Slow Food Reno September 14, 2009

We went to the fourth Slow Food Reno get-together on Monday, September 14th. This event was hosted by The Cheese Board, which as it turns out, is the very first restaurant I knew about that served local food. Here are the high points:

First the food – stupendous as usual. Every available space not reserved for sitting down to dinner was covered with food…twice; once for dinner, and again for dessert and coffee. Sorry, don’t have any feast pics because I was too busy meeting new people and catching up on what’s happening with my Slow Food Reno cohort.

Ann Louhela from Nevada Grown was the guest speaker. Nevada Grown's mission is to help local farmers promote their product and build a customer base through networking and relationships. You’ve seen their efforts when you visit the farmers markets or pick up your CSA. The next phase will bring the program recognition to local food restaurants. Look for this logo on the windows and tables of restaurants that serve local food.

Here’s the most important thing I learned from Ann this day…the farmers market season ends in late September or early October BUT THE FARMERS STILL HAVE PRODUCE. When the markets stop you can still buy local food at the Great Basin Community Food Co-op, through a fall-season CSA (it’s not too late to sign-up), or by visiting a farm and buying direct. Without consumers all this great food becomes compost pile fodder and lost income for local farmers.

Upcoming Slow Food Reno events:

Fresh, the Movie. If anyone needs posters to promote this free event, contact Andy.

• Date: September 28th, 2009
• Time: 6:30pm SHARP
• Where: Joe Crowley Theater @ The University of Nevada, Reno
• Parking: West Stadium Garage on North Virginia and 15th streets or in the open metered lots in front of the building
• Cost: Free
• Limited to 200 people max!

 Questions: Call Joe at (775) 848-3525 or Vicki at (775) 771-8821

• The movie will be followed by a panel discussion composed of the following individuals:
• Natalie Sellers, 4th Street Bistro
• Rick Lattin, Lattin Farms
• Nicole Sallaberry, Great Basin Co-Op
• Pauline Hamilton, Great Basin CSA
• Nancy Horn, Dish Cafe & Catering

Nothing to It local food culinary classes:

Nevada Grown - Growers tour of Fallon
Pleasures of Slow Food

Slow Food at University of Nevada, Reno - Bob Blesse, a SFR board member, is also a member of a newly developed group focused on the food on campus, and...students at UNR have started their own Slow Food chapter advocating healthy, local food on campus. Check them out on Facebook.

Home Grown Revolution independent film about a family that has been growing a huge amount of food on their urban property for years – this short is one of three independent films showing at The Wild & Scenic Film Festival (WSFF), hosted by the Nevada Wilderness Project. These independent films are inspiring, positive stories about people around the world making a difference for conservation, green energy and their local communities. From cool to quirky to hilarious, shorts to longer features, this one-night film festival is appearing in 90 cities around the U.S.  See the program information here.

Possible upcoming events:

Humane pork rib cook-off. There’s been some local and national interest in organizing a rib cook-off event sourced solely from humane producers. If you’d like to get involved and help set-up the event contact Joe.

Okay, back to the food.  Even though I didn't get pictures of the SFR feast I did get pics of the dish we brought, in preparation for the rumor that SFR will put together a recipe book at some point.  We made an Oven-Dried Tomato Crostata (really a tart). The local foods in this dish are the tomatoes, herbs, and eggs; Early Girl tomatoes from Lattin Farms, Wapsipinicon tomatoes and many of the herbs from our garden, and the eggs from Rise and Shine Farms. I oven dried the tomatoes a few weeks ago so when it was time for dinner prep took less time than the recipe implies.

If you haven't been to a Slow Food Reno meeting it's never too late.  This is a membership group so we are always looking for new people.  But you don't have to be a member to attend a potluck to see what we're all about.  Members participate in a couple of ways.  Some come to eat great food and socialize, then hopefully take that joy back home and do the same thing with their friends and family. Others eat, socialize and advocate on a community level. SFR current focus is on Food to Chef, Food to Table, and school gardens. There's room for everyone!