. Reception begins at 5:00pm, film screening from 6:00pm until 7:30pm, and a Q&A panel from 7:30pm until 8:30pm.
Where: Cal State Northridge, USU Theater. Parking is available at Student Lot G4, off of Zelzah Avenue, for a fee of $5.00. Free street parking is available on Zelzah Avenue. (See campus map.)
Cost: Free, but reservations recommended as space is limited. Donation suggested.
A reception will be held prior to the show, where attendees can sample Freshlunches products and meet Amy Kalafa. The screening will be followed by a Q&A panel with Amy Kalafa and representatives from Slow Food Los Angeles and Healthy Child Healthy World. Find out how you can make a difference in bringing better and healthier food in your school lunch program and learn what others are doing in the community to promote a healthier world.
Freshlunches will donate a portion of the event's proceeds to the non-profit organization Healthy Child Healthy World. Remaining proceeds will be used to fund Freshlunches’ Bright Star School lunch program, where 95% of student lunches are free or offered at a reduced price.
Information about the film is available on the Two Angry Moms' website; film clips are also available on their site.
Thanks to Judi Bikel for spotting information on the Slow Food Nation blog about an event tomorrow, August 3, in the Los Angeles area.
The Fallen Fruit project in cooperation with The Machine Project has organized the Third Public Fruit Jam. The Public Fruit Jam invites Los Angeles residents to come together and make jam with fruit harvested and collection from their own yards:
The kinds of jam we make will improvise on the fruit that the participants provide. The fruit can be fresh or frozen. Fallen Fruit will bring public fruit. We are looking for radical and experimental jams as well, like basil guava or lemon pepper jelly. We’ll discuss the basics of jam and jelly making, pectin and bindings, the aesthetics of sweetness, as well as the communal power of shared food and the liberation of public fruit.Jamming will take place at The Machine Project in Echo Park, 1200 Alvarado Street, from noon to 3pm.
More information about The Machine Project is available on its website. More information on Fallen Fruit, and about their cooperative project to map public fruit in the Los Angeles area, is available on the Fallen Fruit website.
Reports from Sunday's peach-picking event (and Hungarian Valley lunch) have been that all who attended had a great time meeting other Slow Food members, learning about Yingst Ranch, and picking peaches at the peak of ripeness.
Members Karen and Curt Gibbs have shared with us a link to their event photos on Flickr, and serve as an inspiration to all of us who enjoy this kind of event: Karen has already turned the peaches and plums they picked into jam and pie!
For those who could not attend but may wish to venture to Yingst or other U-pick farms on their own, Angie Mason, the coordinator of the event, noted that among the peaches, Red Tops were peaking, and it looked like Alberta, Rio Osos, and white peaches will be ready in about a week, continuing into September.
Yingst Ranch is located at 35349 80th Street East in Littlerock, California. They are closed Mondays, but open during the season from 8:00am until 5:00pm. For questions or to confirm availability, you may contact them at 661.944.2425.
Are you considering attending Slow Food Nation this year? If you are, consider joining members of the Los Angeles convivium on a gastronomic Road Trip outside the city. Explore the pristine Tomales Bay, enjoy a tour of Cowgirl Creamery, pick up some lunch essentials in Pt. Reyes Station or the Marin Sun Farms Butcher Shop, visit the Hog Island Oyster Farm, and enjoy a potluck oyster roast and barbecue.
This event will make a great day trip outside the city but you might also consider driving up the day before so you can enjoy the bay or eat in some of the great local restaurants such as the Station House or Manka's Inverness Lodge.
Schedule:
9:30am: Leave SF for Marin; drive takes around an hour but the tour starts promptly so leave early or drive up the night before
11:00am: Meet up in Tomales Bay
11:30am: Tour of Cowgirl Creamery at Tomales Bay. Watch them make cheese, buy picnic provisions, take a walk around charming town, visit independent bookstore, Marin Sun Farm Butcher Store, etc.
1:30pm: Leave Tomales Bay for Hog Island, drive takes around 30 minutes
2:00pm: Picnic area reserved at Hog Island Oyster Farm includes access to barbecue, shucking tools, and lemons. They will provide a quick overview of oyster shucking. You may purchase and shuck fresh oysters and eat them raw or grill them with garlic butter in the local style. Guests may bring any other picnic foods they wish, including beer and wine. The barbecue is essentially potluck but we will provide fire, grilling tools, condiments, plates, utensils, napkins, and cups as well as Marin Sun Farms weenies and buns. We encourage you to share.
When: Friday, August 29, 2008 (schedule as noted above)
Where: Meet in Point Reyes Station at Cowgirl Creamery
Cost: $35.00 per person for adults; $20 per child under 12 years of age. Event limited to 20 people. Priority will be given to Slow Food members.
Attire/Precautions: Wear comfortable clothes, walking shoes, a hat, and sunscreen. If you intend to shuck oysters, consider bringing a shucking glove to protect your hand and/or your own tools. Maximum of four people per reservation. Please carpool if possible. Each child under 12 years of age must be accompanied by an adult. Porta potties are available.
Reservations:
Email your reservation request to judibikel [at] aol [dot] com with the number in your party (adults + children) and the name of the Slow Food convivium to which you belong. Because of the strict space limits I will ask you to reconfirm after you've made your travel arrangements. Please also let me know if you are you interested in carpooling. Do you need space in a car? Do you have space in a car?
Nancy Yingst of Yingst Ranch in Littlerock will once again provide a tour of her peach, pear, plum, and apple orchards for Slow Food members. She is not certified organic but does not use sprays or chemicals. Following the tour we will be provided with buckets and carts to go into the orchards and pick peaches and plums (or whatever is ready for harvest).
Following the tour we'll enjoy a group lunch at Valley Hungarian Sausage and Meat. Though sausage will not be made during our visit, owner Maria Watson will prepare a sampling and tasting of the many sausages they produce on the premises. She will also serve a Hungarian lunch on the patio (shaded but not air-conditioned), including stuffed cabbage, sausages, pickles and bread. She may also prepare her home grown stuffed peppers if they are ripe during our visit. Dessert of walnut or poppyseed kalacs (strudels) will end the meal.
When: Sunday, July 20, 2008, beginning at 9:00am
Where: Meeting at Yingst Ranch, Littlerock, California. Address will be provided when your reservation is confirmed.
Cost: $30.00 per person, $15.00 persons under 12 years of age. Each child under 12 years of age must be accompanied by an adult. Cost includes tour and lunch (nonalcoholic drinks and gratuity included). Participants may pick and purchase fruit at the Ranch for $1.00 per pound. Please bring your ticket cost to the event, extra cash for fruit purchases, and bags or boxes to take home your fruit.
To reserve your place: Email your reservation request to snailwrangler [at] slowfoodla [dot] com with:
-- the names of and number in your party (adults and children)
-- your contact phone number for reservation confirmation
-- the name of the Slow Food convivium to which you belong
-- your commitment to bring and pay on site $30 per adult and $15 per person under 12 years of age for the event and lunch.
Your reservations will be confirmed by email, with directions to Yingst Ranch. You will receive a second email and phone call during the week of the event requiring you to re-confirm your reservation and commitment to attend. This step is essential for Valley Hungarian to determine the amount of food they will prepare for the Slow Food group.
Also note:
+ Maximum of four people per reservation.
+ Please carpool if possible.
+ The event will last approximately 3.5 to 4 hours; there are restroom facilities at the Valley Hungarian.
+ Littlerock is a desert town off the Pearblossom Highway near Lancaster/Palmdale. It will be hot so bring bottled water, hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, and clothes and walking/hiking shoes that are suitable for farm/hilly terrain. Be prepared to get fruit juice all over your shirt.
+ This area is also a center for many types of honey. You can purchase eucalyptus, avocado, and many other varieties at Yingst and other stores in the area. Bring your own honey container to fill up.
+ Grab a date shake at Charlie Brown Farms, located between the orchard and our lunch destination.
+ After lunch, fresh and or frozen sausages, cheese, pirogi, sauerkraut and all kinds of authentic Hungarian fare will be available for purchase.
We hope you can join us!
Are you concerned about the negative impact of modern intensive meat production?
Are you uneasy about the profound environmental issues, the inhumane standard of care for intensively reared animals, and your own personal health?
Do you feel like you have all of the information you need to make informed decisions?
Would you rather buy meat and poultry raised in a sustainable fashion by farmers you trust?
Are you having a hard time finding a source for meat that is Good, Clean, and Fair?
Slow Food Los Angeles is forming a new committee to learn more about the issues surrounding meat production. We will also research vendors that can supply us with tasty, healthy, and humane meat and poultry. The several models we might consider include:
1) reviewing local vendors and reporting back to the convivium on their standards of care,
2) grouping together to purchase shares of animals so that we can buy high quality meat at the best price, and/or
3) consider forming a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) such as the Bay Area Meat CSA, a project of Slow Food Berkeley.
The Meat Committee will be holding an introductory meeting Saturday, July 26th at 12:00 noon in West Hollywood. We'll discuss committee goals and review the Meat Survey results. And yes, we'll be eating some meat.
Please RSVP to judibikel [at] aol [dot] com and let us know if you would like to join us for lunch. Rob Bikel will be grilling his delicious lamb burgers, sourced from his and Judi's whole lamb. (On top of a soft bun from Thee's Bakery, topped with raw milk Petaluma Dairy cheddar, and dressed with pimenton mayonaise. Yum!)
In the meantime (and even if you don't wish to join the committee), please help our efforts by filling out our survey.
Update: June 19, 2008: While the requirement to bring jams, chutneys, and preserves to swap stands, we will be offering this event free of charge.
Blenheim Apricot Jam...
Chunky Fig and Balsamic Chutney...
Kyoho Grape Jelly...
Peach and Crystallized Ginger Preserve...
Aunt Edna's Spicy Tomato-Pepper Relish...
Are you enjoying the summer bounty of wonderful fresh fruit and vegetables available at your local farmer's market? Want to try your hand at canning or revive a family tradition? Does your freezer yearn to be filled?
Join other Slow Food members and friends as we swap stories and jams, chutneys, and other preserves. Bring a favorite or try something new--just tell us how it connects to Slow Food. Do you buy special ingredients from the farmer's market? Create it from a treasured family recipe? Seek out local and sustainable products?
Please bring four pints of canned or frozen jam, jelly, preserves, or chutney and a copy of the recipe to swap with other members. Jam should be packed in four containers you don't mind giving away such as canning jars, plastic containers, or vacuum-sealed bags. Want to swap more? Bring eight pints and take home eight pints. Please also bring a small sample to taste. Well-behaved children accompanied by an adult are welcome. Coffee, tea, and dessert will be served.
When: Saturday, July 19, 2008 at 2:00pm
Where: Private home (Simi Valley); address will be provided with confirmation of reservation.
Cost: Free of charge, but note that reservations are required.
This event is limited to twenty-five people. RSVP with number of guests to judibikel [at] aol [dot] com.
Slow Food Los Angeles is pleased to share the news that the Culinary Historians of Southern California will present a program by Slow Food member Allana Elovson on Slow Food's biennial Salone del Gusto, to be held in Turin in October 23-27, 2008.
Dr. Elovson will speak about the Salone, a five-day celebration and exploration of artisanal food and wine, and share slides taken during the 2002, 2004, and 2006 Salones. Whether you're curious about the Salone and about Slow Food, or whether you've been planning for the last two years to attend the 2008 Salone and would like a sneak peek at what's in store, this program is for you:
When: Saturday, June 14, 2008 beginning at 10:30am. A reception with themed refreshments will follow the talk at approximately 11:30am.
Where: The Mark Taper Auditorium of the downtown (central) branch of the Los Angeles Public Library, 630 W. 5th Street, Los Angeles
Cost: Free. Reservations are not required; seating will be on a first-come basis.
In addition to her work in the field of psychology, Dr. Elovson has written articles for Cooking Light and other publications and given lectures and radio interviews on subjects such as the deconstruction and symbolic meaning of the contents of Indian masalas, the judicious use of herb and spice combinations, and the enormous impact on world cuisine of the foods of the New World. She has also given cooking classes at Montana Mercantile on Vegetarian Dishes of the World, the Wok in Western Cooking, and World Herbs and Spices.
For several years she conducted tours of L.A.'s landmark ethnic markets, and, based on the conviction that the unexamined meal is (almost!) not worth eating, conducted a course for UCLA extension entitled "Six Spectacular Cuisines, a historical and gustatory survey of the foods and food cultures of North & South India, Indonesia, Morocco, Iran and Ethiopia".
She and her husband John have been members of Slow Food for more than eight years, and the 2008 Salone Del Gusto will be their fourth. They've already got their plane tickets, and advise you to get yours, too!
The Culinary Historians of Southern California is a not-for-profit organization that supports the culinary collections at the Los Angeles Public Library. For more information on the Culinary Historians of Southern California, visit their website.
(Images courtesy of Slow Food International, from the 2006 Salone del Gusto.)
Can one little produce market save the world?
Eat at Bill's is a video documentary about the phenomenon that is the Monterey Market, a small family-owned produce market in Berkeley, California that has served as crossroads and wellspring, an oasis that sustains a small army of customers, artisans and farmers. What are the characteristics that sustain this successful small enterprise?
Some people (who were there) insist that the birthplace of California's food revolution was in the market's stock room back in the 70s.
Over the last 30 years owner Bill Fujimoto has been a tireless supporter, mentor, and Customer #1 for the hundreds of small (and formerly small) farms the market supports. Bill's enthusiasm and experience fuel the enterprise and illuminate the Market's wide world of small growers and diverse customers, which include a small army of well known chefs and food thinkers such as Alice Waters, Michael Pollan, and Judy Rodgers. This movie is a celebration of the Monterey Market's colorful network of customers and suppliers, and a valentine to small enterprises everywhere.
Documentary director and tangerine grower Lisa Brenneis, "Eat at Bill's" star Bill Fujimoto, and Slow Food Los Angeles leader Jordan Vannini will attend the screening and lead a post-screening discussion on the peril and promise of sustaining successful small enterprises in the Land of the Big Box.
When: Sunday, June 8, 2008 at 4:30pm
Where: Beyond Baroque, 681 Venice Boulevard, Venice 90291
Cost: Free admission (donations supporting Beyond Baroque gratefully accepted; suggested donation is $5). Admission will be on a first-come basis until we reach capacity. No reservations are required.
About Director/Producer Lisa Brenneis:
Lisa Brenneis grows organic citrus with her husband Jim Churchill in Ojai, California, and recently finished her first feature-length video documentary, "Eat at Bill's". She is also the author of Final Cut Pro: Visual QuickPro Guide, now in its seventh edition.
Churchill Orchard is a longtime supporter of the Slow Food community, and first commercial growers of the Pixie tangerine (introduced to the world by Bill Fujimoto at Monterey Market!). The Pixie was inducted into the Slow Food Ark of Taste in 2003. Slow Food Los Angeles and Slow Food Ojai members toured Churchill Orchard after the January 2007 citrus freeze.
For more information, visit the film's website at:
http://tangerineman.com/eab.htm
You can also watch a clip at:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6750096205385977686&pr=goog-sl
Reviews:
"A non-fictional look at the history and 'backstage' stories behind California's Monterey Market and its second-generation owner Bill Fujimoto, this engaging film goes right to the heart of how individual buying decisions really have made a difference in local food communities."
-- Bruce Cole, Editor, Edible San Francisco on ediblenation.com
http://www.ediblecommunities.com/ediblenation/?p=53
"What the film does is show how simple it could be to build a local, sustainable food system. I wish every produce manager in the world could see it. … I think it comes across that Bill is "making" farmers. I mean he's selecting them, encouraging them, carrying them, promoting them, and playing a pivotal role in helping them to achieve economic viability. But he's also "making" shoppers. It's clear that he introduces new foods and tastes, and supports his customer base to be adventurous and alert to pleasure. He does it in part by sharing his own great adventurous spirit and pleasure connected to food, and by purchasing and presenting the best food he can find."
-- Janet Brown, Center for Ecoliteracy
http://www.ecoliteracy.org/
"Bill was doing specialty produce before it was chic or popular, and proves it doesn't need to be expensive or out-of-reach to anyone who wants it (save for the ride to North Berkeley and dodging all the Volvos.) ...This is a loving, insider's look at one of the most unique characters who with good cheer and the best of intentions, built a strong community and strengthened the bonds between farmers, chefs, and customers"
--David Lebovitz "…living the sweet life in Paris" blog
http://www.davidlebovitz.com/archives/2007/07/eat_at_bills.html
Update: May 25, 2008: This event has been fully booked. Although some members are on the waiting list, we do not anticipate being able to accommodate the complete waiting list, so additional reservations are not being taken.
Bill Lewis, an experienced beekeeper and long-time participant in the South Pasadena and Santa Monica farmers' markets, has once again generously agreed to host a private tour of his bee-keeping and small-scale honey production operation and to share his vast knowledge of bees and honey with Slow Food Los Angeles members.
Bill's Bee Ranch is a rural oasis, located high above the city. The site has active bee hives and there is an ambient bee population. The morning event will include a tour of his honey-making facility, an opportunity to learn about the production and uses of honey, a close inspection of hives and bee colonies, and a comparative honey tasting. Bill's honey and bee products will be available for sale.
When: Sunday, June 8, 2008 at 10:00am
Where: The Bee Ranch, located in the Angeles National Forest above Lake View Terrace. Directions will be provided with confirmation of reservation.
Cost: $20.00 per person for adults; $15 per child under 12 years of age
Attire/Precautions: While the prospect of a bee sting is unlikely, those who are concerned about, sensitive to or allergic to honey, bee stings, and/or insect bites should not attend this event. Late spring brings rattlesnakes out for sun in the California hillsides. Wear pale-colored, full-length clothing and socks and walking/hiking shoes suitable for unpaved, farm/hilly terrain ( = no shorts, capris, skirts, sandals, bright-colored or billowy clothing). Please refrain from using perfume or floral-scented lotion, sunscreen, soap, or shampoo. Long hair should be confined to a braid or placed under a cap/hat; bees are attracted to long hair when it is blown in the breeze.
Maximum of four people per reservation. Please carpool if possible. Each child under 12 years of age must be accompanied by an adult. The event will last approximately 1.5-2 hours. Please note: There are no restroom facilities on site.
To reserve your place:
FIRST: Email your reservation request to snailwrangler [at] slowfoodla [dot] com with the number in your party (adults + children) and the name of the Slow Food convivium to which you belong.And don't forget: Professor May Berenbaum's presentation on colony collapse disorder will be held on Thursday evening, June 5, at the Beverly Hills Public Library. For information, see our original announcement.THEN: Send your check, payable to Slow Food Los Angeles to:
Slow Food Los Angeles
8033 Sunset Blvd #395
Los Angeles, CA 90046.Please include with your check the name under which your reservation was placed. Your reservations will be confirmed by email when your check has been received. Checks must be received by May 20th to hold a reservation.
Slow Food Los Angeles is delighted to welcome Professor May Berenbaum to Los Angeles for a timely presentation on the as-yet unexplained disappearance of honeybees and the potential effects of this ecological crisis.
The "pollinator crisis"--the widespread decline in the viability of animals that transport pollen and allow most of the planet's flowering plants to reproduce--may lack marquee appeal as a form of global change but it has real potential for profoundly altering the terrestrial world. Close to 100 crop plants in the U.S. rely on a single pollinator--the honey bee--to survive and reproduce.
Over the past year, the mysterious disappearance of one-third of America's honey bees, due to what has become known as colony collapse disorder, has focused attention on how little is known about U.S. pollinators and how dependent we are upon them. Professor May Berenbaum, Professor and Head of the Department of Entomology at the University of Illinois, will discuss the pollinator crisis, the plight of the honey bee, and advances in entomology that provide hope for the future of America's bees.
When: Thursday, June 5, 2008 from 7:00pm until 8:30pm
Where: Beverly Hills Public Library, 444 North Rexford Drive, Beverly Hills
Cost: $12 per person, reservations required. Please visit our event page at Brown Paper Tickets to reserve your place.
Free parking is available in the adjacent garage after 5:00pm.
Professor Berenbaum will also share with us recent research about the nutraceutical properties of honey. It is now understood that honey is a potentially rich source of antioxidants, compounds that can reduce or counteract toxic oxygen radicals. In view of the fact that oxygen radicals have been implicated as factors contributing to a wide range of human health problems including heart disease and cancer, incorporation of honey into the diet, particularly in place of sugar, may have health-promoting, or nutraceutical, value.
An entomologist, author, and founder of the University of Illinois Insect Fear Film Festival, Professor Berenbaum has been head of the Department of Entomology at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign since 1992 and holds joint or affiliate appointments in the Department of Plant Biology, the Program in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology, and the Division of Ecological Entomology at the Illinois Natural History Survey. Frequently named an excellent teacher by students, she is devoted to fostering scientific literacy and has authored numerous magazine articles, as well as four books, about insects for the general public. Her research interests are in the area of insect chemical ecology and for over two decades she has studied the ways in which naturally occurring chemicals affect the distribution and abundance of plant-feeding insects. In recognition of her work, she has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences and the American Philosophical Society. The campus has honored her with a Swanlund Chair and Jubilee Professorship. She received a B.S. from Yale University in 1975 and a Ph.D. from Cornell University in 1980.
This event is open to Slow Food members and nonmember/friends alike.
"Celebrate the Farmers' Market" is a reception and dinner celebrating the Santa Monica Farmers' Market and honoring Josie LeBalch of Josie Restaurant and John Tenerelli of the Tenerelli Familiy Orchards.
When: Sunday, May 18, 2008 from 6:00pm until 10:00pm
Where: The Fairmont Miramar Hotel Santa Monica, 101 Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica 90401
Cost: $125 per person, available only in advance. Secure your reservations by calling 310.455.0181 or by email to howell@sfma.net.
Proceeds of the event, which also includes a silent auction and raffle, will benefit the Southland Farmers' Market Association, a nonprofit organization representing the interests of growers in California certified farmers' markets.
Participating chefs include Raymond Alvarez (Border Grill), Josiah Citrin (Melisse), Ben Ford (Ford's Filling Station), Neal Fraser (Grace & BLD), Raymond Garcia (Fairmont Miramar Hotel Santa Monica), Mark Gold (Private Chef), Gwen Gulliksen (Artainable Cuisine), Andrew Kirschner (Wilshire), Josie LeBalch (Josie), Michael McCarty (Michael's), Rich Mead (Sage & Sage On The Coast), Joe Miller (Bar Pinxto), Jessica Mortarotti (Carmela Ice Cream) Mark Peel (Campanile), Amy Sweeney & Benny Bohm (Ammo), Jeremy Tummel (Ciudad), Jason Travi (Fraiche), Terri Wahl (Auntie Em's Kitchen), and Sherry Yard (Spago). The chefs will prepare a special dinner in partnership with farmers from the Santa Monica Farmers' Market.
If your travels take you south of Los Angeles, our colleagues in the Slow Food Temecula Valley convivium have asked us to share their invitation to Slow Food Los Angeles members and friends to Field to the Fork, an event celebrating fresh, local, and sustainable foods.
When: Sunday, May 25, 2008 from 1:00pm until 5:00pm
Where: Leonesse Cellars, 38311 De Portola Road, Temecula 92592
Cost: $65 per person for tickets purchased in advance; $75 per person at the event. Advance tickets can be purchased via Brown Paper Tickets.
Wine and beer pairings will be available from local wineries and breweries.
Chicken Soup with Kreplach...
Split Pea with Home Cured Bacon...
French Onion with Short Ribs...
Chilled Pea Veloute with Sheep's Milk Ricotta and Mint...
Aunt Mary's Pasta Fazool...
Join other Slow Food members and friends as we swap stories and soup. Bring a favorite or try something new--just tell us how it connects to Slow Food. Do you buy special ingredients from the farmer's market? Create it from a treasured family recipe? Seek out local and sustainable products?
Please bring four quarts of soup and a copy of the recipe to swap with other members. Soup should be packed in four containers you don't mind giving away such as glass canning jars or plastic. Want more soup? Bring eight quarts and take home eight quarts. Well-behaved children accompanied by an adult are welcome. Coffee, tea, and light snacks will be served.
When: Sunday, April 13, 2008 at 2:00pm
Where: Private home (West Hollywood); address will be provided with receipt of donation
Cost: Adults: $5 for Slow Food members and $10 for nonmembers; children may attend free.
This event is limited to twenty-five people. Please RSVP with number of guests to judibikel [at] aol [dot] com, and purchase your tickets via Brown Paper Tickets.
Thanks to Frank Tamborello of Hunger Action Los Angeles for alerting us to an upcoming event.
Marion Nestle, author of Food Politics, Safe Food, and What to Eat, will be the principal speaker at the California Endowment's Center Scene Public Program on Food Politics:
When: Tuesday, February 12, 2008 at 5:30pm
Where: The California Endowment's Center for Healthy Communities, 1000 North Alameda Street, Los Angeles 90012
Cost: Free of charge, reservations requested
The American food system is set up for mass production and mass consumption, and we are paying the price: Obesity rates have tripled in the past 30 years, and one in three American children eat fast food every day. How did we get here?
Professor Nestle will answer this question and talk about how to reverse the devastating health effects of a food system that often makes the healthier choices the harder choices. In this food policy primer and the first event in Hungry for Change: Food, Politics and Community Health, a series of Center Scene Public Programs, Nestle will discuss the challenges the public health community faces from the food system and solutions for change.
Marion Nestle is the Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at New York University. She is a member of the Slow Food USA advisory board, and speaks and writes about issues related to food politics, nutrition, and food marketing. Her research focuses on analysis of the scientific, social, cultural, and economic factors that influence the development, implementation, and acceptance of federal dietary guidance policies. Professor Nestle's "What to Eat" blog is informative, entertaining, and updated frequently. If you haven't already bookmarked it, you'll find it here.
Laura Avery, supervisor of the Santa Monica Farmers' Market and a correspondent for KCRW's "Good Food," will moderate the conversation and lead a question-and-answer session with the audience.
Information and online reservations are available on the California Endowment's website.
Update: February 4, 2008: This event has been postponed: A new date will be posted as soon as it has been confirmed.
Slow Food Los Angeles brings together Boule Atelier and Wine Expo for a festive pre-Valentine's Day biodynamic/organic wine and artisanal sweets tasting party.
Bring your sweetheart and bring your friends to sip and taste to your heart's delight. A six-course wine and treat tasting will be served, and will feature a selection of biodynamic/organic sparkling wines and dessert wines paired with Boule's delicacies, such as macarons, pastries, and chocolates, all made by hand with sustainable local products.
Robert Rogness of Wine Expo will enlighten with his "grower champagne" wisdom, providing an education regarding the virtues and the merits of these natural wines as compared to commercially produced "brand" wines. Mark Mendoza, sommelier of Sona, will also be on hand to discuss the nuances of pairing these natural wines with the sweeter fare. Come taste, learn, and toast a sustainable future for us all.
When: Wednesday, February 6, 2008, beginning at 7:00pm
Where: Boule Atelier, 420 N. La Cienega Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90048
Cost: [Note updated information] $45 per person for Slow Food members; $50 per person for nonmembers
Reservations: Seating limited to 65, reservations may be made by email to Chelsea Wilmeth at Boule.
With its high ceilings, pale blue walls, and display cases, Boule Atelier has earned its place among L.A.'s chic shops and restaurants. Built as a temple to honor sweets in all their forms, the green tea macarons have an ephemeral finish, the long ribbons of rose marshmallows boast pretty petals, and chocolates are delicate with innovative and balanced flavors. All products are handmade from local, sustainable products by the Boule pastry team.
Wine Expo, founded in 1993, has a concentration in four areas with uncommon intensity, one being Grower Champagnes, and as a consequence, a nearly rabid loyal following. General Manager, Robert Rogness, has been in the fine wine business for over two decades. Robert is a champion of traditional, terrior and food based wines despite what the score keeping "gatekeepers" think.
Lou is pleased to announce a special cheesemaker supper with Tony and Julie Hook of Hook's Cheese Company. Lou will host the Hooks and offer a six-course celebration of their cheese, each course accompanied by appropriate wine pairings:
When: Monday, February 11, 2008 beginning at 7:00pm
Where: Lou, 724 North Vine, Hollywood 90038
Cost: $80 per person
Reservations: Limited seating is available; reservations may be made by email to reservations [at] louonvine [dot] com or by phone to 323.962.6369.
Tony and Julie Hook are proprietors of Hook's Cheese Company, located in Mineral Point, Wisconsin. Their cheese plant operates out of a repurposed blacksmith's shop constructed in the 1850s; the historic building is built into the side of a hill, the perfect environment to age their cheese. Hook's Cheese Company is a true family-owned and run business and on most Saturdays you will find Tony and Julie hand-selling their cheeses at the Dane County farmers' market.
Julie Hook won the coveted "Finest Cheese in the World" award at the World Cheese Championship in 1982, the first woman to win this award.
Hook's 10 Year Cheddar is unarguably one of the finest, super-aged cheddars in the country, if not the world. The Hooks are modern-day alchemists, masters of the process that yields cheddar that becomes nutty and complex with age, saturated with the same sort of tiny crystals of crunchy protein that are found in a good Parmesan Reggiano. All of the milk that the Hooks use in their cheese is sourced from providers that raise their cows sustainably, and without the use of bovine growth hormones.
In addition to their beloved super-aged cheddars, the Hooks also produce three stylistically different blue cheeses: Hook's Original, a double-cream named Blue Paradise, and a natural-rind, English farmhouse-style cheese named Tilston Point. Recently, they've begun to produce yet another new cheese, Sweet Constantine, which pays homage to both Parmesan and Asiago.
Pull up a chair, pour yourself a cup of tea, help yourself to some delicious cookies, and chat with other Slow Food members. Please join us at our second annual recipe exchange and cookie swap. Slow Food members and friends are invited to share the history and origin of their favorite cookie or pastry recipe and discuss its meaning to you, your family, and your community.
Please bring one dozen cookies to sample and swap with the others who attend and a copy of the recipe, if you would like to share it. The recipes will be compiled and a web-based cookbook will be created. Well-behaved children accompanied by an adult are welcome. Coffee and tea will be served.
When: Sunday, January 13, 2008 at 2:00pm
Where: Private home (West Hollywood), address will be provided with receipt of donation
Cost: Adults: $5 for Slow Food members and $10 for nonmembers; children may attend free. This event is limited to twenty-five people. Please RSVP with number of guests to judibikel [at] aol [dot] com, and purchase your tickets via Brown Paper Tickets.
Paid reservations are not refundable.
We hope you'll join us for what promises to be a delightful--and delicious--afternoon. If you can’t attend the event but would like to share your story and recipe, please send it to judibikel [at] aol [dot] com.
This Saturday, Evan Kleiman's "Good Food" broadcast on KCRW will include Evan's conversation with Edward Espe Brown: chef, Zen practitioner, cookbook author, and the subject of the recently released documentary, How to Cook Your Life. Tune in to the conversation this Saturday (November 10) at 11:00am on KCRW (89.9 FM) or listen after the broadcast at your leisure via KCRW.com.
Tickets are still available for the screening of How to Cook Your Life on Friday, November 16, which will be followed by a Q&A with Edward Espe Brown at the Laemmle Sunset 5 theatre. (For more information about the screening, review our previous posts here and here.)
As previously announced, we invite you to join Slow Food LA for a special showing of the new film How to Cook Your Life followed by a question-and-answer session with Chef Edward Espe Brown:
When: Friday, November 16, 2007: Screening begins at 7:30pm, Q&A to follow.
Where: Laemmle Sunset 5 at 8000 Sunset Boulevard
Cost: $10.00 per person.
Advance tickets will be available for purchase through Slow Food LA. Seating will be limited.
Slow Food Los Angeles is pleased to inaugurate our relationship with Brown Paper Tickets and will be pre-selling tickets for the screening. Visit the Slow Food Los Angeles page on the Brown Paper Tickets site for information about how to reserve your seats. Slow Food Los Angeles ticketholders will be asked to check in outside the theatre to receive your admission ticket before the screening begins.
Edward Espe Brown has been practicing Zen since 1965 (and yoga since 1980), and has been head resident teacher at each of the San Francisco Zen Centers: Tassajara, Green Gulch, and City Center. He has led meditation retreats and cooking classes throughout the United States, as well as Austria, Germany, Spain, and England.
He is the author of several cookbooks including the groundbreaking Tassajara Bread Book, The Greens Cookbook (with Deborah Madison), the Tassajara Recipe Book, Tassajara Cooking and Tomato Blessings and Radish Teachings, and is the editor of Not Always So, a newly published book of lectures by Shunryu Suzuki Roshi.
For more information about How to Cook Your Life, please see our original save-the-date post. You may also wish to view the trailer on the movie's website.
You don't have to go to Kyoto for a real taste of authentic Japanese Zen Tea Ceremony culture. Zenshuji Soto Buddhist Temple, 123 S. Hewitt Street (1st and Hewitt Streets., Little Tokyo, Downtown Los Angeles) invites the public to attend its annual Chasen Kuyo, the offering of tea ceremony whisks (chasen).
Outside Japan, the Tea Ceremony is not often enjoyed in its original context, that of a Zen Buddhist Temple. Chasen Kuyo Chakai (tea ceremony gathering) combines a unique opportunity to enjoy bowls of matcha (finely powdered green tea of the highest grades) and hand-made tea sweets in two of the temple’s tea venues with a superbly prepared seasonal Kaiseki (meal for tea ceremony). Zenshuji is renown for exceptionally beautiful and delicious traditional “home cooked” Shojin Ryori (Zen Temple vegetarian cuisine). A solemn ritual to bid farewell to the used chasen (tea whisks) and talk about Zen and Chado (the “Way of Tea”) will be presented in the temple’s hondo (main sanctuary) with chanting of traditional Buddhist sutras.
When: Sunday, November 4, 2007 from 11:00am until 3:00pm
Where: Zenshuji Soto Mission, 123 S. Hewitt Street, Los Angeles
Cost: $40 per person Reservations are limited: No walk-ins are permitted on the day of the event.
Reservations: Payment in full by check should be made to Zenshuji Sado-bu and sent to 123 S. Hewitt Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012. For more information, call 213.624.8658.
Zenshuji’s Tea Ritual organization is headed by Hiromi Sosei Yamashita, sensei, a senior student of the Chado Urasenke Distinguished Tea Master and USA / NEA National Heritage Fellow Sosei Matsumoto sensei. Both will participate, as well as will some 100 members of several local chapters of Kyoto-based Japanese Tea Ceremony “Schools”. The Zenshuji Sado-bu (tea ceremony teaching organization) presented chanoyu demonstrations at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and has been active for over 30 years.
Chairs will be available. English language explanation will be provided by Slow Food Member Lauren Deutsch, a licensed instructor of Urasenke Chado.
SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY: Goma Dofu
Laboriously hand-made goma dofu (sesame tofu) is a specialty of the temple that is served at this event. For the first time, guests are invited to purchase (by advance paid in full reservation) a package of four (4) portions of this delicacy. There are only 50 packs available. To reserve yours, please add $10 to your event reservation. Funds benefit the temple tea program.
A Note About Chanoyu
The act of preparing and drinking a bowl of powdered green tea (Chanoyu) is one small and simple event in our lifetime of activities. Yet, through this simple action the host and guest attempt to share the experience of "becoming one in spirit." The result can be a very cleansing, purifying and enriching experience spiritually as well bringing satisfaction for all of the five senses. To appreciate and enjoy this type of activity, the guest must respond with sensitivity and open-mindedness. Guidance will be available for those unfamiliar with the ritual. Please do not wear any perfume.
A Note about Chasen Kuyo
Practitioners of chado treat utensils with deep respect shown through proper care, appropriate use and an appreciation for those who have made them. Some are utilized for many generations, each generation showing appreciation for which preceded by recalling and, thus contributing to the provenance of these items. Such is the case especially of utensils made of iron, ceramics, wood, lacquer ware.
In the case of the chasen, the tea whisk made of a single piece of bamboo split into 80 – 120 tines, longevity is not at issue. A new one is typically employed for each tea gathering and afterwards relegated for practice. A dilemma occurs when, after long hard use in bracing hot and cold water the tips the chasen begin to brake and the color changes. How can such a utensil – meticulously crafted and carefully used -- be discarded with trash into a garbage can? What becomes of the chasen when its utility diminishes mirrors a signature aspect of Japanese spiritual culture: the kuyo. In appreciation of the effort it took to make this object formed of natural materials and for its “loyal” utility over the course of time in service to the heart of chado, the whisk is offered at the altar of the temple and at a later date burned in a ceremonial fire of purification. Kuyo, thus, also becomes a moment of renewal and rededication for practitioners of Chado.
A Note About Chaji / Chakai
Chaji or Chakai is basically the simple act of eating and drinking required in daily living for all human beings. That basic activity is elevated into an act which requires highly sharpened artistic sensitivity. Then the Chaji or Chakai becomes a total aesthetic experience.
Kaiseki (Tea Ceremony meal) is served in a manner or style of the daily meals for Zen monks; outside the temple it is not always vegetarian. The difference is, however, that the Tea Ceremony Kaiseki is served so that the guest can experience the joy of good living; therefore, however simple the meal may be, an artistic atmosphere, the beauty in serving and taste are important. Of significance is the selection, preparation and presentation. The composition of the menu as well as the design and layout of the serving pieces on the tray, must reflect as meticulous consideration of the tea master as the preparation of a bowl of tea itself.
We hope you will enjoy this special event incorporating many significant elements of traditional Japanese culture.
Join Slow Food LA for a special showing of the new film How to Cook Your Life followed by a question-and-answer session with Chef Edward Espe Brown:
When: Friday, November 16, 2007: Evening screening; time to be announced.
Where: Laemmle Sunset 5 at 8000 Sunset Boulevard
Move over "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance"! Here comes Zen and the art of a good meal. This life-affirming film by Doris Dörrie features bestselling food author, cook, and charismatic Zen master Edward Espe Brown. His mixture of culinary arts and Buddhist philosophy work to nourish both body and soul and remind us that eating well is an essential part of living well.
Brown is the author of The Tassajara Bread Book and Tomato Blessings and Radish Teachings and co-author, with Deborah Madison, of The Greens Cookbook. How to Cook Your Life teaches us to be attentive in our daily lives with the most ordinary tasks and to open our eyes to one of the most beautiful professions in the world: cooking.
After the showing of the film, Edward Espe Brown will provide entertaining commentary on the making of the film and will take questions from Slow Food members and friends.
Screening time and ticket purchase information will be announced shortly. In the meantime, view the trailer on the How to Cook Your Life website, mark your calendar, and plan to join us for what promises to be a lively and inspirational evening.
Slow Food Los Angeles is pleased to invite all the members to an End-of-The-Summer/Actually Beginning-of-Autumn Beach BBQ at Sycamore Cove State Beach. Bring the whole family, your favorite beach foods, and a thick blanket. Meet your fellow convivium members at leisure for one last summer beach party before we all head indoors for the frigid southern California winter!
Starting at dawn, Slow Food Los Angeles will prepare the fire pits with red hot hardwood coals at this charming jewel of southern California beaches. Be prepared to do almost nothing (except eat and drink) as we lounge away a beautiful October afternoon. You can cook your own, but we’re also pleased to share with our members delicious bison burgers from Lindner Bison, a local purveyor of grass-fed bison.
When: Sunday, October 14, 2007 from 10:00am until sunset
Where: Sycamore Cove State Beach at Point Mugu State Park
Cost: Free! But bring your own everything: We’ll make the fire! Parking is available for $10.00 per vehicle, or walk or bike (see suggestions below).
RSVP: Email Jordan Vannini at jordan_vannini [at] hotmail [dot] com: We need a burger count!
About Bison:
Recently inducted into the Slow Food Ark of Taste, the North American Buffalo is a true California native. Many are surprised to learn that these magnificent animals once roamed the prairies and mountains of the Golden State. Kathy and Ken Lindner raise grass-fed bison in Northern California, embracing humane animal husbandry, sustainable agriculture, and earth-friendly practices. (Visit the Lindner Bison website to learn more.)
Grass-fed bison is rich in protein, low in fat, and full of Omega-3s, beta-carotene, and CLAs. Kathy and Ken can be found selling this highly nutritious and flavorful food at a variety of Southern California Certified Farmers Markets including the Hollywood and Santa Monica markets.
Directions: Driving approximately 15 miles North of Kanan Road on Pacific Coast Highway you will see the sign for Sycamore Cove on your left. There is parking, restroom facilities, tables, shade trees, beautiful sand and sea. Come early! The good spots go fast!
Feeling Fit? Slow Food member Angie Mason is organizing a bike tour to the BBQ the day before (October 13). She plans to take a gentle pace along PCH stopping to eat local seafood before setting up a tent at a Sycamore Cove/Point Mugu hiker biker campsite (no reservations required). The campsite is fully equipped with showers, bathrooms, and fire pits; a tent, sleeping bag and thermarest are recommended. Angie will depart from mid-city Los Angeles around 7:30am for the 50-mile ride. Participants should make arrangements for return transportation after the event. For more information contact Angie directly at 323.938.0119.
For general information, visit the Point Mugu State Park website or call their general information line at 818.880.0350. The gate to the park is locked from 10:00pm until 7:00am.
The Brass Cap Restaurant is hosting author (and Slow Food Los Angeles member) Amelia Saltsman for a signing of her cookbook, The Santa Monica Farmers' Market Cookbook: Seasonal Foods, Simple Recipes, and Stories from the Market and Farm. The book signing will be followed by a seasonal farmers’ market dinner with recipes from Amelia’s book prepared by Brass Cap’s Executive Chef Ricky Moreno.
When: Monday, October 1, 2007 at 6:30pm
Where: The Brass Cap, 100 W. Channel Rd., Santa Monica
Cost: $98.00 per person
The evening includes hors d’oeuvres, Brass Cap cocktail, a copy of the book, and a four-course dinner with wine. Some menu highlights: Heirloom Tomato, Cucumber and Bread Salad; Farmers’ Market Risotto; and Pork Stew with Seasonal Beans and Greens.
A longtime advocate of Slow Food, organic produce, local farmers and farmers markets, Amelia Saltsman’s recipes reflect her love and admiration for the people who grow our food--the farmers--and several farmers whose produce will be showcased on the menu will be in attendance.
To reserve your place, please contact the Brass Cap directly at 310.454.4544.
Yogurt isn't the only cultured dairy product! Kefir, a traditional fermented beverage made from milk, dates back many centuries. It has its origins in the Caucasus Mountains, from shepherds who stored mare's milk in leather pouches, where it turned into a fizzy, fermented drink. The name comes from a Turkish word, "keif," which means "good feeling," and with the numerous strains of beneficial, gut-friendly bacteria, it will definitely give a lift to your health! And, like yogurt, kefir is low in lactose, making it easily digestible--even for those sometimes challenged by dairy products.
Local Slow Food member Steven Fineberg--himself lactose-intolerant--makes his kefir with fresh, raw goat's milk, but any milk will do. He invites you to learn how to make this fresh, delicious, nourishing beverage, as well as foods incorporating kefir as a main ingredient. Class members will taste kefir, as well as learn how to make yummy smoothies, kefir cheese, kefir "cream soda" (yes, there really is a healthy soft drink!), kefir ice cream, and even banana bread using kefir to soak the flour before mixing. Bring a clean, glass jar with a lid to take home your own healthy kefir grains.
When: Sunday, September 30, 2007 from 2:00pm-3:30pm
Where: This event will take place in a private home in West Hollywood. Location provided upon receipt of payment.
Cost: Adults $17
Please RSVP with number of guests to judibikel [at] aol [dot] com. Make checks payable to Slow Food Los Angeles and send them to:
Slow Food Los AngelesWell-behaved children accompanied by an adult are welcome. Each child requires an adult companion. The class is limited to eight adults.
8033 Sunset Blvd., #395
Los Angeles, CA 90046
Our friends at the Hollywood Farmers’ Market have alerted us that they will host their annual Peak of Summer Tomato Festival on Sunday, September 2, 2007 during the normal market hours (8:00am-1:00pm). This annual event celebrates the incredible bounty of tomatoes available during the summer season at the market. It is free and open to the public.
The quintessential summertime fruit (or vegetable depending on your school of thought) in the market is the tomato. Available in a rainbow of colors far beyond the stereotypical red, the 30-plus varieties of tomatoes color the market with their pink, orange, yellow, green, purple, and even black and white hues. Each summer, the market’s farmers grow old favorites and new varieties of tomatoes, each with their own unique flavor and texture. In 2007, customers can expect to see varieties including Cherokee, Jubilee, Evergreen, Early Girls, Better Boy, Gold Medal, Persimmon, Black Krim, Great White, White Beauty, Marianna’s Peace, Earl of Edgecombe, Pineapple, and Green Zebra.
As an educational opportunity for Hollywood Farmers' Market customers, free samples of each of the tomato varieties will be available for sampling from 9:00am until noon. Food justice activist Bryant Terry will prepare a tomato-based recipe from 9:00am until 11:00am, and will sign copies of Grub: Ideas for an Urban Organic Kitchen
From 11:00am until 1:00pm, Chris Tunnell, Executive Chef of Ketchup, will present a cooking demonstration. Recipes and information on the art of preserving and canning tomatoes will also be readily available.
The Hollywood Farmers’ Market is located on Ivar and Selma Avenues between Hollywood and Sunset Boulevards every Sunday from 8:00am until 1:00pm. Limited free parking is available at 1623 N. Vine Street in the Doolittle Theatre parking lot. Parking is also available at the Arclight/Cinerama Dome parking structure at Sunset & Ivar (first hour is free with market validation).
The Market is operated by Sustainable Economic Enterprises of Los Angeles (SEE-LA) as a nonprofit community activity.
For more information on heirloom tomatoes, including what makes an heirloom an heirloom, you might also enjoy this article on the San Francisco Gate.
Nancy Yingst of Yingst Ranch in Littlerock will provide a tour of her peach, pear, plum, and apple orchards for Slow Food members. She is not certified organic but does not use sprays or chemicals. Following the tour we will be provided with buckets and carts to go into the orchards and pick peaches, apples, and pears.
Following the tour we'll enjoy a group lunch at Valley Hungarian Sausage and Meat. Though sausage will not be made during our visit, owner Maria Watson will prepare a sampling of the many sausages they produce on the premises. She will also serve a Hungarian lunch on the patio (shaded but not air-conditioned), including stuffed cabbage, sausages, pickles and bread followed by walnut or poppyseed kalacs for dessert.
When: Sunday, September 9, 2007, beginning at 10:00am
Where: Meeting at Yingst Ranch, Littlerock, California. Address will be provided when your reservation is confirmed.
Cost: $24.00 per person. Each child under 12 years of age must be accompanied by an adult. Cost includes tour and lunch (nonalcoholic drinks and gratuity included). Participants may pick and purchase fruit at the Ranch for 90 cents per pound. Please bring cash, as well as bags or boxes to take home your fruit.
To reserve your place:
FIRST: Email your reservation request to snailwrangler [at] slowfoodla [dot] com with the number in your party (adults and children) and the name of the Slow Food convivium to which you belong.
THEN: Send your check, payable to Slow Food Los Angeles to:Slow Food Los Angeles
8033 Sunset Blvd #395
Los Angeles, CA 90046Please include with your check the name under which your reservation was placed. Your reservations will be confirmed by email when your check has been received. Checks must be received by August 30th to hold a reservation. Checks will be accepted only with a prior email, and confirmed reservations are nonrefundable.
++ Maximum of four people per reservation.
++ Please carpool if possible.
++ The event will last approximately 3.5 to 4 hours; there are restroom facilities at the Valley Hungarian.
++ Littlerock is a desert town off the Pearblossom Highway near Lancaster/Palmdale. It will be hot so bring bottled water, hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, and clothes and walking/hiking shoes that are suitable for farm/hilly terrain. Be prepared to get fruice juice all over your shirt.
++ This area is also a center for many types of honey. You can purchase eucalyptus, avacado, and many other varieties at Yingst and other stores in the area. Bring your own honey container to fill up.
++ Grab a date shake at Charlie Brown Farms, located between the orchard and our lunch destination.
++ After lunch, fresh and or frozen sausages, cheese, pirogi, sauerkraut and all kinds of authentic Hungarian fare will be available for purchase.
We hope you can join us!
You're invited to attend a discussion of "Making the Most of the Farmers' Market: How to Select, Prepare, and Preserve California's Bounty" this week in Santa Monica:
When: Thursday, August 16, 2007 from 7:00pm-9:00pm
Where: The MLK Auditorium of Santa Monica's main public library (601 Santa Monica Boulevard, in Santa Monica)
Cost: Free. Seating is on a first-come basis; no reservations are accepted.
The event will be a discussion with Nicholas Peter, chef/owner of The Little Door and The Little Next Door; Amelia Saltsman, cooking show host, food writer, and author of The Santa Monica Farmers Market Cookbook; and Peter Schaner, farmer and market participant from Valley Center. The discussion will be moderated by Amy Scattergood, Los Angeles Times staff writer.
Attendees are invited to stay after the program for farm fresh food provided by Nicholas Peter. For more information, please contact the Santa Monica Public Library directly at 310.458.8600.
Please join Slow Food Los Angeles at a special preview dinner of Modern Spirits Artisan Vodkas and Chef Larry Nicola's cooking at Nic's Beverly Hills. In September, the two will join culinary forces to present an evening of handcrafted food and vodka at the James Beard House in New York.
Although wine and food pairings have been the theme of many dinner events, newspaper and magazine articles, and seminars, pairing spirits with food is still quite new in the U.S. Slow Food Los Angeles members and friends will get a chance to learn the basic in an ideal context--an exceptional menu created with artisanal vodka in mind. In addition, a portion of the evening's proceeds will benefit Slow Food Los Angeles.
When: Monday, July 23, 2007 beginning at 7:00pm
Where: Nic's Beverly Hills, 453 North Canon, Beverly Hills
Cost: $90.00 per person; $80.00 per person for designated drivers
To reserve your place: Please call Nic's directly at 310.550.5707. A credit card may be required to hold the reservation.
True love started Los Angeles-based Modern Spirits, maker of one of the finest lines of artisan vodkas available in the United States. Husband-and-wife team Melkon Khosrovian and Litty Mathew founded the company in 2004 after friends and family began asking to buy the subtle, complex vodkas Melkon had created for his then-fiancée (who hated vodka) to sip at family meals.
Modern Spirits uses only natural ingredients and small-batch production techniques to handcraft its vodka. Today, the company's portfolio of spirits can be found in a growing number of fine restaurants and gourmet stores nationwide.
Chef and Co Owner of Nic's Beverly Hills, Larry Nicola, began his career in 1976 as wholesale produce and fine food purveyor, traveling the world and experiencing the distinct flavors of the 26 countries he's visited. Those flavors inspired Larry to create a unique menu at Nic's that successfully blends American and international cuisine to produce memorable dishes.
Menu Created by Larry Nicola
Hors d'oeuvres
+ Vodka cured Scottish salmon on pumpernickel raisin crostini with caper dill aioli
+ Cumin crusted black pheasant in Shiso leaf
+ Chickpea fritter with Maytag blue and microgreens
Paired with Grapefruit Honey Vodka mini martinis: Monrovia (grapefruit, lychee martini with basil) or Amrosia Amuse Bouche (cantaloupe balls and sparkling wine)Verrine of tuna belly, guajillo chilies, grapefruit and mizuna
Paired with Candied Ginger VodkaOrganic gazpacho martini with peekytoe crab and dry lemongrass soda
Paired with Celery Peppercorn VodkaDandelion greens with burrata, pistachio, Asian pears and oranges with apricot vinaigrette
Paired with Pear Lavender VodkaT-Bone of organic lamb au poivre with whipped Gorgonzola
Paired with Black Truffle VodkaWhite chocolate semifreddo with blueberries and cassis glaze
Paired with tea and dark chocolate martini (Three-Tea Vodka)
This is a spectacular year for local stone fruit. Join other Slow Food members to celebrate the short Blenheim apricot season by making a pie with a buttery, flakey crust.
Sustainable, dry-farmed, pesticide-free apricots from the Santa Monica Farmer's Market will be used. Blenheim apricots are included within Slow Food's Ark of Taste which celebrates superior "gastronomic products that are threatened by industrial standardization, hygiene laws, the regulations of large-scale distribution and environmental damage." Read more about the Ark of Taste and about Blenheim apricots.
The class will include preparation of pie crust, rolling out the dough, creating the apricot filling, and assembling a finished pie to bake at home. Judi Bikel, home baker, will lead the class.
When: Saturday, July 14, 2006, from 12:00 noon until 3:30pm
Where: This event will take place in a private home in West Hollywood. Location provided upon receipt of payment.
Cost: $25 per person
Slow Food members will be given priority. Well-behaved children accompanied by an adult are welcome. Each child requires an adult companion. The class is limited to eight participants. Please bring a rolling pin and a 9-inch (regular size, not deep dish) glass pie plate, such as Pyrex, to the class.
A late lunch of Mediterranean salads (vegetarian) will be served. Iced tea, iced coffee, and sparkling water will be served. You are welcome to bring soft drinks, beer, or wine to drink with your lunch.
Please RSVP with number of guests to judibikel [at] aol [dot] com. Make checks payable to Slow Food Los Angeles and send them to:
Slow Food Los AngelesPaid reservations are not refundable.
8033 Sunset Blvd #395
Los Angeles, CA 90046.
Update: July 21, 2007: Screenings have been confirmed at the Laemmle Music Hall theatre; more information has now been posted.
Update: July 5, 2007: Los Angeles-area screenings have been rescheduled or cancelled: We're not sure which, but have requested additional information from the film's distributor.
In addition to the Ojai screenings, Q&A, and dinner in connection with The Real Dirt on Farmer John, Michael Sieverts, a friend of Slow Food and reader of our site, alerted us to several additional screenings in the Los Angeles area, if you can't make it to Ojai. All the screenings will be on July 6th, at a variety of locations: Santa Monica, Los Angeles, West Hills, Pasadena, and Irvine. Theatre information can be found on the Farmer John website.
The New York Times ran a review of the film, and also prominently featured Farmer John in an article by Dana Bowen entitled "Old MacDonald Now Has a Book Contract." Read the complete article on the Times' website.
We're pleased to announce the second in our series of Chef-Farmer dinners, a mushroom dinner at PACE. This one could be subtitled "Holy Smokes, the Porcinis are Poppin'!"
Join us as Sandy Gendel of PACE, David West of Clearwater Farms, and James Birch of Flora Bella Farm team up for an unforgettable evening of mushroom madness! We will be savoring nature's wild bounty in a five-course dinner featuring the season's finest fresh produce and a delightful mixture of nature's enigmatic cornucopia.
When: Wednesday, June 13, 2007 beginning at 7:00pm
Where: PACE, 2100 Laurel Canyon Boulevard, Los Angeles 90046
Cost: $60.00 per person for Slow Food members; $70.00 per person for nonmembers. Price includes dinner, tax, and tip, but does not include wine or other beverages.
If you wish to attend,
First email your reservation request to jordan_vannini [at] hotmail [dot] com. Please note the number in your party and your Slow Food member status.
Then, to confirm your reservation, please send a check for the total due, payable to PACE, to:
Chef-Farmer SeriesYour check must be received before your reservation can be confirmed.
P.O Box 91536
Pasadena, CA 91109
The first of our Chef-Farmer dinners filled quickly, so please email your reservation request soon to ensure your place at the table.
The Santa Monica Farmers' Market will present "The Fundamentals of Green: How Chefs, Restaurants, and Farmers Promote and Sustain Environmental Responsibility." Market supervisor Laura Avery will moderate the discussion. The panelists are Chris Blobaum, Chef/Partner Wilshire Restaurant, Santa Monica; Chris Cadwell, Certified Organic Farmer, Tutti Frutti Farm, Lompac; and Edgar Jaime, Sustainable Farmer, Jaime Farms, City of Industry.
When: Thursday, May 10, 2007 from 7:00pm to 9:00pm
Where: The Santa Monica Public Library, 601 Santa Monica Boulevard, Santa Monica
Cost: Free of charge; reservations not required.
Farm fresh food, provided by Chef Blobaum, will be served after the discussion.
Bill Lewis, an experienced beekeeper and long-time participant in the South Pasadena and Santa Monica farmers' markets, has generously agreed to host a private tour of his bee-keeping and small-scale honey production operation and to share his vast knowledge of bees and honey with Slow Food LA members.
Bill's Bee Ranch is a rural oasis, located high above the city. The site has active bee hives and there is an ambient bee population. The morning event will include a tour of his honey-making facility, an opportunity to learn about the production and uses of honey, close inspection of hives and bee colonies and a comparative honey tasting. Bill's honey and bee products will be available for sale. Adult attendees will receive a complimentary copy of the book Robbing the Bees: A Biography of Honey--The Sweet Liquid Gold that Seduced the World by Holley Bishop.
When: Sunday, May 20, 2007 at 10:00am
Where: The Bee Ranch, located in the Angeles National Forest above Lake View Terrace. Directions will be provided with confirmation of reservation.
Cost: $22.00 per person for adults; $15 per child under 12 years of age
Attire/Precautions: While the prospect of a bee sting is unlikely, those who are concerned about, sensitive to or allergic to honey, bee stings, and/or insect bites should not attend this event. Late spring brings rattlesnakes out for sun in the California hillsides. Wear pale-colored, full-length clothing and socks and walking/hiking shoes suitable for unpaved, farm/hilly terrain ( = no shorts, capris, skirts, sandals or bright-colored clothing). Please refrain from using perfume or floral-scented lotion, sunscreen, soap or shampoo.
Maximum of four people per reservation. Please carpool if possible. Each child under 12 years of age must be accompanied by an adult. The event will last approximately 1.5-2 hours; there are no restroom facilities on site.
To reserve your place: FIRST: email your reservation request to snailwrangler [at] slowfoodla [dot] com with the number in your party (adults + children) and the name of the Slow Food convivium to which you belong. THEN: Send your check, payable to Slow Food Los Angeles to:
Slow Food Los Angeles
8033 Sunset Blvd #395
Los Angeles, CA 90046.
Please include with your check the name under which your reservation was placed. Your reservations will be confirmed by email when your check has been received. Checks must be received by May 11th to hold a reservation.
And for more news on the decline of bee populations, see the article in yesterday's Los Angeles Times.
Cube will reprise their one-of-a-kind culinary benefit, the Maker Nights, for Slow Food in Schools on Thursday and Friday, May 3rd and 4th. Cube's dining room will once again set the stage for this educational and delicious culinary adventure as three of America's top artisan food producers and an heirloom farmer converge for two evenings of innovative menus and engaging discussion.
The Maker Nights, which benefit the Cube Foundation in support of the Slow Food in Schools Program, were inaugurated in November 2006 as a celebration of artisanal food products, and a viable demonstration of support for small-batch food producers and farmers.
Two cheese makers, a salumi maker, and an heirloom farmer will be on hand to discuss their various company philosophies and their one-of-a-kind products:
When: Thursday, May 3, and Friday, May 4, 2007, beginning at 7:30pm
Where: Cube, 615 North La Brea Avenue, Los Angeles 90036.
Cost: $75 per person. 100% of the ticket price will benefit the Slow Food in Schools program.
For reservations: Telephone Cube at 323.939.1148.
A five-course menu will showcase each maker’s products in dishes that utilize choice seasonal ingredients. Note that Cube is a corkage-free environment. Attendees of the Maker Nights are encouraged to bring their own wine.
Confirmed Maker Nights attendees include: Armandino Batali, owner and head salumi maker at Seattle's Salumi Artisan Cured Meats; Alex Weiser, owner of California's Weiser Family Farm; Jeremy and Jessica Little, goat and cow's milk cheese makers and co-owners of Georgia's Sweet Grass Dairy, and Mandy Pedrozo, cow's milk cheese maker and co-owner of California’s Pedrozo Farm. Cecily Upton, National Program Coordinator for Slow Food in Schools will participate in the dialogue both evenings.
Menu:
Italian Prosecco
Maker’s Flight featuring Salumi Cured Meats, Sweet Grass Dairy & Pedrozo Dairy Artisan CheesesPedrozo Dairy Northern Gold & Weiser Farm Heirloom Carrot Soup with Chive Oil & Crostini
Braised Fennel, Radicchio & Endive Ravioli with Mascarpone. Served with Salumi Guanciale, Burnt Butter, Sage & Red Cow Parmesan.
Braised Duck with Plum & Port, Sweet Grass Dairy Lumiere & Champagne Risotto
Trio of Desserts: Mini Weiser Farm Heirloom Carrot Cake, Butterscotch Pots de Creme, Dark Chocolate Almond Tart
The Culinary Historians of Southern California (CHSC) have reminded us of the following events that are coming up and open to Slow Food members and friends:
Saturday, April 14, 2007, 10:30am
"The 2006 Oxford Symposium topic, 'Eggs'" with Charles Perry and Dan Strehl
Saturday, May 12, 2007, 10:30am
"Liquid Jade: The Story of Tea from East to West" with Beatrice Hohenegger
Saturday, June 9, 2007, 10:30am
"The Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink" with Andy Smith
All three events are free and will be at the Los Angeles Public Library (Central Library). To register, please visit the Central Library's Saturday seminar page. You may also request additional information or register by phone by calling 213.228.7210.
Update March 24, 2007: We've just received word that this event is now sold out.
Evan Kleiman, host of KCRW's "Good Food" and chef and owner of Angeli Caffe, will emcee the 25th Anniversary Santa Monica Farmers' Market Gala Dinner and Fundraiser that will recognize market manager Laura Avery's contributions and celebrate the Market's role in setting the standard for farmers' markets across the country.
When: Sunday, April 15, 2007 beginning at 6:00pm
Where: Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel, 1700 Ocean Avenue, Santa Monica
Cost: $100.00 per person (100% tax deductible)
Tickets must be purchased in advance by telephoning 310.455.0181. The reception and dinner are open to the public and tickets are selling quickly, and no tickets will be available for purchase at the event.
Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit the Southland Farmers’ Market Association. The Southland Farmers’ Market Association is a 501(c)6 organization that supports small growers who participate in California certified farmers' markets.
Participating chefs include Sherry Yard, Neal Fraser, Gregg Wangard, Michael Cimarusti, Paul Shoemaker, Rich Mead, Michael McCarty, Dave Rubell, Mark Peel, Josie Le Balch, Alain Giraud, David Lefevre, Josh Loeb, Joe Miller, Joanna Moore, Chris Blobaum, Josiah Citrin, Anthony Jacquet, Chris Kidder, Suzanne Goin, and Sandy Gendel. The benefit will also feature California farmers whose hard work and dedication to the art of farming are on vibrant display at the market every week.
Guests will have the opportunity to meet the chefs who will step outside of the kitchen to join with the farmers to personally greet guests. A silent auction and raffle will also give guests the opportunity to bid on as well as win special prizes.
Aldra Robinson, a member of Slow Food, was among those who attended the first in our Chef-Farmer series of dinners on January 31 at Mélisse in Santa Monica. Read her impressions of Slow Food, of the event, and of the contributions made by Phil McGrath and Chef Josiah Citrin at getunderground.com.
As soon as the details for the next Chef-Farmer event have been confirmed we'll share them here. In the meantime, many thanks to Aldra for sharing her thoughts and for sharing the link to their online home.
Slow Food Los Angeles & Mama's Hot Tamale CaféTM are pleased to invite you to attend A Spring Tamalada.
Join us as we welcome the arrival of spring in Los Angeles with a spring Tamalada at Mama’s Hot Tamale Café. We will gather to experience a fun-filled and convivial evening of tamale-making, cooking, and eating under the expert supervision of some of the finest local purveyors of this extraordinary food.
The humble tamale is one of the world's most ancient foods, dating back over 5,000 years to the pre-Columbian era. In many ways basically unchanged from it ancestral origins, this amazingly versatile food nevertheless assumes a dazzling array of shapes, sizes, and flavors. Found in indigenous and Hispanic cultures in all of the Americas, there is no better way to explore the mystery of this enduring staple of human civilization than to make them yourself! You can’t go wrong when you're in the hands of the pros!
When: Friday, March 30, 2007 from 6:00pm-9:00pm>
Where: Mama's Hot Tamale Café, 2122 West 7th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90057
Price: $50.00 for Slow Food Members; $60.00 for nonmembers. Price includes tamale-making workshop, dinner, tax, and tip. You will be provided containers to bring your tamales home with you.
Reservations: Two steps:
First, to RESERVE, send an e-mail to jordan_vannini [at] hotmail [dot] com with your name, contact information, and the number in your party.Then, to CONFIRM, make your check payable to “Mama’s Hot Tamale Café” and mail it to Tamalada, P.O. Box 91536, Pasadena, CA 91109.
Confirmations are on a first-come, first-paid basis.
About Mama's Hot Tamales:
Mama's Hot Tamale CaféTM is an apprentice-operated business and job training restaurant that provides hands-on and classroom instruction designed to train low-and-moderate-income vendors in the disciplines necessary to begin a career path toward success in the culinary world.
Participants acquire the knowledge, abilities, and skills to pursue opportunities in the food service and hospitality industry as bakers, cooks, caterers, hosts, restaurant owners or managers, waiters/waitresses, or permitted sidewalk vendors. Featuring authentic presentations of regional dishes from throughout the Americas, this unique dining experience engages patrons as valuable participants in the education training process of our future culinary professionals.
For more information on Mama's Hot Tamales, visit their web site. For information on Sidewalk Vending, visit the web information page.
We hope you'll join us.
Tomatomania!TM, the country's largest tomato seedling sale, will be celebrating its 17th year with several events in southern California.
The team at Tomatomania has just posted their 2007 schedule and related information on the Tomatomania web site. As in years past, the Tapia Brothers Farm Stand will be the site of the kick-off, and new locations have been added:
March 23-25, 2007: Encino, Tapia Brothers Farm StandTomatomania is again offering online seedlings when the crop is ready, so even those who can't attend one of the weekend events can indulge in Tomatomania!
March 30–April 1, 2007: San Diego (Encinitas), Quail Botanic Garden
April 14-15, 2007: Sonoma (new location), Cornerstone Gardens
April 21-22, 2007: Beverly Hills, Party On LaCienega
April 26–29, 2007: Costa Mesa , SoCal Flower & Garden Show
May 5–6, 2007: Arcadia, LA Flower Show
May 18–20, 2007: Litchfield, Connecticut, White Flower Farm
Also note:
Scott Daigre will be presenting "How to Grow Tomatoes Successfully in Southern California" on Saturday, March 10, at CSU Northridge as part of its Gardening Series (sponsored by the Botanic Garden at CSU-Northridge). The event is free but registration is required and seating is limited.
Two classes will be offered, one at 9:00am and another at 11:00am. Each class runs approximately 90 minutes.
For more information or to register, email botanicgarden [at] csun [dot] edu or call 818.677.3496.
Our friends at Sustainable Los Angeles invite Slow Food members and friends to join them at a two-part lecture and presentation on permaculture and "real milk":
When: Saturday, March 3, 2007 at 10:00am (Introduction to Permaculture lecture) and 2:00pm ("Got Real Milk?" presentation)
Where: Audubon Center at Deb's Park, 4700 North Griffin Avenue, Los Angeles 90031.
Cost: Free, but reservations required. Reserve via the Sustainable Habitats web site.
"Got Real Milk?" is a presentation by Mark McAfee, president of Organic Pastures, LLC and a third-generation Freno dairyman. Today's milk is accused of causing everything from allergies to heart disease to cancer. Many advocate a return to humane, non-toxic, pasture-based dairying and small-scale traditional processing, in short: A Campaign for Real Milk. Mark McAfee is highly regarded as an expert in raw milk safety and raw dairy product markets and technology.
For addition information regarding Sustainable Habitats or one or both lectures, please email info [at] sustainablehabitats [dot] org.
Slow Food Ojai/Ventura and Slow Food Los Angeles invite you to join us for a special chef/farmer lunch and orchard tour in Ojai on Sunday, February 25.
This is a rare opportunity to learn first-hand from growers and food professionals how local crops were affected by recent weather, and growers’ plans for recovery.
Highlights of this event will include:
++ A report from local farmers and chefs who attended the Terra Madre Conference in Turin, Italy last October;
++ A special seasonal citrus-themed menu created by Ojai caterer Jeri Oshima, one of Slow Food Ojai’s representatives at the conference;
++ An update on the status of Ojai's citrus and avocado crops after our devastating freeze and windstorm; and
++ A tour of current conditions at Churchill Orchards, a local citrus and avocado orchard.
When: Sunday, February 25, 2007, beginning at 12:30pm
Where: Lunch and presentations will be at Azu Restaurant in downtown Ojai, at 457 East Ojai Avenue. The farm tour will start around 2:00pm at Jim Churchill and Lisa Brenneis’ orchard in Ojai’s East End. (Maps will be provided at the restaurant).
Cost: $35.00 per person (includes tax and tip). Wine, beer, or other alcoholic beverages are extra.
To reserve: Email your reservation request to snailwrangler [at] slowfoodla [dot] com, including the total number in your party. To confirm your reservation, please send your check, payable to Slow Food Ojai, to
Slow Food Ojai
10465 Ojai Santa Paula Road
Ojai, California 93023.
We must receive payment via check no later than February 16, and your check must be received before your reservation can be confirmed. Confirmed reservations are not refundable.
The Terra Madre Conference was launched as a companion project Slow Food’s Salone del Gusto convention two years ago. Ojai pixie tangerine growers and sustainable agriculture advocates Jim Churchill and Lisa Brenneis represented Ojai at the inaugural gathering in 2004. Many of you may shop at their booth at the Hollywood Farmers' Market or may have seen recent Los Angeles Times articles on the citrus freeze, featuring Jim.
We'll get a full report on the 2006 conference from delegates with a variety of fresh perspectives:
++ Jeri Oshima, whose Four Worlds Catering focuses its efforts on dishes made from the bounty of local farmers;
++ Larry Yee, director of Ventura's UC Cooperative Extension office, where he manages the planning and coordination of sustainable agriculture research and education, youth education, and agricultural/food policy;
++ Legendary organic farmer B.D. Dautch of Ojai's acclaimed Earthtrine farm, which produces over 100 different varieties of produce winter, spring, summer and fall - an anchor stand at the Sunday Ojai Farmers' Market; and
++ Camarillo farmer Phil McGrath, whose attendance at Terra Madre was sponsored by Slow Food Los Angeles. Phil is a fourth-generation farmer who sells his wide mix of organic vegetables and strawberries at local farmers' markets and to local restaurants from Santa Barbara to Hollywood.
The focus of the 2006 Terra Madre conference was on strengthening local food communities by building bridges between farmers and other producers with chefs and other end-users, fostering a greater respect among members of the agriculture world in the importance of maintaining a healthy environment, and finding new outlets for small-scale producers who face crushing competition from industrial producers.
We recommend wearing comfortable footwear suitable for touring the orchard and fields at Churchill.
For more information about Ojai Pixie Tangerines and the growers who bring them to market, visit their site.
Please join us at a recipe exchange and cookie swap. Slow Food members and friends are invited to share the history and origin of their favorite cookie or pastry recipe and discuss its meaning to you, your family, and your community. Please bring one dozen cookies to sample and swap with the others who attend and a copy of the recipe, if you would like to share it. The recipes will be compiled and a web-based cookbook will be created. Well-behaved children accompanied by an adult are welcome.
If you can’t attend the event but would like to share your story and recipe please send it to judibikel [at] aol [dot] com.
Coffee and tea will be served.
When: Sunday, February 18, 2006 at 2:00pm
Where: Private home (West Hollywood), address will be provided with receipt of donation
Cost: Adults: $5 for Slow Food members and $10 for nonmembers; children may attend free. This event is limited to twenty people.
Please RSVP with number of guests to judibikel [at] aol [dot] com. Make checks payable to Slow Food Los Angeles and send them to:
Slow Food Los Angeles
8033 Sunset Blvd #395
Los Angeles, CA 90046
Paid reservations are not refundable.
We hope you'll join us for what promises to be a delightful--and delicious--afternoon.
Join us for the first event in our 2007 Chef-Farmer Series as farmer Phil McGrath of McGrath Family Farms teams up with Chef Josiah Citrin of Mélisse in Santa Monica for an extraordinary evening dedicated to the spirit of Terra Madre.
While we enjoy the bounty of McGrath’s winter harvest prepared by the hand of a true master of the finest culinary traditions, Phil will share his phenomenal experience as a Delegate to the 2006 Terra Madre in Turin, co-sponsored by the Ojai and Los Angeles convivia.
For those who are familiar with the work of Chef Josiah Citrin, there can be no doubt the evening’s fare will be prepared in a manner that both embraces and honors the deep commitment Josiah has always held for those who toil to grow and bring to market the finest produce of our region. We are honored that Josiah and Phil have agreed to participate in the first dinner of Slow Food Los Angeles’ 2007 Chef-Farmer Series.
Where: Mélisse, 1104 Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica 90401
When: Wednesday, January 31, 2007 at 6:00pm
Cost: $60.00 per person for Slow Food members; $70 per person for nonmembers. Price includes dinner, tax, and tip, but does not include wine or other beverages.
For Reservations: Email Jordan Vannini at jordan_vannini [at] hotmail [dot] com.
Confirmation: Make your check payable to Mélisse and mail it to:
Chef-Farmer SeriesYour check must be received before your reservation can be confirmed.
P.O Box 91536
Pasadena, CA 91109
For more information: visit the site for Terra Madre 2006, and read recent articles about McGrath Family Farms at: the Los Angeles Times website; the California Heartland website; Whole Life Times.
About Mélisse: Located in Santa Monica, Mélisse combines the sophistication of traditional French cuisine with contemporary American sensibilities, resulting in a truly extraordinary experience. The menus reflect seasonal and specialty items, carefully selected and intricately prepared by Chef Josiah Citrin and his experienced kitchen staff. Mélisse has been a Mobil Travel Guide 4-star recipient four years running, and Zagat has rated Mélisse the #1 American-French Restaurant in Los Angeles.
Buon Gusto and Bon Appétit!
A message from Jordan Vannini, president of the Los Angeles convivium:
We can change the world by what we eat!Slow Food Los Angeles is seeking your nominations for your favorite Slow Food restaurants in the Los Angeles area. In 2007 we will be hosting a series of Chef-Farmer dinners in a variety of locales and we are seeking your participation in the preliminary selection process.
All nominees will be selected on the basis of their Slow Food credentials. First and foremost should be a sustained commitment in their support of local farmers who engage in sustainable agricultural practices including organic farming, the production of heritage varieties of food, and the preservation of ethnic and cultural practices. At the end of every plate of food in the finest restaurants in this city are hardworking farmers and the communities that support them. This is our opportunity to show them the appreciation we have of their labor of love.
Please send your nominations to snailwrangler@slowfoodla.com. We appreciate your involvement and welcome all comments and suggestions.
Jordan Vannini
President
Slow Food Los Angeles
Fox Searchlight Pictures has extended an invitation to Slow Food members and friends to attend a special advance screening of Fast Food Nation.
When: This Wednesday, November 15, 2006, at 7:30pm
Where: Arclight Hollywood, 6360 W. Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles
Cost: Free, with reservation (and see details and conditions below)
To RSVP for this screening, please visit the Fast Food Nation web site and click on "Attend A Free Screening." Note that even with your response, seating is first-come, first-served, limited and not guaranteed. Therefore, early arrival is strongly recommended.
From the publicity materials for the film:
Inspired by the incendiary bestseller that exposed the hidden facts behind America's fast food industry comes a powerful drama that takes an eye-opening journey into the dark heart of the All-American meal. Richard Linklater's FAST FOOD NATION traces the birth of an everyday, ordinary burger through a chain of riveting, interlocked human stories--from a hopeful, young immigrant couple who cross the border to work in a perilous meat-packing plant, to a teen clerk who dreams of life beyond the counter; to the corporate marketing whiz who is shocked to discover that his latest burger invention--"The Big One"--is literally full of manure. As the film traverses from pristine barbeque smoke labs to the volatile U.S.-Mexican border, it unveils a provocative portrait of all the yearning, ambition, corruption and hope that lies inside what America is biting into.
Fast Food Nation opens nationwide on Friday, November 17, 2006. The film has been rated R for disturbing images, strong sexuality, language and drug content. If you wish to view the movie's trailer, you can do so at the Fast Food Nation web site.
For a printable (.pdf) copy of the screening invitation, click here.
Slow Food members and guests are invited to attend the annual Japanese Tea Ceremony “Chasen Kuyo” Ritual Tea Ceremony and Seasonal Shojin Ryori (Zen Temple Vegetarian Cuisine) Kaiseki (Tea Ceremony) Lunch.
When: Sunday, November 5, 2006, from 11:00am-3:00pm (approximately)
Where: Zenshuji Soto Mission, 123 S. Hewitt Street, in the historic Little Tokyo/Artist District of downtown Los Angeles
Cost: Donation of $40.00 per person (includes lunch prepared by the Zenshuji Culinary Organization and introduction to Chanoyu, the Japanese tea ceremony). Free parking is available.
Space is limited, and reservations are required. Payment in full by check, payable to Zenshuji Sado-bu should be sent to:
Zenshuji Sado-buFor more information, please call 213.624.8658 (Zenshuji) or email lwdeutsch@earthlink.net. For pictures of past year’s events, visit the Zenshuji web site.
123 S. Hewitt St.
Los Angeles CA 90012
Zenshuji’s Tea Ritual organization is headed by Hiromi Yamashita sensei, a senior student of the Chado Urasenke Distinguished Tea Master and USA / NEA National Heritage Fellow Sosei Matsumoto sensei. Both will participate, as well as will some 100 members of several local chapters of Kyoto-based Japanese Tea Ceremony “Schools”. The Zenshuji Sado-bu (tea ceremony teaching organization) presented chanoyu demonstrations at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and has been active for over 30 years.
Chairs will be available. English-language explanation will be provided by Slow Food member Lauren Deutsch, a licensed instructor of Urasenke Chado.
A Note About Chanoyu
The act of preparing and drinking a bowl of powdered green tea (Chanoyu) is one small and simple event in our lifetime of activities. Yet, through this simple action the host and guest attempt to share the experience of "becoming one in spirit". The result can be a very cleansing, purifying and enriching experience spiritually as well bringing satisfaction for all of the five senses. To appreciate and enjoy this type of activity, the guest must respond with sensitivity and open-mindedness. Guidance will be available for those unfamilar with the ritual. Please do not wear any perfume.
A Note about Chasen Kuyo
Practitioners of chado treat utensils with deep respect shown through proper care, appropriate use and an appreciation for those who have made them. Some are utilized for many generations, each generation showing appreciation for which preceeded by recalling and, thus contributing to the provenance of these items. Such is the case especially of utensils made of iron, ceramics, wood, lacquer ware.
In the case of the chasen, the tea whisk made of a single piece of bamboo split into 80 – 120 tines, longevity is not at issue. A new one is typically employed for each tea gathering and afterwards relegated for practice. A dilemma occurs when, after long hard use in bracing hot and cold water the tips the chasen begin to brake and the color changes. How can such a utensil – meticulously crafted and carefully used -- be discarded with trash into a garbage can? What becomes of the chasen when its utility diminishes mirrors a signature aspect of Japanese spiritual culture: the kuyo. In appreciation of the effort it took to make this object formed of natural materials and for its “loyal” utility over the course of time in service to the heart of chado, the whisk is offered at the altar of the temple and at a later date burned in a ceremonial fire of purification. Kuyo, thus, also becomes a moment of renewal and rededication for practitioners of Chado.
Note About Chaji / Chakai
Chaji or Chakai is basically the simple act of eating and drinking required in daily living for all human beings. That basic activity is elevated into an act which requires highly sharpened artistic sensitivity. Then the Chaji or Chakai becomes a total aesthetic experience.
Kaiseki [Tea Ceremony meal] is served in a manner or style of the daily meals for Zen monks but is not always vegetarian. The difference is, however, that the Tea Ceremony Kaiseki is served so that the guest can experience the joy of good living; therefore, however simple the meal may be, an artistic atmosphere, the beauty in serving and taste are important. Of significance is the season which must be brought into consideration, and seasonal foods must be selected. The composition of the menu as well as the design and layout of the serving pieces on the tray, must reflect as meticulous consideration of the tea master as the preparation of a bowl of tea itself.
We hope you will enjoy this special event incorporating many significant elements of traditional Japanese culture.
Please note: This event is now fully booked. (October 17, 2006)
“The urban garden is more difficult to convert to organic production because of the high levels of toxins found in the soil. No farmer could ever afford to use herbicides and pesticides in the quantities the average home owner does. Because a home owner will overuse an over the counter product, the garden in your own backyard is probably more toxic than the most heavily dosed commercial agricultural fields.”Slow Food Los Angeles continues the journey into the urban edible landscape with a series of discussions on the meaning of organic farming and the impact it has on our lives and our world.
Joining us on Tuesday, October 24th is farmer James Birch of Flora Bella Farms in Three Rivers, California. Before he achieved international organic certification with IOAS or California organic certification with CCOF, James helped urban home owners in Los Angeles convert their gardens and landscapes into organic gardens for food production.
Interested in growing your own produce? Find out how you can safely grow food for yourself and your family in your own back yard. James will recount his own encounters over many years of experience in both residential and commercial applications and will answer your questions about all things organic. Ask the farmer!
Sal Marino, Executive Chef of Il Grano and Slow Food member, will host the event and prepare hors d'oeuvres using seasonal fruits and vegetables from James' farm.
When: Tuesday, October 24, 2006, beginning at 5:00pm
Where: Il Grano, 11359 Santa Monica Boulevard, Los Angeles.
Cost: $15.00 per person (Slow Food members); $20.00 per person (nonmembers), payable at the door
RSVP: Respond by email to jordan_vannini [at] hotmail [dot] com and sal [at] ilgrano [dot] com. The event will be limited to 15 people, so reserve quickly to assure your place.
What do you do with Hachiya persimmons? Discover the fine art of persimmon massage! A Hoshi Gaki class will be held at Angeli Caffe, followed by a communal dinner.
Hoshi gaki means dried persimmon in Japanese. Treasured as a symbol of long life, prosperity, and fertility, hoshi gaki have been produced in Japanese villages every fall for centuries. Hachiya persimmons are peeled and dried whole over a period of several weeks through a combination of hanging and gentle hand-massaging, until the sugars contained in the fruit form a delicate “bloom,” a surface dusting that looks like frost, and the fruit becomes sweet as candy. Think of them as Kobe persimmons. They are a delicious tradition that deserves to be better known outside the Japanese community. Slow Food has placed hoshi gaki on its prestigious Ark of Taste.
When: Two dates available: Saturday, October 28, 2006 from 1:30pm to 4:30pm
or Sunday, October 29, 2006 from 1:30pm to 4:30pm
Where: Angeli Caffe, 7274 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles
Cost: Class fee is $50 per person; dinner additional (see below).
To sign up, please email jhrieger@sbcglobal.net or call: 916.769.5462. Attendance is limited to 35 per class, reservations accepted on a first-come basis. Everyone is encouraged to stay for dinner at Angeli Caffe after class. To make dinner reservations, please call the restaurant directly at 323.936.9086.
We will learn the art of Hoshi Gaki under the skillful guidance of Jeff Rieger, Placer County farmer and Slow Food member, who restored an old orchard planted in rare persimmons and Asian pears. Each participant will receive a flat of persimmons, string, and a bamboo pole from which to hang the drying fruit. We will sample hoshigaki, and go home with fruit that is ready to hang and dry, and detailed written instructions on how to complete the process.
This is a hands-on class, so wear comfortable clothes and bring an apron and a good paring knife. A short sturdy blade works better than a long thin one. You must be 12 years old or older to attend this class.
Join the Social Action Committee of Slow Food Los Angeles for an afternoon discussion about food politics and sustainable solutions for community food security at the Edible Estates Headquarters & Workshop. Speakers will include Fritz Haeg, founder of Edible Estates; Mike Foti, owner of an Edible Estate in Lakewood; Evan Kleiman, chef, host of KCRW's "Good Food," and longtime supporter of local farmers and sustainable agricultural projects, who will speak about the Slow Food movement; and Jordan Vannini, chairman of the Slow Food Los Angeles Farm Committee, who will talk about the Farm Committee's activities and goals.
After the discussion, we're pleased to present a screening of The Future of Food for those who wish to see Deborah Koons Garcia's documentary about the current landscape of food politics. Called "the Fahrenheit 9/11 of the genetically engineered food battle," The Future of Food is a provocative call to action and an excellent introduction to the issues surrounding the use of genetically modified food products.
When: Sunday, October 15, 2006 from 2:00pm-4:00pm
Where: Machine Project, 1200 D North Alvarado Street (Echo Park), Los Angeles
Cost: Free of charge, but please RSVP by October 14 to snailwrangler [at] slowfoodla [dot] com
Street parking available. Seating will be limited, so plan to come early if you want a good seat.
For more information and further reading, please see the following:
++ More information on Machine Project at their site;
++ More information on Edible Estates at their site; read a recent New York Times article about Fritz Haeg and the Edible Estates project at the Foti residence in Lakewood; or read "Green House Effect" in the Los Angeles Alternative weekly.
++ Learn about the development of the Foti Farm at the Foti Farm blog;
++ The Future of Food web site;
++ "GMO-Food Foes Turn to Film" in Wired magazine;
++ An article from the San Francisco Gate, "Fighting for the Future of Food"; and
++ Information about Evan Kleiman is available here.
We hope you'll join us for what promises to be an interesting and lively afternoon!
Mindy Pfeiffer, one of the cochairs of our Farm Committee, has shared her report of the Windrose Farm tour that took place in mid-August. Her comments, and an assortment of photos, follow:
The weekend of the Windrose Farm tour we were blessed with beautiful weather, sunny, with a gentle breeze, and clear evening skies. Who could have asked for more?For more photos from the event, please click on the thumbnails below to open in a larger window:We met on Saturday afternoon at beautiful Windrose Farm, where we were greeted by Farmer Bill. We then relaxed under the 300 year old oak tree, drank wine, sampled locally made raw sheep and goat cheese, and got to know one another.
Barbara arrived fresh from her day at the Santa Barbara Farmers’ Market, and by that time we were all busy devouring the sausages that Bill was grilling. There were 25 of us, and we fit perfectly around the tables set for a family style dinner under the stars. Dinner included an enormous salad, grilled vegetables, grilled baby potatoes with garlic, grilled lamb and beef, accompanied by more local wine, and finished off with fresh melon, everything grown organically and local to the area.
After a leisurely dinner, Jordan set up his telescope and gave people a tour of the stars, and there were lots of them. In fact, we were able to see the Milky Way! Then those of us who were still able to stay awake lay down on blankets to watch for shooting stars, and we saw some really bright ones burning across the sky.
The following morning everyone returned for a formal tour of Windrose Farm led by Bill, while Barbara prepared a delicious lunch for us featuring fresh heirloom tomatoes, sweet white corn, and haricot verts.
After lunch, produce was available for purchase, and those who wanted to visit the fromagerie which had provided us with the cheese were given directions and a map to guide us on our way. Still, it was difficult to leave, it was another beautiful day, and the hospitality of the Spencers is unsurpassed. But the good news is this: It was such a great time that we have decided to make the Windrose Farm tour an annual summer event. So, if you missed out this year, hope to see you there next summer!
Join the Social Action Committee of Slow Food L.A. as we tour an Edible Estate with Fritz Haeg and learn about his effort to transform the American lawn as we know it:
When: Sunday, September 10, 2006 at 9:30am, 10:30am, or 11:30am (sign up for ONE time slot only)
Where: The Foti Family residence in Lakewood, California. (Because this is a private home, the street address and additional information will be available with your registration confirmation.)
Cost: The event is free, but attendance is limited to active Slow Food members/families only. Maximum of 4 people per reservation. All ages welcome!
Details:
++ Three separate tour times are available: 9:30am, 10:30am, and 11:30am. Please sign up for a specific tour time slot so as not to create crowds, lines, backups, etc. since it will be a Sunday morning in a single family neighborhood.To reserve your place:
++ Each tour group will consist of 15 people, maximum.
++ Each tour will be 45 minutes long.
++ Ample street parking.
++ Photography is allowed.
++ Please bring your own water; no refreshments will be provided
++ No restroom facilities.
We encourage you to wear sturdy shoes and to bring hat/sunglasses/water. Bring your gardening gloves to help out with the weeding!
To learn more about Fritz Haeg, Edible Estates, and the Foti Family's project, visit the Edible Estates site, the Edible Estates event schedule, or read the Foti Farm blog.
You may also be interested in the New York Times article about Fritz Haeg and the Foti project, saved here (click on the link to view a .pdf of the article), or the recent article in the Los Angeles Alternative newspaper.
Laura N. Chick, City Controller in Los Angeles, is sponsoring an event that may be of interest to many Slow Food members and friends. She writes:
Please join me on Thursday, September 14, 2006 for my next Women's Dialogue: "Women in the Kitchen". I will be host to six incredible and prominent women from the culinary world for a panel discussion focusing on their experiences in this male-dominated field. Our panelists are:++ Leslie Brenner, Food Editor, Los Angeles Times
++ Marilyn Caldwell, Owner, Catered Occasions
++ Melinda Lee, Host KNX Food News
++ Barbara Spencer, Owner, Windrose Farms
++ Tara Thomas, Owner and Chef, Traxx Restaurant
++ Patty Zarate, Manager, Homegirl CafeThe Dialogue will take place on September 14th, 6:00pm to 7:30pm, in the Hearing Room of the Board of Public Works, City Hall, 3rd Floor, 200 North Spring Street, Los Angeles. As always, I will provide refreshments and time for networking.
If you would like to participate in the "Women in the Kitchen" Dialogue, please R.S.V.P. to Miriam Jaffe at miriam.jaffe [at] lacity [dot] org by Thursday, September 7th. In order to accurately prepare for the evening, I ask that you respond only if you are sure you can attend.
Free parking will be available. You will receive parking instructions after you have verified your attendance.
I look forward to sharing the evening with you.
Our friends at the Hollywood Farmers’ Market have alerted us that they will host their annual Peak of Summer Tomato Festival on August 20, 2006 during the normal market hours (8:00am-1:00pm). This annual event, featured in 2004 on PBS’ "Visiting with Huell Howser," celebrates the plethora of tomatoes available during the summer season at the market. All events are free and open to the public.
The quintessential summertime fruit (or vegetable depending on your school of thought) in the market is the tomato. Available in a rainbow of colors far beyond the stereotypical red, the 30-plus varieties of tomatoes color the market with their pink, orange, yellow, green, purple and even black and white hues. Each summer, the market’s farmers grow old favorites and new varieties of tomatoes, each with their own unique flavor and texture. In 2006, customers can expect to see varieties including Cherokee, Jubilee, Evergreen, Early Girls, Better Boy, Gold Medal, Persimmon, Black Krim, Great White, White Beauty, Marianna’s Peace, Earl of Edgecombe, Pineapple, and Green Zebra.
As an educational opportunity for Hollywood Farmers' Market customers, free samples of each of the tomato varieties will be available for sampling from 9:00am until noon. Evan Kleiman will demonstrate a delicious new way to cook with tomatoes from 10:00am until noon. Customers can enjoy free samples of fresh heirloom tomato juice from Chef E from 10:00am until noon. Dietitian Cindy Young of the Los Angeles County Department of Health "Ask the Dietitian" Program will also be on hand to prepare and sample a healthy tomato recipe from 9:00am until 11:00am. Recipes and information on the art of preserving and canning tomatoes will also be readily available.
The Hollywood Farmers’ Market is located at Ivar and Selma Avenues between Hollywood and Sunset Boulevards every Sunday from 8:00am until 1:00pm. Limited free parking is available at 1623 N. Vine Street in the Doolittle Theatre parking lot. Parking is also available at the Arclight/Cinerama Dome parking structure at Sunset & Ivar. First hour is free with market validation.
The Market is operated by Sustainable Economic Enterprises of Los Angeles (SEE-LA) as a nonprofit community activity.
For more information on heirloom tomatoes, their recent surge in popularity, and what makes an heirloom an heirloom, you might also enjoy this article on the San Francisco Gate.
Continuing the 25th anniversary of the Santa Monica Farmers' Market, you're invited to attend a discussion of "Farmers, Chefs, and Cooks":
When: Thursday, August 17, 2006 from 7:00pm-9:00pm
Where: The MLK Auditorium of Santa Monica's main public library (601 Santa Monica Boulevard, in Santa Monica)
Cost: Free
Participants will discuss how market ingredients are purchased and prepared, from the professional chef to the home cook, and will also consider how the average shopper can take advantage of the best the market has to offer.
Guest speakers will include Suzanne Goin, the owner/chef of Lucques and A.O.C.; Amelia Saltsman, food writer and "Fresh From the Market" host; Molly Gean of Harry's Berries in Oxnard; and Alex Weiser of Weiser Family Farms in Lucerne. The conversation will be moderated by Evan Kleiman, the owner/chef of Angeli Caffe and the host of KCRW's Good Food.
Refreshments and farm fresh food prepared by Suzanne will be provided.
For more information, please contact the Santa Monica Public Library directly at 310.458.8600.
Have you always wanted to know more about the culture and food of India? Did you know that in Los Angeles County alone there are more than 60,000 residents from the Central Asian subcontinent mostly residing in the Cerritos area?
Members of the Los Angeles Mumbai (formerly Bombay) Sister City Affiliation will be conducting a tour of this exotic part of the county known as Little India. The four-hour tour will begin at 11:00am on Saturday, August 19, with a savory traditional Gujerati Vegetarian Brunch and conclude at 3:00pm with an un-traditional Chai Mumbai complete with exotic Indian ice creams. Between feasts the tour will stroll through Little India visiting a variety of shops in order to learn about such topics as traditional Indian wedding jewelry; special occasion saris; contemporary Indian music; ceremonial henna tattoos; and delicious Indian spices. Take this wonderful opportunity to shop the ancient silk route and pick up an assortment of exotic gifts for the summer holidays.
When: Saturday, August 19, 2006, from 11:00am until 3:00pm
Cost: $35 per person. Space limited. Checks must be received by Friday, Aug. 11. Payable to: LA Mumbai Sister City Affiliation, 2283 West 21st Street, Los Angeles, CA 90018.
Please enclose names of all the members in your group and a contact telephone number, email and street address. Once your check has been received you will be contacted as to the exact meeting location for the beginning of the tour.
For further information contact: m.advani [at] att [dot] net. The Los Angeles Mumbai Sister City Affiliation is a non-profit volunteer agency dedicated to the promotion of intercultural understanding.
As part of the 25th anniversary of the Santa Monica Farmers' Market, you're invited to attend a discussion of "Farms, Farming, and Farmers' Markets":
When: Thursday, July 20, 2006 from 7:00pm-9:00pm
Where: The MLK Auditorium of Santa Monica's main public library (601 Santa Monica Boulevard, in Santa Monica)
Cost: Free
Participants will discuss the future of California's small farms, and how farmers' markets can keep farmers on their farms. Guest speakers will include Russ Parsons of the L.A. Times, Maryanne Carpenter of Coastal Farms in Santa Paula, Phil McGrath of McGrath Family Farms in Camarillo, and Evan Kleiman, the owner/chef of Angeli Caffe and the host of KCRW's Good Food. The discussion will be moderated by Laura Avery, Supervisor of the Santa Monica Farmers' Market.
Refreshments and food from the market will be provided.
For more information, please contact the Santa Monica Public Library directly at 310.458.8600.
Reservations are still available for the Windrose Farm weekend event on August 12 and 13, 2006. If the original notice escaped your attention, you can read the details in our event archives.
The Culinary Historians of Southern California (CHSC) have reminded us of the following events that are coming up and open to Slow Food members and friends:
Sunday, August 6, 2006: CHSC Annual Used Cookbook Sale at the Hollywood Farmers' Market. Begins at 8:00am and lasts until 1:00pm (or until books are sold out).
Cookbooks, culinary ephemera, menus, etc. are desperately needed for the sale in advance. To donate, contact Billie Connor-Dominguez (213.228.7201) to arrange delivery to the Central Library. If it would be more convenient to deliver to the Hollywood Branch Library, arrangements can be made with the Branch Library Manager, Dora Suarez, (323.856.8270).
Volunteers are needed to assist with the sale, also. Please contact Billie Connor-Dominguez by phone at 213.228.7201 or by email to bconnor [at] lapl [dot] org. (Remember, only volunteers are able to “preview" the book selection!)
The Used Cookbook Sale is the CHSC's primary fundraising event and enables the CHSC to purchase wonderful additions to the Central Library Culinary collection.
Saturday, October 14, 2006: At 10:30am, Alex Prud'homme will discuss Julia Child's My Life in France at the Los Angeles Central Library.
Saturday, November 11, 2006: At 10:30am, Akasha Richmond, author of Hollywood Dish, will speak on varied subjects from book research to feeding celebrities. Also at the Los Angeles Central Library.
For more information on these events, and to confirm the times and locations, please contact the Central Library at 213.228.7201.
The Zenshuji 48th Annual Obon Carnival will be held this weekend, July 8 and 9, 2006, from 11:00am until 8:00pm. The carnival will include traditional Japanese cultural exhibitions, food, and entertainment such as ikebana exhibits, tea ceremony demonstrations, taiko drumming (Zendeko), karate (Matsubayashi Shorinji Ryu), folk dancing (Awa-odori), folk music (Matsumae Kai), itayaki, takoyaki, teriyaki beef, and udon.
Admission is free and open to the public.
The Zenshuji Soto Mission is located at 123 South Hewitt Street in Los Angeles.
For more information, visit the Zenshuji web site or contact them by phone at 213.624.8658.
Learn to make perfect peach pie with a pure peach flavor and a buttery, flakey crust. Organic ingredients from the Hollywood Farmers' Market will be used. This event raises funds to send our convivium's delegate, Grady Atkins, to Terra Madre 2006. All funds raised will go directly towards delegate travel expenses.
The class will include preparation of pie crust, rolling out the dough, preparing the peaches, reducing the juices to intensify the flavor, and baking. This method is based on Rose Levy Beranbaum's Pie and Pastry Bible. Perfect freezing techniques and proportions for other summer fruit pies will also be reviewed. Each participant will take home an unbaked pie. Judi Bikel, home baker, will lead the class.
When: Sunday, July 30, 2006, from 11:00am until 2:30pm
Where: This event will take place in a private home in West Hollywood. Location provided upon receipt of payment.
Cost: Adults $35 for Slow Food members and $40 for nonmembers; children $10
Please RSVP with number of guests to judibikel [at] aol [dot] com. Make checks payable to Slow Food Los Angeles and send them to:
Slow Food Los AngelesPaid reservations are not refundable.
8033 Sunset Blvd #395
Los Angeles, CA 90046.
A lunch of Mediterranean salads (vegetarian) and grilled lamb will be served. Iced tea, iced coffee, and sparkling water will be served. You are welcome to bring soft drinks, beer, or wine to drink with your lunch.
Well behaved children accompanied by an adult are welcome. Each child requires an adult companion. The class is limited to ten adults and three children. Please bring a rolling pin and a 9 inch (regular size, not deep dish) glass pie plate, such as Pyrex, to the class.
About Terra Madre:
Terra Madre brings together farmers and food producers, food communities, cooks, and scholars from more than 130 countries. The 2006 event will take place in Turin, Italy at the same time as the Salone del Gusto. Delegates will share knowledge and explore the three elements that make up the world of food: the traditional and practical knowledge of producers, and the experience and creativity of cooks, and the insight of science and research.
Slow Food International provides transportation and housing for delegates while in Italy. The local convivium is expected to raise funds for airfare. In addition, each convivium has been asked to support a delegate from Latin America.
If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to support our Terra Madre delegates, please send a check made payable to Slow Food Los Angeles and mail to Slow Food Los Angeles, 8033 Sunset Blvd #395, Los Angeles, CA 90046. Please include “Terra Madre? on the check. You will receive a receipt for your donation.
About Chef Atkins:
Chef Atkins has chaired the Tasting committee of the Los Angeles convivium for the past six years and has created over twenty events for convivium members. He is actively engaged with our local food producers and is a weekly visitor to the Santa Monica Farmers' Market. He is a chef (currently at Enoteca Drago) and teacher. He previously owned and operated Perroche restaurant.
The Hollywood Farmers’ Market will celebrate its fifteenth anniversary on June 25, 2006 during the normal market hours (8:00am-1:00pm). The public is invited to take part in the free activities including an Iron Chef Market Challenge, Carrot Cake Contest, and children’s art activities. A raffle will also be held to benefit The Farmer’s Kitchen, the newest adjunct to the Hollywood Farmers’ Market.
When: Sunday, June 25, 2006
Where: The Hollywood Farmers' Market on Ivar and Selma Avenues (between Hollywood and Sunset, between Cahuenga and Vine)
Cost: Free
The grand opening of the Hollywood Farmers’ Market on May 5, 1991 touched off a new phenomenon in Hollywood that changed how locals spend their Sunday morning. Fifteen years later, a dedicated customer base has helped the market to grow to four times its original size with over 150 vendors including certified farmers, an eclectic mix of prepared food vendors and local artisans. Described by some as “the front porch of Hollywood,? the market attracts and serves such a diverse clientele, including residents from the Hollywood Hills, lower income families from the heart of Hollywood, and travelers from all over Los Angeles and the world.
Activities will include:
++ Carrot Cake Cutting Ceremony, 8:00am
++ Carrot Cake Birthday Cake Contest, 9:30am-11:00am
++ Iron Chef Market Challenge 10:00am-1:00pm
Grady Atkins vs. David Augusto, 10:00am-11:00am;++ Kids Activities, 8:00am-1:00pm, including chalk drawing, inflatable slide, face painting
Adnen Marouani versus Bob Blumer, 11:00am–noon;
Jet Tila versus Cody Diegel, noon-1:00pm
The Market is operated by Sustainable Economic Enterprises of Los Angeles (SEE-LA) as a nonprofit community activity. In attendance will be:
++ Los Angeles City Councilmember Eric Garcetti
++ Host: Evan Kleiman (Angeli Caffe, KCRW’s Good Food Show)
++ Chefs: Bob Blumer (The Surreal Gourmet), Jet Tila (Bangkok Market), Adnen Marouani (La Maschera), Cody Diegel (Magnolia), David Augusto (Solar de Cahuenga), Grady Atkins (Enoteca Drago)
++ Judges: John Pleschette (Actor/SEE-LA Board Member), Michael Cimarusti (Providence) [10 – 12], Richard Klein (Chefmakers), Council President Eric Garcetti [11 – 12 ], Javier Espinoza (AOC/Lucques)
Learn to make crisp, thin-crusted pizza in your home oven at this special class. Organic ingredients from the Hollywood Farmers' Market will be used. This event raises funds to send our convivium's delegate, Grady Atkins, to Terra Madre 2006. All funds raised will go directly towards delegate travel expenses.
Five types of pizza will be prepared:
++ Classic Margarita
++ Spinach, Crimini Mushroom, and Organic Pork Sausage
++ Grilled Eggplant and Wild Mushroom
++ Charred Rapini, Roasted Garlic, and Ricotta
++ Smoked Salmon with Red Onion and Dill Creme Fraiche.
When: Sunday, July 23, 2006 from 11:00am until 2:30pm
Where: This event will take place in a private home in West Hollywood. Location provided upon receipt of payment.
Cost: Adults $35; children $10
Please RSVP with number of guests and pizza choice to judibikel [at] aol [dot] com. Make checks payable to Slow Food Los Angeles and send them to:
Slow Food Los Angeles
8033 Sunset Blvd #395
Los Angeles, CA 90046.
Well behaved children accompanied by an adult are welcome. Each child requires an adult companion. The class is limited to ten adults and three children. You will have an opportunity to sample all five pizzas but please select the type of pizza you would like to prepare when you register so we have the correct amount of ingredients.
The following lunch is planned, but depends on market availability:
Pizza
Asparagus and Fresh Shell Bean Salad
Burrata with Roasted Tomatoes and Basil
Lemon Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Strawberries and Rhubarb Iced Tea, Iced Coffee, and Sparkling Water. You are welcome to bring soft drinks, beer, or wine to drink with your lunch.
The class will include preparation of dough, sauce and sausage, stretching and forming, topping, and baking. Rob Bikel, home cook and pizza lover, will lead the class.
About Terra Madre:
Terra Madre brings together farmers and food producers, food communities, cooks, and scholars from more than 130 countries. The 2006 event will take place in Turin, Italy at the same time as the Salon de Gusto. Delegates will share knowledge and explore the three elements that make up the world of food: the traditional and practical knowledge of producers, and the experience and creativity of cooks, and the insight of science and research.
Slow Food International provides transportation and housing for delegates while in Italy. The local convivium is expected to raise funds for airfare. In addition, each convivium has been asked to support a delegate from Latin America. More information about Terra Madre 2006 can be found at http://www.terramadre2006.org/terramadre/welcome_eng.lasso.
If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to support our Terra Madre delegates, please send a check made payable to Slow Food Los Angeles and mail to Slow Food Los Angeles, 8033 Sunset Blvd #395, Los Angeles, CA 90046. Please include "Terra Madre" on the check. You will receive a receipt for your donation.
About Chef Atkins:
Chef Atkins has chaired the Tasting committee of the Los Angeles convivium for the past six years and has created over twenty events for convivium members. He is actively engaged with our local food producers and is a weekly visitor to the Santa Monica Farmers' Market. He is a chef (currently at Enoteca Drago) and teacher. He previously owned and operated Perroche restaurant.
Come join us for our first farm tour of the year and experience a magical summer evening at Windrose Farm in Paso Robles.
When: Saturday and Sunday, August 12 and 13, 2006
Where: Windrose Farm in Paso Robles (more details below)
Cost: $75 for Slow Food members, $90 for non members. Cost includes Saturday dinner, wine, farm tour, and Sunday lunch
Itinerary:
Drive to Paso Robles on Saturday, August 12 (directions below, approximate driving time 3.5 to 4 hours from L.A. area) and meet at the farm at 3:00pm, where you will be greeted by Bill and Barbara Spencer. Then experience the bucolic beauty of their farm on a self-guided walk, visit with the farm animals, or simply relax under the magnificent old oak tree.
Dinner will be California Rancho style, and will be served around 6:30pm, outdoors. Wine will be included with the meal. After dinner you are welcome to stay for some stargazing of the Perseid meteor shower, or you can return to your place of lodging.
We meet again at the farm the next morning after breakfast at 10:00pm, at which time we will be taken on a formal tour of the farm by Bill Spencer. We will then be treated to a lunch featuring farm produce from Windrose Farm and friends. There will also be farm produce available for purchase, including the delicious heirloom tomatoes that Windrose Farm is known for. After that it will be time to say goodbye to the Spencers and to head for home.
This event is limited to 30 people. We suggest that you reserve a room right away, as Paso Robles is a popular vacation getaway due to the many wineries in the area.
Lodging Suggestions:
There is a trailer available on the farm that is available for $250 for the weekend. If interested, contact Bill or Barbara Spencer at 809.239.3757. You may also wish to contact the Paso Robles Inn (phone: 805.238.2660; web: http://www.pasoroblesinn.com) or the Chamber of Commerce (phone: 805.238.0506; web: http://www.pasorobleschamber.com).
To make a reservation, send an email to mindypfeiffer [at] sbcglobal [dot] net.
Please pay your money promptly to confirm your reservation. Once you have paid, if you change your mind we will be unable to refund your money. Your check will confirm your reservation. We must have your check no later than Monday, August 7, in order to give the Spencers time to plan the size of the dinner and lunch.
Make checks payable to Windrose Farm, and send to:
Jordan Vannini
P.O. Box 91536
Pasadena, CA 91109
We also suggest:
1. Wear layers, weather can range from hot to cold
2. Bring a hat
3. Bring a bottle of water
4. Wear comfortable closed toe shoes
5. Bring sunscreen
6. Bring a cooler in case you purchase produce
Directions to Windrose Farm (from L.A. area):
1. Take the 101 headed North, after you pass Atascadero, start watching for the Vineyard exit a few miles further on.
2. Take the Vineyard exit at Templeton and go right (east). Continue (total about 6 miles) on El Pomar until you reach a T.
3. Turn left (north) onto Cripple Creek, continue for a couple of miles until you reach another T.
4. Turn right (east) onto Creston Rd.
5. Go 1/2 mile and make a hard left onto Geneseo Rd.
6. Go 1/4 mile (don’t go up the hill) but turn right onto El Pharo. This curves around a bit, then you will see a white and green sign with an arrow for Windrose Farm.
7. Go left and this turns into their driveway. Whew! You made it!
Hints: All the turns en route alternate between left and right. You shouldn’t be going up any real hills. If you get lost you call Bill and Barbara at 805.239.3757.
The third annual Chinese Food Festival will be held this weekend:
When: Saturday, June 24, 2006, from noon until 8:00pm, and Sunday, June 25, 2006, from 10:30am until 6:00pm.
Where: Los Angeles Chinatown, at the corner of College & Broadway (across from the Chinatown Metro Gold Line Station)
Cost: General admission: $10; seniors (60+): $8; youths (6-12): $6; under 6: free
Admission includes one food tasting per paid ticket. Two-day passes are available for $15. Note that there is a $2 discount off general admission ticket and $1 off youth ticket with proof of riding public transportation to the festival (i.e., a valid ticket or Metro pass). This discount does not apply to senior admission or two-day passes, and cannot be combined with any other discount offers.
The festival will feature tastings and cooking demos from many Chinatown restaurants, screening of Chinese food films, a noodle-eating contest, acrobats and martial arts demonstrations, and children's games.
For general information, or for group ticket sales of ten or more, please call 213.680.0243 or visit the festival's web site.
This year's Los Angeles component of Share Our Strength's "Taste of the Nation" will be held at Media Park in Culver City on Sunday, June 25. This is the 19th year for this series of benefits, and the Los Angeles event is always a great way to usher in the summer (and benefit a great cause).
A host of restaurants will participate, including Beacon, Bluebird Bakery and Cafe, Bon Appetit at the Getty Center, Border Grill, Ciudad, Cafe Surfas, Camden House, CrepeVine Bistro & Wine Bar, Doug Arango's, eat. on Sunset, Firefly Bistro, Ford’s Filling Station, Fresh Dining, Grace, Gyu-Kaku, Hollywood and Vine, Hungry Cat, Il Grano, Jar, Jer-ne, Joe's, Josie, Kiriko, Lincoln Steakhouse, Loteria Grill, Noe, Nook, Norman's on Sunset, Ortolan, solar HARVEST, St. Joseph Center (an SOS recipient organization), Table 8, Valentino, Vincenti, Violet, Water Grill, Wilshire, and Zucca Ristorante. Quite a lineup! Taste of the Nation is a great way to get a taste of Los Angeles.
For event details and ticket prices, visit the Taste of the Nation site.
Patrick Martins and the Heritage Foods USA crew are embarking on a 40-day, cross-country road trip for a documentary production, media blitz, and public relations extravaganza. Many of their stops and activities are sponsored and hosted by local Slow food convivia.
The Los Angeles convivium is pleased that they will be stopping here for one day and honoring Chef Evan Kleiman at Neal Fraser's new restaurant, BLD, on Tuesday, June 27, 2006. Heritage Foods will honor Evan with a lifetime achievement for her accomplishments in supporting healthy agriculture locally, nationally, and internationally.
The dinner will be the first meal at BLD and will be prepared jointly by Neal and Evan. The event is expected to start at 6:00pm, and food will be served family style.
More information, including the cost of the tickets (anticipated at between $100 and $125 per person, all inclusive) will be posted shortly.
Reservations are not yet being taken, but names and phone numbers of interested parties are being noted. The number of guests will be capped at somewhere between 100 and 140. To add your name to the list, please call BLD at 323.934.4400.
SEE-LA, the organization behind the Hollywood Farmers Market, has alerted us to three upcoming author events. Whether you're personally a fan or planning ahead for a special gift, please note the following dates and times:
Sunday, May 28, 2006 from 10:00am until noon
Bryant Terry, author with Anna Lappe, will demonstrate recipes and sign copies of his new book, Grub: Ideas for an Urban Organic Kitchen. Grub combines real tools to create a healty organic kitchen with education about organic food and sustainable agriculture. It includes food for thought and body and a foreword by Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation). Bryant Terry is a chef, food justice activist, and founding director of b-healthy! (Building Healthy Eating and Lifestyles to Help Youth), a New York-based not-for-profit organization made up of adult and youth food/social justice activists, chefs, youth participants, and mothers working to strengthen the food justice movement in the United States and beyond. Bryant is nationally recognized for his persistent effort to create a more just and sustainable food system.
Sunday, June 4, 2006 from 9:00am until 11:00am
Diane Worthington will sign copies of her newest cookbook, The New California Cook. Worthington's latest book focuses on the spirit of California cuisine--its seasonal produce, bold flavors, and adventurous ingredient combinations. Innovative and naturally healthy dishes include Arroz con Pollo with a hint of mint, macaroni and cheese with caramelized leeks and prosciutto, and almond shortcake with roasted blueberry compote. Featured sidebars highlight new trends in California cuisine such as artisan baking, cheese making, and olive old production. Food writer, consultant, and James Beard Award-winning broadcaster, Worthington is the author of fourteen cookbooks including The Taste of the Season, Seriously Simple, The Taste of Summer, and The Cuisine of California. (Cosponsored by The Cook's Library, 323.655.3141.)
Sunday, June 18, 2006 from 9:00 until 11:00am
Anthony Bourdain will sign copies of his latest book, The Nasty Bits. In it, Bourdain serves up a well-seasoned hellbroth of candid, often outrageous stories from his worldwide misadventures. Whether scrounging for eel in the backstreets of Hanoi, revealing what you didn't want to know about the more unglamorous aspects of making television, calling for the head of raw food activist Woody Harrelson, or confessing to lobster-kiilling guilt, Bourdain is as entertaining as ever. Bringing together the best of his previously uncollected nonfiction, and including new, never-before-published material, The Nasty Bits is a funny, brutal, and passionate stew for fans and the uninitiated alike. Bourdain is the author of seven books including the best-selling Kitchen Confidential and A Cook's Tour. A thirty-year veteran of professional kitchens, he is the host of "No Reservations" on the Discovery Channel and the executive chef at Les Halles in Manhattan. (Cosponsored by The Cook's Library, 323.655.3141.)
For those of you who'd like an audio preview of The Nasty Bits,, check out Bourdain's interview with NPR's "All Things Considered."
The Ecological Farming Association has shared with us details about the seventh annual Heartland Farm Festival, a celebration of food, farming, & healthy living in the San Joaquin Valley featuring Slow Food hors d’oeuvres and local wine tasting.
When: Saturday, June 17, 2006, from 10:00am until 9:00pm
Where: Riverdance Farms in Livingston (1/2 hour south of Turlock off Hwy 99)
Note: Special Event: Vines of the Valley Slow Food Wine tasting and Hors d’oeuvres, from 5:00pm-6:30pm.
Back after a sold out performance last year, the Vines of the Valley will again showcase the best of the valley’s fresh, seasonal produce prepared in Slow Food style by local chef Jeannie Edwardsen. Sign up quickly, because this event is sure to sell out. Slow Foodies are welcome to attend the whole day, or just come to the Slow Food wine reception for a memorable experience for all of your senses.
Saturday events: u-pick organic cherries and blueberries, farming and garden workshops, children's area, live music, farmers' market, artist marketplace, renewable energy, and fresh organic food
Farm and garden workshops include: landscaping with native plants, permaculture for home gardeners, non-toxic gopher control, solar energy, artisan cheese tasting, and ice cream making.
Sunday, June 18, 2006, from 8:00am until 2:00pm at Riverdance Farms in Livingston
Camp out Saturday night in an almond orchard and stay for Sunday’s Father’s Day brunch and river rafting on the Merced River! For rafting information, call the East Merced RCD at 559.497.5033.
Festival Prices:
Adults: $10 preregistered, $15 at door;
Children: $5 or 3 for $10; children under 2 are free
Slow Food wine tasting and hors d’oeuvres: $15 (sold out last year - sign up early!)
Saturday camping: $10 per car
Affordable food available onsite
Volunteers get in free! Call for information! Great for kids, families, farmers, and schools!
Directions: The festival is located about 1 hour from Fresno, and 1.5 hours from the Bay Area. Riverdance Farms is located at 12230 Livingston-Cressey Rd. Map and directions available at the Festival web site.
For more information, please see the Eco-Farm web site (link above), contact them by phone at 831.763.2111, or email info [at] eco-farm [dot] org.
Leave dogs and alcohol at home.
The Festival is sponsored by: Riverdance Farms, Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op, Tower Garden Supply and Grandma's All Natural Nursery, Organic Valley Family of Farms, Horizon Organic / White Wave, T & D Willey Farms, Royal Blue Organics / Cafe Mam, Sierra Heights Marketing Co., United Natural Foods Inc., Lone Willow Ranch, NCGA-Pacific Chapter, Stonyfield Farm, Seeds of Change, California Cloverleaf Farms /Vista Livestock Company, California Certified Organic Farmers, East Merced RCD, Modesto Milling, Foster Farms, Offline Independent Energy Systems, Wildwood Natural Foods, West Marine, Valley Harvest Nut Company, Acres U. S. A.
A reminder that reservations are still available for this week's food and wine pairing at Enoteca Drago. With a menu devised by Chef Grady Atkins and wine seleccted by Bruno Allaire and Sante Losio of Dynamic Imports, the dinner is an opportunity to introduce yourself to new combinations and to several organic wines from Italy and Austria.
The event is this Thursday, May 25, at 7:00pm at Enoteca Drago. To make your reservation, please contact Enoteca Drago by phone at 310.786.8236 and note that you wish to reserve a place for the organic wine dinner.
The menu and additional information is available in our original announcement. We hope you'll join us!
Late notice, but we've just been alerted that reservations are still available for this weekend's cooking class with Judy Rodgers, the chef/owner of San Francisco's Zuni Cafe, author of The Zuni Cafe Cookbook, and recipient of the Best Chef: California award by the James Beard Foundation in 2000.
Fairview Gardens' cooking series is designed to make real, in an accessible and enjoyable way, the connections between the field and the plate. Their classes emphasize seasonal, farm-grown foods, beginning with a harvesting and tasting tour of the farm with the farmer and guest chef, followed by a cooking demonstration class, and ending with a shared meal.
When: Saturday, May 6, 2006, from 9:00am until 1:30pm
Where: The Farmhouse at Fairview Gardens, 598 North Fairview Avenue, Goleta, California
Cost: $125.00 per person
Registration may be made via the Fairview Gardens' web site (major credit cards and PayPal accepted) or by calling the program office at 805.967.7369.
A limited number of scholarships are available for interested persons who may qualify for a reduced program fee. For information, please contact the program office at 805.967.7369.
The Strategic Alliance for Healthy Food and Activity Environments has alerted us that Marion Nestle, author of Food Politics, will be speaking in Los Angeles about her new book, What to Eat: An Aisle-by-Aisle Guide to Savvy Food Choices.
Today's supermarket is ground zero for the food industry, a place where the giants of agribusiness compete for sales with profits--not nutrition or health--in mind. Join Marion Nestle as she discusses the myriad of issues that influence the choices we make at the supermarket everyday.
When: Tuesday, May 16, 2006 at 2:00pm
Where: Center for Community Health, The California Endowment, 1000 North Alameda Street, Yosemite Theatre, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (near Union Station)
Cost: Free
Space is limited. Please RSVP to Carol Chao at carol [at] preventioninstitute [dot] org with “LA Event? in the subject line, or call 510.444.7738.
The Los Angeles event has been cosponsored with the Southern California Public Health Association.
For more information about What to Eat, visit the web site for the book. Marion Nestle's web site features information about What to Eat along with her previous books, Safe Food and Food Politics. The Slow Food Q&A featuring Marion Nestle is available here.
We are pleased to announce an event spotlighting organically-grown wines from Italy and Austria with a menu prepared for the occasion by Chef Grady Atkins of Enoteca Drago and wine pairings made by Bruno Allaire and Sante Losio, proprietors of Dynamic Imports. Chef Atkins, Messrs Allaire and Losio, and Nando de Stefano, manager of Enoteca Drago, have planned the evening to showcase the organic wines and to benefit Slow Food.
When: Thursday, May 25, 2006 at 7:00pm
Where: Enoteca Drago, 410 North Canon Drive, Beverly Hills
Cost: $95.00 per person (includes tax and gratuity) plus a $10 donation to Slow Food. A food-only option will be available at a per-person cost of $65.00.
Reservations may be made by contacting Enoteca Drago by phone at 310.786.8236. Please note that you wish to reserve a place for the organic wine dinner.
Menu
++ Prosecco di Valdobbiadene DOC 05 paired with rustic homemade salumi for the table
++ Castello di Arcano-Friuli Grave-Pinot Grigio DOC Grave 04 paired with bruschetta, grilled goat cheese, and seasonal jam
++ Ottomarzo-Veneto-Valpolicella DOC Classico Superiore "Grola" 01 paired with veal head ravioli, natural jus, plums, and almonds
++ San Polino-Tuscany-Rosso di Montalcino DOCG 03 paired with roasted rabbit saddle, mushroom ragu, and lemon fennel
++ Il Conventino-Tuscany-Il Cambio Barrique IGT 99 paired with grilled lamb sirloin, farinata, sauteed spinach, and grilled apricot
++ House of Hafner-Bergenland-Late Harvest Muscat 03 paired with Bill's wildflower honey "Tartufo" with bee pollen
Michael Pollan, a member of the Slow Food USA Advisory Board and a frequent commentator on issues related to agriculture, sustainability, and how and what we eat, will be appearing at the Los Angeles Public Library as part of its ALOUD LA series to discuss his most recent book, The Omnivore's Dilemma. Appearing with Michael Pollan will be Laurie Winer, a journalist and regular contributor to the Los Angeles Times.
When: Wednesday, May 10, 2006 at 7:00pm
Where: Mark Taper Auditorium at the Central Library, Fifth & Flower Streets, Los Angeles
Cost: Free, but reservations are strongly recommended. (Click here for the ALOUD LA reservation page.)
A thoughtful and engaging response to the question "What should we have for dinner?," The Omnivore's Dilemma has been attracting widespread attention. For a sampling of the critical response to it and other pieces which may be of interest, you may wish to review:
++ Recent reviews (collected on Michael Pollan's web site);
++ An interview with Pollan on salon.com (free access if you view an advertisement);
++ An "All Things Considered" broadcast featuring Pollan, and his recent appearance on "Fresh Air" with Terry Gross; and
++ the truthdig.com interview with Pollan.
The Omnivore's Dilemma was spotlighted in the April 2006 issue of "Food Chain," the Slow Food USA email newsletter. An excerpt from the book, as mentioned in the newsletter, is available here.
Tomatomania!TM, the country's largest tomato seedling sale, will be celebrating its 16th year this year with the following upcoming events in Southern California.
Sunday, April 2, 2006 from 10:00am-5:00pm
Thom Macias and James Pepper, the proprietors of Party On La Cienega and its sister stores, The Good Life, Wrap/Scissors/Paper, and Baby, Baby, are hosting an urban Tomatomania! location. Some favorites may be in short supply, so please stop by early:
Party On La Cienega
350 S. La Cienega Blvd.
Beverly Hills, CA (phone: 310.659.8717)
Southern California Spring Garden Show at South Coast Plaza
3333 Bristol Street
Costa Mesa, CA (phone: 800.782.8888; web)
LA Garden Show (Baldwin Bonanza 2006)
Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanical Garden
301 Baldwin Ave.
Arcadia, CA (phone: 626.821.3222; web
SEE-LA (Sustainable Economic Enterprises of Los Angeles) is pleased to announce the details of the upcoming food and wine benefit for The Farmer's Kitchen, a permanent addition to the Hollywood Farmers' Market.
When: Sunday, March 26, 2006 from 5:00pm to 8:00pm
Where: The Kitchen Academy, 6370 West Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood (in the ArcLight Center at the corner of Sunset and Ivar). [map]
Cost: $150 per person, or $250 per couple
Cooking demonstrations will be presented by Josef Centeno from Meson G, Neal Fraser from Grace, and Evan Kleiman from Angeli Caffe. Both live and silent auctions will be conducted, and the emcee will be Huell Howser. With Silver Lake Wines and Desserts by SweetCake, this promises to be a delicious event!
All proceeds benefit SEE-LA, an established 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation (tax ID #95-459700). All donations are tax deductible (less meal & drinks). Tickets are limited, so please RSVP by March 17. Reservations will be held at the door, no tickets will be mailed.
For ticket information please call 323.463.3171. Reservations are non-refundable.
The Culinary Historians of Southern California have reminded us of the following events, all to be held at the Los Angeles Central Library:
March 11: Charles Perry will speak on "200 Years of Santa Monica Food" with colorful anecdotes from Herminia Reyes (b. 1880), the granddaughter of Don Ysidro Reyes, the first Spanish settler in Santa Monica Canyon. Charles's talk covers everything from the Gabrielino Indian diet to restaurants of the 1960s. Event begins at 10:30am.
April 8: Elizabeth Cox will speak on the subject "California Pioneer Cuisine: Every Recipe Tells a Story"
May 13: Paul Aratow, translator of the 1927 French classic, will discuss La Bonne Cuisine de Madame E. Saint-Ange: The Original Companion for French Home Cooking.
For more information on these events, and to confirm the times and locations, please contact the Central Library at 213.228.7201.
Come join Neal Fraser, chef/owner of Grace Restaurant, for a personalized tour of the Santa Monica Farmers’ Market.
This third in a series of farmers' market tours will include a hands-on tour of the market and then a cooking demo and lunch at Grace prepared by Neal, utilizing the produce he has selected from the market that morning.
This event is limited to 15 people, so be sure to sign up early. UPDATE: Due to the enthusiastic response we've made arrangements to increase the number of participants to 24. Spaces are being reserved at a rapid pace; please see the information below and let us know if you wish to secure a spot!
When: Wednesday, April 12, 2006, just in time to prepare for Passover and Easter
Where: Our group will meet at the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf on the Third Street Promenade (1321 Third Street Promenade) at 9:00am sharp. The tour will be conducted at the Santa Monica market, and the lunch and demo will take place at Grace Restaurant, located at 7360 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles.
Cost: $55 per person for members; $65 for nonmembers. Cost includes the tour, the cooking demonstration, and lunch (including wine).
To secure your reservation, send an email message to jinko [at] dslextreme [dot] com. Checks for the total amount of your reservation should be payable to Slow L.A. and sent to:
Jordan VanniniYour check will confirm your reservation. Once we have received your check there are no cancellations. We will need your reservation and check no later than April 3 in order to allow Neal time to plan the lunch.
P.O. Box 91536
Pasadena, CA 91109
Be sure to bring a basket or cart for your produce, and a hat for the sun. Also, please bring cash for any purchases you may wish to make at the Farmers’ Market.
We hope to see you there!
SEE-LA (Sustainable Economic Enterprises of Los Angeles) encourages Slow Food LA members and friends to mark their calendars for a food and wine party to celebrate The Farmer's Kitchen, a permanent addition to the Hollywood Farmers' Market.
The event will begin at 5:00pm on Sunday, March 26, 2006, and is sponsored by The Kitchen Academy.
We'll post more details as soon as they become available, but in the meantime, plan to join us at the celebration.
Come to connect to old Southern California.
The Cucamonga Valley once had more vineyards than anywhere else in the US. This was coupled with a booming wine industry. This was the largest and most famous wine region in California. The first wine grapes were planted in the 1880s by Italian immigrants. Even up to the 1950s there were 35,000
acres of grapes in the valley, now, because of urbanization, the land has become too valuable for farming. Less than 1,000 acres of vines remain.
The Galleano Winery (one of only three remaining in the Valley) was started by Domenico Galleano in 1927 and it survived the Great Depression, Prohibition and recessions. The winery is now cared for by the third generation of Galleanos. Dry-farmed Zinfandel, Palomino, Grenache, and Mourvedre are hand-picked and certified organically grown.
The Winery is an oasis in the middle of development with old trees, a house built in the 1890s, old barns and out-buildings with the vineyard at the door. Although the Galleano Winery complex has been put on the National Register of Historic Places ensuring its future preservation, it still is very much a working winery producing great zinfandels, sherry and port.
The Galleano Winery embodies all that SlowFood is about. Vines, some 70-80 years old, are grown organically and tended by hand. Wine-making follows the European tradition.
During the visit we will be able to see first hand the solera process for making fortified wine as we had explained at the recent sherry tasting at Grace Restaurant. As well as wine, sherry and port cellar tastings we will have a box lunch outdoor picnic style or indoors if the weather is unpleasant.
When: Saturday, November 19, 2005, from 11:00am to 1:00pm
Where: Galleano Winery, 4231 Wineville Road, Mira Loma, CA 91752
Cost: $20 per person includes lunch, wine, and tour
Directions: Mira Loma is located at the Southern end of the Cucamonga Valley (San Bernardino-Riverside counties). The winery is accessible from the 60 (Pomona) preferably, or the 10 (San Bernardino) freeways about 50-60 miles east from west LA (little more than one hour's drive). For specific directions see the winery webpage Tastings and Tours. Phone: 951.685.5376.
Reservations: Reservations must be made in advance by phoning or emailing as follows:
Phone: 323.442.3231 (daytime); 310.470.9480 (evenings). Email to Runnegar@usc.edu.
Reservations will be confirmed on receipt of a check made out to Slow Food LA and sent to:
Maria RunnegarPlease phone or email Maria Runnegar (as noted above) for any further information.
2886 Nicada Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90077
With the Year of the Rooster winding down and Thanksgiving just around the corner, a class in cooking poultry Chinese-style will take place on Sunday, November 13, in Chinatown.
Winter melon chicken velvet soup, Hainan chicken and rice, soy sauce chicken, and chicken stir fried with black beans and peppers will be the featured recipes. Chinatown boasts the freshest poultry in town and so it is fitting that tips on selecting a chicken, the various types of chickens, uses for chicken, and how to cut a chicken will all be covered.
Jet Tila, chef and Asian cooking consultant, will lead the class sharing some of his Cantonese grandmother’s recipes along with some culled from Chinatown’s famed Mama Quon. The class will take place in Mama Quon’s old kitchen, located inside Grand Star Jazz Club at 943 Sun Mun Way in Central Plaza, Chinatown (947-951 N. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90012).
The class will be held on Sunday, November 13, from 10:30 to 1:00 p.m. The cost is $50 per participant and includes materials and lunch. Class size is limited to 15 participants.
A credit card will be required for reservations. To reserve a space please call 213.680.0243 or email info [at] chinatownla [dot] com.
You don't have to go to Kyoto for a real taste of authentic Japanese Zen Tea Ceremony culture. Zenshuji Soto Buddhist Temple, 123 S. Hewitt Street (1st and Hewitt Streets., Little Tokyo, Downtown Los Angeles) invites the public to attend its annual Chasen Kuyo, the offering of tea ceremony whisks (chasen), Sunday, November 6, 2005, from 11:00am through about 2:00pm. (For information about previous events, please see the Zenshuji web site.)
The day's events will include a home-made shojin ryori kaiseki lunch, the traditional Zen Buddhist temple vegetarian cuisine brought to its ultimate refinement in Japanese tea ceremony communities. The meal will be painstakingly prepared by the temple?s expert team of community chefs.
Everything is made from scratch, including the tea sweets, with appropriate attention paid to the event and the season.
Zenshuji, the only place in the USA where this traditional event takes place, offers chanoyu (literally: making hot water for tea) classes in the lineage of Kyoto's legendary Urasenke school. No prior tea ceremony experience is required. There will be English translation and chairs will be provided. Rituals will include tea ceremonies in the temple's tea rooms, and the service and lecture in the main sanctuary.
The honored guest speaker for this event will be the Rev. Genki Takabayashi, sensei. A retired lineage holder in the Rinzai sect of Zen, he infuses 60 years of Zen practice into the making of traditional ceramic tea utensils and calligraphy for collectors and practitioners of Chado, the way of tea. Rev. Takabayashi, who resides in Montana, will exhibit some of his creations.
According to him, gathering in silence, guest and host share enjoyment of a flower, a scroll, a friend, the taste of tea. This meditation on One Mind has inspired the Tea Ceremony for hundreds of years and continues to this day.
Admission is $40 per person. For information and reservation, please contact the temple at 213.624.8658. Space is limited, and reservations can be secured by a check payable to Zenshuji Sado-bu, mailed to 123 S. Hewitt St., Los Angeles CA 90012.
There are still a few seats available for "The Art of Hoshi Gaki" on October 11. This event will spotlight one of the products in Slow Food's "Ark of Taste" and is an event that will be enjoyed by persimmon lovers of all ages. (Children accompanied by adults are welcome, and children under 12 may attend free of charge.) Jeff Rieger will not only conduct the session but is also providing the persimmons from his farm in Placer County.
Please see our original posting for information about location and cost, and how to secure your reservation.
There are still a few seats available for "A Taste of Jerez" on October 8 at Grace Restaurant. This notable event will feature the tasting of a range of sherry styles, cheese from The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills, and additional accompaniments by Chef Neal Frasier of Grace.
Please see our original posting for information about location and cost, and how to secure your reservation.
Our friends at the Culinary Historians of Southern California have alerted us to the following events:
Saturday, October 15, 2005, 10:30am at the Central Library (Los Angeles)
Luigi Ballerini, “The Renaissance and the Modern: The Art of Eating Well in Italy?
Luigi Ballerini is a Professor of Italian at UCLA. At the October meeting Ballerini will discuss his two latest forays into Italy’s rich gastronomic past: an unabridged English translation of Pellegrino Artusi’s 1891 classic, Scienza in cucina (Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well, University of Toronto Press), which is recognized as the first Italian cookbook – in the sense that it was the first to put under one cover recipes from all regions of the newly unified country; and The Art of Cooking: The First Modern Cookery Book (University of California Press), which presents over 200 recipes written in the late 15th century by Maestro Martino, who has been called the first celebrity chef and the father of the dinner party. A contemporary chef has updated 50 of Martino’s recipes which are included as an appendix in the book. A signing/dining, featuring samples of recipes from Artusi and Martino follows.
Also mark your calendars for Jet Tila, “The History of Thai Cuisine in Los Angeles? on Saturday, November 12, 2005, 10:30am at the Central Library (Los Angeles).
CHSC programs at the Central Library are free and open to the public. Discounted parking at the Library is available to those with a valid LAPL library card after 10:00am.
Hoshi gaki are persimmons that are peeled and dried whole over a period of several weeks through a combination of hanging and delicate hand-massaging, until the sugars contained in the fruit form a delicate "bloom," a surface dusting that looks like frost. Unlike sliced dried fruit, which tend to be leathery, hoshi gaki are succulently tender and moist, with concentrated persimmon flavor. The hoshi gaki method is traditional to Japan, and came to America with Japanese farmers who settled in California’s Placer County. Associated with long life and good fortune in the Japanese culture, they are a treasured holiday gift.
Because they are so labor-intensive, hoshi gaki all but disappeared from commercial production. Slow Food has placed the hoshi gaki on its Ark of Taste, and is part of an effort to revive the process. One Placer County farmer and Slow Food member, Jeff Rieger, learned the art of hoshi gaki after restoring an old orchard planted in rare persimmons and Asian pears that he bought from its retiring Japanese-American owner. Jeff is selling fruit at the Santa Monica Farmers' Market this fall, and offered to teach the class.
When: Tuesday, October 11, 2005 from 5:00pm to 7:30pm
Where: 5022 Hook Tree Road, La Canada, California [map]
Cost: $70 for Slow Food members, $90 for nonmembers. Free for children under 12 accompanied by an adult.
We will learn the art of hoshi gaki under the skillful direction of Jeff Rieger, and be introduced to rare varieties of persimmons, including the chocolate colored Maru Gaki and Tsuru Noko persimmons. Each participant will receive a flat of persimmons, string, bamboo poles from which to hang the drying fruit, and detailed written instructions on how to complete the process. Refreshments will be served. Note: You will be provided with special peelers, but please bring your own paring knife and an apron.
Reservations: Please email sbslowfood [at] msn [dot] com. Send your check, payable to SlowLA to:
SlowLAWe must receive your check by Friday, October 7, in order to confirm your attendance.
c/o Jordan Vannini
P.O. Box 91536
Pasadena, CA 91109
IMPORTANT NOTE: Attendance is limited to 35 people, not including young children. Slow Food members will get priority. To become a member, please visit www.slowfoodusa.org, click on membership and support, and indicate which Convivium you wish to join.
NEED MORE PERSIMMONS? If you wish to order additional Hachiya persimmons for drying, or want to order other varieties of persimmons or Asian pears from Jeff, please call him at 916.769.5462, or email jhrieger [at] sbcglobal [dot] net.
Slow Food LA presents A Taste of Jerez (Sherry): The Styles and Traditions of a Neglected Classic Wine at Grace Restaurant, featuring the wines of Bodegas Dios Baco, makers of artisan Sherry in small handcrafted batches from the region of Jerez (Sherry), Spain. Also featuring an assortment of cheeses from The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills.
When: Saturday, October 8, 2005 from 12:30pm - 3:00pm
Where: Grace Restaurant, 7360 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90036 [map]
Cost: $35.00 Slow Food LA members; $40.00 nonmembers (Reservation information below.)
Nan Kohler, California Regional Manager for CIV(USA) importers, will be leading a tasting of the whole range of styles of Sherry, from light Manzanilla to rich Pedro Ximenez and teaching about the unique way in which these wines are crafted. Also on hand will be Sebastian Craig, a "Deacon du Fromage" at The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills, to talk about the selected cheeses for the tasting. In addition to the cheeses, chef Neal Fraser will provide small delights to accompany the flights and help illustrate Sherry's incredible versatility as a food-friendly wine.
Reservations: In advance ONLY by calling the Slow Food Hotline: 323.860.9804 or by email to John [at] thewinecurators [dot] com. Please note that reservations will not be taken by the restaurant. The number of spaces is limited, and reservations should be submitted by October 5.
Payment is by check only. Reservations will be confirmed upon receipt of a check made out to Slow LA and sent to:
Slow LA
c/o Angeli Caffe
P.O. Box 360769
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Background:
Sherry as a wine category has been on the decline in recent years. An aging demographic and misunderstanding of a product that has been mass marketed as a heavy, sweet after-dinner drink are factors that contribute to the public's misunderstanding of a wine that has traditionally been one of the most rewarding and food friendly in all the world. At their best, the range of styles are fresh fruit driven and show extraordinary compatibility with food, as well as a complexity that is attained by the unique solera system aging process.
The Participants:
The highly regarded wines of the family run Bodegas Dios Baco, with roots dating back to 1848, epitomize the finest hancrafted sherries available. Limited batches of Fino, Amontillado, Oloroso, and Cream sherries are made in a more traditional style and offer exceptional character and complexity.
The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills has been providing the widest variety and the highest quality imported cheeses to the nation since 1967. The Cheese Store is the specialist for the rarest, hand made, farm fresh cheeses, seldom shipped out of their locales. Also featured is the largest assortment
of goat's and sheep's milk cheeses anywhere.
Occupying the former home of Muse restaurant, GRACE is a casually elegant and comfortable space that has become one of LA's top restaurants in just a few short years. Neal Fraser is one of Los Angeles' most revolutionary chefs whose cuisine has been heralded by local and national media since his earliest days in the kitchen. Fraser's contemporary American fare at GRACE perfectly marries the highest quality, seasonal ingredients with his highly skilled and nuanced use of complementing and contrasting flavors and textures.
The LAsupportsLA event is tonight, from 7:00pm-10:00pm, in the Barker Hanger at the Santa Monica Airport. Tickets may be purchased at the door; check-in begins at 6:30pm. The cost is $100 per person, with all funds going to Hurricane Katrina charities.
Harry Shearer will be hosting. For more information on the restaurants, wineries, and other participating parties who have contributed to the event, check out the official web site.
Remember to contact Mindy Pfeiffer if you wish to participate in the Pasadena Farmers' Market Tour on Saturday, October 1. For more information, review the original post here on slowfoodla.com.
Mindy Pfeiffer, one of the co-chairs of the Slow Food LA's Farm Committee, coordinated and attended the tour of the Hollywood Farmers' Market with Evan Kleiman on Sunday, August 28. She chronicles the day below [click on the photos for larger images]:
We started out the morning by meeting at the southern end of the Hollywood Market, at Sunset and Ivar. Evan and her niece, Mor, met us at 8:30am, and we began our magical market tour. Our mission was to gather the ingredients that would be used to prepare a lunch afterwards at Angeli Caffe. We stopped to meet Pompea Smith, Market Manager, and after a brief introduction headed up Ivar.One of our first stops was at Coastal Farms for some incredible heirloom tomatoes, in particular, an Italian variety, the seeds of which were brought back by Evan, and which today would be used in a sauce. Then onward for mizuna, frisee, arugula, and avocados.
Stopping at Flora Bella, Evan had us sample purslane, a green that has a sour taste much like clover, and is used in Mexican cooking. From there we proceeded to David West, Mushroom Man, who on this day had huckleberries which Evan decided to incorporate into our meal.
Onward to McGrath Farms where we bought a huge squash that was destined for great glory. There were also Dixie Peas, a type of pea that resembled a cranberry bean. Continuing on, there were fresh figs, beautiful little Asian eggplants, long, skinny, sweet green peppers, cucumbers, red onions, and then it was time to head to Angeli, which was good timing because it was starting to warm up!
We reconvened at Angeli, donned aprons, and with Evan directing, pitched in to help prepare a most mouth wateringly fabulous feast. I won’t go into all the details, but here is the menu:
++ Gazpacho garnished with Croutons and Avocado
++ Gnochetti di Ricotta with Heirloom Tomato Sauce
++ Salad of Greens with Almonds, Ricotta Salata and Anchovy-Mustard Vinaigrette
++ Zucchini Flowers
++ Sauteed Peppers with Garlic
++ Sauteed Squash with Red Wine Vinegar, Mint, and Garlic Sauce
++ Sliced Heirloom Tomatoes with Salt
++ Baked Figs with Vanilla Ice Cream and Huckleberry Compote
++ White Wine and Sparkling Water
Sitting and sharing the meal family style we were truly in Slow Food Mode. We had an opportunity to talk and enjoy our delicious food, and to ask Evan, her fellow chef, Kathy, and Mor questions about all sorts of food-related topics. At the end, as we were ready to roll ourselves back to our cars, we were each presented with a little package of gnochetti and stuffed eggplant, to be enjoyed at a future moment when we would once again have room in our stomachs to eat!
Note that the next market tour will be held at the Pasadena Farmers' Market on Saturday, October 1, and will be led by Sumi Chang of EuroPane in Pasadena.
Come join us for our second Chef's Tour featuring the Pasadena Farmers' Market on Saturday, October 1. Our group will be led by Sumi Chang, owner of EuroPane, Pasadena's premier bakery and deli.
The Saturday Farmers' Market is located at Victory Park. We will meet Sumi at 8:30am at the corner of North Sierra Madre Boulevard and Paloma Street. After completing our tour of the market we will rendezvous at EuroPane where, under Sumi's direction, we will prepare a meal utilizing the ingredients from the market.
This event is limited to 15 people, so please sign up early.
When: Saturday, October 1, 2005, beginning at 8:30am
Where: Meet at North Sierra Madre and Paloma Street in Pasadena [map] for the Farmers' Market Tour; rendezvous at EuroPane at 950 E. Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena [map] for cooking and lunch. Note that for the market there is free parking in the lot located on North Sierra Madre. Street parking is also available.
Cost: $60 for members; $75 for nonmembers. This includes the tour of the market, cooking demo, lunch, and wine.
Email your reservation to mindypfeiffer [at] sbcglobal [dot] net.
Checks should be payable to SlowLA and sent to:
Jordan VanniniPlease send your check for receipt by September 26. We will confirm your reservation when your check is received. Note that once we have received your check there are no cancellations/refunds available.
P.O. Box 91536
Pasadena, CA 91109
Be sure to bring a basket or cart for your produce, an apron, and a hat for the sun. And bring cash for any purchases you might make.
We hope you'll join us!
Our friends at the Culinary Historians of Southern California have alerted us to the following events in September and October:
Mark your calendars for the Culinary Historians of Southern California's upcoming programs. Monthly programs are held at the Los Angeles Central Library in the Mark Taper Auditorium and are free of charge.
Saturday, September 10, 2005, at 10:30 am
Malaysian Cooking, including Nonya Cuisine, presented by Carol Selva Rajah
Carol Selva Rajah, talented chef, cookbook author, and teacher, has studied the cultural and cooking traditions of the many different national culinary styles of Asia.
Carol writes for Australian Gourmet Traveller, The Sydney Morning Herald's Good Living Magazine, The Canberra Times, and The Straits Times in Malaysia. She writes reviews for The Sydney Morning Herald's Good Food Guide and Sydney Eats, and is on the judging panel for the Restaurant and Catering Association. Carol also sits on the board of the New South Wales Food and Wine Tourism Action Committee for Tourism New South Wales.
Saturday, October 15, 2005, at 10:30 am
Luigi Ballerini, “The Renaissance and the Modern: The Art of Eating Well in Italy?
More about Carol Selva Rajah:
In addition to the accomplishments noted above, Carol has written nine cookbooks. Her coffee table books on Asian and South East Asian cuisine were distributed internationally in the US, the UK, and Australia. In October 2003, Carol's book The Food of India (co-written with Priya Wickramasinghe in London) won the gold award for the Best Hard Cover Recipe Book 2002-2003, at the Jacob’s Creek World Food Media Awards in Adelaide. She has also authored the Essential Guide to Buying and Using Authentic Asian Ingredients, an invaluable reference for chefs and writers all over Australia.
Her Malaysian Asian Microwave Cookbook led to a television series that ran for seven years on Malaysian and Singapore TV. Her recent books, Celebrity Barbecues (Times Cavendish, SE Asia and Australia) and Sensational Seafood were released in January 2004.
Carol consults for major Australian companies, advising on product formulations, pastes, and sauces. She is currently working with Lion Nathan Australia on a national marketing campaign to develop a consciousness of beer’s natural pairing with spicy Asian food.
Carol was the first Australian woman invited to cook at the James Beard Foundation in New York. Last year she was Guest Chef on the QE2's voyage around Australia, where she was the first Asian Guest Chef to cook spicy Asian food, using authentic Asian produce. Not only did the passengers love it, but so did the QE2's sous chefs, many of whom are Goan, Thai or Malaysian.
Carol presented a Master Class at the Brisbane Hilton, with Charmaine Solomon, along with a group of eminent chefs and wine experts in 2003, and was guest speaker at the international conference, “Tasting Australia? in Adelaide, 2003.
In Sydney, Carol has trained mature chefs and young apprentices in the fine art of the flavours of Asia. She is regarded by many in her profession as one of Australia’s foremost food educators. She also conducts cooking classes at the Sydney Seafood School; The Cooking Co-ordinates, Canberra; and Kleenmaid Kitchen Facilities, Drummoyne. With her daughter, Anushiya, Carol holds private classes at her test kitchen in Sydney.
Carol created “Day Trips in Asia? tours to Cabramatta and Yagoona. She organizes and conducts culinary tours to food destinations in Australia and overseas. She has won awards for these tours from Tourism NSW and the Office of Western Sydney. In 2000, she was awarded the prestigious Jaguar Gourmet Traveller Award for Excellence in Gastronomic Travel.
Carol is a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals (a US based professional food organization), the Food Media Club, the International Slow Food Movement, and the Culinary Tourism Advisory Committee. She has also served on the steering Committee for NSW TAFE Vocational Training Order.
Carol has been involved with many events and festivals including: the Feast of Sydney (in the year leading up to the Olympics), the Courier Kemeny Food festival at Randwick Racecourse, The World's Longest Buffet, and the Batavia Dinners at the Sydney Maritime Museum.
Thanks to Jordan Vannini for serving as one of the organizers and photographer at the tour of the Weiser Family Farms on July 31. A sampling from the day's photos are below (clicking on a photo will open a slightly larger version of it).
For other reminiscinces of the day, see Sue's comments and photos.
A view of the Weiser fields at the start of the day.
Our group assembles for the start of the tour.
Having the opportunity to taste just-picked melons from the Weiser fields brought smiles and encouraged a lot of "oohs" and "aahs."
Chef Evan Kleiman prepared a feast that took full advantage of the freshly picked fruits and vegetables.
Discussing the day and enjoying Weiser's produce.
A sampling of the Weiser Family Farms' bounty, including potatoes, melons, and beans. A treat for the eyes as well as the palate! Thanks to all who joined us for making it a great day. Future farm tours and related events will be posted here, so please check back often for save-the-date alerts and event details.
Members of Slow Food LA are cordially invited to attend the annual garden tour sponsored by the Foothill Chapter of the California Rare Fruit Growers Association. This event highlights CRFG's motto that "everyone is an expert in their own back yard" by showcasing the fruit orchards and vegetable gardens of Deborah Urquhart.
When: Saturday, September 3, 2005 from 9:30am to 1:00pm
Where: The home of Deborah Urquhart, 10505/10515 Wheatland Ave., Sunland CA 91040
Cost: Free of charge
As any garden amatuer knows, keeping even a modest garden and orchard productive can be a full time job and, like the small producers we support at our local farmer's markets, can pose an array of difficult challenges to overcome. Deborah's gardens and orchards give us a pocket size view of what can be done on a small scale and underlines the challenges we all face in the quest for sustainable production. Join us as we salute the Urban Backyard Farmer!
Parking will be available on site. Turn up the driveway when you see the zebras on the mailbox!
Please join Slow Food Los Angeles at a special dinner pairing Modern Spirits vodka with food from Grace Restaurant and Chef Neal Fraser.
When: Monday, September 12, 2005 at 7:00pm
Where: Grace Restaurant, 7360 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles. (Map)
Cost: $75.00 per person; $65.00 per person for designated drivers
To reserve your place: Please call Grace directly at 323.934.4400. A credit card may be required to hold the reservation.
Menu created by Chef Fraser:
++ Fluke sashimi with micro shiso, candied grapefruit, tempura uni, and white soy. Paired with Celery Peppercorn vodka.Handmade in Los Angeles by the husband and wife team of Melkon Khosrovian and Litty Mathew, Modern Spirits vodkas are made in small batches using an artisanal infusion method to create a drink good enough to sip and pair with meals. Learn more about Modern Spirits vodka at their web site.
++ Lobster cavetelli with Maine lobster, cavetelli pasta, chanterelle mushrooms, and peas. Paired with Black Truffle vodka.
++ Oven roasted La Belle farms duck breast with purple Thai sticky rice, baby bok choy, and kumquat chili sauce. Paired with Tea vodka.
++ Pear sorbet with chestnut honey-roasted dates, Asian pears, and brown sugar cookies. Paired with Candied Ginger vodka.
++ Chocolate steamed pudding and warmed chocolate truffles with candied ginger snaps. Paired with Chocolate Orange vodka.
Neal Fraser is the rare chef who creates food that is both inventive and soulful. He has worked at many restaurants in Los Angeles including Checkers, Spago, Pinot Bistro, and Rix. He was also chef and co-owner of Boxer. Chef Fraser is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. Learn more about Grace Restaurant at their web site.
The organizers of Tomatomania!TM have organized a homegrown tomato tasting this Saturday, August 6, 2005, from 10:00am to noon at the Sepulveda Community Garden (across the freeway from the Tapia Brothers Farm Stand located at 5251 Hayvenhurst Avenue, Encino). Here is their invitation:
Hi MANIACS!I hope the summer is going well and that your gardens and veggies are happy.
While I've spoken to some of you or gotten messages recently I wanted to be sure you got the e-mail about our tasting this Saturday. We would love to see you and catch up. We're very excited about the Sepulveda Community Garden location and think this may become a nice tradition.
Our Tapia trials were super this year but have tuckered out in this heat. We did our last picking on Saturday, some of which will hold over until this weekend, thank goodness.
We've also received well over a hundred responses to our "How does Your Garden Grow?" appeal this summer, so we have many good notes, tips and stories to share next spring. One of those lucky participants will receive 2 tickets to TOMATOFEST in Carmel in September. Have you gotten YOUR tickets yet?
Hope to see you this Saturday with proof of your superior crop in hand! If we don't see you this weekend, let me know what's up - and enjoy your vacations or days off or time in the garden for the rest of the summer. Maybe you're getting out of this heat for a bit?
Take care,
Scott (and Gary and Kate too)
Have you ever found yourself wanting to go to the farmers' market, but feeling like you wouldn't know where to begin? Well, here is your opportunity to learn more about the produce and the farmers who grow it. Come join Evan Kleiman, chef/owner of Angeli Caffé, for a personalized tour of the Hollywood Farmers' Market.
What: Tour of the Hollywood Farmers' Market with Evan Kleiman
When: Sunday, August 28, 2005. Our group will meet at the corner of Sunset and Ivar at 8:30am sharp.
Cost: $65 per person for members; $85 per person for nonmembers
This is the first in a series of farmers’ market tours. It will include a hands-on tour of the market and then a cooking demo and lunch at Angeli Caffé prepared by Evan utilizing the produce she has selected from the market that morning.
This event will be limited to 15 people, so be sure to sign up early. Email your reservation to mindypfeiffer [at] sbcglobal [dot] net.
Checks should be payable to SlowLA and sent to:
Jordan VanniniYour check will confirm your reservation. Once we have received your check there are no cancellations/refunds available.
P.O. Box 91536
Pasadena, CA 91109
Be sure to bring a basket or cart for your produce, and a hat for the sun. And bring cash for any purchases you might make.
We hope you'll join us!
One of our members has posted her impressions and photos of the Weiser Family Farms tour and lunch this past weekend. Perhaps the most telling quote is this:Someone said, "Notice how small everyone's vocabulary has gotten?" as everyone was reduced to saying "Oh wow," "Oh my God" or just "Ohhhhh."
Thanks to all who joined us, and remember to check back here for information about upcoming convivium events.
This is a wonderful opportunity to visit an important local farming resource. If you're not familiar with Weiser Family Farms, check out a recent article in the Los Angeles Times. We hope you'll join us at the farm tour!
Come celebrate the summer bounty on Slow Food's July farm tour of Weiser Family Farms in Tehachapi!
Weiser Family Farms is a well-known favorite among farmers' market shoppers and chefs. Their organic produce includes many varieties of fingerling potatoes, the best of the summer melons, nantes carrots, mulberries, and much more.They have been most gracious to invite us to come for a tour, a harvest of select produce, and a luncheon prepared by chef Evan Kleiman of Angeli Caffe.
When: Sunday, July 31, 2005, 8:00am until 4:30pm. We'll meet at 8:00am at Parking Structure 4 in Santa Monica, located at 1321 2nd Street. We'll depart promptly at 8:15am, and expect to return between 4:00pm and 4:30pm.
Cost: $55.00 for Slow Food members; $75.00 for nonmembers. Price includes the bus transportation, tour, lunch, drinks, and harvested produce. Reservations must be made by July 25; details below.
We will meet in Santa Monica to board a tour bus which will take us out to the farm. Upon arrival at the farm we will be greeted by the Weiser family, including Sid Weiser, who started farming when he purchased an apple orchard nearly 30 years ago. Alex Weiser will conduct the farm tour and discuss organic production, heirloom varieties, seasonality, and the importance of certified farmers' markets. We will enjoy a wonderful summer feast prepared by Evan featuring just-harvested fruits and vegetables from the farm, and as a special treat for you carnivores, there will also be a freshly roasted suckling pig.
There will also be time for harvesting fruits and vegetables, and for enjoying the serenity of the farm. You will also be able to purchase additional freshly picked produce at a farm stand set up by the Weisers.
We also suggest that you bring:
1. sunhatTo make a reservation, email mindypfeiffer [at] sbcglobal [dot] net by July 25. Checks should be payable to SLOWLA and sent to:
2. sunscreen
3. comfortable closed-toe shoes
4. a bottle of water
5. a cooler for produce
6. money for additional purchases
Jordan Vannini
P.O. Box 91536
Pasadena, CA 91109
This event is limited to 50 people, so reserve your place soon! Your check will confirm your reservation. Please note: Once you have paid, if you change your mind, we will not be able to refund your money. No exceptions!
The Culinary Historians of Southern California will hold their annual used cookbook sale on Sunday, August 7, 2005 at the Hollywood Farmers' Market. The sale will run from 8:00am until 1:00pm. If you're interested in finding an elusive volume or just can't resist expanding your cookbook library, be sure to visit the sale.
More information will be forthcoming, but in the meantime the SlowLA Farm Committee would like to alert you to an upcoming event: a farm tour of Weiser's Farm in Tehachapi, to be conducted on Sunday, July 31. The day's events will include a tour of the farm, harvesting of various vegetables and fruits, and a wonderful meal featuring Weiser Farm's fresh produce.
We'll post more information as soon as the details are confirmed. In the meantime, mark your calendars!
Sample pre-release wines and benefit Slow Food U.S.A. An event not to be missed!
Experience some of Italy's most exquisite works of art--its fine wines. Sample pre-release wines from renowned signatures such as Sassicaia, Guidalberto, Lupicaia, Cerequio, Cabreo, Nozzole, Nardi, Crognolo, Pighin, and Bollini, all poured by the winemakers themselves paired with cuisine from leading local restaurants.
When: Wednesday, June 15, 2005 from 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Where: The Fairmont Miramar Santa Monica, 101 Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica
Cost: $65 for Slow Food members / $75 for non-members
ADVANCE PURCHASE ONLY
Reservations should be made by phone to 866.KOBRAND (866.562.7263) or via Kobrand's web site.
Please note: This is a walk-around tasting. Although you will not receive actual tickets, your space is confirmed upon reservation. Reservations are refundable up to 48 hours prior to the event.
Visit the Kobrand site for information on the wines and winemakers.
Restaurants:
Angeli Caffé
BEACON an asian bistro
Culinary Arts Program of the Art Institute of Santa Monica
Grace Restaurant
Jar
Chef Troy N. Thompson, Jer-ne Restaurant & Bar at The Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey
Joe's
Josie
Mako
Melissa's Fine Produce
Chef Nancy Silverton
Vincenti Ristorante
Don't forget that the tour of the Agnew Sweet Acres Farm is coming up, and reservations should be made by May 24th. See the original post for details and reservation information.
Join us today at the "Unpaving Paradise One School at a Time/Cinco de Mayo Festival."
When: Saturday, May 7, 2005 from 11:00am-2:00pm
Where: 24th Street Elementary School, 2055 West 24th Street, West Adams,
Los Angeles, CA 90018.
After being approached by concerned teachers at a central Los Angeles elementary school, writer Emily Green, chef Nancy Silverton and garden designer Nancy Goslee Power formed the Garden School Foundation. They've spent two years working with LAUSD for improved landscaping, nutrition
programs and outdoor classrooms. La Brea Bakery came in to sponsor the nutrition/environment program.
On May 7th, Garden School Foundation will launch a master plan for a prototype schoolyard designed around the campus of 24th Street Elementary School.
To mark the launch, chefs from the A.O.C., Border Grill, Ciudad, El Cholo, Jar, La Brea Bakery, Loteria Grill at the Farmers Market and Lucques, will be joining Silverton for a Cinco de Mayo festival
Come join us for our first farm tour of the year at Agnew Sweet Acres Farm in Lindsay, California. Some of you who shop the Hollywood Farmers’ Market or the Saturday Pasadena Market in Victory Park may be familiar with Mike Agnew, who grows some of the very best naval oranges you can find. We will be meeting Mike at his farm for a tour, then to pick all the oranges you want, and a picnic. If we are lucky, there may even be a few wildflowers still around.
For those of you who have the time there are also the Painted Murals in Lindsay (2 miles south of Ranch) and Exeter (about 4.5 miles northwest of Ranch) For further info go to the California Heartland site and to the Linday Mural Photo Gallery.
When: Saturday, May 28, 2005 at 10:00am
Where: Agnew Sweet Acres Farm, 22153 Ave. 250, Lindsay, CA
Click here for map and directions from maps.google.com.
Cost: $30 per person, nonrefundable. Cost includes the tour, orange-picking, and picnic. Sandwiches will be provided by Europane Bakery in Pasadena, choice of either chicken or vegetarian.
To make a reservation send an email to mindypfeiffer [at] sbcglobal [dot] net. Please make your check payable to Slow Food LA, indicate sandwich preference, and send to:
Jordan VanniniYour check will confirm your reservation. Please be prompt, we’d like to have the checks by May 24 in order to plan on how many sandwiches to order.
P.O. Box 91536
Pasadena, CA 91109
Please remember to:
1. Wear layers – weather can range from hot to cold
2. Bring a hat
3. Bring a bottle of water
4. Wear comfortable closed toe shoes
5. Bring sunscreen
6. Bring a cooler or container for your oranges
7. Bring a folding chair to sit on
If you get lost, call 626-705-0270.
This week we are thrilled to present a very special dinner as a collaboration of Caffe Angeli and SlowFood LA. In keeping with the Slow mission to support local artisans and their products, Caffe Angeli will feature the local Spanish charcuterie La Española. They make what is probably the best locally produced charcuterie in Southern California. To show off their products, Evan Kleinman and her chef Kathy Ternay will create a varied Tapas menu that focuses on La Española products and local produce and fish bought at the Santa Monica Farmers’ Market. TELEMUNDO TELEVISION will be there to talk to Slow members.
When: Thursday, April 28, 2005 at 7:00pm
Where: Caffe Angeli, 7274 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles 90046
Cost: $30 Slow Food members; $40 nonmembers (does not include wine, tax, gratuity). A portion of proceeds will be donated to the Slow Food convivium.
For more information about about Dona Juana and La Española, please visit their website.
MENU
Assorted La Española Charcuterie
Fried Almonds
Marinated Olives
Batter Fried Caperberries
Shrimp and Garlic from Granada
Grilled Riojano Chorizo with Grilled Onions and Red Peppers
Lomo – Cured Pork Loin
Escalivada - Roasted Veggies with Romesco Sauce
Manchego con membrillo - Manchego Cheese with Quince Paste
Tortilla Espanola – Potato “Frittata?
Piquillo Peppers filled with Tuna
Mussels Vinaigrette – Mejillones a la vinagreta
Mushrooms with Sherry-Bittersweet Paprika Marinade – Setas al Jerez
Patatas Bravas - Potatoes with Piquant Tomato Sauce and Allioli
Stewed Garbanzos with Spinach
Please join Slow Food LA at a special tasting event at L'Artisan du Chocolat, a maker of very fine handmade chocolates. This tasting event will include a discussion of chocolate making, a demonstration, and a sample of chocolates. Additional chocolates will be available for sale at a discounted price.
Where: L'Artisan du Chocolat, 3364 West First Street, Los Angeles (immediately next door to Picholine). Phone: 213.252.8722. Map
When: Friday, May 13, 2005 at 6:00pm
Cost: $20 for Slow Food members; $22 for nonmembers. By arrangement with Mr. Alexandre, a portion of the proceeds will also benefit the MEG Foundation.
Please RSVP via judibikel [at] aol [dot] com. Checks should be payable to Slow Food LA and mailed to Judi Bikel, 1425 N. Crescent Heights Blvd. #201, West Hollywood, CA 90046. The event will be limited to 35 people but you may RSVP up to the day of the event. Prepayment will reserve your space.
L'Artisan du Chocolat is owned by husband and wife team Christian Alexandre and Whajung Park. Mr. Alexandre, a French native, met Ms. Park, a Korean native, over the lunch counter at Picholine, the gourmet French café and market. Ms. Park studied the chocolate arts at L'Ecole de la rue Jean Ferrandi in Paris. Her chocolates have a very pure and intense quality and are always startlingly fresh. Huell Howser will feature L'Artisan du Chocolat on his "California Gold" program on KCET. The episode is scheduled to air on May 1 at 7:00pm.
Our friends at the Common Ground Garden Program have alerted us to the following events in April and May:
The Garden Conservancy is in its tenth year and is the only national not-for-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of American gardens. By inviting the public to visit private gardens through it's Open Days Program, the Conservancy strives to strengthen the public's commitment to garden preservation and encourage the appreciation of gardens as living works of art.
The Open Days tours this year will be in Pasadena on Sunday, April 24, 2005 and in Beverly Hills, Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, and Santa Monica on Saturday, May 7, 2005. For tickets and a directory, go to the Open Days page of the Garden Conservancy web site or call 888.842.2442. Admission is $5 per garden. Discount booklets and directories are available through the website or at the lead gardens on both days.
The Lead Garden for April 24th Open Day is the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden in Arcadia and the Lead Garden for May 7th is Greystone Estate Park in Beverly Hills. Lead Gardens will be open from 9:30am-3:30pm. Private gardens will be open from 10:00am-4:00pm. Gardens will be open rain or shine.
Our friends at the Culinary Historians of Southern California have alerted us to the following event this coming weekend:
The CHSC March program will convene on Saturday, April 9, 2005 at 10:30am, in the Mark Taper Auditorium at the Central Library and will be of special interest to coffee-lovers: Peet’s and Starbucks: My Life in Caffeine by Gerald Baldwin
Jerry Baldwin was chairman of Peet’s Coffee & Tea from 1994 until January 2001. From 1984 until 1994, he was president and CEO. He continues to serve on Peet’s board.
Baldwin and two friends founded Starbucks Coffee Company in Seattle in 1971. Alfred Peet supplied roasted coffee at the inception of the company and helped them learn the skills of selection, blending and roasting the world’s finest coffees.
In 1984, Baldwin, a native San Franciscan, fulfilled a long-held dream by purchasing Peet’s. For the next three years, he owned Peet’s as well as Caravali Coffees and Starbucks. In 1987 the other two companies were sold. Baldwin retained Peet’s because it had the best coffee and customer loyalty. Since taking over the business, Baldwin has focused on maintaining Peet’s as the coffee authority. He worked to create an environment at Peet’s that encourages employee involvement and creative thinking.
Peet’s is committed to customer education about coffee and tea as well as honest, open communication with both customers and employees. Peet’s is a place where customer relations and business transactions are built on trust, and where high standards in all aspects of the business are diligently pursued.
Baldwin is involved beyond the boundaries of his company and the coffee industry. He currently serves as a Director of TechnoServe, an NGO working to alleviate poverty in developing countries; he has served as a Trustee and Chairman of the Coffee Quality Institute and serves as Director and past President of the Association Scientific Internationale du Café (ASIC). He is also an honorary member of the Kilimanjaro Specialty Coffee Growers Association. Baldwin was a founding director of Red Hook Ale Brewery and a founding contributor of the American Institute of Wine and Food.
Baldwin is a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA). He was named Coffeeman of the Year for North America by Tea & Coffee Trade Journal. Baldwin resides in San Francisco with his wife, Jane. They have three adult sons.
As previously noted, the Social Action Committee of Slow Food Los Angeles is organizing a tour of Fairview Gardens in Goleta.
Where: Fairview Gardens, 598 North Fairview Avenue, Goleta 93117. (Directions here.)
When: Saturday, April 16, 2005 at 10:00am
Cost: $25 for Slow Food members; $35 for nonmembers
RSVP: by April 12 to the Social Action Committee Update: Please send checks payable to SLOW LA to:Angeli Caffe
Attn: Fairview Gardens Tour
P.O. Box 360769
Los Angeles, CA 90036
The event will include a tour (approximately two hours) to learn about community-supported agriculture, lunch, and a screening of the film The Future of Food for those who want to see it. There will also be an opportunity to purchase produce from the farm stand.
Other Slow convivia members from Southern and Central California are also invited, so this will be a chance to meet other Slows from different parts of our state. We hope you'll join us!
For additional information or to reserve your place, please email the Social Action Committee.
Of interest to Slow Food members may be two upcoming events in the Los Angeles area:
On Wednesday, April 6, 2005, David Mas Masumoto will discuss his work as part of the Los Angeles Public Library's Aloud series. The event begins at 7:00pm at the Central Library, 630 West Fifth Street, Los Angeles. (Phone: 213.228.7025 for reservations and information.)
Eric Schlosser, author of Fast Food Nation, will be participating in the Martin W. Witte Distinguished Speakers Lecture Series of the Newport Beach Public Library Foundation. The two-day series of events will be held April 15 and 16, 2005, and reservations are required. For information regarding location, reservations, and cost, please go to the Lecture Series web site. (Online payment and reservation may be made via the link on the Lecture Series page.)
On Sunday, March 13, Slow Food Los Angeles hosted a “World of Presidia? dinner at Angeli Caffe featuring Presidia products selected by Slow Food alongside the Italian wines of Oltrepo Pavese. Chef Evan Kleiman prepared a delicious four course wine dinner, incorporating Presidia products such as smoked wild Irish Salmon, Piennolo tomatoes, Salina Capers and Planze lentils, to name just a few.
Beginning in 1999, Slow Food's Presidia began in Italy as an extension of the Ark of Taste project, which initially set out to protect a list of products at risk of disappearing in the shadow of industrialized food forces. The Presidia's aim is to focus on a group of producers of a single product in the same region, such as Mananara Vanilla in Madagascar, helping them develop production and marketing techniques that will give them staying power in the global marketplace. Today, sixty-five Presidia projects exist in over thirty countries, supporting gastronomic tradition, historic ties, and political issues in a manner that is sensitive to each country’s particular socio-cultural and environmental factors.
Paired with wines for each course from the Oltrepo Pavese region in Italy, which acted as a co-sponsor for the event, the dinner provided thoughtful, tangible evidence of the diligent work of the Presidia. As an introduction for each course, Slow Food members were given anecdotal evidence by Chef Kleiman of just how hard a dinner like this is to pull off. Some last minute improvisation was definitely required. The Navajo sheep slated for the dinner was initially not available at the originally determined source. But after a few phone calls, another sheep farmer came through with the beautiful meat, which was delivered and butchered that day. The delicate, delicious Manoomin, a wild rice originating from Anishinaabeg tribal lands in Minnesota, that was paired with the lamb, arrived in such a seemingly small amount, Chef Kleiman feared that some might go without. Fortunately, the delicate thin rice, which resembles blades of thin grass when dry, cooked up to an ample amount, providing more than enough to go around.
Beginning with Cape May Oysters, served on the half shell, served along with Smoked Irish Wild Atlantic Salmon from Ireland on Oatmeal pancakes with cucumber dill sauce, and ending with a “sweet finish? of Panna Cotta made with Mananara Vanilla and mini triple chocolate cakes and chocolate boxes made from Nacional Cacao from Ecuador, the meal was a tour-de-force of global cooperation and shared conviviality. The wines included a elegant Pinot Nero “Luogo dei Monti? 2002--Vercesi del Castellazzo paired with a pasta puttanesca course, and a more rustic and forceful Bonarda “Fatila? 1999--Vercesi del Castellazzo, paired with a cheese course, which included Gouda from Holland, Bitto from Italy, Cheddar from the UK and Matos St. George from Sonoma. Who said activism could not be a sensual, pleasurable experience?
Joining Evan Kleiman was Sara Firebaugh of Slow Food USA and Fredrica Rossino of the Consorzio Vini Oltrepo, Italy. Proceeds from the dinner benefited The Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity, which organizes funds for the Art of Taste and the Presidia. Dinners in this series were also held this year in Philadelphia, New York, Chicago, St. Paul, and Portland, featuring the same Presidia products and Oltrepo wines.
Tomatomania!TM, the country's largest tomato seedling sale, will be celebrating its 15th year this year with the following upcoming events in Southern California.
Where and when:
April 1, 2, and 3 from 9:00am - 5:00pm at the Tapia Brothers Farm Stand, 5251 Hayvenhurst Avenue, Encino (Phone: 818.905.6155). Free admission and parking, seedlings start at $3.00;April 14, 15, 16, and 17 at the 16th Annual Southern California Spring Garden Show, South Coast Plaza (the Crate & Barrel/Macy's Home Store wing), Costa Mesa (Phone: 714.435.2171);
April 29 and 30, and May 1 at the Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden, 301 N. Baldwin Avenue, Arcadia (Phone: 626.821.3222).
In addition to heirloom seedlings, Tomatomania! will offer the best hybrid plants, fertilizers, planting mixes, stakes, and other tomato growing accoutrements. Tomatomania! will also be an opportunity to ask Master Gardeners for advice, to share tips and information, to watch planting demonstrations, and to pick up valuable handouts. Also available for sale at the Tapia Brothers events will be Scott Daigre's tomato tome TOMATOMANIA!: How to Grow Tomatoes Successfully in Southern California.
For the uninitiated, heirloom tomatoes are the thoroughbreds of the garden--coveted as much for their wild shapes and vivid colors as their remarkable flavors. The seedlings are shipped from growers around the state. With more than 15,000 tomato seedlings going home with nearly 1,000 customers, Tomatomania! has become a highly anticipated event.
The brainchild of Master Gardener Gary Jones, Tomatomania! was founded in 1991 as a one-day sale at nursery trendsetter Hortus in Pasadena. Fellow garden fanatics Scott Daigre and Kate Karam joined forced with Gary to develop Tomatomania! as a fun way to showcase these amazing vegetables and kick off the spring growing season. The three now produce this annual tomato ritual as Plant-a-Porter, LA's premier garden events company. 2005 marks not only Tomatomania!'s 15th year, but also an expansion from one to four full-blown events across Southern California (the three noted above and one that was held this weekend at the Quail Botanic Gardens in Encinitas).
For more information, please contact Scott Diagre at 323.363.0844 or email tomatomaniahq [at] aol [dot] com.
Jennie Cook, the chef and proprietor of Double Dutch restaurant, has alerted us that her wine pairing series will premiere this month. The first event will feature wines from the award winning Agua Dulce Vineyards in Santa Clarita Valley harmoniously matched with a six-course gourmet dinner.
When: Wednesday, March 23, 2005
Where: Double Dutch, 9806 Washington Boulevard, Culver City 90232. (Two doors east of the new Kirk Douglas Theatre. Phone: 310.280.0991.
Cost: $60 per person for Slow Food members; $75 per person for nonmembers. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Slow Food.
Reservations are required; please call the restaurant directly.
Jennie has planned the following menu for the evening:
First Course
Chef’s Choice Amuse-Bouche
Sparkling Wine AperitifSecond Course
Crab Bisque or Smoked Idaho Trout Canapés
2002 Angeles Crest Sauvignon BlancThird Course
Organic Green Salad with Herb-Encrusted Artisan Chévre
2001 Angeles Crest ChardonnayFourth Course
Wild Mushroom Ravioli
2002 Angeles Crest SangioveseFifth Course
Moroccan Seasoned Lamb Chop with Dried Fruits
2001 Angeles Crest SyrahSixth Course
Pastry Chef’s Dessert SamplingPosted to Events: LA Convivium by Lisa, March 12, 2005 08:55 PM
St. Joseph's Day celebrations began this weekend and will continue next weekend, March 18-20. One location where you can join in the celebration is Casa Italiana, St. Peter's Church, 1051 N. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90012. (Phone 323.225.8119). Their schedule is:
Mass: 11:00 am (each day); 6:00 pm Evening Mass
Pageant & Blessing of St. Joseph’s Table: 12:00 Noon
Complimentary Spaghetti & St. Joseph’s Bread: 12:00 noon to 8:00 pm
For more information, please contact St. Peter's Church directly.
As recently announced, a series of dinners will be held across the country to benefit the Slow Food Foundation for Diversity. Angeli Caffe's Evan Kleiman will host one of these special dinners, and Oltrepo Pavese will be providing wines to be paired with the courses.
When: Sunday, March 13, 2005
Where: Angeli Caffe, 7274 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles 90046
Cost: $80 for Slow Food members (with member number and confirmation of membership status); $100 for nonmembers. Wine, tax, and tip are included in the price.
Reservations are a must, so call 323.936.9086 as soon as possible.
Evan has prepared a menu representing the bounty of the Presidia:
Aperitivo - Aperitif
Delaware Bay Oyster (USA), served on the half shell
Smoked Irish Wild Atlantic Salmon (Ireland), served with brown bread and great butter
Riesling "Vigna Martina" 2003 - Isimbarda
Piennolo Tomatoes (Italy)Secondo Portata - Second Course
Pantelleria Capers (Italy)
Pasta Puttanesca
Pinot Nero "Luogo dei Monti" 2002 - Vercesi del Castellazzo
Navajo Churro Sheep (USA), served braised, roasted, or grilled (depending on the cuts Evan receives) with copious amounts of wild mountain oregano, lemon, garlic
Planeze Lentils (France), braised with pancetta, served with two ricottas
Wild Rice (USA), made into a salad with hazelnuts
Bonarda "Il Fornacione" 2002 - Piccolo Bacco dei Quaroni
Gouda (Holland)
Bitto (Italy)
Cheddar (UK)
1 - 2 American raw milk cheeses
Bonarda "Fatila" 1999 - Vercesi del castellazzo
Mananara Vanilla (Madagascar), Panna Cotta
Nacional Cacao (Ecuador), Mini Triple Chocolate Cakes
Moscato Passito "Pregolato" Tenuta Ca' Boffenisio
The Slow Food LA wine committee brought together two treasured Los Angeles gourmet resources for a Champagne and Sparklers event on February 12th, just in time for Valentine's Day. Robert Rogness of The Wine Expo showcased an eclectic portfolio of his organic, biodynamic and artisanal sparklers at Le Sanctuaire, a noted culinary boutique in Santa Monica, conceived and owned by Jing Tio.
Slow Food members sipped wines as Robert enlightened the group about the many charms and benefits of drinking sparkling wines made by the actual owners of Grand Cru Vineyards in Champagne. In contrast to brand name "corporate owned' wines which are blended from purchased grapes to make a consistent product year in and year out, the boutique champagnes are made to express their unique terroir and vintage.
Unlike their big brand counterparts (you know the ones!), these growers are embracing sustainable agriculture, and are at the forefront of the organic and biodynamic movements in France. Finally, made in smaller quantities and without the advertising, marketing and promotional costs of their brand-name counterparts, these boutique champagnes provide incredible bang for the buck. Along with actual champagnes, Robert also threw in some Prosecco, Moscato D'Asti, and Cremant de Bourgogne, both Rose and Blanc de Blancs. It was a "sip-fest", to be sure!
Amid the beautifully displayed collector's edition cook books and state-of-the-art cookware, Le Sanctuaire provided the perfect setting. Jing conceived of the store from the desire to provide only the rarest choice ingredients and restaurant-quality kitchenware to passionate home chefs. Jing mixed and talked passionately about his choice products. Slow Food members sipped and shopped, snapping up copies of Corby Kummer's The Pleasures of Slow Food and boxes of coveted Valerie Toffee.
All in all, the evening made for many a spontaneous "toast" and shared smile, creating yet another reason to slow down for regional pleasures in Los Angeles, one sip at a time.
Robert's Champagne Rules:
1) The best wines are made from Grand Cru and Premier Cru Vineyards.Many thanks again to The Wine Expo (2933 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica, 310.828.4428) and to Le Sanctuaire (2710 Main Street, Santa Monica, 310.581.8999) for their participation.2) The best producers are maniacal, hands-on grower/winemaker types, not the jet-set pseudo-royalty types who've inherited the figurehead proprietorship of a "luxury brand" owned and controlled by an insurance company, bank or liquor distributor.
3) The best wines are NOT made in quantities of millions of cases (thousands of bottles, more likely!).
4) Most of the best producers are not in the industrial centers of Rheims or Epernay but in Cru villages with fanciful names like Dizy, Bouzy, Rilly and Ludes. Furthermore, just like in Burgundy, you can taste the difference from one to another! The big commercial houses blend wines from all over the place to make a mass production product with consistency and thus lose individuality of the Crus and the right to name them on the label. A special added consumer interest is that the best bubblies often cost far less than the commercial fizz due to lack of demand and the absence of giant ad budgets, the need to pour Jeroboams over the heads of athletes or giving significant proportions of the inventory away at charity functions.
Our friends at the Culinary Historians of Southern California have alerted us to another program this month: Drinking Beer in a Blissful Mood: Alcohol Recipes and Feasting in the Ancient World
When: Saturday, March 19, 2005, at 10:30am
Where: The Central Library Auditorium
Cost: Free of charge
The speaker will be Justin Jennings, Ph.D., a Lecturer in the Department of Anthropology, University of California, Santa Barbara.
Feasting was an important arena of political action throughout much of the ancient world. Since then--as now--alcoholic beverages were liberally consumed at many of these events; a sponsor often faced the daunting problem of assembling prodigious amounts of alcohol in the days preceding a feast.
Dr. Jennings will discuss traditional methods for making several kinds of beer (corn, barley, emmer wheat, and rice), pulque (agave), and wine (grape). By exploring these various alcoholic beverages we will see how each drink's manufacture, such as shelf life, plant maturation, and labor demands offered challenges to those who attempted mass production. We'll also learn how ancient production struggles leading up to feasts give us a fuller understanding of the political economies of past societies.
A World of Presidia dinners, which will raise funds for the Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity, will be held in six American cities in February and March:
Philadelphia: February 28Six adventurous chefs have agreed to create menus based on the unusual and delicious products of the Presidia. They will feature products selected by Slow Food for promotion through Presidia projects in France, Italy, Madagascar, Ecuador, Great Britain, the Netherlands, and Ireland. In addition, rare American breeds like corriente cattle and Navajo Churro sheep will be featured on the menus, accompanied by the wines of Oltrepo Pavese.
New York: March 1
Chicago: March 7
Minneapolis: March 8
Los Angeles: March 13
Portland: March 14
A World of Presidia will be the American launch of Slow Food’s international projects to protect agricultural biodiversity. If you are near any of these six cities, we welcome you to savor this initiative!
The cost for members will be $80 (with member number and confirmation of membership status); $100 for nonmembers.
For more information, or to make a reservation, visit www.slowfoodusa.org or call (718.260.8000) or email Sara [at] slowfoodusa [dot] org.
THINKFilm cordially invites Slow Food members to a special advance screening of Jonathan Nossiter’s epic and thought-provoking documentary about the wine industry, Mondovino. Following the screening please join the director, Jonathan Nossiter, wine importer Neal Rosenthal, who appears in the film, and other special guests for a post screening discussion to be accompanied by a reception featuring the food of Campanile and the wines of Rosenthal Wine Merchant.
When: Tuesday, March 1, 2005 at 6:30pm
Where: Clarity Theater, 100 N. Crescent Drive, Beverly Hills 90210
Cost: $45 per ticket for the screening, discussion, and reception. Tickets may be purchased at: Silver Lake Wine, 295 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles (323.662.9024) and at The Wine House, 2311 Cotner Ave, Los Angeles (310.479.3731).
Mondovino was shot on three continents, in five languages, over a three-year period. Juxtaposing artisanal wine growers with multinational conglomerates, and peasants with billionaires, Nossiter weaves together multiple family and multigenerational sagas, and uncovers a complex tapestry of rivalries, alliances, and conspiracies--all stemming from the production, distribution, and consumption of one of the oldest, most respected luxuries remaining. Mondovino gives voice to those who create, critique, and do commerce in wine, offering up a surprisingly prismatic, varied, and sometimes controversial glimpse into a product so many enjoy but so few truly understand.
Mondovino was one of the rare nonfiction films to be shown in the 2004 Cannes Film Festival’s main competition and was selected by New York’s Museum of Modern Art for its new Premiere series in December 2004. It opened in November in France where it instantly became a sensation with critics and audiences alike and it has been nominated for a César (French equivalent of the Oscars) for Best Film from the European Union.
Jonathan Nossiter has an unusual dual career that includes award-winning credentials as a filmmaker, sommelier, consultant, and wine writer. His other features include Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize-winner Sunday, Signs and Wonders and Resident Alien.
Please join Slow Food L.A. at Clementine for the sweet and savory childhood favorites of chef-owner Annie Miller. Ms. Miller creates food for her seasonal café menu based on produce from the farmer's market, her childhood experiences, and her classical training. Her cooking is both thoughtful and vibrant.
When: Thursday, February 24, 2005 at 7:00 pm
Where: Clementine, 1751 S. Ensley Drive, Los Angeles. Phone: 310.552.1080 (Map)
Cost: $20 for members; $22 for nonmembers
Pay at the door (checks should be payable to Slow Food LA) but please RSVP to judibikel [at] aol [dot] com.
Chef-owner Annie Miller opened Clementine in 2000. Annie was born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota and has a degree from the Amherst College. She trained at the Cordon Bleu in London and after coming to Los Angeles in 1995, she worked at Campanile, Spago Beverly Hills, and La Brea Bakery. She has also traveled extensively throughout the United States and Europe. "I wanted to take what I learned from my restaurant experience and offer something unique and homemade to the neighborhood," says Miller. "The best compliment I get is when someone tells me that something we make reminds them of how their grandma used to make it - I love that."
The Culinary Historians of Southern California have alerted us to several upcoming events that may be of interest to you.
Saturday, February 12, 2005 at 10:30 am
FROM OUR VALENTINE: See's, A Sweet Success Since 1921
Local See's Sales Representative Jody Scott will discuss the history of See's Candy, Southern California’s favorite confectioner. Highlights will include a short film and product samples following the lecture. (Central Library Auditorium)
Saturday, February 26, 2005 at 2:00 pm
Screening of “Mildred Pierce? and a talk by Charles Perry on "Mildred Pierce: The suffering Pie Queen as Restaurateur.?
CHSC will host a pie raffle at the 2:00 screening (film also screens at 8:00 pm). The screening will be held at the Alex Theatre, 216 N. Grand Blvd, Glendale 91203. Admission: $9.50; children and seniors $8.00. For film information, call 818.243.2539; for pie information, or to volunteer your favorite homemade pie for the raffle, call 626.799.5314 or 626.355.6536.
Monday, April 11, 2005 at 7:00 pm
Although this is not a CHSC program, the CHSC reminds us that Ruth Reichl, Editor in Chief of Gourmet, will be speaking at the Central Library through the Library Foundation’s lecture series, Aloud. The title of the bestselling memoirist’s conversation with journalist Irene Borger is "Dancing with the Stars" and reveals Ms. Reichl’s “adventures in deception? as she goes undercover in the world’s finest restaurants. These adventures are the subject of Ms. Reichl's latest memoir, Garlic and Sapphires. The program is free. Reservations are strongly recommended. Please call 213.228.7025.
If you're just now considering your February calendar, remember that the Champagne and Sparklers event is scheduled for the evening of February 12. Forgot the details? Review the original announcement and consider joining us.
Market Gourmet is a new store that features the products of many local vendors as well as hard-to-find items from small international producers (such as rainforest limes from Australia). Whether shopping for your own kitchen or for a gift, this is a local resource worth visiting.
Lauren Hunter, the founder and proprietor, will arrange for a tasting of various products with an emphasis on the Valentine's Day dinners you may want to prepare the following week. Among the products Lauren will feature are chocolates, exquisite oils and vinegars, breads, and cheeses.
When: Sunday, February 6, 2005 at 10:30am
Where: Market Gourmet, 1800 Abbot Kinney Boulevard, Venice 90291
Cost: $16 for members and nonmembers, payable at the door. Reservations not required; cash or check (payable to SlowLA) accepted.
Join us!
We invite you to join us for Slow Food LA Wines of the World: Champagne and Sparklers event featuring a tour and tasting of artisanal champagnes and new world sparkling wines with Robert Rogness. The event will showcase the eclectic portfolio of Wine Expo, a Santa Monica wine shop located at 2933 Santa Monica Boulevard and noted noted for its world wine selection from small, artisanal producers and its knowledgeable staff.
When: Saturday, February 12, 2005 at 6:00pm
Where: Le Sanctuaire, 2710 Main Street, Santa Monica 90405
Cost: $65 for Slow Food Members; $75 for nonmembers. For event registration and further information, call the Slow Food LA event line at 323.860.9804.
Discover the real champagnes: wines made by the individual owners of grand cru vineyards, not in the industrial centers of Eperhay and Reims but in the heart of La Champagne, in small agricultural villages with whimsical names like Bouzy, Rilly, Ludes and Dizzy. Why does this matter?
Because, just like in Burgundy, the wines from these different terroirs are very different from one another. Most of the champagne you may have tasted has been blended from purchased grapes to make a consistent branded product, not a wine reflecting its vintage and terroir. These champagnes tend to be better values because they are made in such small quantities that there is no need for the winemaker to spend half of his or her budget (and ultimately yours!) on advertising and promotion. The growers are at the very forefront of the sustainable agriculture, organic and even bio-dynamic movements; they are not subsidiary brands of liquor and perfume empires but the actual fruit of actual farmers ... very Slow Food!
To guarantee your attendance, please make your checks payable to SlowLA and mail them to:
SlowLALe Sanctuaire is a noted culinary boutique conceived from the desire to provide only the rarest choice ingredients and restaurant-quality kitchenware to passionate home chefs with the most discriminating appetite for culinary excellence.
Attn: Champagne Event
c/o Angeli Caffe
P.O. Box 360769
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Slow Food has a treat for you, just in time for the holidays.
Since leaving his job at JPL in 1995, Mark Jilg has been brewing delicious beer out of a space off the 210 freeway in Pasadena. At a time when brewers were creating full-flavored beer with lots of hops and malt, Mark took a different tack, adding other flavors to his brews like spices, herbs and fruit. He created the Holiday Spruce, a deep red ale brewed with spruce, giving the beer an aromatic piney flavour that's great for the holidays. A while later, Craftsman introduced the Orange Grove Ale, which
added Valencia oranges to the brew, and three years later Mark introduced the Triple Light Sage. Craftsman continues to develop brews that add flavors other than malt, hops and yeast found in traditional beer.
This field trip is a chance to learn about the beer-making process, and to experience a true, tiny, artisan brewery that, as Mark says, "would like to evolve into not much more than it is, other than being able to put beer in bottles so we can take it home."
When: Saturday, December 11, 2004, at noon
Where: Craftsman Brewing Company, 1260 Lincoln Avenue, Unit 100, Pasadena 91103
Cost: $20 for Slow Food members; $25 for nonmembers
Please note that the RSVP deadline for this event is November 20. Make your check payable to SLOWLA and mail it to:SLOWLA/Craftsman Event
c/o Angeli Caffe
P.O. Box 360769
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Join us for some good nibbles, great beer, and just what we should be serving over the holidays. These are some of the flavors we can look forward to:
Spruce Beer: As mentioned above, this is a deep red ale brewed with spruce.
Bieredegarde: This has a wild yeast component in flavor, but is malty and spicy as well.
Cabernale: Brewed with Central Coast Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, this is fermented with full bodied red ale.
Eye of the Goat: This has a great story (which Mark will tell), and is an extreme version of a traditional Boch beer.
Also check out the Craftsman Brewing Company site for a look at Mark and his Studebaker in front of Craftsman Brewery.
The Slow Food Social Action Committee has organized a tour of Los Angeles Community Gardens with Al Renner. We will travel to five gardens and hear from the gardeners themselves about the joys and challenges of urban farming. We will visit Solano Canyon Garden, Crenshaw High School Garden, the 41 St. Community Garden, the Venice Learning Garden, and Wattles Community Garden, and will have a chance to purchase produce at the Farmer's Market at the 41 St. Community Garden. The tour will begin and conclude at Angeli Caffe.
When: Saturday, November 20, 2004 from 9:00am until 5:00pm
Where: Meeting at Angeli Caffe, 7274 Melrose Avenue (near Poinsettia). Free parking on Clinton, one block South of Melrose. Carpool to be arranged on site.
Cost: $15 for members; $20 for nonmembers. Cost includes lunch. Payment by cash (exact amount required) or check will be required on the day of the event.
Remember to bring sturdy walking shoes, hat/sunglasses, jacket, and water, and if you're planning to purchase produce, please bring a shopping bag.
Please RSVP by Wednesday, November 17 via email to nettaxi@earthlink.net.
Join the Slow Food Tasting Committee in a chocolate-focused dinner featuring El Rey chocolate and Gloria Ferrer wines. Chef Chris Behre and pastry chef Aaron Lindgren have developed a menu that will highlight chocolate in both savory and sweet compositions. A must for chocolate lovers, this will be a great opportunity to discover new combinations and revel in chocolate at every course.
When: Tuesday, November 9, 2004, at 7:00pm
Where: Cinch, 1519 Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica
Cost: $58/$68 with wine pairing for Slow Food Members; $68/$78 for nonmembers
Reserve your space by November 3. RSVP by email to Grady Atkins at cookooowl@msn.com or call the Slow Food LA reservations line at 323.860.9804.
Make your check payable to Slow Food LA and mail it to:Slow Food LA
Attn: Lucy Lin: Chocolate Dinner
c/o Angeli Caffe
P.O. Box 360769
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Appetizer:
Beetroot and Goat Cheese Tempura with cocoa balsamic dressing on arugula and watercress (paired with Royal Cuvee, Brut, Carneros, 1995)Entree:
Chocolate Peking Duck (paired with Pinot Noir, Carneros 2002)Dessert "coda":
Chocolate Purist (warm cocoa cake, dark Venezuelan chocolate ganache, and chocolate ice cream in a cocoa nib tuille)Mignardise:
Milk Chocolate Box of Bananas (with pecan ganache and Peruvian coffee ice cream)
Cinch "S'mores" (milk chocolate cheesecake with vanilla bean marshmellow and chocolate graham cracker "campfire")
Chocolate Passion Tart (with passion sorbet and tropical fruits)
(desserts paired with Syrah, Carneros, 2001)
41% Coiba Milk chocolate tiles of anise, almonds and currants; 61% Mijao chocolate dipped strawberries infused with Grand Marnier; and 71% Grande Saman chocolate Passion fruit and Tahitian vanilla Truffles. All three chocolates blended into Hot Chocolate with a honey, vanilla bean marshmallow, and paired with Cockburn 20 Year Tawny Port.
The Tasting Committee of Slow Food LA will sponsor a seminar, book signing, and a focused tasting of grilled cheese sandwiches using an array of American artisanal cheeses based on Laura Werlin’s third book, Great Grilled Cheese: 50 Innovative Recipes for Stovetop, Grill, and Sandwich Maker. Stressing the sandwich's versatility, the author serves up everything from classic (and "almost-classic") grilled cheese sandwiches to quesadillas and sweet grilled cheese options.
Chris Pollan, proprietor of The Cheese Store of Silverlake, a cheese store specializing in artisanal cheeses, and fine gourmet products located in Silverlake, California has agreed to host this event. Laura Werlin, author of The All American Cheese and Wine Book will present the seminar and focused tasting to members of Slow Food and the members of the general public interested in learning more about making grilled cheese sandwiches using American artisanal cheeses. Portions of the proceeds of this event will benefit the Los Angeles Chapter of Slow Food U.S.A.
When: Sunday, October 31, 2004 at 4:00pm
Where: The Cheese Store of Silverlake, Sunset Junction, 3926-28 West Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90029.
Cost: $34.00 for Slow Food LA members; $40.00 for nonmembers. Cost includes the grilled cheese and wine tastings and a signed copy of Great Grilled Cheese by Laura Werlin.
For reservations and payment information, email Grady Atkins at cookooowl@msn.com
Make your check payable to SLOWLA and mail it to:SLOWLA
Attn: Lucy Lin: Grilled Cheese Event
c/o Angeli Caffe
P.O. Box 360769
Los Angeles, CA 90036
The featured cheeses selected for this event by Chris Pollan may include: Midnight Moon Goat Cheese; a selection of Goat and Cow Cheeses from Sally Jackson; two different Sonoma Jacks; St. George Raw California Cow; Grafton Village Cheddar; Original Point Reyes Blue; Oregon Blue; California Gouda; Basque Style Cheese from Wisconsin; and Humboldt Fog Goat Cheese.
ABOUT LAURA WERLIN:
Laura Werlin is passionate about American cheese, having written three books on the subject. Her first, The New American Cheese, won a prestigious IACP cookbook award for best American cookbook. The All American Cheese and Wine Book (2003 Stewart, Tabori & Chang), won a 2004 James Beard Award in the "single subject" category, and is the first book of its kind to focus entirely on pairing American cheese with American wine. In addition, the book features 50 cheesemaker and winemaker profiles, 50 recipes for entertaining with cheese, and comprehensive information about cheese and about wine. Great Grilled Cheese is her third book.
Werlin is on the board of the American Cheese Society and is an active member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, Women Chefs & Restaurateurs, the James Beard Foundation, the San Francisco Professional Food Society, and the American Institute of Wine and Food. She has appeared on Martha Stewart Living Television, Sara's Secrets, and Cooking Live! with Sara Moulton on the Television Food Network, San Francisco KRON-TV�s Bay Caf�e, and numerous local television and radio segments from coast to coast. She writes a nationally syndicated bi-weekly cheese column and also writes for national magazines including Cooking Light, Fine Cooking, Saveur, Cooking Pleasures, Country Living, Self Magazine, and San Francisco magazine.
Prior to foodwriting, Werlin spent sixteen years working in television news in the nation's fourth largest television market, San Francisco.
ABOUT CHRIS POLLAN:
Born and raised in Providence, Rhode Island, Chris Pollan acquired an appreciation of food and cooking at an early age. In the late 1970s, Pollan achieved success and notoriety as a tour manager for some of rock's biggest acts, and touring the world allowed him to sample fine food from every part of the globe. By the mid-nineties, Chris was ready to settle down and spend more time with his family, and began working at The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills, where he discovered that food, wine, and retail are his real passion.
In 2001, Pollan decided to open up a store of his own, and chose the eclectic, up-and-coming LA neighborhood of Silverlake, where he now runs the award-winning and aptly named Cheese Store of Silverlake.
Our friends at the Common Ground Garden Program have sent us the following invitation to an event this weekend:
In appreciation of our Learning Garden volunteers and to welcome new folks to our gardening family, join us for Pesto Day!When: Saturday, September 25 from 1:00pm - 5:00pm
Where: The Learning Garden, Venice High School, 13000 Venice Blvd., Los Angeles
Cost: General admission is $5 at the gatePick basil and make fresh garden pesto with The Learning Garden community! Enjoy a light harvest supper out on our patio together with refreshments and music. Supper will include pasta with our famous Pesto Madness Pesto, spicy or sweet Italian sausage, Italian bread, and lemonade or ice tea.
For your purchasing pleasure we'll have our Exquisite Basil Pesto, Culinary and Medicinal Herb Plants, Select Own-Root Roses (propagated by students), Garden Cards, and unexpected surprises as we think of them.
Thanks!
David King, Garden Master
The Learning Garden
www.thelearninggarden.org
Phone: 310.722.3656A garden, where one may enter in and forget the whole world, cannot be made in a week, nor a month, nor a year; it must be planned for, waited for, and loved into being. (Chinese proverb)
The Culinary Historians of Southern California, the International Association of Culinary Professionals, Los Angeles, and the Los Angeles convivium of Slow Food will be hosting an evening with Anne Willan and Mark Cherniavsky.
In “A Feast of Words," avid cookbook collectors Anne Willan and Mark Cherniavsky will bring history to life with slides and a discussion of five centuries of cookbooks from Italy, France, and England. They will consider celebrity cooks of the past, as well as dishes, the people who ate them, and how national cultures are reflected in the cookbooks themselves.
When: Thursday, October 14, 2004 from 6:15pm - 8:30pm
Where: The Mark Taper Auditorium of the Los Angeles Central Library (630 West Fifth Street, Los Angeles 90071)
Cost: $15 for CHSC, IACP, and Slow Food members; $20 for nonmembers, payable at the door. Please bring your IACP or Slow Food membership card. Cash and checks only, no credit cards.
In addition to the program (with slides), Anne Willan will sign copies of her new book, The Good Cook, and there will be a wine reception with hors d’oeuvres provided by Angeli Caffe, Cafe Pinot, Campanile, Ciudad, and Water Grill (at time of this posting).
RSVP by October 12 by calling Denise Resetar at 818.223.0483 or by e-mail to oct14event@stellarevents.com. Please leave your name, telephone number, number of people in your party, and organization affiliation.
A portion of this evening's revenue will be donated to Endangered Treasures, a cookbook preservation fund of the International Association of Culinary Professionals Foundation in the name of Julia Child for books to be restored at the Central Los Angeles Public Library.
Parking at the Central Library is $1.00 at 524 S. Flower St., with validation at the event. Without validation, and after 9:00 pm, parking is $7.00. For more library information, call 213.228.7201.
Join Los Angeles bicyclists and foodies on a 2 1/2 hour, two-wheel tour of Los Angeles' exotic ice creams and newly hip neighborhoods!
When: Sunday, September 12, 2004, beginning at 10:00am
Where: Mama's Hot Tamales Cafe, 2124 West 7th Street (one block from the MacArthur Park Metro Station)
Cost: $15.00 per person (includes five samples, route map, and bike support)
Starting at Mama's Hot Tamales Cafe, "Bicycle Sundae" explores our city, and samples LA's finest and unique ice creams, ranging from Persian to Japanese and from Oaxacan to Italian.
Participating shops include Mama's at MacArthur Park, Mashti Malone's new shop in Glendale, SWORK Coffee Bar in Eagle Rock, Mikawaya Bakery in Little Tokyo, and more. We'll work off each and every calorie on this nearly 20-mile ride that, in addition to the sites we'll see between MacArthur Park and Glendale, includes portions of beautiful Elysian park along the tranquil LA River Bicycle Path.
Participants can register on the day of the event, from 9:00-10:00am, onsite at Mama's. The tour leaves at 10 am. Secure parking is available behind Mama's. Ride level is easy to moderate, with rest and ice creams breaks.
Bring your taste buds along with lots of water and a helmet!
The September 12 Bicycle Sundae is one of a series of bicycle rides by the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition that promotes the pleasures of bicycle riding in Los Angeles. The Bicycle Kitchen, a cooperative, promotes bike culture, self help bike repair, and bike power.
For more information and to reserve a spot, contact the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition at 213.629.2142 or email Lmvela@earthlink.net.
Slow Food LA, in participation with Mel & Rose Wine and Spirits and Villa Italia Importers, will host a unique wine tasting event to celebrate the recent release of Gambero Rosso's quintessential wine guide, Italian Wines 2004.
When: Thursday, July 29, 2004 from 6:30pm - 9:00pm
Where: Mel & Rose Wine and Spirits, 8344 Melrose Avenue, West Hollywood 90069
Cost: $30.00 per person for Slow Food members; $35.00 for nonmembers. Cost includes the tasting, a vintage chart and wine map.
The tasting is designed to introduce the public to Italy's foremost consumer wine guide, Italian Wines, while enjoying the company of other enthusiasts in the relaxed ambience of Mel & Rose's outdoor patio. The tasting will be led by Genevieve Edwards, Italian wine expert, of Villa Italia, renowned for its exceptional collection of fine Italian wine imports. Each of the wines poured on the evening of the event have received Gambero Rosso's top ratings of "Two Glasses" and "Three Glasses," including wines from such producers as Arnaldo Caprai, Vignalta, Nicolis and Monte Rossa, to name a few. The wines will be paired with Italian cheeses such as Grana Padano, Taleggio, Toma Piemontese and Pecorino Romano.
As a special offer, participants will be able to purchase copies of Gambero Rosso's Italian Wines 2004 at a substantial discount. Reservations will be taken with prepaid admission only (credit card, check or cash). Please call Mel & Rose at (323) 655-5557 with any questions or for reservations; to reserve by fax or mail, please use the event reservation form.
About Italian Wines (Vini d'Italia) and Gambero Rosso
Italian Wines (Vini d'Italia), produced by Gambero Rosso and Slow Food Editore, is a guide to the best wine production in Italy, a reference book for enthusiasts and professionals. The guide creates an evaluation system expressed in "glasses," from one to three for the best wines of all. The "Tre Bicchieri" (three glasses) label is the standard for quality in Italian wines.
Gambero Rosso is a well-known trademark all over the world. With its monthly magazine, website, and TV channel, it is a complex structure, articulated in diverse activities but all centered on the same theme: the search for quality in food and wine, as an expression of the Italian way of life and of Italian national and local cultures.
Join us for a free spice tasting at the Farmers Market (3rd Street and Fairfax). The host will be Perry Doty of All Spice. Perry is an artisan and expert on the history and cookery application of world spices.
When: Sunday, July 18, 2004 at 8:00am
Where: The Farmers Market, Stall #614 (at the intersection of 3rd Street and Fairfax), Los Angeles.
Cost: Free--but bring a bottle of water to refresh your palate.
For this event, please RSVP directly to Perry Doty at 323.936.0464. While you do not have to call the Slow Food Hotline, it is important that Perry know the number of people who will attend.
As Los Angeles magazine noted in November 2002,
Less seasoned chefs might be satisfied with the standard supermarket selection, but pros head to Perry Doty's aromatic cubbyhole for high-quality, hard-to-find spices. Campanile's Nancy Silverton swears by the Vietnamese cinnamon (ground fresh to order), and Patina's Eric Greenspan says he has "a whole cupboard of Perry's spices." Rare argan Moroccan nut oil, tellicherry pepper ("the perfect balance of sweetness and heat"), and saffron take pride of place along with a Singapore curry blend Greenspan uses in a pea soup with tamarind reduction and sweet shrimp. Whatever you need--wicked habaneros, candied fennel seeds, or a rare oregano strain harvested by Greek shepherds--you're bound to find it in Doty's 250-canister stash.
For those planning to attend this weekend's Honey Event, remember that general directions are given with the event information and also available, tailored to you, via mapquest.com.
ATTENTION SLOW MEMBERS!
Volunteers are needed for the Kobrand event this Wednesday, June 16. If you vounteer you get in for free, but you must be an active member.
Please email lucy@angelicaffe.com if you are interested. We need:
three people from 2:30 to 5:30;
three people from 1:30 to 5:30; and
four people from 6:30 to 9:30.
Reservations are still available for this extraordinary event, sponsored by Kobrand and benefiting Slow Food U.S.A.
When: Wednesday, June 16, 2004 from 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Where: The Ritz-Carlton, 4375 Admiralty Way, Marina del Rey
Cost: $65 for Slow Food members / $75 for non-members
This event requires advance purchase, so don't delay! Reservations should be made by phone to 866.KOBRAND (866.562.7263) or via Kobrand's web site.
For more information, see the original posting of event information.
Beekeeper Bill Lewis and Chef/Author Mani Niall have agreed to share their knowledge of honey. The afternoon will include a tour of Bill Lewis's Bee Ranch, an opportunity to learn more about the production and uses of honey, a honey tasting, and lunch.
When: Saturday, June 19, 2004 at 11:00am
Where: The Bee Ranch (home of Bill and Leanne Lewis), 12640 Little Tujunga Canyon Road, Lake View Terrace, California 91342
Cost: $35 for Slow Food members; $40 for non-member culinary students; $45 for non-members
Bill Lewis is an experienced beekeeper and Mani Niall is the chef for the National Honey Board. Lunch will consist of recipes from Mani Niall's book, Covered in Honey. Copies of the book, Bill's honey, and mead will be available for sale.
The schedule for the event will be:
11:00 - 11:20am: Arrival reception; honey lemonade and rosemary honey scones will be served.
11:20: Welcome from Bill Lewis and Mani Niall.
11:30: Our group will split into two smaller groups for tours with Bill Lewis and a talk on the history of beekeeping with Mani Niall. There will also be a "live in the hive" demo.
1:00 - 2:00pm: Lunch by the olive trees. Our lunch menu will include:
Cous Cous Salad
Black Bean Salad
Island Tofu
Nanan's Gingerbread
Iced Chai Tea
RSVP by email to Grady Atkins at cookooowl@msn.com or call the Slow Food hotline at 323.860.9804. Space is limited, so call or email to reserve your place!
Please send checks (payable to SLOWLA) to:
Grady AtkinsYour check will serve as confirmation of your registration. Please send your check by June 12 to assure your place.
Slow Food
624 Crestmoore Place
Venice, CA 90291
Directions to the Bee Ranch (approximately 30-60 minutes from L.A.):
405 North ---> 118 East ---> 210 East;
Exit the freeway at Osbourne (first exit);
Turn left onto Foothill; go under the freeway;
Turn left onto Osbourne; continue along Osbourne for two miles.
Osbourne turns into Little Tujunga.
Turn right at Yellow Gate
The Bee Ranch is one mile ahead.
If you get lost: Call 818.896.6506 and ask for Bill or Leanne.
Please bring: A blanket and lawn chairs for picnicking
Remember to reserve your place at the following events to be held in June! For more information on each event, including reservation information, click on the link to jump to the original post for each event:
Tuesday, 1 June: A Journey Through Italian Cuisine, a presentation of foundational ingredients from the Lazio, Campania, Toscana, and Veneto regions of Italy hosted (and prepared) by Evan Kleiman, Governor of Slow Food USA for Southern California.
Saturday, 5 June: American Artisanal Wine & Cheese presented by Laura Werlin and Zax, an American bistro.
Wednesday, 16 June: Kobrand and a Taste of Italy, an opportunity to sample pre-release wines from reknowned signatures and the offerings of several area restaurants.
Portions of the proceeds from these events will benefit Slow Food, so please join us!
Flavors from the regions of Lazio, Campania, Toscana, and Veneto at Boffi Showroom in Santa Monica.
This is a unique opportunity to experience ingredients that are the foundation of each regions cuisine. Olive oils, liquors and wines from each of the four regions will also be offered. Evan Kleiman, host of Good Food Live on KCRW 89.9fm and Governor of Slow Food USA for Southern California will be cooking traditional dishes from the regions of Campania (Naples), Lazio (Rome), Toscana (Florence), and the Veneto (Venice).
When: Tuesday, June 1, 2004 at 6:00pm
Where: Boffi Los Angeles, 1344 4th Street, Santa Monica
Cost: $15 for current Slow Food members/$20 for non-members
This event is organized by the Italian Trade Commission of Los Angeles and the Italy America Chamber of Commerce West in collaboration with Slow Food Los Angeles. A donation will be made to Slow Food USA on behalf of the above organizations.
Some of the food and drink that will be featured are:
Mozzarella di Bufala
Limoncello
Pecorino Romano
Gaeta Olives
Sanbuca
Amaretti
Pecorino di Pienza
Cantucci
Vin Santo
plus lots more...
Please RSVP to the Slowfood Hotline: 323.860.9804
MAKE CHECK OUT TO: SLOWLA
MAIL CHECK TO:SlowLA
ATTN: BOFFI EVENT
C/O Angeli Caffe
P.O. Box 360769
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Reservations will be confirmed when check is received, so please include a phone number.
Just a reminder that reservations are still available for this weekend's Catfish Farm Tour & Fish Fry.
Participating chefs will be David West, formerly of 2424 Pico, and Carroll Cotner-Thompson of the New School of Cooking in Culver City.
For reservations or additional information, email Jordan Vannini at jordan_vannini@hotmail.com.
Sample pre-release wines and benefit Slow Food U.S.A. An event not to be missed!
Experience some of Italy's most exquisite works of art--its fine wines. Sample pre-release wines from renowned signatures such as Sassicaia, Guidalberto, Lupicaia, Cerequio, Cabreo, Nozzole, Calvano, Nardi, Crognolo, Oreno, Pighin, and Bollini, all poured by the winemakers themselves paired with cuisine from leading local restaurants.
When: Wednesday, June 16, 2004 from 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Where: The Ritz-Carlton, 4375 Admiralty Way, Marina del Rey
Cost: $65 for Slow Food members / $75 for non-members
ADVANCE PURCHASE ONLY
Reservations should be made by phone to 866.KOBRAND (866.562.7263) or via Kobrand's web site.
Please note: This is a walk-around tasting. Although you will not receive actual tickets, your space is confirmed upon reservation. Reservations are refundable up to 48 hours prior to the event.
Wines and winemakers:
Alessandra Soldi of Bollini, featuring
Pinot Grigio 2003
Pinot Grigio Reserve Selection 2002
Chardonnay 2003
Merlot 2003
Giovanni Folonari of Tenute A&G Folonari, featuring
Cabreo Il Borgo 2000
Cabreo La Pietra 2001
Calvano Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2000
Nozzole Il Pareto 2001
Nozzole Chianti Classico Riserva 2001
Nozzole Le Bruniche 2003
Alberto Chiarlo of Michele Chiarlo, featuring
Barolo Cerequio 2000
Barbera d'Asti La Court 2001
Nivole Moscato d'Asti 2003
Barbera d'Asti Le Orme 2001
Barolo Tortoniano 1999
Cortese di Gavi 2003
Emila Nardi of Tenute Silvio Nardi, featuring
Manachiara Brunello di Montalcino 1999
Brunello di Montalcino 1999
Rosso di Montalcino 2002
Roberto Pighin of Azienda Pighin, featuring
Grave del Friuli Pinot Grigio 2003
Collio Pinot Grigio 2002
Piero Incisa of Tenuta San Guido, featuring
Sassicaia 2001
Guidalberto 2001
Giovanna Moretti of Tenuta Sette Ponti, featuring
Oreno 2001
Crognolo 2002
Castello del Terriccio, featuring
Lupicaia 2001
Tassinaia 2000
Rondinaia 2003
Con Vento 2003
Restaurants:
Angeli Caffé
BEACON an asian bistro
Café Pierre
The Cheese Store of Silverlake
Chef Troy N. Thompson, Jer-ne Restaurant & Bar at The Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey
Chloe
Mako
Mélisse
Opaline
Röckenwagner
Sona
Valentino
Vincenti Ristorante
Zax
American artisanal cheese paired with American wines, a Slow Food LA Event presented by author Laura Werlin and Zax, an American Bistro.
When: Saturday, June 5, 2004 at 1:30pm
Where: Zax Restaurant, 11604 San Vicente Boulevard, Los Angeles
Cost: $45.00 (all inclusive - signed book, seminar, tastings, tax, and gratuity)
A seminar, book signing, and a focused tasting of nine American artisanal cheeses (featuring many farmstead cheesemakers identified by the Slow Food Ark) paired with American wines presented by Laura Werlin and Zax Restaurant. Portions of the proceeds of this event will benefit SLOW-LA, the Los Angeles Chapter of Slow Food U.S.A., a non-profit educational organization committed to taste, tradition and the honest pleasure of food.
Laura Werlin is passionate about American cheese, having written two books on the subject. Her first, The New American Cheese, won a prestigious IACP cookbook award for best American cookbook. Her newest book, The All American Cheese and Wine Book (2003 Stewart, Tabori & Chang), has just won a 2004 James Beard Award in the "single subject" category, and is the first book of its kind to focus entirely on pairing American cheese with American wine. In addition, the book features 50 cheesemaker and winemaker profiles, 50 recipes for entertaining with cheese, and comprehensive information about cheese and about wine.
For reservations: Call 323.860.9804 (the Slow Food LA reservations line)
Reservation and payment deadline is May 31, 2004
Make your check payable to SLOWLA and mail it to:SLOWLA
ATTN: CHEESE AND WINE EVENT
c/o Angeli Caffe
P.O. Box 360769
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Reservations will be confirmed when check is received.
MORE ABOUT LAURA WERLIN:
Werlin is on the board of the American Cheese Society and is an active member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, Women Chefs & Restaurateurs, the James Beard Foundation, the San Francisco Professional Food Society, and the American Institute of Wine and Food. She has appeared on Martha Stewart Living Television, Sara's Secrets, and Cooking Live! with Sara Moulton on the Television Food Network, San Francisco KRON-TVs Bay Caf, and numerous local television and radio segments from coast to coast. She writes a nationally syndicated bi-weekly cheese column and also writes for national magazines including Cooking Light, Fine Cooking, Saveur, Cooking Pleasures, Country Living, Self Magazine, and San Francisco magazine.
Prior to foodwriting, Werlin spent sixteen years working in television news in the nation's fourth largest television market, San Francisco.
The L.A. Chinatown Business Council has organized a wonderful evening of food and wine.
A great opportunity to graze your way through Chinatown, there will be three restaurants featuring lots of dishes with accompanying wines provided by George Cossette of Campanile and Silver Lake Wine.
When: Sunday, May 16, 6:00pm-10:00pm
Where: Golden City ---> Mandarin Chateau ---> CBS Seafood
Cost: $75 per person (includes wine + tip)
We'll start at 6:00pm at Golden City, a Hong Kong seafood restaurant, then walk over to Mandarin Chateau, a Shanghai restaurant, and, after several hours, stagger on to CBS Seafood for our twice-cooked gray sole and fried milk dessert.
Free valet parking and a cardiac team will be standing by at CBS Seafood
in case you don't or can't walk back to your cars.
Get your checks in and/or call the L.A. Chinatown Business Council to
reserve ASAP. Seats are filling up fast.
Make checks payable to:L.A. Chinatown Business Council
727 N. Broadway, Suite 208
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 680-0243
Participating restaurants:
Golden City
Edward Zhao, Manager; Sau Kanh lau, Owner
960 Hill Street
(213) 253-2660
(213) 253-2689
Sharks Fin Soup with Abalone, Sea Cucumber and Fish Maw
Hong-Kong Style Scallops with XO Sauce
Crispy Chicken stuffed with Sticky Rice
Snow pea shoots with bamboo fungus and brown mushrooms
Mandarin Chateau
Christy and Ty Ngov, Managers
970 North Broadway (Mandarin Plaza #114)
(213) 625-1195
Red Cooked Pork Rump with Braised Spinach
Baozi, Juicy Shanghai Dumplings
Tea Smoked Duck Wrapped in Lettuce
CBS Seafood
David Ho, Owner/Manager; Pan Sito, Chef
700 N. Spring Street
(213) 617-2323
Flash Boiled Live Shrimp
Grey Sole Cooked Two Ways
Asparagus with Garlic
Dessert: Fried Milk, Fresh Lychee and Oranges
Matching Wines provided by Silver Lake Wine.
A benefit for the Environmental Defense Center, a public interest law-firm active in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties, Jim Churchill's Third Annual Farm Day will feature farm tours of a sustainably-farmed tangerine and avocado orchard; a guacamole-making contest (avos, lemon, and salt will be provided; please bring your own condiments); music by the Sulfur Mountain Boys (possibly the last opportunity to see Jonathon McEuen in a relaxed setting...); mulch-pile jumping; Solar Roller Educational exhibit; prize drawings; and a minimum of speechifying.
When: Saturday, May 15, from noon to 5:00pm
Where: 4101 Grand Avenue, Ojai
Cost: $12 per person; $6 for children 12 and younger (includes two drinks)
Sensible shoes are advised--lots of prickers and stickers.
For more information, contact:
Jim Churchill
P.O. Box 426
Ojai, CA 93024
Phone: 805.646.4212
Fax: 805.640.7943
For more information about the produce and the people who grow it, visit the Churchill Orchard and Ojai Pixie Growers Association web sites.
Come join us for a fascinating tour of sustainable aquaculture in the southern San Joaquin Valley.
When: Saturday, May 22, 2004 -- 10:00 AM
Where: Ironwood Ranch, near Arvin, CA (San Joaquin Valley)
Cost: $45.00
Ironwood Ranch is located 1-1/2 hours North of Los Angeles at the foot of the Tehachapi Mountains near the town of Arvin. There, Randy and Gail Heinrich raise and sell an average of 3,000 lbs of channel catfish and carp per week for Los Angeles area restaurants and fish markets. This unusual opportunity will allow you to see all aspects of a commercial hatchery and harvesting operation from beginning to end.
Catfish are spawned in holding ponds and the egg masses are transferred to the hatchery where they are cultivated until young catfish fingerlings are large enough to be released back into the holding ponds. There they are allowed to grow until they reach the market demand of an average of 2 to 3 lbs, and are netted for live transport to Los Angeles area markets.
After the tour, stay for lunch and a big catfish fry! Bring binoculars and enjoy the ambiance of a commercial fishery that doubles as a wetland sanctuary for an astonishing variety of California freshwater and marine shore birds. Bring an ice chest and you can bring some fresh fish home! If you like water skiing, Ironwood Ranch hosts numerous water skiing events throughout the year. Details are available from Randy & Gail after the tour.
Reservations:
For preliminary reservations please e-mail Jordan Vannini at jordan_vannini@hotmail.com
For reservation confirmation, please send a check for $45.00 payable to Slow Food LA no later than May 14, 2004 to
Ironwood Ranch Tour
c/o Jordan Vannini
PO Box 91536
Pasadena CA 91109
NO REFUNDS FOR CANCELLATIONS AFTER MAY 14
Directions: Take Interstate 5 North out of Los Angeles for approximately 90 miles. Shortly after descending the Grapevine into the San Joaquin Valley, exit at Laval Road East (exit 219A) and bear right onto Wheeler Ridge Road. Continue through the signal and stay on Wheeler Ridge Road for approximately 14 miles. Take the left hand turn at Millux Road (where three rows of tall power transmission lines cross the road) and proceed 1-1/4 miles past a series of lakeside developments called Paradise Lakes and Ski West Village. Slow down as the paved road turns into a narrower earthen levee and continue on the dirt road slowly until you pass through a green metal gate and arrive at a grassy area next to another series of lakes and ponds. A Slow Food Event sign will direct you where to park. This is the meeting area for the beginning of the 10:00 oclock tour.
Bring sturdy shoes, sun block, and a hat as we will be walking a respectable distance along on earth levees.
Itll be a rare day when pigs fly. But on Tuesday, April 13, theyll soar to heights of culinary perfection. Come taste two of natures more full-bodied gifts.
Kobrand Corporation, together with Niman Ranch and Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, is hosting a series of tastings at which you can compare the extraordinary diversity of pinot with the no less extraordinary diversity of pork.
Featured will be six of the worlds finest wines made from the pinot noir grape. They'll include Old World expressions from the slopes of Champagne and Burgundy along with New World expressions from the foremost vineyards of Carneros, Napa, Santa Barbara, and Sonoma in California.
Accompanying them will be an equally spectacular wealth of dishes made from pork, including naturally raised Niman Ranch pork. Theyll range from classic chops to innovative, spicy barbecue, prepared by top chefs from Fairmont Hotels & Resorts and other leading restaurants in each city.
When: Tuesday, April 13, 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Where: The Fairmont Miramar Hotel, 101 Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica, California
Cost: $65.00 / $55.00 for Slow Food members
Reservations: Reservations may be made via the Kobrand site or by calling 1.866.KOBRAND (562.7263)
THE WINE:
Benziger Pinot Noir (Sonoma, CA)
Champagne Taittinger Prestige Cuve Ros (Champagne, France)
Domaine Carneros Pinot Noir (Carneros, CA)
Foley Estates Pinot Noir Santa Maria Hills (Santa Maria Valley, CA)
LinCourt Vineyards Pinot Noir (Santa Barbara, CA)
Maison Louis Jadot (Burgundy, France)
THE FOOD:
Balboa, Executive Chef Andri Tscharner,
The Fairmont Miramar Hotel, Santa Monica, Chef Troy N. Thompson,
Jar
Jer-ne Restaurant & Bar at The Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey
Josie Restaurant
JR's Bar-B-Que
Mr. Cecil's California Ribs
Niman Ranch
Off Citrus
Restaurant Yi Cuisine
Proceeds will benefit Slow Food USA.
Chef Kristy Choo of Jin Patisserie makes exquisite sweets. She will share her talent with us in a guided tasting of teas, pastry and chocolate.
When: Thursday, May 20 at 2:00pm
Where: Jin Patisserie, 1220 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Los Angeles
Cost: $22 for Slow Food members; $30 for non-members
Reservations: Please call the Slow Food Hot Line (323-860-9804) or email cookooowl@msn.com for reservations. Be sure to leave your phone number so we can confirm your attendance.
Checks should be made payable to SLOWLA and sent to:
Pastry TastingPlease respond by May 10 to assure your place.
c/o Grady Atkins
624 Crestmoore Place
Venice, CA 90291
Ms. Choo attended California Culinary Academy in San Francisco and worked as a pastry chef at the Raffles hotel in Singapore before she opened Jin Patisserie. Los Angeles magazine recently said that she made some of the best chocolates in Los Angeles.