National Eat-In

Labor Day, Sept. 7, 2009

Gather your friends, your families, and neighbors for an Alameda Town Eat-In

It’s time to provide our children with real food at school.

We know the link between a healthy diet and quality of life. It’s important to teach children healthy eating habits and those habits can start at school, but only if we give schools the resources to serve real food instead of the processed foods that endanger their health.

To show our support for good clean and fair food in our schools Slow Food Alameda is reaching out to parents, kids, school administrators, teachers, school board members, civic leaders, community organizations and churches to raise awareness that healthy eating habits last throughout their lives. Part of this support is an Eat-In On September 7^th. On this day people across America will gather with their neighbors for public potlucks that send our nation’s leaders a clear message:

What Can I Do To Make This Happen in Alameda

1. Reserve September 7^th on your calendars

2. Get involved

We are looking for parents who are very involved in their child’s school and who can help create this public potluck. Start the conversation that tells everyone real food for school lunches is a priority in our community.

3. We’re counting on you to tell your friends and contact your civic leaders to support the Eat-In.

4. Send us a note if you wish to become part of the organizing team. slowfoodalameda@comcast.net

The Big Picture

The President is calling for health care reform and the First Lady is teaching kids to grow food on the White House Lawn. We’ve got an opening to pass legislation that gives kids the opportunity to grow up healthy. This fall Congress will be debating whether to update the Child Nutrition Act, which is the law that determines what kind of food kids eat at school. By giving schools the resources to serve real food, we can make sure that the legacy we’re leaving our children is a future filled with opportunity, security and good health. It’s time to get real food into schools.

For more information, and to join our campaign, e-mail us at slowfoodalameda@comcast.net

You can also show support by doing one or more of the following at the Slow Food USA www.slowfoodusa.org/timeforlunch and

• Sign the Time for Lunch petition
• Contact your legislators
• Write a letter
• Talk about Time for Lunch on websites like Facebook
• Organize an Eat-In
• Get your friends to organize house parties (or potlucks) that introduce the campaign and gather names for the Time for Lunch petition

The following is Slow food USA’s platform and message to congress is

1. INVEST IN CHILDREN’S HEALTH.

Give schools just one dollar more per day for each child’s lunch.

2. PROTECT AGAINST FOODS THAT PUT CHILDREN AT RISK.

Establish strong standards for all food sold at school, including food from vending machines and school fast food.

3. TEACH CHILDREN HEALTHY HABITS THAT WILL LAST THROUGH LIFE.

Fund grants for innovative Farm to School programs and school gardens

4. GIVE SCHOOLS THE INCENTIVE TO BUY LOCAL.

Establish financial incentives that encourage schools to buy food from local farms for all child nutrition programs.

5. CREATE GREEN JOBS WITH A SCHOOL LUNCH CORPS.

Train underemployed Americans to be the teachers, farmers, cooks, and administrators our school cafeterias need.

"Time For Lunch" School Lunch Bill Pot Luck Organizational Meeting

Our next event will be Thursday June 25^th, 6pm at the wonderful Autobody Fine Art Gallery, graciously hosted by Jacque and Colin, two of your fellow Slow Food Alameda Members. We will be discussing the upcoming Slow Food USA School Lunch Bill Reauthorization Campaign “Time For Lunch”. We hope to get as many parents, children, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and anyone else interested in becoming active and advocating for good, clean, and fair food in our schools.

Additionally, Rachel Saunders, our 2008 Terra Madre delegate and producer of Blue Chair Fruit, will give a brief talk on her experience at Terra Madre last fall.

Please bring enough good, clean and fair food for about 6 people, along with enough plates, silverware and cups for everyone in your group. Water and possibly tea and coffee will be provided.

Wine and beer will be sold to recoup the cost of renting the space, or a small donation is appreciated.

Please RSVP with the number in your party to this e-mail – slowfoodalameda@comcast.net . Address of the event and contact persons are below. The door is just to the left of Lee’s Auto Supply.

Autobody Fine Art

Jacqueline Cooper
Colin Herrick
Gallery Directors

1517 Park Street
Alameda, CA 94501

Phone: 510.865.2608
Email: info@autobodyfineart.com

Slow Food Alameda

Leadership Committee

http//www.slowfoodalameda.org

Join us for our Member Potluck and Leadership Confirmation Meeting at Alameda Free Library!

Monday April 27th 2009
Large Meeting Room
Cold Dishes only (Library rules)
Bring a plate, cup and silverware for everyone in your group
This is a family friendly event; please bring your children, including infants!
Please RSVP to slowfoodalameda@comcast.net so we can plan water, tea, and coffee.

First of all, thank you all who were in attendance our annual Membership Drive at Rosenblum Cellars and a special welcome to all of our new members! Please share a meal with the Slow Food Alameda Leadership Committee and discuss our plans for the upcoming year. There are opportunities to get more involved in the issues that interest you and the Alameda Slow Food community. There will be a short presentation of past accomplishments and proposed activities for the upcoming year. We definitely want to hear your ideas and answer any questions you may have about Slow Food Alameda.

We will also be confirming the list of leaders below for the upcoming year. Any active dues paying member of Slow Food Alameda may vote, or if you are unable to make it to this event, vote via a reply to this e-mail. Expired members are welcome as well, although you may not vote. If you wish to dispute any of these candidates, please do so now and we will have the vote at the potluck.

The proposed leaders are:

Rick Kellner – Member At Large - Slow Food is an extension of the way I live my life, choosing fresh, clean and local whenever possible. My childhood passion of vegetable gardening continues to enrich my home life today, which helps feed my family and teaches my son valuable lessons in many areas. As a working owner of Feel Good Bakery, we practice S-L-O-W methods. All of our products are made from scratch and often take days to assemble before they can be devoured. Time and patience is what adds unforgettable flavors to most of our offerings.

Frank Filice – Member At Large - My wife and I have been residents of Alameda for 5 years. I grew up on a family farm in Gilroy where we had a road side fruit stand. We eat seasonally and I learned the techniques of vegetable gardening and making sausage and Italian cured meats from my parents and grandparents. My desire to be a part of Slow Food Alameda is to transfer this knowledge to our membership in a Good, Clean and Fair manner.

Eileen Savel – Member At Large - I continue my life long practice of preparing and consuming "good, clean and fair" foods. As Vice President of Transmedia, a publicly held company which provided financing to restaurants and a dining card to consumers, I dined at hundreds of restaurants throughout the Bay Area in order to approve their loans and write restaurant reviews for our card holders. I am past president of Alameda's 100 member "Harbor Bay Cooking Club" which sponsors professional cooking classes, book reviews, and food related trips. I have studied cooking for over 20 years with Jacques Peppin, Martin Yan, Robert Reynolds, Linda Carucci, and Alameda's very own Weezie Mott. Slow Food is my passion. I am grateful for the privilege to serve on this board. Along with fellow board member Eileen Bitten, I am now co-owner of the Two Eileens, developing and providing cooking classes and cooking related trips for the home cook.

Randall Owczarzak – Member At Large - My family and I live in Oakland and I've worked in the natural foods industry for the past 15 years (the latter six at Alameda Natural Grocery). For us eating seasonally is easy because of the store and we believe that slow goes beyond eating and affects all of the choices we make in our daily lives. Like many transplant Californians, I'm from the Midwest and still have much pride in the state of Michigan (slow happens there too, you just need to scratch the surface to find it). I'm involved in Slow Food Alameda for my daughter, to inspire others to be slow, to educate and let Alameda (and the rest of the world) know that slow food is for everyone.

Eileen Bitten – Treasurer - I grew up in the Pacific Northwest with its abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables, with poultry, eggs and butter delivered fresh to our door. In the summer we ate our produce fresh and then canned for the winter. These food practices, of using good, clean, fair and fresh by which I was raised and have followed as an adult, are the principles of "Slow Food". I currently serve as the Treasurer of Slow Food Alameda and look forward to continuing our work of spreading the word about the wonders of the world of Slow Food. I have been a member of the Harbor Bay Cooking Club for the last 5 years and am currently co-owner of the Two Eileens dedicated to teaching people the techniques of Slow Cooking.

Mark Hardwick – Leader – I have made a commitment to the Slow Food movement because it mirrors our lifestyle and attaches us to the local community in a very important way. I have been gardening my entire life, in many different climates and situations, and few things bring more pleasure for family and friends than a good, clean, and fair meal from our backyard or from a local, trusted farmer. I have also worked with at-risk youth for almost 20 years, and this year’s focus on Food Justice, specifically for low and middle income families, by our parent organization Slow Food USA, is the most compelling reason I can personally find to continue as a Slow Food Leader. The enthusiastic response from our Chapter Members continues to motivate the entire Leadership Committee and we look forward to continuing for another year.


Slow Food Alameda
Leadership Committee
http//www.slowfoodalameda.org

Ploughshares Nursery Events
Want to grow your own tomatoes at home?

All about Tomatoes Workshop
Saturday, April 11th, 10am-12pm

Peggy Kass from Kassenoff Growers will be describing some of the varieties of locally-grown tomatoes Ploughshares is selling this spring. Peggy will also teach us how to help these tomatoes
succeed in your back yard.
Open 9:00am - 4:30pm
Wednesday - Sunday
2701 Main Street
Alameda, CA 94501
Ploughshares Nursery is a not-for-profit plant nursery that specializes in native, drought-tolerant and edible plants. Proceeds from the nursery support housing and services for formerly homeless families at Alameda Point Collaborative.
For more information about classes, events, and promotions,
please call (510) 898-7811 or visit us on the web:
www.ploughsharesnursery.com

Slow Food Alameda's
2nd Annual Membership Drive and Fabulous Food & Wine Pairing
Friday, March 13th, 2009 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM

At Alameda 's Rosenblum Cellars

Venture out to Rosenblum Cellars for unique pairings of Rosenblum Wines and “good, clean, and fair” foods from local restaurants and producers - Served to you by some of your favorite chefs.

Restaurants, Producers, Sponsors

Acquacotta

Alameda Natural Grocery

Asena
Baron’s Meats & Seafood

The Beanery

C’era Una Volta

Chipotle Mexican Grill
Croll’s Pizza

Culina
Daisy’s

Dan’s Fresh Produce
Dragon Rouge

Feel Good Bakery
The Hob Nob

Mezze

Mona’s Table

Pappo
Patricia’s Pantry

Live Music performed by Paul Manousos!

Proceeds from ticket sales and raffle to benefit Slow Food Alameda, Alternatives in Action School Garden, and Alameda Food Bank.

Tickets available on the web http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/57865

For more information call 510-684-5411.

$25 in advance, $30 at the door. Limited to 200 tickets.

This is a 21+ event.