Slow Eating & Shopping

More Products from our Local Dairy Folks

noreply@blogger.com (Willow) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 13:49:00 +0000

So not only are the Robinsons branching out - it seems that the Lawtons at Oake Knoll Ayrshires are as well.

Walking through the South End Open Markets yesterday, I discovered that they've expanded to an Antiques Market and a 2nd location in the parking lot next to the restaurant Rocca. And one booth I caught sight of in that market? Foxboro Cheese!

Unfortunately, I was late, so didn't have time to stop & investigate (or taste!). Returning home & doing a little investigating later, though, got me here. Great news, we think. We're always happy to see farmers branching out in order to provide us with more fresh, local goods. Especially cheese!

More about the Lawtons, their background and ways on thinking was reported on Wicked Local Foxborough back in April. Check it out.

And if you're in the city next Sunday, check out that cheese & let us know what you think.

Robinson Farm Has More Thank Just Organic Raw Milk!

noreply@blogger.com (Willow) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 01:21:00 +0000

Pam and Ray at Robinson Farm in Hardwick are celebrating the completion of their THIRD annual organic inspection for their milk -- and have now been certified organic for their chickens, hay and pastures as well.

Their raw milk is heavenly, but they offer much more at their farmstand:
grass fed beef (stew meat, beef bones & ground beef)
milk fed 'rose' veal (pasture raised - NOT traditionally confined!)
eggs from Golden Comet Pullets

If you're free on Saturday September 12th, go visit them as part of the NOFA/Mass Raw Milk Dairy Day in Massachusetts - farms all over the state are participating. It's a great way to get out there and explore.

Italian Seeds

noreply@blogger.com (Willow Blish) — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:26:00 +0000

We feel the need to give a huge shout out to Bill McKay from Franchi Seeds for participating in our 2nd (now maybe Annual?) Gardening Workshop & Seed Exchange. The event, held last month at the beautiful Arnold Arboretum, was a sold-out success, thanks in no small part to Bill's expertise & enthusiasm.

For those of you that missed out on the workshop, or are interested in getting some of his amazing Italian varietal seeds, see his website.

Not only can you purchase the seeds, but you can also learn how to grow them and even get tips on how to prepare the 'fruits' of your labor in the kitchen!

The Bird People have Pork!

noreply@blogger.com (Willow Blish) — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 00:37:00 +0000

Jen, of Pete and Jen's Backyard Birds, sent through an email the other day reminding us that they have expanded their menagerie of animals on the farm. In addition to the birds (of course) they are now also raising rabbits, sheep, and yes, pigs!

If you happened to feel inspired after tasting the wonderful pork dishes at the Hungry Mother dinner last week (or find yourself so after attending Cochon 555 this Sunday) they happen to have some pork available in the freezer in Concord.

Some of the meat is from Tamworths and some from Gloucester Old Spot crosses, and according to Jen they "...have amazing 3-4lb roasts that will knock your socks off!"

Check out the website for more information on what they have to offer.

Hmmm... Italy as a belated Valentine's Gift?

noreply@blogger.com (Willow Blish) — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 22:55:00 +0000

Did you not quite live up to what was expected on Valentine's Day? Redeem yourself with a trip to Italy! Red wine, tuscan sun, fabulous food - what could be better?

La Dolce Vita Wine Tours is offering $400 off the following three upcoming tours: (plus you lock in the price at the current exchange rate of $1.27 per Euro, versus last year's astronomical highs!)

TUSCAN WINE TREASURES
May 18-23
An ideal Italian-wine primer in Tuscany's three most historic wine zones: Chianti Classico, Montalcino, and Montepulciano.

VENICE TO AMARONE
July 13-17 & September 21-25
Visit the enchanting and elegant northern cities of Venice, Verona and Padua. Explore the many faces of Valpolicella wine, including cult-status Amarone.

DISCOVER SICILY
September 7-12
Italy's most ancient wine zone is undergoing a metamorphosis. Meet Sicily's pioneering winemakers, and enjoy the island's cultural and culinary riches.

Limited-time offer. Direct sales only; no travel agents.
Call for details (888-746-0022) or email info@dolcetours.com

Local Microgreens!

noreply@blogger.com (Willow Blish) — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 12:37:00 +0000

A small farm in Exeter Rhode Island growing the most incredible BEAUTIFUL microgreens. And they're finally available in our area!

Thanks to Farming Turtles (Why the name? It's all about Myrtle) and the Whole Foods on River Street in Cambridge we can have those greens on our table tonight.

Check them out - they even offer pet salads and edible centerpieces!

Flea's Wine Recommendations

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Loud) — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 03:16:00 +0000

I just received the tasting list from last week French Wine Evening with Felisha "Flea" Foster at Dave's Fresh Pasta. You can find the list (a Word file) on our website here. My personal favorites were the Alain Normand La Roche-Vineuse Chardonnay (this wine was never allowed to even hear the word "oak" much less forced to bathe in it for months), the Clos Roche Blanche Gamay and the Maréchal Cuvée Gravel Pinot Noir which, to my mind, tasted thin when we first tried it but was just plain amazing with food--it took the flavors of this duck and porcini ravioli and somehow amplified them. Really amplified them. It was crazy. And I wasn't alone in my assessment. The folks at the tasting cleaned out every last bottle of the Pinot before they left (thankfully Flea has re-stocked--I know 'cause I just bought some yesterday). You can pick up all of these wines at Dave's.

Flea was also kind enough to forward us a list (also in Word) of her favorite importers by country. You can find this list also on our website.

Winter CSA's!

noreply@blogger.com (Willow Blish) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 21:52:00 +0000

HEAVEN'S HARVEST FARMS in New Braintree and ENTERPRISE FARMS in Whately have both created partnerships with farms down south that are able to grow throughout the winter in order to offer us up here in (brrrr) cold New England some freshies throughout the season... Check out their websites for more info.

Here's to keeping ourselves fed!

Allandale Farm starts up a CSA...

noreply@blogger.com (Willow Blish) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 21:48:00 +0000

John Lee, of Allandale Farm, as sent along this update on their plans to offer a CSA this year. Check it out!

"In 2009 Allandale Farm will open its own CSA. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a term used to describe an alternative marketing method for agricultural entrepreneurs and those consumers who appreciate truly fresh produce and the need to support their local farm(er)s. There are many different types of CSAs but essentially all of the models involve ‘selling’ shares of the anticipated harvest to local consumers who agree to pick up an amount of fresh produce every week for a specified number of weeks during the harvest season.

The Allandale model will be somewhat different from other CSAs in MA. We will not require a work commitment from shareholders. Nor will we be able to offer a pick-your-own option. We will, however, offer occasional premiums on fresh produce (such as tomatoes or cut flowers) from time to time as the season progresses and as surpluses become available. (For instance, there might be a canning tomato special for CSA members.)

THE PLAN
The initial offering will be 150 shares at $600. Half shares will be available at $350. A share will consist of approximately one bushel of fresh produce each week during the season. The shares will be assembled by the farm staff and we will try to give each share a good distribution of whatever is being picked that week. Pick-up days will be Tuesday and Thursday starting May 26th and running for twenty weeks until October 13th. You must pick up your share between 10AM and 4PM. After that we will donate any uncollected shares to a local food shelter. Not all of the shares each week will necessarily have the same contents. You may not negotiate the contents of your share – it is what it is. No substitutions, please.

Please purchase your share(s) before March 15th so that the farm manager may plan for the summer. Your share will include periodic recipes and newsletter which will also be attached to the farm website.

Pick-ups will be made at the cash registers in the farmstand. Please give the cashier your name and our staff will get your share for you. We will be able, that way, to know who has picked up each week. Please bring your re-usable container with you each week so that we can have it for the following week’s pick-up.

It is expected that this will be an interactive relationship between the share-holders and the farm. We will be very interested in what you would like to see in you shares and we will be growing new varieties for you to test.

If you have questions or would like to join this exciting fresh food opportunity, please email John at allandalefarm@verizon.net. Shares will be limited this year to the first 150 subscribers. Your food has never been so fresh!"

Sign up for 2009 CSA's Right Now!

noreply@blogger.com (Willow Blish) — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 21:16:00 +0000

I know it's cold and the ground is frozen and things like heirloom tomatoes and fresh nectarines seem sooooo far away. But don't let that all stop you!

Now is the time to be thinking about summer shares for 2009 -- CSA's (Community Supported Agriculture) are a great way for farmers to get an influx of cash during the winter, when they need it to buy seeds and to do any updating around the farm before planting season. AND they are a perfect way to be sure that you & your family get a summer full of fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables (and even meat or seafood!).

Given the current economy, eating seasonally & locally and doing your best to buy directly from the growers and producers will absolutely help keep your eating costs down. What a great holiday gift to you, your spouse, your kids -- or even other loved ones who might not think of doing something like this!

We have a list of local CSA's in .pdf format available - send WILLOW an email if you'd like it forwarded to you. Alternatively, check out these resources:
Local Harvest
Boston Localvores
Farm Fresh

Squash update

noreply@blogger.com (Willow Blish) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 19:09:00 +0000

In regards to my earlier post about Ark of Taste variety squash from local sources, a quick update:

Turns out that Allandale has sent all of their Boston Marrow Squash on to Russo's, in Watertown, so you'll need to head there, if you'd like some.

On the other hand, JOhn & co at Allandale DO have the Sibley, so buy up! According to our reearch, if kept in a cool, dry place, it will keep until January. Load up now and you're all set for Thanksgiving AND Christmas - soup, pie, mashed, baked, stuffed... The possibilities are endless.

Ark Variety Apple - the 'WEALTHY'

noreply@blogger.com (Willow Blish) — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 11:12:00 +0000

Kimball Farm is picking their now incredibly ripe heirloom Wealthy apples. We had a few of these at the Ark event last month, but they were still a bit 'green' and pretty tart -- but with an extra few weeks on the tree, they are ready to go now!

Carl at Kimball says that he doesn't usually send them to the Farmers Markets because he has such a small quantity, but if you're interested in them, call him: 978-433-9751. He will bag up your requested amount and send them along to the market that's most convenient for you to pick up from. They attend a wide variety of the local markets - check out the SCHEDULE.

John Bunker, an apple 'expert' and author of books on the subject describes the Wealthy with these words: "With its perfect texture and complex flavors, Wealthy is considered to be one of the best apples... Tender, very juicy and sweet... Good eating and even better cooking. Wonderful pies!"

Can't get much more of a rave review than that, can you?

Ark Squash Available NOW!!

noreply@blogger.com (Willow Blish) — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 13:39:00 +0000

For those interested in local foods listed on the Slow Food Ark of Taste -- Allandale Farm in Brookline has two kinds of heirloom winter squashes available for purchase!!

The two they have are Boston Marrow and Sibley. This is your only opportunity (that we know of) to get them locally. The Sibleys will keep for a while if you have a cool dry place, but the Boston Marrows will need to be used a bit sooner. A great excuse to make up the first of some warming fall dishes!

More information about the two varieties can be found on the Slow Food USA website:
SIBLEY
BOSTON MARROW

Directions to Allandale Farm and their wonderful farmstand can be found HERE.

CSA opportunity - from the sea!

noreply@blogger.com (Willow Blish) — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 00:17:00 +0000

In this month's Gourmet magazine, they are reporting on a whole new way to think of Community Supported Agriculture. Instead of just supporting your local produce farmer (and maybe a bread baker or meat producer) you can now go even one step further...right into the ocean!

They call themselves Community Supported Fisheries and according to Gourmet, "...have popped up around the country, from Alaska to North Carolina."

Specifically, they describe a Maine-based organization, called Catch a Piece of Maine where you can 'buy' a lobster trap for a season. An investment of $2,995 gets you minimum of 40 lobsters a year shipped overnight anywhere in the country.

Hey - if you love the crustaceans, and want to support our New England lobstermen it's a pretty good deal! 10% of the profits also go to the Gulf of Maine Research Institute.

www.catchapieceofmaine.com

Eva's Garden cottage for rent again!

noreply@blogger.com (Willow Blish) — Mon, 05 May 2008 20:46:00 +0000

Eva Sommaripa has a wonderful organic herb farm in South Dartmouth, MA... which just happens to have a small cottage smack in the middle of it. If you're looking to get away from the hustle & bustle of the city, this is an amazing opportunity to visit the local area farms and wineries, take long walks down rural roads or even get your hands dirty helping Eva out in the garden!

The cottage has one double & two single beds and one bathroom, as well as a fully outfitted kitchen and wood-burning stove if the nights turn chilly. It is $600 per week in May & June and $800 during July & August.

Contact Eva for more information or to make a reservation: evasgarden@comcast.net

Ecuador...Galapagos...Chocolate???!!??

noreply@blogger.com (Willow Blish) — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 20:52:00 +0000

Carol Madsen from the Alliance for Cultural & Economic Exchange has alerted us to a fantastic 'Chocolate Journey' that they are planning for June. So in case you haven't planned your summer travel plans yet, and those chocolate cravings are overwhelming, this is a fabulous opportunity.

The trip through the highlands and rainforest of Ecuador is planned June 5th through the 17th with the option of an extension to the Galapagos Islands.

Contact them and find more information here:
Alliance for Cultural & Economic Exchange,
www.alliancexchange.org
617-628-9297

Veg Cooking Class with one of our Favorite Chefs!

noreply@blogger.com (Willow Blish) — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 23:02:00 +0000

The Boston Vegetarian Society is hosting a series of cooking classes with Didi Emmons, who has worked with us in the past at events we've held at Haley House.

Next class is this Saturday, March 29th, and there will be another one held the end of April. Description of the upcoming class is below. See their website for more information and to register: http://www.bostonveg.org/

Vegan Cooking Class with Veg Cookbook Author Didi Emmons
This is the second in our series of cooking classes with acclaimed Chef Didi! "Spring is for Spring Rolls" is our theme. Learn to play with fresh herbs and inventive ingredients to create spring rolls such as Sweet Potato Tempeh Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce and Banana Palm Sugar Spring Rolls. Pre-payment required

Food as Medicine seminars in Ashland

noreply@blogger.com (Willow Blish) — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 23:15:00 +0000

Food should taste good, and it should DO good as well... If you believe these words, you have probably heard of 'superfoods' and food products that claim to help heal us of ills. Everything from acai berries to almonds have received media attention due to their antioxidant levels and nutrition profiles. Beyond just straight nutrition, though, there are proven medicinal qualities to certain foods - items have been used for hundreds of years by people of native and natural cultures.

Sharon Kane, who suffered for many years with illnesses just recently diagnosed as food allergy based, has spent the past few years not only recovering and healing herself through the use of medicinal and healthful foods, but also studiously exploring and educating herself so that she could pass on her knowledge to the rest of us.

The result is an interesting series of classes, entitled "Food as Medicine: Repairing Bodily Systems with Home Crafted Superfoods." Sharon is offering an option of a six or eight class series (each class can also be taken individually) with topics such as Kombucha Culture, Raw Food, and Gluten-Free Sourdough Bread consisting of part lecture, part demonstration with a bit of tasting thrown in for good measure! Whether you suffer from digestive distress such as IBS, celiac disease or food allergies or are just curious about foods such as kefir, sauerkraut or non-gluten grains, you may find interest in these workshops.

Classes are held in Ashland, just beyond Framingham. Contact Sharon and learn more about classes at her website:
http://www.sanctuary-healing.com/food-as-medicine.html

Local Grass Fed Beef for your Easter Dinner...

noreply@blogger.com (Willow Blish) — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 21:55:00 +0000

Weir River Farms in Hingham is offering up grass fed beef and free range organic eggs for sale at their farm this Wednesday, March 19th from 2:00 to 5:00pm only....

Weir is a part of the Trustees of Reservations, and is a non-profit educational farm. They are raising Jersey steers and hope to use the sale of the meat to fund expansion of their herd and production of even more meat in the future!

Prices range from $5/lb for ground beef, to $10/lb for rump roast, up to $17/lb for tenderloin. Eggs are $4/dozen.

Weir River Farm
227 East Street, Hingham, MA
781-740-7233
http://www.thetrustees.org/pages/391_weir_river_farm.cfm

Take a trip to Italy!

noreply@blogger.com (Willow Blish) — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 14:24:00 +0000

Interested in attending Slow Food's Salone del Gusto this fall in Turin? If you attended the film screening this past weekend, I'm sure that Bonnie's descriptions had you drooling and scurrying to your computers to book the plane tickets!

The festival will be taking place October 23 through 27 this year - more information, descriptions of tastings & workshops can all be found at www.salonedelgusto.com.

Additionally, we've received an email from Slow Food member Heather Jarman offering some other travel options. She runs Sapori e Saperi Adventures in the UK, and has designed a couple of wonderful travel agendas around the Salone. Trips either begin in Lucca and finish at the Salone, or the other way around, and include a wonderful array of hands-on experiences. Groups will be small (max of 12 people) and you'll have the opportunity to meet Slow Food UK and Australian members as well!

If you're interested, check out her website: www.sapori-e-saperi.com, or email her: info@sapori-e-saperi.com

Buon appetito!

Boston Area CSAs - BUY NOW!!

noreply@blogger.com (Willow Blish) — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 19:20:00 +0000

Belmont CSA, Glenn Road, Belmont MA
http://www.localharvest.org/farms/M12580

Brookfield Farm CSA, 24 Hulst Road, Amherst MA
http://www.brookfieldfarm.org/

Brookwood Community Farm CSA, 11 Blue Hill River Road, Milton MA
http://www.brookwoodcommunityfarm.org/

Busa Farm CSA, 52 Lowell Street, Lexington MA
http://www.busafarm.com/

Carraig Farm CSA, 179 West Road, Ashby MA
http://www.localharvest.org/farms/M16923

Drumlin Farm CSA, 208 South Great Road, Lincoln MA (working through Re-Vision House Urban Farm at 38 Fabyan Street, Dorchester)
http://www.massaudubon.org/Nature_Connection/Sanctuaries/Drumlin_Farm/news.php?id=425&event=no&sanc_news=yes

The Farm School CSA, 488 Moore Hill Road, Athol MA
http://www.farmschool.org/news_marketplace.html

The Food Project, 10 Lewis Street (office), Lincoln MA; 555 Dudley Street (office), Dorchester MA
http://www.thefoodproject.org/buy/Internal1.asp?id=137

Heirloom Harvest CSA, 30 Hopkinton Road, Westborough MA
http://www.heirloomharvestcsa.com/

Land’s Sake CSA, sharing driveway with 86 Wellesley Street, Weston MA
http://www.landssake.org/CSA/index.htm

Lindentree Farm CSA, 10 Old Concord Road, Lincoln MA
http://lindentreefarm.com/

Newton Community Farm CSA, 303 Nahanton Street, Newton MA
http://www.newtoncommunityfarm.org/CSAenrollment.htm

Parker Farms CSA, 828 Lancaster Avenue, Lunenberg MA
http://web.mac.com/parkerfarm/iWeb/Site/csa%20program.html

Red Fire Farm CSA, 7 Carver Street, Granby MA
http://redfirefarm.homestead.com/files/index.htm

Siena Farms CSA, 113 Haynes Road, Sudbury MA
http://www.sienafarms.com/

Stillman’s CSA, 1399 Lancaster Avenue, Lunenberg (greenhouses and farmstand); 1205 Barre Road, New Braintree MA (crops only)
http://www.stillmansfarm.com/

Stone Soup Farm, 275 Jackson St, Belchertown, MA
http://stonesoupfarm.googlepages.com/

Three Sisters CSA, Greenfield Road, Montague MA
http://threesistersfarm.com/

Vanguarden CSA, Haven Street, Dover MA
http://vanguarden.com/

Organic Buying Club at Ward’s Berry Farm, 614 South Main Street, Sharon MA
http://www.localharvest.org/food-coops/M19206

Waltham Fields Community Farm, 240 Beaver Street, Waltham MA
http://communityfarms.org/csa.htm

The Wines of Beef Fest '07

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Loud) — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 19:14:00 +0000

Thanks to everybody who came out last Wednesday for the 2nd Annual Grass-Fed Beef Festival at the Garden of Eden. It was by far the most well attended SF Wednesday we've had. I unscientifically estimated around 80 people. Anyway, for anyone interested in the companion wines, Chris Minchin at Brookline Liquor Mart just sent me over the write-up from the event. Drop Chris an email if you're interested in ordering any of the wines--incidentally, he's offering 20% off any orders of these wines 'til the end of January.

-AL

2004 Domaine Remizières Crozes Hermitage Blanc Cuvée Christophe
Suggested Retail: $28.00

This attractive white exhibits toffee and sweet oak characters in the nose. It is fresh and clean on the palate with touches of lemon-citrus, spice and well-integrated vanilla oak. The Crozes is fleshier and riper than the Hermitage Blanc, and generally should be consumed in the first 5-7 years.

About Domaine Remizières
Philippe is the third generation of his family to operate the property, but 1996 was the first vintage he controlled. The estate owns vineyards in Hermitage and Crozes Hermitage ranging in age from 20 to over 60 years of age. Named for his daughter Emilie and his son Christophe, Philippe produces fresh, bright and toasty whites from both appellations as well as the classic deep, dark and dense reds based on 100% Syrah.

Philippe concentrates his wines by maintaining low yields and harvesting when fully ripe. His wines are fermented in barrel and kept on their lees for an extended period. Very little SO2 is used and the wines are not fined or filtered. Bottling is done gently to prevent oxidation and loss of freshness.

2005 Domaine Rimbert ‘Travers de Marceau’ Saint Chinian (100% Carignan)
Suggested Retail: $19.00

About Domaine Rimbert
In less than 10 years, Jean-Marie Rimbert has established an international reputation as one of the leading young winemakers of the St. Chinian appellation. A native of Provence, he arrived in the early 1990s to manage a vineyard for Château de Flaugergues and after 5 years scraped enough cash together to purchase the first of his parcels, attracted to the old vine Carignan and the schist-dominated soils in the north of this appellation.

Today Jean-Marie has 20 hectares spread amongst 40 diverse parcels, locally called, travers, each with different soil composition and expositions, but with the common thread being that of the Carignan grape, which really carries with it the greatest expression of this unique terroir. “Carignan is my Pinot” Jean-Marie likes to say. And with small yields of 30hl/ha, as is the norm for his cuvées, his Carignan is indeed a cépage noble. It is his pivot and it makes a central performance in all of his wines.

Following a course of agriculture raisonnée, which respects the natural vitality of the land by eschewing the use of any herbicides or pesticides and employing only the naturally occurring yeasts, the wines of Domaine Rimbert are remarkable for their clarity and precision of fruit and for the unmistakable notes of terroir that are sewn into the very fabric and essence of these wines. They are indeed for the lovers of wines with true character and soul. And they represent the pinnacle of expression of what a younger generation of passionate winemakers is bringing to the growing reputation of this appellation within the Languedoc.

2002 Vigneti Massa ‘Monleale’ Barbera
Suggested Retail: $15.00

Monleale is amore southern and much warmer climate than both Asti and Alba. Here, Barbera gets ripe, and it can hang. The Tortona Hills are just the right altitude and the soils just the right mix of sand and clay. Bright forward fruit; extracted and concentrated on the palate with big flavors of ripe raspsberries, blackberries, cola, and spice!

About Vigneti Massa

Walter Massa'’s town monleale, is some 70 miles south of Alba, but that has not hindered Walter from becoming the benchmark for Barbera, especially with his single vineyard Monleale and Bigolla bottlings. Walter has yet to make it to California I person; however, researchers from UC Davis make annual stops to the back woods of Monleale in their efforts to unfold Massa’s unusual success with this grape. 2,200 cases Produced.

2001 Adanti Sagrantino di Montefalco, Umbria
Suggested Retail: $38.00

About Adanti
Among the placid and picturesque hills of green Umbria, in Arquata place, Adanti winery is since more than thirty years among the main protagonists of the renowned Sagrantino di Montefalco. The winery really hit the scene in the mid -1970s after, Domenico Adanti hired as a cellar master Mr. Alvaro Palini - who after having spent a long time in the fashion field and after having worked in Italy and in France - gets into the world of wine while revolutionizing the way of thinking and producing Sagrantino. Alvaro Palini - a coy, tenacious and determined man with clear ideas - understands the secret of Sagrantino grape consisted in radically changing the way that “rough” wine was produced and the change needed to begin in the vineyard. He decided to lower yields in vineyards, he changed the vinification and aging techniques in order to obtain a better balance in the fruity character of the grape, tannins and acid. He also decided to have the wine slowly aging in oak casks and to continue the aging in bottle: changes which will make the future of the production of dry Sagrantino and of its success.

Holiday Gift Ideas

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Loud) — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 03:57:00 +0000

Looking for last minute gift ideas for those folks on your list with an interest in excellent food, sustainable living or both? Well, we have plenty of suggestions.

For the Curious:
Give the gift of Grub, Anna Lappe's excellent guide to living a sustainable, well-considered life with recipes to boot. Check out Brookline Booksmith to order.

Of course, if you know people who haven't yet read Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma, well, you simply must buy it for them. We're planning on giving numerous copies of this extraordinary examination of the American food industry. Again, see Brookline Booksmith.

For the Hungry:
Our friends at Nantucket Wild Gourmet are smoking up the finest wild salmon in the world. Their fish is impeccable, their process meticulous and the quality of results, well, just fantastic. Find them on their website or at Lionette's market.

Somerville's own Taza Chocolate are on-line now as well. Those of you who attended November's SF Wednesday already know just how crazy their stuff is. The hot chocolate is, to paraphrase The Big Night, so good you have to kill yourself. If you're unconvinced, go check out their Chocolate Lounge at Mariposa Bakery in Cambridge. You too will be a convert.

If you need some stocking stuffers, be sure not to forget jams and preserves from Deborah's Kitchen. The excellent J.P. outfit makes only natural products with no corn syrup or preservatives. You can find them at Savenor's, Lulu's Kitchen, Lionette's and on-line at their website.

A Superlative and Sustainable Holiday

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Loud) — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 04:23:00 +0000

Just wanted to let everyone know that our friends at Lionette's have put their whole holiday menu on line now. If you're looking for sustainably raised meats (turkeys, pheasants, capons, grass-fed beef, sustainably raised pork), Lionette's has them however you like them: raw and unprepped, fully prepped for cooking or actually cooked. You can also pick up gravy, potatoes, pies, squash and, really, all the fixings you could ever want for the holidays. And, again, it's all sustainable, all local, all excellent. Check 'em out on their website.

ItalyPoint Joins Us On-Line

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Loud) — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 15:58:00 +0000

Just got word from Muzio Pesaresi over at ItalyPoint that they've finally gotten their website up and going. For those of you who enjoyed the Latini pastas and Tommaso olive oils at our September Slow Food Wednesday, this is where you can buy them. Take a look when you get a chance: www.italypoint.com