Sweet Holidays From Slow Food Katy Trail

Holiday sweets made with native Missouri nuts (pecans, hickories and black walnuts).
In star basket, Black-walnut chocolate-ginger biscotti; on the tray, Date and nut bars, Zimmerschied and papassinos; in wooden bowl, spicy pecans.

SFKT Celebrates Terra Madre Day, Raises Funds for 1,000 Gardens in Africa Project

Delegate Walker Claridge tells the Terra Madre Day dinner celebrants why the conference experience was so important to him. "When I was at Terra Madre, I was amazed to see all the important work Slow Food was doing," said Claridge. "I had no idea what an activist organization it was."


On Dec. 6, amidst a festive Italian-themed holiday ambience, Slow Food Katy Trail members and others from the mid-Missouri community celebrated Slow Food's Terra Madre Day at Broadway Brewery.

A delicious Italian dinner was prepared with local food by the kitchen staff of the brewery, which is owned by Terra Madre delegate Walker Claridge. Walker and the four other mid-Missouri TM delegates spoke to the crowd between courses about their Terra Madre experiences, insights they brought home with them and new-found appreciation for the Slow Food organization. Several hundred images of Terra Madre/Salone del Gusto and other Italian scenes were projected on a large screen during the dinner.

In addition, Slow Food Katy Trail partnered with two other organizations to sell gift items at the dinner (to benefit the 1,000 Gardens in Africa project). The Mustard Seed, a local fair-trade retail store, brought merchandise made in Africa. Dan and Melinda Hemmelgarn, on behalf of the Missouri Organic Association, sold their 2011 "organic" calendars. Also, Broadway Brewery donated 30 percent of the ticket price to the project. All proceeds from the evening (about $700) are going to the African gardening project.

It was a delightful evening, and many people walked away with a new understanding of what the Slow Food organization is, and how far-reaching its influence is throughout the world.

To learn more about the "1,000 Gardens in Africa" project, visit http://www.slowfood.com/terramadreday/pagine/eng/pagina2.lasso?-id_pg=113