A Perfect Slow Food Kind of Day

Yesterday was perfect...sunny and warm.  A perfect day for a Mother -Daughter date.  And a perfect day for a special hike along the Gaspereau River at White Rock in the Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia.  For the longest time, my daughter Joanna has been talking about foraging for food in the wild.  I, of course, see poison and death at every corner.  So how could I not suggest a fabulous Slow Food NS event like this one - Foraging for wild edibles led by awesome and very knowledgeable botanists Ruth Newell and her husband Reg, followed by a heavenly lunch on the grape vine covered terrace at Le Caveau Restaurant at Grand Pre Winery.

Slow Food NS Spring Dinner Recap

First off ... it was grand! 150 people attended this Slow Food Nova Scotia Spring Dinner community style...where getting to know your neighbors was easy over wonderful local wines served with food, showcasing local farmers and prepared by some of the province's best chefs and their crews who donated their time for the evening making sure we were all happy. Very long sentence, I know.
The wines, by the way were all donated by some fantasic NS vineyards and each was paired with one of the seven courses!
The dinner had two purposes...one to celebrate Slow Food Nova Scotia and two, to raise funds for a very worthy cause - Feed Nova Scotia. I thought I'd share the evening...course by delicious course...

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Homemade Biscuits and Butter
Chef Kim Stacey, Emma’s Eatery
Curried Indian Point Mussel Chowder, Petit-de-Grat Snow Crab Cake, Preserved Peach Chutney
Chefs Craig Flinn & Darren Lewis, Chives
Wine: Benjamin Bridge, Nova 7
Riverview Arugula Salad, Broken Pommery & Roasted Garlic Dressing,Hazelnut Thyme Crisp with homemade Ricotta, Crispy Black Olives
Chef Paolo Colbertado, Jane’s On The Common
Wine: Blomidon Estate L'Acadie Blanc

Harpoon Caught Sword Fish, Salsa Verde, Wild Rice Risotto,Lobster Chili Oil
Chef Chris Velden, Ryan Duffy’s
Wine: Domaine de Grand Pre Seyval Blanc
Nova Scotia Lamb Shawarma, Tzatziki, Pickled Turnip,Herb Salad, Chickpea Socca
Chef Renee Lavallee, The Feisty Chef
Wine: Jost Vineyards Trilogy
Slow Roasted Windsor Valley Pork Belly, Local Sweet Potato
Chef Dennis Johnston, Fid Resto

“Jigg’s Dinner”…Granite Irish Stout Braised Beef Rib, Haddock Brandade,Savoy Cabbage, Fiddlehead Mustard Pickles
Chef Graeme Ruppel, The Brooklyn Warehouse
Wine: Gaspereau Vineyards Vitis
Noggins Warm Apple Pocket, Rhubarb Panna Cotta, Fox Hill Gelato
Chef Michael Howell, Tempest
Just Us! Coffe & Tea
Foxhill Cheesehouse Whole Milk

Kudos all around! I highly recommend you all checking out community dinners that celebrate your local farmers and the chefs who spotlight them.

Slow Food Spring Supper in Dartmouth

I don't normally publize events here but I couldn't resist mentioning this one. It's an over-the-top Slow Food Nova Scotia Spring Dinner put together by some of Nova Scotia's best chefs who all care deeply about using local ingredients, whipping up wonderful dishes and promoting local farmers and fishermen.

Now I realize that many of my readers live too far away to make it...

Spring Supper, May 7th at Christchurch Hall, Ochterloney Street, Dartmouth NS.

....but if you do live in or near Halifax or Dartmouth, I hope to see you there. And if you can't make it, I urge you to hunt for a local-to-you Slow Food event. There are a whole world of them here.

And just to entice you...

SLOW FOOD NOVA SCOTIA SPRING SUPPER 2011

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Homemade Biscuits and Butter Kim Stacey, Emma’s Eatery

Curried Indian Point Mussel Chowder,
Petit-de-Grat Snow Crab Cake,
Preserved Peach Chutney Darren Lewis, Chives

Riverview Arugula Salad, Broken Roasted Garlic and Mustard Vinaigrette,
Ricotta Wafer, Crispy Black Olives
Paolo Colbertado, Jane’s On The Common

Harpoon Caught Sword Fish, Salsa Verde, Wild Rice Risotto,
Lobster Chili Oil
Chris Velden, Ryan Duffy’s

Nova Scotia Lamb Shawarma, Tzatziki, Pickled Turnip,
Herb Salad, Chickpea Socca
Renee Lavallee, The Feisty Chef

Slow Roasted Windsor Valley Pork Belly, Local Sweet Potato
Dennis Johnston, Fid Resto

“Jigg’s Dinner”…Granite Irish Stout Braised Beef Rib, Haddock Brandade,
Savoy Cabbage, Fiddlehead Mustard Pickles
Graeme Ruppel, The Brooklyn Warehouse

Noggins Warm Apple Pocket, Rhubarb Panna Cotta, Fox Hill Gelato
Michael Howell, Tempest

Tickets for the event can be purchased at Chives, Brooklyn Warehouse, Fid, Jane's on the Common in Halifax and Tempest in Wolfville. Tickets are cash or check only...$85 each all inclusive ($75 for Slow Food members). only 140 tickets are available for this dinner. Please make checks payable to Slow Food Nova Scotia.

Celebrate Terre Madre - The Story of Food - DIRT!

Just a short post today... a reminder that Terra Madre Day is tomorrow. It's the time to celebrate local farmers and the shops and restaurants that support them. With over 900 events worldwide, I hope you can find one near you.

Here in Nova Scotia you might have lunch at The Tempest restaurant in Wolfville with members of Canada's first on-campus convivium - Slow Food Acadia. Learn about Slow Food, the activities being planned by Slow Food Acadia and meet local farmers and producers after watching the film DIRT! The Movie. In Dartmouth, there's a Who's Your Farmer Dinner Series and this week my favorite pasture raised beef producer, Chris de Waal of Getaway Farm will be speaking. Unfortunately, it's sold out, but there are lots of other wonderful events around the province. You can check out a partial list of venues here, but I urge you, regardless of where you live to find something wonderful and local to celebrate. And if you can't find one - make your own local feast and invite your favorite people to attend.

Although I am not usually one to stand on a soap box, or to be Miss Doom & Gloom, I thought I'd share this link, a very short video clip - The Story of Food - as a starting point for each of us to do our little bit to make a difference and try to return things to a simpler, purer time.

What are you doing to celebrate?