This calendar lists Slow Food Marin-Petaluma workshops, seminars, and other events relating to food and cooking. Additional listings may be found at Slow Food Norcal. For more information, questions, or comments about the calendar,
.
|
|
April 2009
|
|
1 In 1957, spaghetti was discovered to grow on trees. More info...
|
|
1-5 12th Annual Sonoma Valley Film Festival Schedule information here www.CinemaEpicuria.org or call (707) 933-2600.
|
|
5 Slowfood Marin-Petaluma is invited to LOCALVORE COOKING SCHOOL For conscious cooking and eating featuring Spirit Rock Meditation Center chef, Michelle Reynolds. Discover an intuitive and mindful way of preparing and eating meals and bringing loving kindness to every meal. Explore our relationship with food, mindful eating, and fearless cooking. Prepare a delicious lunch of local farm fresh ingredients. Hosted by SlowFood member, Erin Fray, in her Petaluma farmhouse. For more information, contact or 415-860-5291. Download more information in PDF format here.
|
|
22 Earth Day Number 38!
|
|
24 National Pigs-In-A-Blanket Day
|
25 American Artisan Chocolate in the Post-Scharffen Berger World with Kara Nielsen
1:00 pm, in private home in San Rafael, CA.
In the mid-1990s, Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker blazed a new and exciting trail in American artisanal chocolate making. Eschewing mass production techniques, Robert Steinberg and John Scharffenberger took a micro approach, sourcing vintage European equipment to process their carefully selected blend of cacao beans.
With Scharffen Berger now in the mass-market hands of Hershey, what has followed in its wake? Luckily, as one artisan producer moves up, another will emerge to take its place. A new wave of American artisan producers are continuing the craft of fine, handmade chocolate making, forging relationships with cacao farmers, insisting on properly fermented beans, considering the influence of terroir and using micro-production methods to make exquisite and distinctive chocolate.
In this program, we will taste a selection of American artisan chocolate of different percentages and origins to taste for ourselves the legacy of Scharffen Berger and learn what these new breed of producers is up to. We will conclude with a wine and chocolate pairing, tasting two wines to see how they compare.
- learn about these producers and what makes each special
- taste and evaluate a selection of artisan chocolates from around the United States
- discuss the influences of terroir on the products
- taste two dessert wines with the chocolate and discuss how they compare
With her inveterate sweet tooth, Kara Nielsen has been a culinary professional for the last 15 years. She began her career as a pastry chef in Bay Area restaurants such as Citron, Rivoli and Café Rouge, where she met Robert Steinberg with a hunk of chocolate in his pocket. After a spell running cooking classes at Sur La Table, Berkeley, she found herself working as customer service manager in a trailer in the parking lot of Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker during the construction of the Berkeley factory.
Following this "artisan chocolate indoctrination program," she spent three years managing food and wine programs at Copia: The American Center for Wine, Food & the Arts before pursuing a Masters degree in Gastronomy at Boston University with a focus on culinary history. She now studies and analyzes food trends as Trendologist at the Center for Culinary Development in San Francisco. She is a member of IACP, a former board member of the San Francisco Professional Food Society and a board member of the Association for Consumer Trends. She has taught numerous classes in chocolate and restaurant desserts at Boston Universityıs culinary arts program.
Saturday, April 25, 1:00pm, $50 Slow Food members ($60 non-members) including instruction, tastings, and printed materials. This event is graciously hosted by Slow Food Marin-Petaluma member John McCabe at his home in San Rafael. RSVP by email to chocolate@slowfood-marin.com and mail a check, payable to Slow Food Marin-Petaluma, to 160 Summit Avenue, Mill Valley, 94941. Address and directions will be given upon confirmation of reservation. Space is very limited, please RSVP as soon as possible.
|
|
25-27 Stockton CA Asparagus Festival
More info here
|
 |
|
May 2009
|
|
1 May Day
|
|
1 National Strawberry Month
|
|
1 National Barbecue Month
|
|
1 National Egg Month
|
|
1 National Salsa Month
|
|
2 National Truffles Day
|
|
24 National Escargot Day.
|
|
|
|
June 2009
|
|
5 National Hunger Awareness Day More info here
|
|
6 National Doughnut Day
|
|
8 Slow Food San Francisco's 5th Annual Golden Glass
|
|
13 National Lobster Day
|
|
13 Kitchen Klutzes of America Day
|
|
21 National Vanilla Milkshake Day
|
|
|
|
July 2009
|
|
* Slow Food founded in 1986 in Bra (Piemonte) Italy
|
|
1 National Baked Bean Month
|
|
1 National July Belongs to Blueberries Month
|
|
1 National Culinary Arts Month
|
|
17 National Ice Cream Day
|
|
20-21 California Peach Festival, Historic Downtown Marysville CA More info here
|
|
24 National Salad Week
|
|
27-29 Gilroy Garlic Festival, Gilroy, CA More info here
|
|
|
|
August 2009
|
|
2 National Mustard Day
|
|
15 Julia Child's Birthday (1912-2004)
|
|
18 National Sparkling Wine Night
|
TBD Sonoma Wine Country Weekend Three days. Two Hundred Wineries and Chefs. One unforgettable Sonoma Experience. Join us where wine, food and friends meet. Sonoma Wine Country Weekend. An epicurean event unlike any other, Sonoma Wine Country Weekend combines the elegance, sophistication, and style of the Sonoma County Showcase of Wine and Food with the festivity, frivolity and fundraising of the Sonoma Valley Harvest Wine Auction for three unforgettable days of celebration.
Join us as more than 200 world-class wineries and chefs showcase their talents at stylish winemaker lunches and dinners, a show-stopping Taste of Sonoma, and a Wine Auction so joyously over-the-top, you'll swear you never had so much fun! Visit www.sonomawinecountryweekend.com or call 800-939-7666 for more information.
|
|
|
|
September 2009
|
|
1 National Chicken Month
|
|
1 National Honey Month
|
|
1 National Organic Harvest Month
|
|
1 National Potato Month
|
|
1 National Rice Month
|
|
1 Better Breakfast Month
|
|
TBD Tomato Fest®, Carmel, CA More info here
|
|
15 Pig Stand Opens in Dallas in 1921 (world's first drive-in restaurant)
|
|
18-21 Slow Food CHEESE, Bra, Italy More info here
|
|
19 National Butterscotch Pudding Day
|
|
TBD Taste of Petaluma
in downtown Petaluma, embark on a culinary journey of our finest restaurants, wineries, breweries and food purveyors.
|
|
|
|
October 2009
|
|
1 Homemade Cookie Day
|
|
1 National Pizza Month started in 1987. Americans eat about 100 acres of pizza each day, or 350 slices per second. Half of all pizzas are purchased on Fridays and Saturdays.
|
|
1 National Pork Month
|
|
1 National Seafood Month
|
|
21 World Food Day
|
|
31 Halloween
|
|
|
|
November 2009
|
|
1 Good Nutrition Month
|
|
1 Hunger Awareness Month
|
|
1 National Fig Month
|
|
1 Peanut Butter Lover's Month
|
|
24 National Espresso Day
|
|
27 Thanksgiving
|
|
|
|
December 2009
|
|
25 Christmas
|
|
|
|
January 2010
|
|
1 New Year's Day
|
|
1 International Gourmet Coffee Month
|
|
1 National Pizza Week
|
|
7-13 Oatmeal Month
|
|
17-19 NASFT Winter Fancy Food Show, San Francisco Moscone Center More info here
|
|
24 National Peanut Butter Day
|
|
|
|
February 2010
|
|
1 National Cherry Month
|
|
7 Super Bowl XLIV in Miami, FL Dolphin Stadium. The biggest day for pizza ordering is Super Bowl Sunday.
|
|
11 Paul Bocuse's Birthday (1926)
|
|
14 Valentine's Day
|
|
16 Mardi Gras"Fat Tuesday"
|
|
27 The first Mardi Gras celebration was held in New Orleans in 1827
|
|
|
|
March 2010
|
|
1 National Chocolate Chip Cookie Week
|
|
1 National Peanut Butter Month
|
|
25 National Waffle Day
|
|
30 National Hot Dog Day
|
|
|
