November Slow Supper: Talking Turkey

Slow Food Maumee Valley will hold its November meeting at 6pm on Friday, November 14th at the home of Julie and Michael Leizerman in Swanton.

Julie and Michael have been raising three breeds of heritage turkeys since April, and the birds are reaching their mature stage just in time for the holidays.

Bring a dish to share - maybe a new recipe your are thinking of trying for Thanksgiving? Come talk turkey with Michael and visit the other animals too - kids are welcome!

WHAT: Slow Foods Maumee Valley November Potluck

WHEN: Friday, November 14th, 6pm

WHERE: One Hundred Breaths Farm, the home of the Leizerman family

4728 County Road 3 in Swanton

6 miles west of Toledo Express, then 2.2 miles south on County Road 3

(419)826-7667

Your rsvp is welcome but not required. E-mail us: slowfoodmaumeevalley@gmail.com or call Paula at 419.536.0807 or Julie at 419.826.7667.

SFMV at the Toledo Farmers Market

It was a beautiful Saturday morning, and hundreds of area shoppers jammed the market. It seemed like most of them stopped by the Slow Food Maumee Valley table, where they enjoyed apple pancakes expertly cooked by SFMV members John Ross, Mary Weiss, and Deb Boardley. Member Amelia Contreras, who has launched her own food business, arranged a tasting of apples from Witt's Orchard. We tasted five varieties: Elstar, Ginger Gold, Gravenstein, Honey Crisp, and Ozark Gold. The winners? Honey Crisp and Elstar tied as favorites, Witts sold out early, and we all enjoyed the market scene, including music by Ten Mile Creek.

Apple Tasting / Samples at Toledo Farmers Market

Although you'd never know it from selection offered at the the average grocery store, thousands of varieties of apples are grown in the US. Protecting this biodiversity is one of the goals of Slow Food, and Slow Food Maumee Valley friends and members have a chance to follow Poppy Tooker's advice and "eat it to save it."

Every Saturday morning throughout the winter, Witts Orchards offers dozens of delicious varieties at the Toledo Farmers Market (the orchards, located in Oak Harbor, include more than five dozen varieties).

On Saturday September 20th from 9 AM to 12 PM, Slow Food Maumee Valley members will prepare apple-based treats for market shoppers as well as a tasting of several varieties that are at their peak this month. We'll talk to market shoppers about Slow Food and our mission to make food that is good, clean, and fair available to everyone.

If you'd like to help, call Paula at 419.536.0807 or send an e-mail: slowfoodmaumeevalley@gmail.com.

Perennial Exchange Coming Up Soon

On Saturday October 4th from 10am- to 1:30am, local gardeners are invited to exchange plant and garden supplies at the Original Sub Shop, 402 Broadway (near the Amtrak station) . Here's the schedule:

9:00 Plant Drop-off
9:15 Workshop:Native Plants for the Home Garden.
10:00 Plant Re-distribution

Please bring: Plants (perennials/house plants) - Garden Tools -Garden Books

Need more info? Call the Sub Shop at 419-243-4857.

The challenge of Slow Food Nation

The speeches were inspirational, the market was irresistible, and the food was delicious. It was a privilege to be at Slow Food Nation. Over and over, I was reminded that Northwest Ohio has the ingredients for a great food system, and that Slow Food Maumee Valley can help create it.
Slow Food USA took a huge step forward at Slow Food Nation, and as members we have the opportunity to be a part of new programs and help to grow a stronger, more focused organization. Are you ready?

Tomato Tasting - Results are Clear

The two dozen members and friends of Slow Food Maumee Valley have made their decision: we tasted more than a dozen varieties of heirloom tomatoes from area farms and gardens, and the winner by a landslide is the Cherokee Purple.

Pam Weirauch of Pam's Corner also produced some winners - mixed heirloom gazpacho, heirloom tomato tartlets, and goat-cheese stuffed tomatoes were popular, as was the caponata made with eggplants from Andy Keil's farm from a recipe by Mario Batali.

If you missed our first annual heirloom tomato tasting, you don't have to wait until next year's tomato season. Send a message to slowfoodmaumeevalley@gmail.com to be added to our regular e-mail messages, or visit the Slow Food USA website to join.

Unless you have dozens of tomato varieties in your garden, check out your local farmers market. The Toledo Farmers Market is hosting its first annual Salsa Fest on August 30th.

Tomato To-mah-to Tasting

It's early August, and the tomatoes are beginning to ripen. The season will be in full swing by Sunday August 24th, the date of Slow Food Maumee Valley's first annual Heirloom Tomato Tasting, to begin at 4:00 PM, at the home of John and Paula Ross. Slow Food Maumee Valley is teaming up with Pam Weirauch of Pam's Corner to offer a tomato-centric menu including tastes of heirlooms from a variety of area farms and gardens and desserts made from local fruit, plus iced tea and basil lemonade.

The cost will be $20 per person ($15 for SFMV members). Reservations are a must for this event. Please reply or call 419.536.0807.

Slow Food Maumee Valley is a non-profit organization, and a portion of your cost will be tax-deductible. Proceeds from the event will be used to help strengthen the food system in the Maumee Valley.

As always, you can go to http://slowfoodusa.org/ to become a member.