When: Saturday, June 26, 2010 from 4:00pm until 8:00pm
Where: Bommer Canyon in Irvine
Cost: Adults, $50; children under 12, $20. Prices include dinner and wine; participants are encouraged to bring their own wine glasses and utensils. Plates will be provided.
Reservations: Tickets must be purchased in advance and are available through Brown Paper Tickets.

Bommer Canyon was the cattle camp for the Irvine Ranch and is generally not open to the public at large. This is a special opportunity for all of us to enjoy a quality meal in a beautiful outdoor environment.

Dinner will be prepared by Chef Ryan Adams of Sorrento Grille in Laguna Beach and Slow Food Orange County team members. The menu will feature:

Watermelon and cucumber salad
Warm heirloom potato salad
Grilled corn and fava bean succotash
Barbecued citrus-marinated Mary’s Natural chicken
Honey-spiked Irvine strawberries
Grilled lemon biscuits

Live entertainment will be provided by Walden Dahl, one of the finest bluegrass/swing musicians touring today, and his band. He is known for the hit songs he has written for bluegrass stars including Ralph Stanley and Alison Krauss. The band will start at 5:00 and play throughout the evening.

Marion Nestle has called Jill Richardson “a fresh voice in the movement to create a healthier and sustainable food system” and has described Recipe for America as “a guide to the most important issues and how to work on them.”

This event is graciously made possible through the assistance of the City of Irvine and contributing sponsors Sorrento Grille and Chef Ryan Adams, Whole Foods Market, Mary’s Free-Range Chicken and Quivira Vineyards and Winery. Proceeds from the event will benefit Monkey Business Cafe, the Hart Community Homes foster care system project that was established to support foster care youth with job training and skills that will enhance their ability to pursue independent living. Staff from Monkey Business Cafe will be assisting with the event.

Tickets must be purchased in advance and are available online. Space is strictly limited and there will be no on-site ticket sales.

Green Feast September 12, 2009 4:00pm until 9:00pm
San Juan Capistrano, CA

This unique farm-to-table fundraiser is designed to inspire and involve our guests in the stewardship of the Southern California environment. The dinner will be served at The Ecology Center gardens adjacent to South Coast Farm, the only certified organic farm in Orange County. The evening will include a delightful meal prepared by guest chef Richard Mead, of Orange County’s renowned Sage Restaurants. Chef Mead has held the helm at several Outstanding in the Field dinners, including one in Santa Barbara and has now graciously volunteered to be head chef of Green Feast.

In the tradition of Slow Food philosophy, the dinner will feature fresh caught seafood, seasonal organic produce, free range meats, organic/biodynamic wines and artisan cheeses. Almost all of the items served are from a 100-mile radius of The Ecology Center. The dinner will be served family-style in an alfresco setting, so each guest will have the opportunity to get to know their fellow diners. For each course, the local producers, who are also our dinner guests, will share a story of how the food they produced journeyed to our table and how sustainable, organic methods enrich both our palates, our health and the environment. While at the center, guests will also be invited to tour of South Coast Farms, a working organic farm, allowing the exploration of concepts in ecological agriculture and local food production.
 
Local producers providing food and speaking at our dinner include:
Alma Rosa Winery and Vineyards
Bonterra Winery
Carlsbad Aquafarm
J & J Grassfed Beef
Laguna Culinary Arts Cheese and Wine Shop
MM Livestock
Moore’s Seafood
Portola Handcrafted Coffee Roasters
Santa Monica Seafood
South Coast Farms
Stone Brewing Company
Tenerelli Orchards
Ventura Limoncello
Our own Ecology Center Farm
 
Cost: $150 per guest. Tickets can be purchased online at http://www.theecologycenter.org/greenfeast or by phone 949.443.4223. If you have additional questions you can email info@theecologycenter.org or call 949.443.4223.
 
The Ecology Center’s mission is to inspire and involve people in the stewardship of Southern California’s  environment,  providing education in sustainable agriculture, ecological design and the heritage of San Juan Capistrano.

Tour Vietnam without your passport –this Slow Food OC sponsored tour takes you on a wonderful journey to a Vietnamese market where you learn more about the glorious produce, live seafood, and cookware; then we return to Xanh Bistro to see the exotic ingredients we purchase transformed into delectable dishes, with a chance to taste this light and healthy yet flavorful cuisine.

Come and join Chef Haley Nguyen on this exciting and educational experience. We’ll start out at a local Vietnamese market, buy the ingredients and come back to Xanh for the demonstration hands-on regional Vietnamese cooking class, then savor a scrumptious multi-course dinner.

When: Monday, July 13, 2009 and Monday, July 20, 2009. See schedule below.
Where: Thuan Phat/Westminster Super Store and Xanh Bistro
Cost: $75 per person, per event. Price includes market tour, cooking class, dinner, tax, and gratuity but does not include alcoholic beverages.

Monday, July 13, 2009: Market tour, cooking class, and dinner
1. 6:00 pm: Meet in front of the market and tour the market (address below
2. 7:00 pm: Go to Xanh Bistro for cooking class
3. Hands On Cooking Menu:
Rice paper rolls with grilled pork
Banana blossom salad
Simmered fish in clay pot of black pepper & soy reduction
4. 8:15: Eat dinner. Dinner includes: rice paper rolls with grilled pork, cucumber and rice noodles, banana blossom salad with shrimp & Vietnamese mint, simmered fish in clay pot of black pepper & soy reduction, sauteed seasonal Vietnamese greens with garlic, tapioca pearl and grilled seasonal fruit.
5. 9:30 pm: end of event

Monday, July 20, 2009: Market tour, vegetarian cooking class, and dinner
1. 6:00 pm: Meet in front of the market and tour the market (address below)
2. 7:00 pm: Go to Xanh Bistro for cooking class
3. Hands On Cooking Menu
Lotus roots salad with Asian celery, mint & cucumber
Kabocha squash soup with coconut milk
Braised tofu with tomato and pineapple
4. 8:15: Eat dinner. Dinner includes: lotus roots salad with Asian celery, mint & cucumber, kabocha squash soup with coconut milk, braised tofu with tomato and pineapple, grilled eggplant with purple parilla & scallion and vegan soy cheese cake.
5. 10:00 pm: end of event

Market Address (where class meets): Thuan Phat/Westminster Super Store, 15440 Beach Blvd., Westminster CA 92683 (Corner of Beach & McFadden)

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Reservations may be made online via Brown Paper Tickets.

If you have questions about the event, contact Heather Stolzfus of the Orange County chapter.

Slow Food Orange County will hold its first barbeque in Bommer Canyon in the City of Irvine. The barbeque is an event for the whole family and will focus on awareness of good, clean, and fair food.

When: Saturday, May 30, 2009. See below for schedule starting at 3:00pm.
Where: Bommer Canyon, One Bommer Canyon Road, Irvine
Cost: $25 for Slow Food members, $35 for nonmembers, $15 for children under 12. Price includes dinner and wine.
Tickets: Tickets are available via Brown Paper Tickets. Space is strictly limited and there will be no on-site ticket sales.

Prior to the main event will be an optional short loop hike at 3:00 pm, guided by a docent from the Irvine Ranch Conservancy. Bommer Canyon is not generally open to the public and is the site of the old Irvine Ranch Cattle Camp. It is an important preservation area for many local plants and wildlife, including several endangered species. Hike distance will be one mile on the Nature Trail and Corral loops and will last about one hour. It is a very easy hike and suitable for all ages and abilities. There will be several stops during the hike that will focus on food plants that are native to the Orange County region. We will see, smell, and hopefully taste (there should be berries at this time of year) plants that are edible for wildlife and humans, incorporating Native American uses and relevance to the modern world.

The barbeque will begin at 5:00pm and will be prepared by Chef Thomas Ryan, Executive Chef of the Big Canyon Country Club, and a team of Slow Food members and culinary students from Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa. The main course will be chicken from Mary’s Organic Free-Range Chickens in Fresno, CA. Mary’s Free-Range Chickens are produced by Pitman Farms, a family-owned business that has been raising poultry for three generations.

The meal will also feature heirloom beans, fresh spring white corn on the cob (fresh from the farmers’ market and grilled over an open fire), organic green salad with vinaigrette dressing, freshly-baked corn bread, and seasonal fruit for dessert. There will be a vegetarian main course available as well, and select wines are included in the ticket price, selected by the wine buyer for Trader Joe’s.

Seating will be family-style and trivia questions and lively conversation will be plentiful.

Proceeds from the dinner will benefit Slow Food Orange County and the Monkey Business Café.
The Monkey Business Café is a program of Hart Community Homes, a residential community for boys age 13-18 in foster care system. Youth “aging-out” of the foster care system at the age of 18 without adequate independent living skills has been a growing national concern for decades. Monkey Business Café, a non-profit social enterprise, was opened in August 2005 in direct response to the need for further support. Monkey Business Café offers a six-month paid job training program. Participants work one-on-one with a job coach to foster a pathway to success that includes work experience, employability skills and living skills. Employees of the Monkey Business Café will help to staff the barbeque.

The event is graciously sponsored by Slow Food Orange County, with contributing sponsors Whole Foods Market and Trader Joe’s.

For more information about the barbeque or the Orange County chapter of Slow Food, contact Roger McErlane, President of the Orange County chapter, at slowfoodoc@yahoo.com.

Slow Food Orange County invites you to a sake tasting at Slow Fish.

Sake has a tradition that is as broad and intricate as wine. Our menu was designed with contemporary Korean cuisine to showcase the subtleties of a wide variety of sake styles. Professional education will be included with this wonderful dinner program. 
 
When: Sunday, March 16, 2008 from 7:00pm until 10:00pm
Where: Slow Fish, 16051 Bolsa Chica Street, Huntington Beach
Cost: $70 for Slow Food members; $80 for nonmembers

Tickets are available through Brown Paper Tickets or by calling 1.800.838.3006.

*For more information, please email Slow Food Orange County or contact Kim at 714.973.9838.

MENU
Amuse-bouche (small bite)
Ascon: fresh asparagus sticks rolled in thick bacon
Hou Hou Shu Sparkling Sake
Salad
Seaweed Salad: three varieties of marinated seaweed
Yuki No Bosha Yuri Masamune
Appetizer
Fat Avo: a whole avocado “apple” filled with seared, seasoned albacore
Kirinzan Honjozo
Course Premier
Sushi and Sashimi sampler featuring locally caught fish and heirloom black rice
Shichi Hon Yari Junmai
Course Principal
Slow Beef Tender Rib: chef An’s award-winning marinated, braised tender ribs
Watari Bune “55″
Dessert
Traditional Korean dessert tea

Slow Food OC’s Farmers’ Market walk is meant to underline the connections between the earth and table. We will begin the morning by meeting at Britta’s Café for a bit of morning coffee and scones. Britta will guide us through a brief discussion of what she is looking for at the market and what excites her in the way of seasonal produce. After getting the chef’s perspective, we will break into smaller groups and visit a few farmers for a short chat about what’s in season, what looks good, and why.

It’s harder to find good quality, locally grown protein at the farmers’ market, but when we return we will have another short presentation on how to buy local, direct, and quality fish and meat. . . then it’s time to eat! We will begin with a bubbly toast and offer a three-course meal produced from the finds of the day. We endeavor to bring your meal from the field to the table as quickly as possible and tell you a bit about each step including a few recipes and cooking tips provided by Britta.  A bit of wine will be provided to pair with your meal.

Where: Britta’s Café, 4237 Campus Drive (next to Movie Theater & Trader Joe’s), Irvine, CA 92612
When:  Saturday, April 21, 2007, beginning at 9:00am and ending around 1:00pm
Cost: $65 for members, $75 for nonmembers
Reservations required. To make a reservation please contact Britta’s Café at 949.509.1211. For more information about this event or about Slow Food Orange County, please email Kim at slowfoodoc [at] yahoo [dot] com.

Slow Food Orange County, Slow Food’s most recent convivium, is hosting its premiere event. Come join us for an Italian Food Fair on February 1 at Onotria Wine Country Cuisine. This educational event will focus on the specialty foods that make Italian cooking so unique, such as wine, cheese, cured meats, balsamic vinegars and coffee. Master Chef Massimo Navarretta will hand prepare traditional dishes to accompany the various food stations.

The Food Fair will run from 6:30pm – 9:00pm. Onotria is located at 2831 Bristol Street in Costa Mesa. Phone: 714.641.5952. The cost is $50 for Slow Food members, $60 for nonmembers.

For more information, email Kim at slowfoodoc@yahoo.com. For payments, call Delilah at The Road Less Traveled, 714.836.8727.

On Wednesday, April 6, 2005, David Mas Masumoto will discuss his work as part of the Los Angeles Public Library’s Aloud series. The event begins at 7:00pm at the Central Library, 630 West Fifth Street, Los Angeles. (Phone: 213.228.7025 for reservations and information.)

Eric Schlosser, author of Fast Food Nation, will be participating in the Martin W. Witte Distinguished Speakers Lecture Series of the Newport Beach Public Library Foundation. The two-day series of events will be held April 15 and 16, 2005, and reservations are required. For information regarding location, reservations, and cost, please go to the Lecture Series web site. (Online payment and reservation may be made via the link on the Lecture Series page.)

When: Saturday, July 31, 2004 from 5:00pm-9:30pm
Where: The Village Crean, 2300 Mesa Drive, Newport Beach
Cost: $100 for AIWF members and SlowFoodLA members*; $115 for nonmembers

*updated as of July 15

Share with us in celebrating the diverse expressions of our earth’s bounty. Take a bite of pure summer!

After a delicious Hors d’oeuvre reception and silent auction, dine family-style under the stars, feasting on courses created by extraordinary women chefs who will showcase local foods. The meal will be paired with wines made by some of California’s great women winemakers. Local artisans that are passionate about food will work hand in hand with the chefs to bring forth the best of the season.

This is the largest event the Orange County Chapter of AIWF hosts each year. The proceeds help fund the 4th and 5th grade food and nutrition educational program, Days of Taste®, as well as culinary and wine scholarships for Orange County students pursuing careers in these fields. Both the Newport Harbor High School and Orange Coast College culinary teams have benefited from AIWF Orange County Scholarships and have recently won 1st place in their respective Regional Culinary Arts Competitions.

Women Chefs:
Chef Zov Karamardian of Zov’s Bistro, Bakery & Cafe
Chef Kathy Ternay of Angeli Caffe
Chef Elka Gilmore
Chef Katie Averill of Mirabeau
Chef Becky Trowbridge from Marvelous Meals
Chef Tanya Pertrovna from Native Foods
Chef Kristy Choo of Jin Patisserie

Featured Winemakers, Farmers, and entertainers:
Morgan Clendenen of Cold Heaven
Clarissa Nagy from Rancho Arroyo Grande Winery
Lisa Semler from Saddlerock Vineyards
Weiser Family Farms, Mc Grath Farms, Fairview Gardens & more

A portion of the ticket price is tax deductible as allowed by law. Reserve your place(s) with a check sent to:
Chef Paul Buchanan/AIWF/O.C.
4214 E. 9th Street
Long Beach, CA 90804

Please send your checks to arrive by July 21 to ensure your place. Note that your check is your receipt, and no refunds will be permitted unless the event chair is able to fill a reserved spot from the waiting list. Reservations are transferable with advance notice to the event chair.

For more information visit the AIWF’s web site or contact Chef Paul by phone at 562.400.5659 or by email to chefpaul@primalalchemy.com.