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You know about heirloom tomatoes tasting better than their mealy, chalky red softball cousins... What about Sibley's Squash, first grown in Marblehead in 1798, known for its ability to store well for the winter? Or the Early Blood Rooted Turnip Beet? Promoted by the Shakers beginning in 1850, they have blood red flesh and are super sweet with cinnamon and clove spice undertones. Yum!

If this piques your interest, reserve Wednesday, August 25th, to join SFB, Chefs Collaborative and Farmers Jim & John from Allandale Farm for an evening's discussion about heirloom varietals and RAFT - 'Renewing America's Food Traditions'.. We'll be touring the farm, learning about growing practices and the need for crop diversity - as well as getting a few tastes to tempt our palates!

RAFT is a program started by Slow Food USA as a spin-off from the ARK of Taste, which recognizes foods that are in danger of extinction due to changing tastes & growing practices. RAFT goes one step further, bringing attention not only to regional foods and heirloom varietals that are hard to find, but also the cultural traditions around food that are being lost.

Chefs Collaborative, a Boston-based network of chefs, is working to get more of the RAFT heirloom varieties into their members kitchens. They've created a so-called 'RAFT Grow-Out' enticing local farms to grow these special items with the promise that everything they grow will be purchased by local restaurants. A perfect field to table food system!

So what's in it for you? Well, if farms start growing these amazing beautiful and yummy heirloom varieties, they'll start selling them at local farmers markets - which means you get a chance to taste and experiment! You support crop diversity AND get better tasting food. Not too shabby a result!

Space for this evening is limited, so reserve your spot today... Cost for the evening is $5, going to our Terra Madre fund. Farmer Jim from Allandale has been accepted to this prestigious event, and we're raising money to help with his transportation costs (and those for three others as well!)

Directions:
Allandale Farm is located at 259 Allandale Road in Brookline. More information can be found on their website.
 

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The fields are overflowing! And thanks to the work of Chefs Collaborative and their RAFT Grow-Out, certain chef's kitchens are the happy recipients of wonderful heirloom varieties of produce. And do our RAFT Heirloom Harvest Dinner Series continues... This time something for all the vegetarians out there!

Chef Greg Griffie at 606 Congress has risen to the challenge of creating a five course vegetarian meal with wine pairings included. We'll be gathering at the restaurant at 6PM on Wednesday, September 15th for this lovely meal. Can I hear a 'Hurrah' for local produce?

Cost for the evening will be $50 including the wine, with beer and cocktails available for an extra charge. There is limited seating, and registration and prepayment are required. If you've had the pleasure of attending one of our previous Slow Food meals at 606 Congress, you know that it will be sure to amaze your senses - so sign up today!

**Since this will be a pre-planned set menu, please be sure to alert us of any food allergies or intolerances ahead of time. Thanks!**

Directions:
606 Congress is located in the Renaissance Hotel at 606 Congress Street in the Seaport area. There is lots of parking, and the Silver Line lets off just a few blocks away. More information about them can be found on their website.

Feel free to contact them with questions by phone: 617.476.5606 or on Facebook.
 

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There are a multitude of factors involved with putting food on the table for consumption. The cooking, certainly, is a major one. But what of the sourcing of the food? We know about doing what we can to go local and seasonal and try our best to find the most sustainable food producers. And we know how difficult it can be! So now imagine yourself as a chef and how the problems can easily be compounded...

On the other hand, what we, the consumers, don't see is the web of people that help those chefs out. The folks that gather and grow and forage for the best, the most interesting, the freshest of all ingredients possible. Now author Georgia Pellegrini has brought a number of those people to the forefront in her new book, 'Food Heroes.' From the artisinal sausage maker to the fig collector, she followed these people and listened to them talk -- and has now gathered together all their stories for us to enjoy.

Intrigued? Join us Friday, September 17th at 5:30pm at the Made in Fort Point gallery space in the Fort Point Channel to hear Georgia read from her book and talk about her experiences... And we just might have a surprise visitor, a 'food hero' of the local variety. Stay tuned for more details!

A $5 donation to Slow Food Boston is kindly requested, to help pay for the venue.

Directions:
The Made in Fort Point gallery space is located at 12 Farnsworth Street, just off Congress Street next to Flour Bakery & Cafe in the Fort Point Channel area. It is about 10 minutes walk from South Station, and close to the Silver Line stop at Court House Station

Check out this Google Map for more details.
 

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Come celebrate the tail end of summer with Slow Food Boston -- and help us raise money for our Terra Madre scholarship fund at the same time! Terra Madre is a bi-annual international gathering of the world's food communities in Turino Italy. Participants must be delegated and then complete an extensive application in order to attend. We have a number of lucky locals (including Allandale Farm's own Jim Buckle and Wendy Mainardi) that have been accepted -- and we're promising to help pay for transportation costs.

In order to help us do so, we're planning a group potluck picnic at the lovely Allandale Farm in Brookline on Sunday, September 19th from 10AM to noon. Our theme? In honor of Terra Madre, it's ITALY! So, think frittatas or other egg dishes, marinated vegetable salads, sliced tomatoes & mozzarella, luscious bread and cheeses, cured meats or late summer fruit salads.

And for the bakers out there, we'll be having a dessert contest! Specifically, crostatas, pies or tarts made from fruits of the season. Since the last one was such fun, we just had to do it again! (And maybe our first winner Elizabeth Dayton will return to try to hold on to her crown...??) Finally, to round out the morning, the good folks at Allandale will be offering hayrides, introducing their chickens (wait till you check out the exotics!) and giving a brief talk on raising backyard chickens.

We'll be providing coffee, tea, water and paper products, but please plan to bring your own plates, utensils and mugs - it is much appreciated by Mother Nature. And don't forget your picnic blanket, too!

Cost for the morning's fun is only $10 per person. Please reserve your space in advance and complete payment via Paypal or by sending a check prior to the event. And MOST importantly, please email Annette telling her what you'll be bringing. We want to be sure that the spread is as diverse as it is delicious!

Directions:
Allandale Farm is located at 259 Allandale Road in Brookline. More information can be found on their website.
 

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Consider this a call to action! Enough with talking about supporting the local food systems.... Now it's time to get your hands dirty!

Join us on Saturday September 25th for Slow Food USA's latest campaign, meant to encourage greater levels of volunteering in our food communities: DIG IN.

And dig in we will! We've arranged for you all to have the opportunity to help out an amazing local organization, The Food Project, as they put their urban farm 'to bed' for the season. You'll help clean up the gardens and get a first hand glimpse of the labor that goes into providing us with such amazing local bounty.

And speaking of local bounty - don't forget to bring lunch! After we sweat a little, we'll gather in the fields to spend time chatting and sharing over a picnic lunch. We encourage you to source locally for your food, and think about the season as you decide what to bring. Let's do what we can to stay true to the Slow Food motto of 'Good, Clean and Fair.'

Starting time is 9:30am - dress appropriately for outdoor farm work, including closed toed shoes. And don't forget a water bottle! Hydration, people, hydration... Please register here in advance, as we have a limited number of openings for this gathering.
 

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Prep your palates, because the RAFT Heirloom Harvest Dinner Series continues on Tuesday, September 28th at 6:30PM. And this time we're heading past the city limits, all the way out to Southborough to visit Tomasso Trattoria.

Chef Justin Melnick is planning a four course menu, beginning with a reception enjoying a few bites and a glass of wine, and continuing on into the dining room with locally sourced food (much of it heirloom, of course, in honor of the RAFT Grow-Out). He's even been hinting at the inclusion of some luscious heritage pork. Yum!

Cost is $54, inclusive of tax, tip and the welcoming wine. Other beverages will be offered for purchase during the meal. (Justin says that Fred Mullins will prepare suggested wine pairings, for those that want to explore a bit...) As usual, please register and pay in advance!

**Since this will be a pre-planned set menu, please be sure to alert us of any food allergies or intolerances ahead of time. Thanks!**

Directions:
Tomasso Trattoria is located at 154 Turnpike Road, which is the eastbound side of Route 9, in Southborough, MA. More information and directions can be found on their website.
 

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October brings the real first tastes of fall -- and of winter! We're talking squash (like the Boston Marrow) and root veggies (like the Gilfeather Turnip!) and items from the Allium family (Wethersfield Onions, anyone?) Wait, wait. Never heard of those varietals? Maybe that's because they've been classified as 'endangered' and entered into the listings of Slow Food USA's RAFT Program.

Well, as we continue our RAFT Heirloom Harvest Dinner Series, you'll get a chance to taste all of these lovely veggies! Your next opportunity comes Thursday, October 7th at 6:30pm down in Foxboro. (Don't worry, the Patriots aren't in town, so traffic is no excuse to miss out!)

Chef Matthew Maue at Tastings Wine Bar & Bistro is planning a major to-do for you: a reception with passed hor d'oeuvres and then a four course dinner with wine pairings. This is the time to indulge in the late harvest, so definitely plan to join us!

Cost for the evening is $75, and as usual, we do require preregistration and payment.

**Since this will be a pre-planned set menu, please be sure to alert us of any food allergies or intolerances ahead of time. Thanks!**

Directions:
Tastings Wine Bar & Bistro is located at 201 Patriot Place in Foxboro, directly across from CBS Scene. More information and directions can be found on their website.
 

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Explore the wonderful food & wine culture of Siena, Italy with us for a whole week! October 11th through the 18th, we've planned a schedule chock full - think Tuscan cooking class with the farm's chef, visit a goat cheese farm and organic winery, enjoy a special dinner, nostra cena, with our friends from the Slow Food chapter in Siena, and also get a few Italian language classes for good measure.

Our base for the week will be the glorious working organic farm of Spannochia. Many in the food world are familiar with Spannocchia already, as it is a center for education and enrichment, operating a three-month Internship Program where volunteers learn the ins and outs of organic farming, Italian culture and heritage, and their relationship to food and wine.

Despite our full schedule, we promise that there will be ample time to explore & become familiar with Spannocchia's 1100 acres. There will be chances to hear about the historic villa and fattoria, visit the vegetable garden, vineyard, pig pens, and bee hives, and take time to enjoy the beauty of the grounds for a hike, a glass of wine on the terrace or reading in the 'Secret Garden'.

Cost for all of this is $1,650 per person. Please note that there are only a few remaining spots! You can reserve yours with a 250 Euro deposit, due to us by May 1st. Please contact Nicole Nacamuli at nicole@slowfoodboston.com in order to complete the process. And if you're really dying for all the details, check out the week's schedule, a descriptions of activities as well as price and payment information HERE.

We really do hope you'll join us for this phenomenal trip!
 

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If we as the end consumers request heirloom varieties of produce on our plate, it encourages chefs to search them out and farmers to plant them. We here at Slow Food Boston would call that a success - score one for biodiversity and food regionality!

Along with Chefs Collaborative's RAFT Grow-Out project, we continue on with our RAFT Heirloom Dinner Series. This time we touch down in the midst of Harvard Square at chef Peter Davis' Henrietta's Table.

The RAFT Grow Out is a program that encourages local farmers to grow unusual (& New England specific) heirloom varietals and teams them up with local chefs willing and eager to use those vegetables. The desired result? More people getting to discover amazing flavors, textures and colors and start asking for them at the markets. And in response more farmers being willing to grow them!

So back to the eating thing. We'll be gathering on Tuesday October 19th at 6pm at Henrietta's Table for a four course dinner and paired wines. We can guarantee it will be amazing - chef Davis' motto is "fresh from the farm and honest-to-goodness New England cooking."

Cost for the evening is $65, inclusive of tax, tip and wines. Preregistration and payment are required - and sign up soon, we have limited spots!

**Since this will be a pre-planned set menu, please be sure to alert us of any food allergies or intolerances ahead of time. Thanks!**

Directions:
Henrietta's Table is located on the 2nd floor of the Charles Hotel at One Bennett St in Harvard Square. Parking is difficult in the area, so we highly encourage using public transport!

More information and directions can be found on their website.
 

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It seems sad to consider, but the Summer 2010 harvest season is beginning to (noooooo!) draw to a close. Personally, we refuse to let it pass away quietly. Instead, we're gearing up for the final outing of our five-part RAFT Heirloom Harvest Dinner Series. And we sure are ending with a bang!

Plan to join us and chef Michael Leviton at Lumiere in Newton on Tuesday, October 26th at 6:30PM for an amazing introduction to the range of fall seasonal vegetables. They've certainly got plans for us: all four lovely courses will feature vegetables grown during Chefs Collaborative RAFT Grow-Out Come celebrate biodiversity by reveling in the taste of a Jimmy Nardello's Sweet Pepper!

The meal's cost is $75 with an optional wine pairing for an extra $25. Since spots are limited in our private room, please sign up and pay in advance, as usual. This is our first foray into Lumiere, and we're excited. Hope you are as well!

**Since this will be a pre-planned set menu, please be sure to alert us of any food allergies or intolerances ahead of time. Thanks!**

Directions:
Lumiere is located at 1293 Washington Street in Newton, at the corner of Waltham Street. More information and directions can be found on their website.
 

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To paraphrase the Dos Equis television ads: we don't always drink beer (or wine or cider) but when we do, we drink good beer (and wine and cider). To see what we mean, please join us on October 27th as we celebrate three of our absolute favorite beverage producers: Dann Paquette from Pretty Things Beer & Ale Project, Carl Sutton from Sutton Cellars wines and Eleanor Leger from Eden Ice Cider.

Each of these producers embodies an intense commitment to craft and creativity--the two characteristics that form the real essence of artisanal production, in our opinion. Whether it's Dann's malty Saint Botolph's Town ale, Carl's much-heralded Vermouth or Eleanor's unctuous and complex ciders, all of their drinks are not only enjoyable to drink but interesting--compelling even.

To complement these compelling libations, the good folks (and good cooks) at Central Bottle will be putting together some lovely paired hors d'oeuvres for us to nibble on while the three producers discuss their methods and philosophies.

The event will begin at 7PM and will cost $30 per person. We do expect this to sell out so please register early if you are interested.

Directions:
Directions: Central Bottle is located at 196 Massachusetts Ave in Central Square in Cambridge. The store is just a few blocks from the Red Line subway stop in the direction of the river. There is also ample parking in the neighborhood usually--amazingly enough. You can find more explicit directions on Central Bottle's website.