Mario Batali talks with Peter Buffett about Slow Food

From Peter Buffett's advent calendar, click here to see the video.

Plus, a little information on Mario Batali's foundation. The mission of the Mario Batali Foundation is to feed, protect, educate and empower children, encouraging them to dream big while providing them with the necessary tools to become an active force for change in today's world. In an effort to do so, the MBF strives to ensure all children are well read, well fed and well cared for. Help Mario make a difference in children's lives locally, nationally, and abroad!

To learn more and/or donate, visit
www.mariobatalifoundation.org.

Community Supported Fishery Subscriptions Available at Providence Wintertime Farmers Market

Port Clyde Fresh Catch Maine shrimp Community Supported Fisheries (CSF) subscriptions are now available in Pawtucket at the Wintertime Farmers Market. Six monthly CSF deliveries will begin during the weekend of January 9th and 10th. Subscribers can pick up their shares at the entrance to the Wintertime Farmers Market (1005 Main Street, Pawtucket).

Subscriptions of Maine shrimp shares will be available for pick up between 12:00-2:00pm on January 9th, February 13th, March 13th, April 10th, May 1st, and May 29th.

Similar to local community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs, CSF subscribers purchase a “share” of the fishermen’s catch; in turn, they receive the freshest possible, wild-caught seafood every week for a specific period of time. All deliveries of Maine shrimp will be vacuum-sealed and frozen in 1 lb packages for easy storage. Subscriptions will consist of six monthly deliveries, each of 5 lbs of ready-to-cook Maine shrimp, for a total subscription cost of $216. Subscribers can also add on a copy of “The Original Maine Cookbook” to their subscriptions for an additional $18. Those who do not live near one of the two CSF delivery locations or who wish to place mail orders for fish, lobsters, lobster meat, crabs, or crabmeat can do through the Port Clyde Fresh Catch website, subject to seasonal availability.

The Midcoast Fishermen’s Cooperative, whose fishermen sell their seafood under the Port Clyde Fresh Catch brand name, are the last fleet of small groundfishing boats east of Portland, Maine and the village of Port Clyde is among the last true fishing communities left from the industry’s heyday. While CSFs and restaurant sales have been an enjoyable experience for all involved, they are also critical strategies for the future of the Port Clyde community. In the words of MFC chairman Glen Libby, “The community support generated by the CSF program has been overwhelming—it has made a huge difference to our fishing families.”

Those who would like to find out more about subscriptions to the CSF should contact Jessica at (207) 975-2191 or jessica@midcoastfishermen.org for more information.

Celebrate this Holiday Season with Local Food!

And help support the local economy while you're at it - what could be more holiday spirited than giving great gifts and keeping the business local?

The Wintertime Farmers Market in Pawtucket, RI is the perfect place to do your holiday grocery and gift shopping! Get the eggnog, pie, veggies, cheese, meat, or shellfish you need for your holiday gatherings, plus pick up gifts for everyone on your list.

Below is the Farm Fresh RI Holiday Gift Guide, a selection of edible gifts available at the Wintertime Farmers Market. Many people may be scaling down their purchases this year due to the economic downturn, so everything on this list is $25 or under (sweet!):

• Farmacy Herbs Tea Sampler: a collection of their handcrafted, organic tea blends to help you relax, fight colds, and warm up this winter. Add a jar of local honey for an extra sweet gift!

• Deluxcious Foods’ gluten-free chocolates, cookies and confections are hand made using farm fresh local ingredients. They make perfect stocking stuffers!

• Narragansett Creamery cheese baskets feature heavenly cheese made in small batches in Providence RI. Give it to someone who’ll share!

• Coffee-lovers will be pleased with a pound of New Harvest Coffee Roasters fair-trade coffee, roasted in Pawtucket, RI.

• Jacks Snack’s handmade dog biscuits are made from human-grade ingredients, local and organic when possible. Dogs love 'em! (my Golden, in particular, would tell you how much she loves them if she could)
  

From hot pepper jelly to salsa to apple butter, there is an edible, spreadable treat for anyone on your list. Pick out your favorite flavors made from ingredients grown in RI.

• Sweet or spicy roasted pecans from Purple Pear of Providence make a special gift for a food-lover. Once you try them you’ll want to keep them for yourself!

• Spoil someone with succulent scallops and herb butter from Bomster Scallops.

• Assemble your own gift basket: help someone de-stress with Earth Essence Herbals lavender aromatherapy spray, an herb plant from Allen Farms, and ache-away salve from Farmacy Herbs.

• Fresh Bucks, a gift certificate for the farmers' market, can be purchased at the Farm Fresh info table. They never expire and always bring a smile!

Whether you are hosting a holiday dinner or attending a party, get the ingredients for a festive and flavorful meal at the Wintertime Farmers Market:

• Poultry, beef, lamb, pork, clams, oysters, lobster, scallops, eggs, milk, and cheese are all available from local farmers at the market.

• Veggies in season include beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, collards, garlic, herbs, leeks, onions, parsnips, pea greens, potatoes, turnips, and winter squash.

• Sweet apple cider, Christensen’s Dairy eggnog, and Yacht Club seltzers make fun holiday drinks.

• What's a holiday dinner without dessert? The Cupcakerie features stunning seasonal cupcakes such as Peppermint Twist and Gingerbread. Pies are available from Cutie Pies and Hopkins Farm. Cookies, breads, and other treats are available from many vendors! Or bake your own using farm-fresh apples, pumpkin, or pears. Top with Kafe Lila Ice Cream!

For more information about Farm Fresh Rhode Island or the Wintertime Farmers Market go to www.farmfreshri.org

Big changes needed to make diets sustainable, report

This article from FoodNavigator.com caught my eye:

Reducing meat and dairy consumption, eating fewer fatty and sugary foods, and wasting less food are the three changes to consumption habits that will have the biggest impact on making diets more sustainable, says a new report.

The Sustainable Development Commission was asked by the UK government’s Department for Environment, Food, Rural Affairs to map out evidence on sustainable diets and look at synergies and tensions between public health, the environment, social inequalities, and economic stability.

It points out that no one, universal definition of a sustainable diet exists, but that this must be addressed for the government to meet its goal of a sustainable, secure and healthy food supply. Until now, the healthy eating element has been centre stage.

For the full article, click here. And to read the report, click here.

What do you think? What steps are you taking to make sustainable food choices?

Slow Food Boston's Brazilian Cocktail Party! Part 2!

Brazilian Cocktail Party, Part 2 Quick! What's the most common ingredient in the tasty appetizers we'll be serving at our Thursday, December 3rd festa, first event in our series exploring immigrant food traditions? -Caipirinha or tropical juice spritzer -Farofa de carne seca, sautéed manioc flour with Brazilian cured beef -Pão de queijo, cheese and manioc rolls -Canjiquinha, creamy corn soup with pork -Mandioca frita com lingüiça calabresa, deep-fried manioc with Brazilian sausage -Bolinho de bacalhau, codfish balls -Empadinha de palmito, heart of palm turnover -Empadinha de camarão, shrimp turnover -Orange slices and vegetable sticks -Molho and piri piri, hot sauces -Brazilian pastries Gold star if you said manioc, also called yuca or cassava. The starchy tuber is Brazil's major contribution to the world food basket—it originated in the Amazon—and one of its most important staples. Our party menu pays homage to manioc three ways: as crunchy, toasted farofa, as the silky-textured base for bread and as a crisp-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside home fry. Here, Nazare and Washington, two of our volunteer cooks, show me how to make pão de queijo with sour starch, fermented manioc starch.

Brazilian Event Promo Cooking from Slow Food - Boston on Vimeo.

Please join us for a culinary trip to Brazil this Thursday, December 3rd at the Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers (MAPS), our host and partner for the event. Proceeds will be donated to their AIDS/HIV Prevention & Education Program.

Brazilian Cocktail Party Thursday, December 3rd, 6:30-9:30 pm Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers 1046 Cambridge Street, Cambridge Tickets $20; reserve them here. Next up: a Vietnamese picnic in spring 2010. Email me if you have ideas for others! Anastacia Marx de Salcedo, Slow Food Boston