March 1, 2009
Dear members and friends of Slow Food Philadelphia,
“March comes in like a lion” – the old saying seems to be verified by the swirling snows outside, still, I am thinking of farmers markets with fresh spring produce and visits to verdant farms. Thanks to the generous invitation from Thomas and Barbara Schaer, we don’t have to wait until May to visit a beautiful farm – Slow Food members and especially their children are invited to the annual Sheep Shearing event at their beautiful Meadowset Farm on Saturday, March 14, at 11:00 a.m. There will be fiber demonstrations with Artists from StillWater Fibers weaving and spinning farm products. As in previous years, Barbara’s amazing Lamb chili and the farm’s sheep cheeses will be available for tasting. Meadowset Farm also produces honey and grass-fed lamb. The event is free and will take place rain or shine. Please, do not bring any pets with you to the farm. The address is 210 North Creek Rd, Landenberg, PA 19350 , 610-274-8320. For more information on Meadowset Farm.
Given the interest in the food traditions of this country and the world, Slow Food Philadelphia, starting this month, will organize a series of tasting dinners that focus on a particular cuisine. I am very happy that chef Valerie Erwin from Geechee Girl Rice Cafe in Mount Airy will prepare a special dinner for us featuring traditional southern dishes based on the rice delicacies of the South Carolina Low Country on Monday, March 30, at 7:00 p.m.
The Menu
Shrimp gumbo garnished with Carolina gold rice
House smoked pork with slow cooked sea island red peas and melted cabbage
Cracklin' corn bread
Green salad with warm vinegar dressing
Cinnamon raisin bread pudding
Coffee, tea, decaf
The price of the menu is $35, about $44 with tax and tip. Please pay in cash. For reservation call 215-843-8113 – mention Slow Food Dinner. Geechee Girl Rice Café is located at 6825 Germantown Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19119.
Directions: From Center City and the Main Line: From Rt.76, take 76 to Lincoln Drive; and Lincoln Drive to Carpenter Lane. Make a right on Carpenter Lane and follow it to its end at Germantown Avenue. Geechee Girl is just across the street.
We had several excellent Lantern Festival Banquet Dinners with Chef Chu from Four Rivers in Chinatown in past years. He specializes in the spicy foods from Sichuan and will cook for us a special dinner I like to call "Chef Chu's Signature Sichuan Dishes." The date of the dinner is Tuesday, March 17, you can make reservations right away (we’ll have convivial round tables), please mention Slow Food Dinner. I will send out the menu in a couple of days.
If you have tasted chocolates from West Chester’s L’Eclat, you know how amazing Christopher Curtin’s creations can be – absolutely astonishing (and highly addictive). Chris left Madison, WI, to apprentice at the House of le Companion du Devoir, the premier guild for Pastry Chefs in France. Here, he worked alongside the best pastry chefs in Europe. Chris became the first American to be awarded the honor of German Master Pastry Chef and Chocolatier in Cologne, Germany. A world class chocolatier by then, Chris continued to learn from the masters, honing his skills in the finest chocolate houses of Belgium, Switzerland, France, Germany, and Japan.
For a long time, I wanted to have a chocolate tasting event featuring Christopher as a speaker and, of course, to sample his various chocolate creations. This event will finally happen in the second part of April and it will not only feature Chris but also sense and taste experts from Philadelphia’s Monell Center who will add their scientific insights to Christopher’s artisan’s descriptions. Details shortly.
On Tuesday, April 21, I would like to invite you to join David Szanto from Italy's University of Gastronomic Sciences for an informative talk about the school’s programs. You will be able to talk to University staff and alumni and learn about the educational philosophy of the university. In addition, information about the undergraduate and graduate degrees, as well as internships and work opportunities post-graduation will be available.
Co-founded in 2003 by the international non-profit Slow Food and the Italian regions of Piedmont and Emilia-Romagna, the school’s innovative approach is to create a new understanding of gastronomy. Four programs at two Italian campuses follow a multidisciplinary learning model, merging science with humanities, sensory training with communications, classroom study with field seminars. For more information about the University of Gastronomic Sciences.
The event is free and will take place on the campus of Swarthmore College.
Details:
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Science Center 101
Swarthmore College
Cheers,
Hansjakob
