1st Meeting – Robin Bergstrom
Hello All,
We had our first meeting on Wednesday evening and are thrilled with the turnout. We were excited to see so many new faces as well as several loyal old-timers. It seemed as though everyone was super enthusiastic and knowledgeable about Slow Food’s mission. After we each introduced ourselves and our favorite comfort foods, we discussed plans for the upcoming semester, of which there are many! Next Wednesday, September 23 we will have an information booth at the Local Harvest Dinner—don’t forget to stop by and greet us. Throughout the semester we will be hosting a series of lectures, from guests as various as a beekeeper, a butcher and an expert on “do-it-yourself†urban agriculture. For all you film junkies, we’ve got a lineup of educational documentaries to show. Naturally, we’ll be cooking together, whether for demonstrations or in preparing for the monthly Slow Food Seacoast potluck in Portsmouth. Speaking of cooking together: we’ve got a place to call our own—the MUB Entertainment center, which has a mini-kitchen!
As our emphasis during meetings this year will be on education, we will be having real food at our meetings now (instead of just talking about it!) For the first meeting, members enjoyed three varieties of fresh apples—all from Tecce Farm right here in Durham. We had Ginger Gold, MacIntosh, and Paula Red—all delicious, but each with their own distinct appearance and flavor. For more information about these and any other apple varieties, check out this website: http://www.allaboutapples.com/varieties/ At the start of the meeting, a few of us discovered the hidden gem that is the apple seed—it tastes just like an almond! Supposedly cherry seeds have a similar flavor. That’s because they’re all from the Rose family. Just a warning—in large quantities the seeds will make you sick. And finally, we got a taste of local wildflower honey, which was delicious. If you ever need a quick shot of energy, stop by a farm stand and pick up a honey stick—the glucose is rapidly broken down and converted to energy.
If anyone has any suggestions for the upcoming semester, please let us know. Thank you all for coming and we hope to see you at the next meeting: Wednesday, September 30 in the MUB Entertainment Center (in the basement). Peace!
-Robin