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.

Slow Food Cheese Tasting

On a hot and steamy night last week at the home of Marian and Gary Silverman, members and friends of SFMV tasted artisan cheeses made by Brian Schlatter of C/J Grassfed, the family farm near Defiance which also offers meats, eggs, and other selected products. Brian, who began production locally in November 2007, sells his cheeses at Toledo Farmers Market every other Saturday and at Perrysburg Farmers Market on Thursdays. He is interested in finding other retail outlets for his cheeses; ask your favorite restaurants or food stores about trying this great local product, which is a slow food in every way: good, clean, and fair!

Tomato / To-mah-to Tasting

Mark your calendars now for Slow Food Maumee Valley's First Annual Heirloom Tomato Tasting and Feast. This year's event will be held at the home of John and Paula Ross on Sunday August 24th and will feature great tomato-based treats as well as the opportunity to taste a range of locally-grown heirloom tomato varieties. If you would like to rsvp now, or if you would like to receive updates as details are finalized, send your contact information to slowfoodmaumeevalley@gmail.com and we'll add you to the list!

July Slow Supper and Local Cheese

SFMV's July program will begin with a presentation by Brian Schlatter, master cheesemaker for C/J Natural Meats in Defiance Ohio. We'll learn a bit about the history of cheesemaking and about this new addition to the Northwest Ohio food scene. After Brian's presentation (including samples!), we'll enjoy a convivial potluck. The theme: cheese - dishes made with cheese, dishes that go with cheese, dishes inspired by cheese....you get the idea. Please plan on bringing your recipe, your place setting, and your own beverage.

Thursday July 17th
6:30 PM cheese sampling with pot luck to follow
At the home of Marian and Gary Silverman, 10 Old Coach Road, Bowling Green, OH 43402 (corner of River Road and 235) - 419 823 5049

RSVP to slowfoodmaumeevalley@gmail.com or to Paula @ 419.536.0807

Local Cheese!

Along with fabulous herbs, fruits, and vegetables, the Toledo Farmers Market now offers aged raw milk cheeses from Canal Junction Farmstead Master Cheesemaker Brian Schlatter, who says "We are an on-farm cheese maker, where we use all of the milk that we produce. We make all raw milk cheeses from our own milk. " Varieties include Miami Erie Canal Swiss, Ravine Colby, Black Swamp Gouda and, last Saturday, a great wheel of shiraz-soaked jack.

Eat It To Save It, as Poppy Tooker would say

The first of the homegrown cherries made their appearance at the Toledo Farmers Market on Saturday. They're worth waiting for and worth looking for. Mine came from Witt's Orchards, and they will be available on Saturday mornings as they ripen.