Farm Tour Features Three Local Farms (and Lunch)

If you’re interested in getting better connected with local farmers, you might be interested ins a day-tour of three local farms on Saturday July 11, sponsored by EatGreenDFW.com and Food Roots both owned by Slow Food members. The culinary bus tour will take you (in air conditioned splendor) to JuHaRanch, Oak Grove Farms and Garden Harvests where you'll discover how three farmers bring sustainably grown produce, meat and dairy products to our community using organic and natural methods. And bring the kids. It’s a great way for them to learn where their food comes from.

The trip, which includes lunch at the Brown Street Cafe and Kolache Depot in Ennis, is $89 but there's a discount for Slow Food members. Just drop a line to brian@eatgreendfw and I'll send you the coupon code that's good for 10% off.

Mary Kimbrough of Food Roots has lined up three great places to visit and learn about local agriculture. And it even looks like there will be a wine tasting with wines from Calais Winery during our stop at Oak Grove Farms. You can find out more and sign up here.

You don't want to miss it. You will have an opportunity to buy pick of the season at all of our stops.

DMN Notes SF "Woodstock of Food "Gathering

Our own Dallas Morning News has taken note of the Labor Day weekend gathering of the nation's super-foodies (that would be us) in San Francisco.

Joyce Saenz Harris, writes in Sunday's edition: "Some 50,000 people are expected to participate in this country's first Slow Food Nation event, a gigantic 'Woodstock of food' to be held over the long Labor Day weekend in San Francisco."

Her article traces the roots of Slow Food Dallas from Timothy Mullner's kitchen in 2003 to our convivium-soon-to-be-chapter's 160 members today.

Current leadership team member Mark Monfrey notes that many Dallas members are "more interested in the social networking that Slow Food provides," but says that the political side also plays an important part in the movement's mission. "If we don't take an active role in government and politics," he says, "these small farmers won't have a chance."

Here, here.

Anyone out there interested in adding to our 160-strong membership roll should mark two dates on their calendar:

Tuesday, Sept. 9, 6:30 pm when there will be a new member "Meet and Greet" at the Veritas Wine Bar at 2323 N Henderson Ave. (between 75 and Greenville).

Sunday, Sept. 28 - Annual Meeting at a time and place to be determined.

Also if you're planning to attend the gathering in San Francisco let our current leader Jennifer Uygur know at juygur at sbcglobal.net. She'll connect you with other Dallas Slow Foodies who plan on going.

Set a Course for Texas Wines Tasting - March 31

Eat and drink locally. Sample some of the best wines and cheeses, fresh produce and Texas-raised meats at the "Set a Course for Texas Wines" event presented by The Wine & Food Foundation of Texas and GoTexan. Find out why Texas wines and GoTexan cheesemakers are winning awards in the Lone Star State and beyond!

Event details:
Monday, March 31, 2008, 6-9pm, $40
Tasting: Set a Course for Texas Wines
Location: Dallas Contemporary, 2801 Swiss Avenue, Dallas
Cost: $40
Reservations (non-refundable): online or phone 512.327.7555
(http://winefoodfoundation.org/index.html)

Taste Portugal's answer to Texas heat

Portugal's antidote for North Texas heat: fresh, soft, young Vinho Verde.

Walkaround Vinho Verde wine tasting at Milestone Culinary Arts Center, 4531 McKinney Avenue, Dallas, TX 75205, 214.526.3942. Hosted by the Vinho Verde Commission and the European Union.

Details: Monday, April 7th, from 5-7pm, no charge.

Info: 800.575.4415 x382; or email dallas57[at]janetkafka[dot]com

Too Much Tuscan Sun author Dario Castagno Booksigning at Flavors From Afar

Nancy and Gary Krabill invite Slow Food members to extend their Italian holiday Monday March 3 by visiting Flavors From Afar where author Dario Castagno signs his latest book A Day in Tuscany. His first book Too Much Tuscan Sun outlines his adventures as a Chianti tour guide, and his second lays out a typical day in Tuscany. The signing takes place from 3-7, and will be accompanied by wine and cheese from the colorful gourmet boutique.

Where: Flavors From Afar
6712 Snider Plaza
214.696.2327
www.flavorsfromafar.com

David Uygur taping Taste of ...

See and hear our 2006 Terra Madre delegate, David Uygur, at the taping of "Taste Of ...". Slow Food members get $10 off the ticket price to the taping. Mention that you're with Slow Food when you order tickets.

Milestone Culinary Arts Center presents a live taping of “Taste Of…” with hosts Dan Potter and Chef Sharon Van Meter. Chef David Uygur, Executive Chef at Lola joins us on March 3rd.

David Uygur is the Executive Chef of Lola the Restaurant and The Tasting Room at Lola. Raised by a working American mom and a Turkish journalist father, he began his culinary adventures at a young age. He has worked in fine dining restaurants in Austin , Atlanta and Portland , Oregon . In April 2003, he became the opening Executive Chef of the Tasting Room at Lola in Dallas . The restaurants offer seasonally-based menus that change frequently. Bill Addison of The Dallas Morning News lists Lola as one of his Top Ten Upscale Favorites of 2007. Chef David was invited to cook at the James Beard House in 2005. In 2006, Slow Food selected David as a Cook Delegate to represent Dallas at Terra Madre, a biennial meeting of World Food Communities held in Turin , Italy .

"Taste Of" audience members can look forward to sampling different types of gnocchi prepared by Chef Uygur including Gnocchi Verdi with Lemon Butter, Potato Gnocchi with Pancetta and Sage, Semolina Gnocchi with Mushroom Ragu, and Gnocchi de Susine. Audience memebers will also enjoy wine pairings provided by our "Taste Of" wine sponsor, Glazer's

To sign up call Millstone at 214.217.2811 or go online at www.vikingcookingschool.com

Monday
March 3, 2008
6:30- 8:30pm
Please arrive 6:15pm
Tickets $40.00

Show will air Sunday March 9th at 2:00pm on KLIF 570-AM

See David's Terra Madre slides - pdf

"The Future of Food" is happening now

I'm one of those people who want to know what's in my food...where it came from...who grew it...and what I can do with it. Of course before I even start down that path, I want to be sure it is safe and will continue to be safe while I cook it and consume it. The fact of the matter is, I believe at the very least, all the food in the marketplace should be safe. Safe for me, safe for my family and anyone I might want to serve it to. Its incredible to me that more and more food is arriving at the marketplace that isn't. Because I'm extremely interested in food, I'm aware of that, but so many others are not. Like it or not, we all need to be aware of what is happening to the food we eat every day and what impact it has on our health and our way of life, both now and in the future.

Slow Food Dallas is sponsoring the screening of "The Future of Food," produced by Deborah Koons Garcia. Deborah Koons Garcia is the widow of the famous rocker Jerry Garcia. Deborah has produced several documentaries and was concerned enough about what was happening around her to produce this one about genetically modified food. I think you'll find it enlightening and it just might change the way you shop, cook and eat.

The film is being screened at the Nasher Sculpture Center this Sunday afternoon at 2 pm in the private dining room at the Nasher. Tickets are available through Slow Food Dallas at their website: www.slowfooddallas.org. Seating is limited.

Latte Da Dairy Tastings Coming Up

Latte Da Dairy will be doing in store tastings this next week at the three Central Markets it serves:

• Dallas CM (Lovers & Greenville) Saturday, Dec. 15 from 12-4.
• Fort Worth CM (Hulen) Sunday, Dec. 16 from 12-4
• Southlake CM (FM1709) Tuesday, Dec. 18 from 10:30- 4.

Anne and her divas are also offering a chevre with the "works" (dill, garlic, red pepper & black pepper) that she says,"looks quite festive with the green and red of the spices ."

Stop by and tell Anne that Slow Food sent you.

"Future of Food" Film Screening Jan. 13

Slow Food Dallas is sponsoring a screening of the film, Future of Food, which “offers an in-depth investigation into the disturbing truth behind the unlabeled, patented, genetically engineered foods (commonly referred to as GMOs) that have quietly filled U.S. grocery store shelves for the past decade.”

The screening will be in the Nasher Sculpture Garden's Private Dining room on Sunday, January 13 at 2 p.m. There are only 65 tickets available for the screening so get your tickets early.

The tickets are available through Brown Paper Tickets for $25 for members and $35 for non-members. The price includes admission to the gardens, so plan to come early to enjoy the gardens.

Slow Food Book Club Meeting Tomorrow

For those of you who might have missed it (and are fast readers) the first meeting of the Slow Food Book Club will be tomorrow, Dec. 3 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. The book up for discussion is Slow Food Nation by Carlo Petrini.

The club will meet every six weeks with the next book (and the next host) decided by a majority vote of those attending.

Kudos to Sandy Lewis for organizing the book club. Watch your e-mail (and this blog) for upcoming meeting dates.

For more info regarding this event: http://www.slowfooddallas.com/events.html

Slow Food Dallas Holiday Gathering

Be sure to plan on attending a holiday gathering in Oak Cliff on Sunday, Dec. 9. The festivities run from 6 to 9 p.m.

Please bring a dessert to share and something to drink. Check your email or Slow Food Dallas for details.