Slow Your Oats

My neighbor, JoAnn, is a real foodie. She has been in the food broker business all her life and travels far and wide with her friends to try new restaurants. She also has a killer garden, which I've been known to pilfer for herbs and succulent yellow teardrop tomatoes.

Yesterday she leaned across the fence and got my attention. She wanted to tell me about an outing she attended with the Harrisburg chapter of the Slow Food Movement. It sounded amazing. It was called the Adams County Producer Tour & Lunch. They visited a goat farm where they make artisinal cheeses, a bakery, two farms and, finally, a local winery. All for $30 including the wine tasting. Check out their blog for upcoming events. (I could not find any membership info on there, but I'm sure you can email the adminstrator to find out more.)

For more of an explanation of what Slow Food is all about, this page encapsulates it. Basically, it's about reconnecting with how food is grown, getting to know your farmers, eating for health, embracing fair practices, using earth-friendly methods, and ultimately, enjoying eating.

I have a great cookbook by Alice Waters of Chez Panisse called The Art of Simple Food. It's full of everyday no-nonsense recipes for old-fashioned mouth-watering meals. Not the easiest recipes on earth, but most of it is just about learning that the little things really count. The right pan can make a recipe, as can the right oil or the right type of fish. It's very educational.

Total sidenote: The Chez Panisse website is 100% inspired brilliance. If you're into that thing. I am. Just perfection.