Taste each of these locally made cheeses and meet the cheesemakers who love living the local life, In person: Harley of Harley Farms, Rebecca King of Garden Variety Cheeses and Beau Schoch ~ Schoch Family Farmstead.

Also on hand will be Gordon Edgar to talk about his book – “Cheesemonger – Alife on the Wedge”. Edgar is the cheesemonger for Rainbow Grocery in San Francisco, a worker owned co-op.

Slow Food Santa Cruz is excited to announce our monthly event series, “Stirring the Pot”. These dinners are a chance to engage in the Santa Cruz food community to create a good, healthy, just, and sustainable food system. You’ll share dinner with individuals directly involved with the monthly topic as well as other Slow Foodies!

We’ll have the opportunity to eat together, learn together, and make personal connections.

Please bring your own plate and utensils and glass.  Kitchen space will not be available.

When: Third Thursdays, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Where: Select locations throughout the county
What: Potluck & conversation on a Slow Food theme
Cost: Free for Slow Food Members, $5 for Non-Members (but no one turned away for lack of funds!)
RSVP: On our Facebook event page

Contact us at info@slowfoodsantacruz.com if you have questions.

We look forward to seeing you at the table!

Why are you interested in serving on the Chapter Board of SFSC?

What is your top priority for SFSC in 2011?

What can you bring to the SFSC Chapter Board?

Allison Clark – Chair

I got involved with Slow Food while completing my Master at the University of Gastronomic Sciences.  Slow Food Italy emphasizes traditional products and connections between Slow businesses with consumers – I’d like to see more of that in the U.S.  I am looking forward to serving on the Board for my third year and capitalizing on the momentum we’ve built locally.  I’m also excited to collaborate more with our neighbors in the South Bay and Monterey, as well as the Greater Bay Area.  I want to focus on events and projects that will draw and serve local farmers and help local food producers and vendors connect with consumers.  I have a background in food, food science, and nutrition, experience with Slow Food in Europe, as well as other U.S. communities, and I’m dedicated to pushing for a Good, Clean, and Fair food system!  As Chair, I hope to balance fun and conviviality with a focus on the serious implications of our food choices.

Jody Biergiel – Vice Chair

It was satisfying to develop some foundational tools for SFSC in 2010. We stayed active in the community via events each month, while also forming bylaws, updating the website and creating marketing tools such as a logo and market banner. With these tools in place I am excited for the 2011 Board to hit the ground running, increasing the buzz about Slow Food in Santa Cruz and working more with existing food organizations to increase our influence on slow food access and education in Santa Cruz.  Partnering with existing organizations such as SC Farmer’s Markets, UCSC Farm and Garden, CAFF and Second Harvest to increase our reach, as well as with restaurants and other food purveyors who embody the Slow Food mission. I would like SFSC to host a movie or lecture series about slow foods in our county and in the US. I would also like to see a comprehensive web resource for locals and tourists to find slow food growers, makers and sellers in SC County. I am organized and helped focus the Board during meetings in the last year to get the most done with limited resources. I will continue to encourage the 2011 Board to be realistic about what it can do and to involve more member-volunteers to help us reach out to a broader community.

Joelle Heidinger – Membership Chair

Air. Water. Food.  These three components are all vital ingredients necessary to generate and maintain life on Earth.   Among these three, food in particular has become a foundation for numerous cultures, traditions, and problems (blights, wars, illnesses, etc.).  Food and its production have ultimately helped forge out individuality and individual cultures by becoming the cornerstone of what defines a country/society, region, family, and person.   Unfortunately, not all food production or foods are made with the intent to maintain the health of the consumer or the environment.  As a result, the health of those who consume these foods can suffer, and the environment on which we depend is being damaged for future generations due to irresponsible land stewardship and concern.  In addition, as the food industry has grown there has been an increasing disconnect for many consumers in their knowledge about where food comes from and the price that is paid by the growers, producers, and the environment.  This trend has led to a society in America where when asked where a food comes from they reply “a can, a box, or a grocery store” as opposed to “the soil, a tree, or a farm”.

I would like to serve on the Slow Food Santa Cruz board because I believe strongly in the importance of making sure that all individuals have equal access to food that has been responsibly produced and will help maintain the health of the consumer and the culture of which the food is associated. I believe that there needs to be a larger societal emphasis on developing a food system that is built upon a solid production foundation where it can responsibly provide whole nutritious food for all members of our communities while also allowing for unique food culture to be maintained and to grow.  If provided the opportunity to serve on the board I feel I would be able to help the Slow Food Movement grow locally by helping educate the community about the importance of making informed decisions about deciding what and how we eat.

My top priority for 2011 would be to bring the discussion and importance of consuming/providing nutritious responsibly produced food to as many in the Santa Cruz area as possible. As with most other movements, I think the first steps for 2011 would be to continue to reach out into the community to educate and communicate the Slow Food message whenever possible. Despite the Slow Food Movement having so many strong objectives I feel that it still seems to lack a large mainstream following and recognition.   I would like to assist SFSC in bringing the Slow Food Movement to the forefront of discussion and thought especially to those who know the least about where their food comes from and how it impacts their health and life.  If allowed to serve on the SFSC board, I would prioritize my time, effort, and interests to the requirements of the position of Membership Chair, and ultimately help assist the board/group in achieving the needs/goals of the chapter.

Throughout my life I have always had a passion for the food industry and for all things related to food.  I was raised in an agricultural community in Central California where I witnessed first hand the trials and tribulations a community can experience while trying to produce fruits and vegetables on a large scale.  In addition, my mother was a food scientist for a local nut, coffee, and dried fruit company while I was young.  During my childhood, I frequently went with her to her work where I spent my days playing amongst the roasting nuts, roasting coffee, and packing of dried fruit.  I observed the pleasure obtained when people came to purchase and eat these wholesome products, and as a result I ultimately developed a lifelong passion for food, and knowledge about the importance of food for people’s happiness and health.  Building upon these childhood experiences, I decided to obtain my Master’s degree in Food Safety Microbiology at U.C. Davis.  Following my schooling I was fortunate to be able to obtain a position in the food industry and am currently employed by Earthbound Farm in San Juan Bautista, CA as the Organic Integrity Manager.  My position has allowed me to continue to learn about the intricacies and practices of a large food company, and has provided me an amazing opportunity to learn more intimately the details and benefits of organic production for our society.  Ultimately, I feel that my lifelong passions for healthy food and lifestyles, my education, and my personal background would be a useful attribute and provide a distinct perspective for the SFSC Chapter board.

Martha Coulter (Marcie) – Treasurer

I am interested in serving on the Board because food injustice, in my opinion, is the most important issue facing humanity today. I was invited to participate in global discussions about land grabs in Africa, GMOs in Venezuela and Cuba and the loss of local artisans in Italy while at Terra Madre. If I am elected to the Santa Cruz Chapter’s Board of Directors, getting this message of injustice and the related effects on humanity to as many people as possible would be my priority. What that means to me is educating people about food systems and demonstrating that consumption and food choices have global impacts.

Margherita Pagni – Partnerships

I have experience, skills, and expertise to offer. I am inspired by Slow Food vision, and I think I can make a contribution. Also, I work for a no-GMO Campaign and I believe I can be helpful in increasing consumer awareness of the dangers of GMOs. My top priority for Slow Food Santa Cruz in 2011 is to build an effective non-GMO public education Campaign & bring it to the general public, into the schools and campuses. And, more broadly, increase awareness and involvement in the general public and the media re: food & agricultural issues. The Farm Bill 2012 is also a priority. I can bring 20+yrs experience in the non profit sector, knowledge of global agriculture & food issues, having attended a Terra Madre conference in Turin and having a sense of the global membership, deep concern for social justice, experience in Board participation, currently working on a consumer education and activism campaign for the Institute For responsible Technology.

Kim Sammet – Secretary

The revolution begins and ends with Food! My philosophy is completely in line with Slow Food’s Mission. And, I want to engage in effecting the mission locally in Santa Cruz County. Food is my passion, and I am enthralled with the natural cycle from food sheds to table and back. Food lies at the base of all issues facing our world, health, wealth, environment, social and economic systems. Clean, healthful, intentionally grown and naturally derived food ensures a healthy, happy and thoroughly enriched community. I look forward to being a leading member of an organization that promotes these tenets in our community.

Although past efforts of SFSC are unknown to me, I plan on organizing a Farmer’s Market program with Kathryn Lukas. We hope to bring local luminaries in the fields of ecology, farming, food production, and food economics as well as local chefs to the Wednesday Santa Cruz market for a chautaqua of sorts, a demonstration and celebration of local seasonal food.

My jill-of-all trades skill set is suited to plug into a wide variety of duties and responsibilities from brainstorming, creative ideating and solution making, to good old fashioned know how of getting the job done. I have worked in the natural food industry for 15 years as a food broker/sales rep, which has created many contacts in the natural food world. I recently wrote, directed and completed a trailer and promotional package for a televisioin show concept, The Counter Culture Kitchen Show. We are currently marketing this show to television networks. During the development of the show, I researched food systems, chefs, farms, restaurants, food education and activism. I am an active gardener, great cook and have always believed in creating beautiful and delicious food based on the principals of Slow Food.

Kate Purcell – Events

My interests stem from early childhood experiences growing up on a family farm in Connecticut. The magic of the natural world and the pride of harvesting home grown vegetables profoundly influenced my passions in life. I value people, the outdoors and the simple pleasures of life. Growing up with the pace and activities of farm life gave me a taste of what is now called an “alternative lifestyle”. I believe that we all need to slow down and reconnect with what’s real in our lives. I believe our fast paced lifestyle is making us sick and depressed. I am committed to reconnecting my community to healthier foods and to the food traditions that connect us to our histories, our land and to each other.

I am excited about the Santa Cruz Chapter of Slow Foods because it is different than other chapters I have known. The young board with professional goals in food justice is inspiring. Santa Cruz itself is full of young folks interested in healthy living. My top priority would be to raise the profile of SFSC and create events and opportunities that would bring new diversity to the chapter. In turn our message and values will be shared widely in the community.

My college experience is in sustainable agriculture and horticulture. I have over twelve years of professional experience in gardening, garden-based education, community organizing and environmental conservation. My work experience has developed my skills in event management and volunteer coordination. I believe these skills would be a perfect match for the Slow Foods Board of Directors. I will bring dedication and enthusiasm to the position.

Rosemary Quinn – Communications Co-Chair

I would like to be a board member of Slow Food Santa Cruz to be a part of an international movement at the local, community level and to help translate the vision of the Slow Food movement to fellow members of my community.  My top priority for Slow Food Santa Cruz for 2011 is to clarify Slow Food’s mission and values for the Santa Cruz community and to foster inter-community awareness of our local food shed and local artisan food producers through outreach and networking opportunities.  I will bring my experience in marketing, event promotion and social media, as well as my commitment to food justice and passion for sustainable food.

Erin Justus – Communications Co-Chair

My interests in serving on the board are to help our community learn more about food, politics and resources here in our local area. Education and advocacy. Top priorities: helping to bring Slow Food Santa Cruz into the spot light. Grow our membership and small workshop series (opposed to large events) to include people in the community. I can bring an honest love for food farming and people!

Not only will we hold elections and announce the new board at the meeting, we’ll have lots of exciting news!  Erin Justus of Companion Bakers represented Santa Cruz at Terra Madre, Slow Food’s international meeting in Turin, Italy.  She brought back pictures, stories, and inspiration to share with our chapter.  We’ll also have opportunities to sign up for committees, voice your ideas, and enjoy the conviviality that makes Slow Food unique.  AND Main Street has generously offered to donate 25% of proceeds from dinners that night to Slow Food Santa Cruz to seed our projects for 2011.

Tickets will be available at the door ($10/member; $12/non-member), and include light seasonal appetizers.  Wine and beer will be available for purchase.  If you plan to stay for dinner (or come just for dinner), call the restaurant at 831-477-9265 to make a reservation. The restaurant is cozy, so reserve your table early.  And don’t forget to come hungry – 25% of your dinner bill will be donated to SFSC!

Slow Your Holidays

Being a member of Slow Food isn’t just about attending events and eating great food – it’s a lifestyle.  As the year winds down, think about taking new steps toward a Good, Clean, and Fair holiday season.  Here are a few suggestions to get you started:

• Donate Good, Clean, and Fair food to Second Harvest Food Bank in barrels throughout the county.  Second Harvest will collect over 2 million pounds of food this season – your contributions have an impact on the health of our community.
• Turn to local farmers and artisans first when planning your holiday meals and gifts.  The Local Resources page on our website has links to help you.
• Choose packaging that won’t damage the environment or end up in a landfill.
• Learn to make something new at home.  Members can post skills they’re willing to share or teach on our Facebook page.
• Give the gift of Slow Food membership !  $25 gets you in, and larger donations come with extra benefits.  Membership fees support national and international projects that are truly changing the face of our food system.

Post your own ideas for a Slow season on our Facebook page!

	November 2010
Get Involved | Connections | Events | Join | Local Resources | Contact

Hello from Slow Food Santa Cruz !

As the year Slowly winds down, we want to thank you for your support of Slow Food Santa Cruz this year! Today Slow Food has over 100,000 members in 150 countries around the world. Whether you joined us at an event, donated your food, time, and expertise, or simply added us to your Facebook page, this movement grows every day because of your enthusiasm and commitment to a better food system.

2010 marked a milestone in Slow Food Santa Cruz’s history. Not only did we host a series of events and meet-ups, we forged new relationships in the community and established a formal Chapter Board. Your Chapter Board guides the activities of the Santa Cruz chapter and links the international movement with local grassroots action.

It’s time to elect a new Board! We are thrilled to keep up the momentum and hear from new voices in our community in 2011. That means you!

Chapter Board Elections will be held at our Annual Membership Meeting in January (details on the Annual Meeting to come!). This meeting will be a chance for you to give your new Chapter Board feedback as well as enjoy the conviviality and fabulous food that make this organization unique. Plan to join us at the table, and bring friends from all parts of our county (and beyond).

If you are interested in running for a Chapter Board position, read the application guidelines below carefully and respond by Friday, December 17.

We’ll also have plenty of other ways to get involved in the coming year:

• Keep your membership current (the $25 basic membership fee has been extended through the end of the year – sign up now!
• Join a committee – sign-up at the Annual Membership Meeting
• Start a local Slow Food project
• Attend an SFSC event and search for other chapters when you travel
• Read our website and check out our Facebook page
• Tell your friends – forward this email to three people!

Slow Food Santa Cruz Chapter Board Application

Thank you for your interest in serving on the Chapter Board of Slow Food Santa Cruz!

The deadline for applications is Friday, December 17, 2010. Email your application or any elections questions to elections@slowfoodsantacruz.com .

Slow Food Santa Cruz is chapter of Slow Food USA. We are a non-profit organization supported primarily by membership fees and event revenue.

Slow Food USA Mission

Slow Food USA seeks to create dramatic and lasting change in the food system. We reconnect Americans with the people, traditions, plants, animals, fertile soils, and waters that produce our food. We seek to inspire a transformation in food policy, production practices, and market forces so that they ensure equity, sustainability and pleasure in the food we eat.

Slow Food Santa Cruz Chapter Mission Statement

Slow Food Santa Cruz is a chapter of Slow Food USA. Our chapter strives to bring Slow Food’s mission to life in Santa Cruz County. We value accessibility and relevance to our entire community, and we encourage conscientious consumption and sustainable innovation in our food system.

Board members are elected for one year terms, and can serve up to eight consecutive years on the Board. There are eight positions on the SFSC Chapter Board:

• Board Chair
• Vice Chair
• Treasurer
• Secretary
• Membership Chair
• Events Chair
• Partnerships Chair
• Communications Chair

Detailed descriptions of these positions and their duties are available on our website. If you run for election, you should:

• Be a current paid member of Slow Food USA (the Board Chair should also have served previously on the Chapter Board or a Committee)
• Plan to work on Slow Food a minimum of 2-3 hours/week on average
• Consistently attend monthly board meetings
• Serve actively on a committee (events, specific projects, etc.)
• Be familiar with the goals and projects of Slow Food USA and Slow Food International

Please email the following information to elections@slowfoodsantacruz.com by Friday, December 17. Your name and answers to questions 4-6 may be circulated to our members as part of the election. Please answer concisely.

1. Name:Email:Phone:Address:
2. Are you currently a member of Slow Food Santa Cruz? (Yes/No) If you are not currently a member, will you become a member by January 1, 2011?
3. Desired Chapter Board Position:
4. Why are you interested in serving on the Chapter Board of SFSC?
5. What is your top priority for SFSC in 2011?
6. What can you bring to the SFSC Chapter Board?

Thank you for your interest! We will email all candidates after the application deadline. If you have any questions, please feel free to email elections@slowfoodsantacruz.com .

Recent Events

• Our thanks go out to all of you who came, enjoyed and supported our first workshop event for Dia de Los Muertos. Special thanks go out to Betsy McNair of My Mexico Tours, Caffe Tazzina and Donna Gardner for making the event happen. Families and friends came together on Sunday, October 17 to celebrate Dia de los Muertos, workshop style. Betsy demonstrated how an ofrenda is put together, and gave us context and history for Dia celebrations. Caffe Tazzina provided Mexican hot chocolate and sourced Pan de Muerto from Gama Bakery in Watsonville. Donna Gardner handmade the perfect sugar skulls for each participant to decorate. Plus Betsy led papel picado (cut paper) lessons. Paper was being cut and skulls were being decorated until the very end. We had a great time! Check our website for a delicious and simple Calabaza en Tacha recipe.
• The SFSC Board has ratified our new bylaws and have posted them to the SFSC website
• Have you seen our updates on the Slow Food Santa Cruz Facebook page? See what others are saying and join the conversation!

Calendar

• December 17, 2010: Slow Food Santa Cruz board nominations closed and candidates posted to the website
• January 15, 2011: Slow Food Santa Cruz Annual Meeting and Election
  Time and Location: To Be Announced
• February 3, 2011: Slow Food Santa Cruz Board MeetingWhen: First Thursday of each month, 6:30pmWhere:
  Location varies

Slow Food Santa Cruz is a registered chapter of Slow Food USA, a non-profit 501 3(c) organization that aims to link the pleasure of food with a commitment to community and the environment.

Join the Slow Food Santa Cruz Chapter Board! This year’s Board laid the ground work for the next group to hit the ground running. With a sharp website, official bylaws, a snazzy market banner, and a buzz in the community, the next Board can dedicate their time to showing Santa Cruz what Slow Food brings to the table!

Learn more and apply here!

Wild herb walk in the Spring

A Meet-up of members at VinoCruz.

Board members greet guests as they arrive at our Spring Open House.

Board Members at the USDA Grazing Dinner which featured ingredients from Santa Cruz County farmers and food artisans

Calabaza en Tacha

1 4 – 5 lbs Pumpkin

8 Cinnamon sticks

4 cups water

2 lbs Piloncillo (Mexican unrefined brown sugar, often in cone form. Available in all our latino markets.)

Cut the pumpkin into wedges. Remove seeds and strings. With a sharp knife cut some slashes into the pulp so the syrup can get in. You can get creative here if you like.

Put the sugar in a pan with the cinnamon and water. Bring to a boil and stir until the piloncillo has dissolved. (I added the peel of a clemetine because I had it, but you could also use orange peel or leave it out altogether.)

Place the first layer of pieces of pumpkin upside down so they absorb as much juice as possible. The second layer should be with the pulp upwards. Cover and simmer until the pulp is soft and golden brown. I’ve also cooked this successfully in the oven at about 325 degrees F.

Let cool and serve with the syrup. It gets better with time and lasts for a good while in the refrigerator.

ADVANCE TICKETS AVAILABLE THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 16TH AND CAN BE MADE AT  Brown Paper Tickets

Price: $12.00.

Minimum age 13 years old.  Guests under 18 yrs old  must be accompanied with an adult.

Please join Slow Food Santa Cruz as we celebrate the lively tradition of Día de los Muertos. We are offering an afternoon workshop illuminating this important Mexican celebration, honored yearly in our Central Coast communities.

Participants will decorate their own sugar skull, learn to make papel picado (cut paper banner), and learn about the traditions of Día de los Muertos. Of course, we will also enjoy the appropriate snacks: Pan de Muertos and hot chocolate. Besty McNair, of My Mexico Tours, will teach all about the traditions that surround this Holiday.Ages 13+ years old. Children must be accompanied with an adult.
Snacks above are included with the ticket and Caffé Tazzina will be open for additional purchases of wine/ beer and food items.

For more information contact: Donna Gardner at donnarosegardner@gmail.com

Some happy volunteers.

The day included a talk from Lisa from the National Marine Sanctuary about the connection between clean beaches, clean fisheries and clean food.

Lisa uses a map of the Monterey Bay to talk about local fishery health.

]]> http://slowfoodsantacruz.com/2010/09/record-breaking-turn-out-to-clean-up-beach/feed/ 0 http://slowfoodsantacruz.com/2010/09/slow-food-santa-cruz-in-sentinel/ http://slowfoodsantacruz.com/2010/09/slow-food-santa-cruz-in-sentinel/#comments Wed, 29 Sep 2010 20:51:00 +0000 admin http://slowfoodsantacruz.com/?p=845 Thanks to The Butcher, The Baker and the Wedding Cake Maker for a mention of Slow Food Santa Cruz in today’s Santa Cruz Sentinel article!

]]> http://slowfoodsantacruz.com/2010/09/slow-food-santa-cruz-in-sentinel/feed/ 0 http://slowfoodsantacruz.com/2010/09/dig-in-beach-cleanup-925/ http://slowfoodsantacruz.com/2010/09/dig-in-beach-cleanup-925/#comments Tue, 21 Sep 2010 05:04:33 +0000 allison http://slowfoodsantacruz.com/?p=837

You can participate in both by attending one event! Join us for the cleanup at Black’s Beach on September 25 to protect your local fisheries!

Hello from Slow Food Santa Cruz!

This is the first of our new monthly email newsletter to the Slow Food Santa Cruz community. We call it Snail Mail and hope you find it useful. Please tell us what you think of it, what topics you would like covered, or how it can better serve you.

News

• Join us tomorrow night, September 9 @ 5:30pm at Vino Cruz for our monthly Summer Slow Down event. Details below.
• Erin Justus, Slow Food Santa Cruz board member and owner of Companion Bakers, will be attending Terra Madre! Look forward to a future event where she tells us about her experience!
• The SFSC Board has almost finished the new bylaws. Look forward to hearing more about them next month!
• Have you seen Slow Food Santa Cruz on Facebook ? See what others are saying and join the conversation!

Calendar

• September 9:
  • Summer Slow Down at Vino Cruz
    When: Thursday, September 9th, 5:30-7:00 pm
    Where: Vinocruz, 725 Front St. #101, Santa Cruz, CA (right behind Lulu’s at the Octagon)
    Cost: $5.00 tasting fee for the flight, waived with a purchase of a Vine Hill or La Honda wine
    RSVP: This event is open to the general public, please RVSP by clicking “Attending” on the Facebook event page. No Facebook? No worries, come anyway! For more info, please email us.

    Can’t tell a Chardonnay from a Cabernet? Or maybe you want to debate the merits of fining and filtering? Drop in to Vinocruz on September 9th at 5:30 pm to sample some wines from local wineries Vine Hill and La Honda with your fellow Slow Foodies and learn more about wine and the Slow Food movement!

• September 18:
  • Seasonal Griller’s DelightWhen: Saturday, September 18th, 9am to 1pm, grilling starts around 10am
    Where: Corner of Western Dr. & Mission Blvd, Santa Cruz
    Cost: FREE!

    Join Slow Foodies when the Santa Cruz Farmers’ Market hosts a sampling event to showcase seasonal fruits and vegetables for their patrons. The focus of this very popular event is to highlight seasonal fare and to introduce market shoppers to new foods and preparation methods; new this season the Market will collaborate with local vintners and breweries to offer complimentary beer and wine pairings. Guests are treated to samples of grilled fruits, vegetables, meats and simple tapas-styled appetizers throughout the market as they shop and enjoy live music. This event is free, and seating is available.

• September 25:
  • Dig In! The Slow Food National Day of Action
    Who: You and your clean-beach loving friends
    When: Saturday, Sept. 25, 9am-noon
    Where: Black’s Beach – check-in will be at the end of 14th Ave. near the beach entrance
    RSVP:  You can pre-register for this cleanup site on the Save Our Shores website

    On Saturday, September 25, Slow Food chapters around the country will come together to promote good, clean, and fair food in their towns. On the same day, coastal communities around the world will head to the shores for International Coastal Cleanup Day. You can participate in both by attending one event! Join us for the cleanup at Black’s Beach on September 25 to protect your local fisheries!Slow Food Santa Cruz and Santa Cruz NEXT are partnering with Save Our Shores to protect one of Santa Cruz’s greatest sources of local food and local beauty – the ocean. This is a global event, and Santa Cruz has a long history of playing an important role in keeping our coast clean. Last year over 4,000 volunteers pulled nearly 15,000 lbs. of trash and recycle off our beaches!  Stay tuned for details about a guest speaker at this site, and plan to join us for a post-clean-up BBQ at the Capitola and Santa Cruz Whole Foods locations.

• October 7
  • Slow Food Santa Cruz Board Meeting
    When: First Thursday of each month, 6:30pm. Location varies
• October 21-25
  • Terra Madre and Salone del Gusto take place in Turin, Italy.
• November 7:
  • Follow the Snail Trail Through the WestEnd – A Fundraiser for Slow Food Santa Cruz
    When: Sunday, November 7, 12:30-4:00pm
    Where: In and around the Swift Street Courtyard, 402 Ingalls St. Santa Cruz, CA 95060Join Slow Food Santa Cruz on a tour of the wonderful wineries and eateries that are part of the up and coming “WestEnd” neighborhood, which includes the Swift Street Courtyard. The focus of this tour will be local, heirloom apples; edibles and libations at the stops on the tour will feature this tasty fruit. Stops will include Kelly’s Bakery, New Leaf Market, Santa Cruz Mountain Brewery, and additional Surf City Vintners. The event will culminate at Bonny Doon Vineyards/Cellar Door Café. More details to come in early October, stay tuned to our Facebook page and website for more details about this exciting event!

Slow Food Santa Cruz is a registered chapter of Slow Food USA, a non-profit 501 3(c) organization that aims to link the pleasure of food with a commitment to community and the environment.

Can’t tell a Chardonnay from a Cabernet?  Or maybe you want to debate the merits of fining and filtering?  Drop in to Vinocruz on September 9^th at 5:30 pm to sample some wines from local wineries Vine Hill and La Honda with your fellow Slow Foodies and learn more about wine and the Slow Food movement!

• Thursday, September 9^th, 5:30-7:00 pm

• Cost: $5.00 tasting fee for the flight, waived with a purchase of a Vine Hill or La Honda wine

• Location: Vinocruz, 725 Front St. #101, Santa Cruz, CA (right behind Lulu’s at the Octagon)

This event is open to the general public, please RVSP by clicking “Attending” on the Facebook event page.  No Facebook?  No worries, come anyway!

Join the Slow Food movement and become a member here.

Film maker Ian Cheney slides down one of the many mountains of corn American Farmers produce each year.

Slow Food Santa Cruz had a showing of King Corn across from the Westside New Leaf on Thursday, 8/10/10.  It had a great old school tape reel feeling to it, but the relevance was to the minute as ever.  One of the biggest foci of the film is the consequence of industrial agriculture and its cousin, factory farming, both in humanitarian terms and economical terms.  The NY Times just released an article on Ohio’s signing of an agreement to phase out factory farming of hogs, hens and veal calves.  Ohio is the second largest producer of battery eggs in the U.S.

You can view the article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/12/us/12farm.html?_r=1&sudsredirect=true

Foodies munch on dinner while waiting for the film to begin

California has been the spearhead in these movements towards more humane farming practices, so it only felt right that there should be a group of more than 30 people picnicking on an empty storefront floor on the Westside of Santa Cruz, watching King Corn. Awareness – and raising it in grassroots, creative ways – has been one of the hallmarks of this area.  Many people had seen it already but wanted to be reminded of why we make the choices we do.  Afterward, the room was filled with speckles of conversation ranging from “ew, gross” to “what else can we do?” and it was easy to see that the catalyst of King Corn had worked quite well.

The film is interesting for many reasons.  The factual information is priceless, as is the wonderful ability of documentary film to be able to so seamlessly put together all the pieces of a numbingly complex issue (industrial agriculture.)  Another great thing about King Corn is that just when you might be ready to write the two filmmakers, Ian and Curt off as two privileged white guys making a self serving movie, they use just the right amount of reflexive documentation to make you aware that you (viewer), too, need to look inward to understand your part in the process.  That takes skill.

One of the paradoxes of living in Santa Cruz, one of the organic agricultural capitols of coastal California is that while there is a heightened awareness of the farm to table connection, there can also be complacency and a false sense that slow food, agriculturally safe food, is the norm here – and everywhere.  It’s not.  Far from it.  What good things are happening here, however, are truly inspiring, and it keeps getting bigger.  Just look at the Westside Farmer’s Market!  But the conversation, the fire behind activist choices and actions, needs to be stoked constantly.  Let’s keep it up!

Slow Food Santa Cruz will be having more showings like this one, so come on down and join the food, fun and facts.  Please let us know what you have a hankering to see and discuss by emailing info@slowfoodsantacruz.com.  There will be an option to hold an open forum talk about the films (speakers, radio docs, etc.) afterward.

Nearly screening time!

If you missed the movie, here is the website:

http://www.kingcorn.net/

Slow Foodies Talking About Coffee and Community Organizing

Verve Coffee Roasters graciously hosted a top-notch Slow Food event! Attendees enjoyed a complimentary cupping (tasting) of unique, personally sourced, fair-trade beans from around the world as they were treated to a mini-workshop on all things coffee.

Cupping Lessons - What to Look for in an Cup of Excellence

The depth and breadth of the workshop was truly amazing! We had an opportunity to get an up-close and personal tour of the roastery next door to the café, where Verve’s artisanal coffee roasters sample and fine-tune each small batch to create their signature roasts and blends.

Colby Talks About the Subtlies of Taste While Jarrod Pours Samples

Colby, the mastermind of the roastery and Verve co-owner, Jared, recently ranked the #2 barista in the nation, and Ian, a barista who offers weekly tasting flights on Fridays, shared their collective knowledge, experience,  and passion to elevate coffee brewing to an art.

From the economics and politics of growing, buying and consuming coffee, to the various methods of brewing, and the subtleties of flavor based on terrior, the Verve team enlightened coffee geeks and neophytes alike. They educated us about how we, as coffee drinkers, can each do our part to drink responsibly while subscribing to the ethos of good, clean and fair food–and drink.

Now for the Quiz..Who wants to win a Kazoo

If you missed out on our special event, stay tuned; Verve will be expanding and has plans to offer classes and workshops in the building now occupied by the roastery.

]]> http://slowfoodsantacruz.com/2010/08/slow-down-at-verve/feed/ 0 http://slowfoodsantacruz.com/2010/08/movie-meet-up-king-corn/ http://slowfoodsantacruz.com/2010/08/movie-meet-up-king-corn/#comments Sat, 07 Aug 2010 02:38:35 +0000 admin http://slowfoodsantacruz.com/?p=762

Join Slow Food Santa Cruz for a FREE viewing of King Corn on Tuesday, August 10, 2010 at 7:00 pm! Bring a picnic dinner (including beverages, plates, and utensils), a blanket to sit on (or a short chair), and an appetite for watching an entertaining film about how industrial corn has become the foundation of our food system. Chat with Slow Foodies and learn more about the movement!
Open to the general public, please RSVP by clicking “Attending” on the Facebook event page.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010

7:00 pm – BYO Picnic Dinner

Location – Little City Mercantile, 1010 Fair, Suite I, Santa Cruz, CA (next to Studio 831 gym)

Stay tuned for more Summer Slow Down events coming soon!

This will be a casual get-together of Slow Foodies, fair traders, budding barristas, coffee addicts, and anyone interested in learning more about this enticing beverage. Learn about the differences in taste between beans of the coffee growing regions, how small businesses source their beans and what you can do as a consumer to help support sustainable small farms and fair trade in the coffee industry. Attend a complimentary cupping (tasting) of varietals to see how our local roasters craft their custom blends. Learn how to select the best beans for your palette and take home brewing tips from Verve’s award winning baristas  to expand your culinary repertoire. Learn how to integrate the Slow Food ethos of “Good. Clean. Fair.” into your daily cup of Joe.

Saturday, July 31, 2010
10:30 am : Gather and socialize
11:00 am : Complimentary cupping in the Roastery next door to the café

Verve Coffee Roasters
816 41st Avenue, Santa Cruz, California 95062

This Slow Food event is FREE and open to the general public but space is limited so please RSVP online by selecting ‘Attending’ on our Facebook event! RSVP is requested but not required.

Slow Food members will receive a 25% discount on all drinks and 10% off all coffee beans purchased during this event.

Grandmother Diane, Grandpa Gerhardt, Daughter Heidi ,and Grandaughter Shani getting ready to cook together

SPRING ARTICHOKES HEART AND FAVA BEANS

Serves approx. 8 ppl

Ingrediants:

2- 2.5 lbs  FAVA Beans -  about 2 Cups Hulled Fava Beans – * To hull Fava Beans -  Shell the fava beans.  Because some people are allergic to the waxy skins of the fava beans, and because they are somewhat tough, you may want to peel the skins away too.  They are easily popped off by slitting the skin with the tip of a sharp knife or your thumbnail. Blanching he shelled beans in boiling water helps with  slipping the waxy coating off easier.

PREPARE THE ARTICHOKES:

Zest the lemons and set aside the lemon zest.

Quarter the artichokes and soak them   in water to cover with the two  zested lemons * cut the lemons into halves with a knife, squeeze the juice into the water, and put the lemons in as well. This will keep the artichokes from discoloring.

WHILE THE ARTICHOKES ARE SOAKING,TOSS TOGETHER all the Fava beans with 1/2 cup Olive Oil

Add enough Stock and Water to  just barely cover the artichokes
Add Garlic,  the Olive Oil that was tossed with the artichokes, and Salt…cover and simmer gently until artichokes are tender.

After the Artichokes are tender, add the Fava Beans and only cook for about 3-4  minutes, or until tender. NOTE, The Fava Beans cook fast!

Add the Thyme and Rosemary sparingly to the Artichokes and Fava Beans as they are cooking. You don’t want to add too much as it will interfere with the delicate flavor of  the Fava Beans.

Place the Fava Beans and Artichokes in a serving bowl or on a platter. Sprinkle with the Lemon Zest and Parmesan Reggianno to finish off!

Grandmother Lois, Daughters Nancy and Donna, & Granddaughter Christa cooking together