farm tour: urban patchwork farm, 11/13/2011

Date: Sunday November 13th, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Location: Crestview neighborhood, Austin
RSVP and tickets

Come with Slow Food Austin to unearth a farm hidden in the backyards of Crestview neighborhood houses! Urban Patchwork (UP) grows vegetables and eggs for its central Austin CSA members, in the process teaching many how to grow food in the city.

Our scavenger hunt will begin at one site where maps to four UP sites will be provided. The tour will conclude at the same site with light refreshments provided by local restaurants and Dripping Springs Vodka. The tour can easily be managed by bicycle, and there is also plenty of on-street parking.

Farmer Paige Hill will host the event and explain the ground-breaking patchwork concept behind UP.  UP is expanding into other Austin neighborhoods. Find out if the UP concept is right for yours! Children are welcome on this educational tour. The ticket price of $20 includes refreshments and a take-home selection of UP produce.

UP is welcoming us into the private backyards of its central Austin members, so rather than publish those addresses on this ticket website, you will receive site addresses and a tour map by email in the week prior to the tour.

See you on the farm!

farm tour: montesino ranch, 11/5/2011

Date: Saturday, November 5th 2011, 5 pm
Location: Montesino Ranch, 300 Little Arkansas Rd. Wimberley, Texas, 78676
RSVP and buy tickets: slowfoodaustinmontesino.eventbee.com.

Just forty-five minutes southwest of Austin, tucked into the charming Hill Country, is Montesino Ranch. The natural beauty of rolling pastures, tree-covered hills, and the limestone-bedded Blanco River crossing the farm will immediately draw you in and make the short drive more than worth-while. It inspires farm managers Melody McClary and David Burk to grow equally beautiful fruits and vegetables. “Vegetables will be plentiful this fall,” says Melody. “We will have a good season.”

Join Slow Food Austin for a tour of this gorgeous produce farm and a sample of their produce. The farm tour starts at 5 pm. A $15 ticket is redeemable for a selection of Montesino’s wonderful vegetables. After the farm tour, put on your dancin’ shoes and come on down to their spacious 28 foot pole barn for the dance. The $25 ticket covers both the veggies and entry into the dance.

The live music starts at 7 pm and ends once all the dancers are tired. BYOB. Food will be available to purchase at the dance.

To RSVP and buy tickets go to slowfoodaustinmontesino.eventbee.com.

Tour questions? Email Grit Ramuschkat at email@gritramuschkat.com.

happy hour: urban roots farm, 10/20, 2011

Date: Thursday, October 20th 2011, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Location: Urban Roots Farm, 7651 Delwau Lane Austin , TX 78725
RSVP Here!

Please join Slow Food Austin for our monthly Third Thursday Happy Hour at Urban Roots Farm.  There will be a suggested $15 donation upon entry.  Jesse Bloom and the Ecstatic Cuisine team will be serving up seasonal goodies while Michael Menley of A Torrid Affair will be mixing up a variety of Dripping Springs Vodka hand crafted cocktails. Lost and Nameless Orchestra will be there to provide music. This is sure to be a great evening so come out to the farm.  Parking is limited so please carpool or ride your bike.  Also, don’t forget your closed toe shoes, blankets and chairs.  A special Thank You to Dripping Springs Vodka and Ambiente for sponsoring this happy hour.  A portion of the proceeds will benefit Slow Food Austin and Urban Roots Farm.

RSVP for this happy hour.

slow session: friends, farms, and food day, 10/10/2011

Date: Monday, October 10th, 7 pm – 9 pm
Location: Springdale Farm, 755 Springdale Road, Austin, Texas 78702

This year on October 24th, cities across the U.S. will be celebrating Food Day, a day in which people from all walks of life come together to voice their support for healthy, affordable food produced in a sustainable, humane way. In preparation for the Food Day events happening later in the month, Slow Food Austin will be having a Dine and Discuss Potluck of appetizers, drinks, and desserts at the lovely Springdale Farm. Come catch up with friends, enjoy the evening air, introduce the kids to the farm animals, exchange recipes, and discuss how we as a community can work together to support and nurture good, clean, and fair food. To get the dialogue going, a panel of Austin Food Champions; Katy Levit, Happy Kitchen Developer at Sustainable Food Center, Judith McGeary, founder and director of Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance, and Glenn Foore, owner and farmer of Springdale farm will each be discussing their field of expertise as it relates to the Food Day principles. The session will end with an open dialogue and unveiling of the upcoming events going on around town to celebrate Food Day on October 24th.

This session is free and open to everyone in the community. Slow Food Austin will provide some snacks and beverages. Bring a chair, a friend, a favorite appetizer, dessert, or drink and RSVP to anneh@slowfoodaustin.org.

$5 meal challenge round-up

$5 Meal Challenge

The $5 Meal Challenge from Slow Food USA took place on September 17th, and the results are in. Stories from all around the country are listed on the Slow Food USA site.

The topic of whether eating fast food or junk food is really more affordable seems to keep appearing. For more information about costs of home-cooked meals, see also the recent article by Mark Bittman “Is Junk Food Really Cheaper?”

And, here’s the round-up of $5 Meal Challenge dishes from right here in Austin:

Notes from Maggie’s Farm created a full meal with sides and condiments:

 

 

 

 

 

Entree: Pozole
Sides: Roasted Corn  3 ways, Refried Black Beans,
Condiments: Fire Roasted Salsa, Pico De Gallo, Roasted Corn and Hatch Chile Relish with Queso Fresco, cilantro, jalapeno, cabbage, onion, avocado served with crispy tostada, or corn tortillas

 

Fig Tart

Shelley of Franish Nonspeaker hosted a $5 Meal potluck and prepared a Fig and Jam Tart that was just $1 per serving.

 

 

 

 

Kate of A Bobo Mess made a Black Bean Feta Salad.Black Bean Feta Salad

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vegan Dirty Rice

Lisa from Lisa is Cooking prepared a Vegan Cajun-spiced Dirty Rice dish to serve ten that came in just under budget.

 

 

 

 

 

Kathryn from The Austin Gastronomist created a Zucchini Crumble for dessert that came in at 86 cents per serving.

 

 

 

The Whole Story blog from Whole Foods offered this great list of budget-friendly meals too.

farm tour: richardson farms, 10/2/2011

Date: Sunday October 2, 2011 2 pm – 4 pm
Location: Richardson Farms, Rockdale, Texas
Ticket price: $20

If you’ve had a pulled pork burger from Blackstar Brewery, a pork belly taco from Taco Deli or house-made sausage from Dai Due Butcher Shop, you’ve eaten Richardson Farms meats. The family-run farm has established itself as one of the best suppliers of locally raised, pastured meats in the Austin area.

Come with Slow Food Austin to learn first-hand what it takes to bring these delicious meats to your table. Jim and Kay Richardson raise cattle, pigs, chickens, heritage turkeys, ducks and rabbits on their 200-acre family farm. The animals are raised on pasture and grains the farmers grow and grind themselves on-farm.

The ticket price covers an equal value of meats or a deposit for your holiday turkey. Tour attendees are welcome to make additional purchases, so bring your cooler.  Children of all ages are welcome if under parental supervision. To RSVP and purchase tickets go to slowfoodaustinrichardsonfarms.eventbee.com.

Tour questions?  Email Grit at email@gritramuschkat.com.

happy hour: the lounge at the four seasons hotel, 9/15/2011

Date: Thursday September 15th, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Location: The Lounge at the Four Seasons Hotel, 98 San Jacinto Blvd, Austin, TX 78701
RSVP Here

UPDATE: All proceeds from tonight’s Happy Hour will go directly to farmers who have suffered losses related to the recent central Texas fires. We will also be accepting direct donations for farmers.  We are specifically trying to raise money to transport donated organic hay from Iowa so that farmers can put their animals back on the burned farm land.

Join Slow Food Austin in the Lounge at the Four Seasons for our Monthly 3rd Thursday Happy Hour, September 15th, 6pm-8pm as we people watch, munch on yummy seasonal food and sip on “slow” drinks. The Happy Hour will feature a $10 or less locally sourced slow food appetizer menu (see below) from TRIO whipped up by Chef de Cuisine, Todd Duplechan. And the bar will be serving a $5 “slow” drink Happy Hour Menu to get you ready for all that ACL weekend has to offer you. This is sure to be a fun and festive Slow Food Austin Happy Hour! A big thank you to our sponsors Treaty Oak Rum and Duchman Family Winery.

Check out this amazing menu:

Beaman farm crispy beef shortribs
Blue cheese, pickles
Richardson farm spare ribs
Grape chutney,garam masala

Squash blossom
Smoked eggplant, basil puree
Mac and cheese
Texas gold cheddar

Shrimp toast
Chilies, arugula

We look forward to seeing you there!


$5 Meal Challenge, 9/17/2011

Date: Saturday, September 17, 2011

Slow Food USA has invited everyone to take a $5 Meal Challenge on September 17th. By joining friends and family for a slow food meal that costs no more than $5 per person, we’ll be taking back the ‘value meal.’

And, we’d like to hear about your meals. If you prepare a meal at home or a dish for a potluck for this event, we’d like to  hear your story. Send us a description of your dish or meal and how you kept the cost below $5 per person, a photo if you have it or a link to an online photo gallery, or send us a link to a post if you blog about the event. We’ll post a round-up of all the $5 meals one week after the event. We’re looking forward to collecting this list of affordable slow food meals, so take the challenge and then tell us what you did.

Send info about your meal by noon on Friday, September 23 to: lisa@slowfoodaustin.org

Round-up of $5 meals will be posted on Monday, September 25.

 
“slow food shouldn’t have to cost more than fast food.”

quiz bowl, 8/14/2011

Date: Sunday August 14, 12 pm – 4 pm
Location: The Highball, 1142 South Lamar Blvd, Austin, Texas
Tickets: $15 purchase here

On Sunday August 14th from 12-4pm, Slow Food Austin will host a Quiz Bowl at The Highball. This trivia style contest (think game show) is not for the faint of heart. Teams comprised of local food celebrities and food hot shots, will compete for the honor of being the official “Food Geeks” of Austin. Teams include Glazers, TRACE, Whole Foods Market, Greenling, Barley Swine, Ecstatic Cuisine, Austin Food Bloggers Alliance, and Balding, Bearded and Bitter (Brian Stubbs, Josh Loving, Bill Norris, and Andrew McArthur).

The fast-paced, ruthless, all-in-good-fun, competition will feature questions developed by Addie Broyles of the Austin American-Statesman. Our teams will need to know their stuff about food history, cheese, food pop culture, beer and spirits, food artisanry, and foodie trends. You’re bound to learn something interesting whether you are playing or watching.

While you’re enjoying the atmosphere of the Highball and the excitement of the Quiz Bowl, you can taste delicious delights from local “slow” restaurants and artisans along with happy-hour-priced “slow” drinks from the bar. It gets better! We will also host a Texas style half-time show when Bryan Butler of Salt & Time, recently named one of the  Cochon 555 best butchers in America, will dress a pig and we’ll have a not-to-be-missed live auction for the cuts of meat. Yes, we said a live auction for meat.

$15 entry gets you in the door including the restaurant nibbles, happy hour priced drinks, and the most fun you’ll have all summer. We will also have a grand door prize and a variety of Slow Food-approved raffle items. Buy your admission ticket in advance, and you’ll receive five free raffle tickets at the door. Buy tickets here: slowfoodquizbowl.ev?entbee.com/

What could be better on a hot August afternoon in Texas than to be at the trendy Highball enjoying a little healthy competition with friends and food?  Come meet some of the most amazing people in your food community- chefs, experts, visionaries, trend-setters, and treasures.  We want to honor the people who make our food community great by hosting an event that can make you laugh while you are doing the serious work of eating, learning, and showing your support for the local food system.

Restaurants and artisans include: Wink, BC Tavern, Confituras, Cuvee Coffee, Kocurek Family Artisanal Charcuterie, Parkside, Jeffrey’s, Olivia, Salt & Time, Contigo, Thai Fresh, La Patisserie by Luxe Sweets, GoodPop, and The Highball.

happy hour: trace, 7/21/2011

Date: Thursday July 21, 6 pm – 8 pm
Location: Trace at the W Hotel, 200 Lavaca Street Austin, TX 78701
RSVP: karlal@slowfoodaustin.org

Please join Slow Food Austin at our monthly Third Thursday Happy Hour at TRACE.  TRACE Austin is a sleek and sophisticated restaurant featuring the finest flavors of Central Texas sourced directly from the region’s surrounding farms.  At the helm of TRACE’s kitchen is Chef de Cuisine, Paul Hargrove and Slow Food Austin’s very own, Valerie Broussard who, as the Forager at W Austin, sources local ingredients from nearby farms, and cheeses, cured meats, jams and even hot sauce from artisanal producers. There will be a special Slow Food Austin appetizer menu and $5 drink specials.  Please rsvp to karlal@slowfoodaustin.org.