HIV/AIDS Fundraiser Dinner

HIV/AIDS Fundraiser Dinner featuring very special guest Chef Tory Miller of L’Etoile Restaurant

March 4, 2010

The Goodman Community Center, Evjue Community Room

149 Waubesa Street, Madison, WI 53703

Reception at 6:00PM, canapés will be served

Dinner will be served at 6:30PM

$35, pay at the door

Three-course family style meal showcasing some of the finest local ingredients Wisconsin has to offer.

Vegetarian option will be available.

Come enjoy a wonderful meal as UW-Madison students and acclaimed Chef Tory Miller come together to raise money and awareness for the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Proceeds will be donated to the AIDS Network

For more information see http://www.aidsnetwork.org/

Please RSVP to Bryan Weinstein by March 1, 2010

Email: GoodmanAIDSbenefit@gmail.com

Cell: (516)398-3299

Action Alert – Stop Genetically Engineered Alfalfa!

Public comment deadline to USDA by Tues. February 16, 2010!

Do you like milk or honey? Do you have a horse or other pet? Do you drink water?
Do you use sustainable cropping practices like crop rotation and nitrogen fixation?
Then you may be adversely affected by Monsanto’s proposed Round-Up Ready Alfalfa!

In late Dec. 2009 the USDA issued an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on Round-up Ready Alfalfa. This action was prompted by a successful federal lawsuit in 2007 initiated by a broad coalition of farmer and consumer groups that forced a nationwide seed recall of Monsanto’s latest patented biotechnology. This is the first time the federal government has ever issued an EIS for any genetically modified organism (GMO).

To read the draft EIS, go to: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/biotechnology/downloads/alfalfa/gealfalfa_deis.pdf

Unfortunately, the USDA’s draft EIS claims there is no evidence that U.S. consumers care about GE alfalfa or that current U.S. alfalfa exports to South Korea and Japan will be hurt. Furthermore, USDA has ignored the fact that genetic drift and subsequent contamination will hurt many dairy farmers, beekeepers, pet owners, and others who depend upon the integrity of organic alfalfa. Alfalfa is the fourth most widely grown crop in the U.S., bees carry alfalfa pollen up to six miles, and as a perennial with wild relatives any change in the genetic nature of alfalfa will spread rapidly and persist throughout the environment.

Suggested talking points for comments on the USDA’s EIS:

*As a farmer and/or consumer you will reject GE contaminated alfalfa and alfalfa-derived feeds and foods
*All farmers deserve the right to not be contaminated and to grow non-genetically engineered crops
*The USDA’s mission is to “protect American agriculture,” not to safeguard corporate profit.
*Introducing GE alfalfa will significantly increase Round-Up application and lead to more water pollution and adverse health impacts on wildlife and people
*Economic harm to organic family farmers – particularly in the dairy and honey industry – will be significant

Electronic comments can be submitted by following this link:
http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#submitComment?R=0900006480a6b7a1

Comments can also be mailed (send two copies and refer to Docket # APHIS-2007-0044) to:

Docket No. APHIS-2007-0044
Regulatory Analysis and Development
PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8
4700 River Road Unit 118
Riverdale, MD 20737-1238

Concerned citizens should also contact their Congressional representatives and U.S. Senators to express their opposition to Monsanto’s Round-Up Ready GE alfalfa and to demand stronger environmental regulations and consumer safety rules for all GMOs, including mandatory labeling. Capitol switchboard: #202-224-3121

For more background information, visit:

www.foodsafetynow.org
www.cornucopia.org
www.worc.org
www.familyfarmdefenders.org

February News from Slow Food Madison

Hello Madison Snails and Friends, The shortest month is getting shorter and I am a bit behind schedule. Here’s the update for February. 1. Farmers’ Market Breakfast this Saturday 2/13! First of all, I want to thank all the people who have volunteered for this event! I was really pleased by the response. It will be busy but fun. Even if you can’t volunteer, swing by for breakfast between 8:30 and 11:30 AM. This year’s menu: Scrambled eggs with sauteed mushrooms, rosemary-garlic potatoes, nitrate free sausage link, mixed greens with vinaigrette and feta, blueberry wafflewith maple syrup. As always, coffee, tea and juice are included. The price of the breakfast is $7.50 for adults and $3.75 for children. 2. Events and Information of interest; a.) Farm to School being taken up by the Wisconsin State Legislature!! Please contact your Senator and Representative by Tuesday morning, 2/9, to ask them to be cosponsors on LRB-3789. To find contact information, go to: www.legis.wisconsin.gov b.) February 20th, Madison Youth Grow Local Conference 8:30am – 1pm, Goodman Community Centerwww.notlong.com/youthgrowlocal c.) February 22nd, Cornelia Butler Flora speaking in Madison. Butler, past President of the Rural Sociological Society, the Community Development Society and the Society for Agriculture, Food and Human Values will give two Campus lectures. 12:00-1:15 PM, 301 Ag. Hall, “Good Food as a Social Movement” 7:30-9:00 PM, Great Hall, Memorial Union, “Entrepreneurial Social Infrastructure: Linking Local to Global” d.) February 25th – 27th, 21st annual Organic Farming Conference (MOSES) for registration information, www.mosesorganic.org/conference.html 3. Looking Ahead; Annual Meeting and Elections! Sunday, March 21st, 5:00 – 8:00 PM, upstairs lounge at Brocach Irish Pub! I will send out a separate notice detailing this event. All are welcome! However, please remember that in order to run for the Board or to vote, you must be an active Slow Food member with current paid dues. If you love what Slow Food stands for and want to share our message with others, please consider becoming involved with the Board (aka Leadership Team). You can send me an email at info@slowfoodwisconsin.org.

See you soon, Lisa

Changemakers@UW Lecture with Bill Marler

Changemakers@UW is a new series that is funded by the Distinguished Lecture Series. Changemakers@UW will plan programming that is about finding innovative solutions to social or environmental issues.

Our first lecture is by Bill Marler, the nationally-renowned food safety lawyer. The following is some information about the logistics of the lecture, the speaker and the topic he will be talking about.

The lecture will take place at the Great Hal,l Memorial Union on Monday 02/08, 7:30pm. Admission is free. No tickets will be necessary.

Bio – As the nation’s leading injury lawyer and national expert in foodborne illness litigation, William Marler has been a major force in food safety policy in the United States and abroad.  He and his partners at Marler Clark have represented thousands of individuals in claims against food companies whose contaminated products have caused serious injury and death.

Topic – Chasing the Ambulance Away: Reshaping the Role of the Personal Injury Lawyer in Society and the Law William Marler has built his firm, Marler Clark, into a national powerhouse of foodborne illness litigation. In the process, has elevated the role of personal injury lawyer from ambulance chaser to consumer champion and advocate for change. His involvement in the politics of food safety has had a tangible impact on the development of legislation at every level of government. In his talk, he will discuss his view of personal injury litigation, and how it can help build and maintain a safer society.

In order for us to get a better idea of the number of people attending the lecture, could you please register in the following link or join our facebook group. Thanks.

Registration link:
<http://www.ohrd.wisc.edu/reg/catalog_course_detail.asp?course_key=28711>
Facebook group:
<http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/event.php?eid=268709022323&ref=ts>

Thank you.

Regards,
Vignesh Valliappan
Changemakers@UW founder and Associate Director,
Distinguished Lecture Series

Slow Food at Rheta’s this Friday

Join Slow Food-UW at Rheta’s Dining Hall in Chadbourne, tomorrow, Friday, February 5th for a locally-sourced dinner.

Come between 5 and 6pm to enjoy:

- Chicken drumsticks (local)

- Chicken drumstick plate (local)

- Organic tomato sauce over baked spaghetti squash

- Local artisan bread from Clasen’s bakery

-Local oven-roasted fingerling potatoes

-Sassy Cow milk

Look for Slow Food at Rheta’s every Friday!

For meal schedules and menus, visit www.housing.wisc.edu.

Thanks for a great FDN!

Thank you to all for making this week’s FDN was a smashing success! Chef Bryan Weinstein led the charge with a soft-boiled egg nestled in a savory noodle dish, and finished with bread pudding. Note here that a soft-boiled egg is without a doubt the premier form of egg, and it is likely that the Cold War may have ended a decade earlier had Carter simply chucked a carton or two the Soviet’s way. While the eggs alone made for a fabulous evening, live entertainment by Weather Duo and an informational presentation by Youthhaiti pushed it over the top. It was reassuring to many that the FDN fundraiser money will be used to establish lasting and/or sustainable infrastructure, and not on quick fixes. Thanks again Youthhaiti! The following link is the presentation given by YouthHaiti: Youth Haiti Presentation

General Membership Meeting Tonight!

Hello all Slow Fooders!

Slow Food UW will be holding the weekly general membership meeting tonight! 6:30-8:00 at the Crossing, room 215

Everyone is welcome! Please come if you have ideas you want to share, want to join a committee, or just want to get more involved!

For this and more upcoming events, please visit  Our Events Calendar !

Vietnamese Family Dinner Night

Monday, February 8, 2009

Dinner: 6:30 – Cooking: 4:00-6:30 – Helping: 6:00 (RSVP below)

This is our final Haitian Relief Benefit FDN! Proceeds will go to Doctors without Borders‘ Haitian Relief Fund

Please help us prepare properly! RSVP by Saturday February 6th at

http://www.doodle.com/ei24phn4nkhc2irp

so we don’t cook too much or too little!

This week we will be serving a Vietnamese luncheon for dinner! Chef Quoctrung Bui will be making one of his personal favorites––Banh Mi, a traditional Vietnamese sandwich!

Location: The Crossing (basement). 1127 University Ave. at Charter St

Guest Chef: Quoctrung Bui

Menu:

–Pork Banh Mi with pickled daikon and carrot

Vegetarian Option: Tofu Banh Mi (or Vegetable Banh Mi)

–Goi Du Du

–Mushroom Congee

–Papaya Salad

–Vietnamese Coffee

–chè đậu trắng (Rice Pudding with black eye beans and coconut)

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/08/dining/08banh.html

Cooking Lesson (open to 8 people): This week the cooking lesson will be 4:00-6:30 pm. RSVP now if interested.

If you can’t come for the full lesson but would still like to help cook and set up, please come after 6:00pm

Dinner is served at 6:30

Cost: $5 will cover ingredients and supplies

Dinner is free for the first 3 people who volunteer to clean up after dinner (dishes, tables, counters etc.)

Isla Mujeres Culinary Tour with Otehlia Cassidy

SFUW at the Winter Farmers’ Market!

Hey everyone!

Slow Food UW, with help from Jonny Hunter (Underground Food Collective), will be the guest community group at the “Taste of the Market” breakfast during the winter Dane County Farmers’ Market this Saturday and we need more volunteers!

Will you help?

Friday from 1:00-3:00
Saturday 6:00-8:00
Saturday 8:00-10:15
Saturday 10:15-12:30

Come for one or more shifts.  It’s a great cause and lots of fun.  And all volunteers get breakfast for free!

Email Siena at siena@slowfooduw.org to sign up.

The Taste of the Market breakfast helps support farmers through the coldest months and gives the community a wonderful place to come together for good food, live music, and lively conversations.  Breakfasts are made with ingredients from the vendors at the market, prepared by a guest chef and volunteers.  It’s one of Madison’s most beautiful traditions.  Slow Food UW is proud to be a part of it for the third year in a row.

More info:

Breakfast is served from 8:30 to 11 a.m., Saturday, February 6 at the Madison Senior Center, 330 West Mifflin Street.  Farmers’ market hours are 8:00am to noon.

The menu includes: bison pastrami (homemade with Cherokee Farm bison brined in apple cider), served on a sandwich with a fried egg and tomatillo sauce on Silly Yak bread; salad with Don’s mixed greens, homemade Fountain Prairie bacon (without on vegetarian), Driftless Organic shaved carrots and sprouted lentils; and Butter Mountain roasted smashed potatoes.

Vegetarian option includes:  sandwich with Black Earth smoked oyster mushrooms, Blue Valley wilted spinach, fried egg, tomatillo sauce and Hook’s cheddar.  Beverages: organic fair trade coffee or tea; and apple cider or cranberry juice.  Milk is available upon request.

The cost $7.50 or $3.75 for kids and those who can’t eat an adult portion.