Slow Food Columbus served up their first dinner “Local and Loving It” on March 20th at Cafe del Mondo. In spite of competition from March Madness, The Celebrity Chef’s Dinner and other Columbus activities – the event was sold out with a waiting list of 8 people. Having a local chapter of Slow Food was long overdue – so thanks to recent immigrants Colleen and Bear for adding this to the Columbus plate.
I was one of the guests with the honor of spending the evening enjoying a great meal with some wonderful people. The menu is listed below.
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Antipasto
Bruschetta with organic tomatoes and basil
paired with Dal Bello – Rosa della Regina – Brut Rose
Insalata
Salad featuring Blue Jacket Farms mozzarella, Green Edge organic spring mix and mircrogreens, tomatoes, and a wonderful crouton
paired with and (2006) Cantina del taburno falanghina
Piatti Principali
Organic Pasta Bologonese with Spectrum Farm beef and organic vegetables
Rosemary garlic Mount Victory Porkloin
Farfalle all’olio (vegetarian)
Sauteed organic Green Edge greens
Artisanal bread
paired with 2004 Tenuta delle Terra Nere Etna Rosso “Calderara Sottana”
Dolci
Baked organic apples – spiced and carmelized
served with Jeni’s Ohio Spicebush Berry ice cream
Paired with 2004 Lenotti Recioto Della Valpolicella Classico, Veneto
Capping off the evening
The creators on site from Slow Food Columbus (Laurie, Haley, Colleen, and Bear – and others behind the scenes) did a wonderful job putting a fine evening together. Wine pours were generous and helped fuel many good conversations at every table. Among the guests were the owners of Northstar Cafe and a manager from their Short North restaurant. In between courses we heard from the owners of Spectrum Farm (talking about their beef), Mt Victory Meats (discussing his business and the pork loin we were eating) and The Greener Grocer. We also heard from the owner of Cafe del Mondo / Fruta del Mondo discussing his business and well as why all breads and pastas are not created equal. The morsel I picked up from his talk – it really is worth paying a little more for good pasta and good bread – they are so much better for your body and and the flavor difference is significant. I also learned that “good” pasta can be placed in ziplock bag and frozen for a quick meal later.
Please take a look at the local Slow Food site for the full scoop on the evening (with photos).
Keep an eye out for more events from this group, it is still a very new branch of Slow Food. Based on conversations I had with Bear, Colleen, and Haley I am excited about how Slow Food Columbus is helping grow the ever expanding food culture of Columbus.
Another side note – I love to see local groups and people connect- the cool snail T-Shirts for Slow Food come from local T-Shirt shop extraordinare – Skreened.
CMH Gourmand - Eating in Columbus & Ohio 