We’re ready for Taste Our Local Harvest 2012!  

Tables are set, Farmers are staying up late and chefs are already preparing….the Biltmore Ball Room is almost ready…

This Tuesday Oct. 9th 6-9pm
Westchester Country Club 

Make check-in even easier and get your tickets NOW!  www.foodbankforwestchester.com

There’s no hotter place to be in the lower Hudson Valley on a Tuesday night…

Westchester Magazine Food Blog’s “Date of the Week”

Over 45 tasting stations of farm-to-table and artisan producers with an all local line-up of wine, beer and spirit tasting included.

Hundreds of Chefs, Farmers and Hospitality professionals along with even more of our public supporting local food!

Great farm baskets at the “penny auction” and a Premier Silent Auction items like Tasting at Dressing (Michel Nischan), Moderne Barn, NY Botanical Gardens (Abigail Kirsch Caterers), Leib Cellars and more!

Tickets also available at the door $75.

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CONSCIOUSWINE ANNOUNCES FARM 2 TABLE WINE DINNERS

A series of dinners featuring local farms and spotlighting organic, biodynamic American wineries.

ConsciousWine (www.consciouswine.com) today announced six farm-to-table wine dinners in Westchester and Fairfield County this September, October, November and December:

• Sat, Sept 29^th, at Hilltop Hanover Farm, in Yorktown, at 6pm ($135pp)
• Sat, Oct 6^th, at Amawalk Farm in Katonah, at 5pm ($145pp)
• Sat, Oct 20^th, at John Jay Homestead in Katonah, at 5pm ($155pp)
• Sat, Nov 3^rd, at Greenwich Audubon in Greenwich, at 5:30pm ($145pp)
• Sat, Dec 8^th, at Lasdon Arboretum in Katonah, at 7pm ($145pp)

Each meal is created and prepared by acclaimed chef Lesley Sutter (whose beloved Mount Kisco restaurant, The Flying Pig, closed last January) and each evening spotlights an organic, biodynamic winery selected by ConsciousWine’s founding partners, Vinny Liscio and Jeffrey Weissler.

Shelley Smedberg, also from The Flying Pig, is the pastry chef.

There will be four to five courses (a round of appetizers, three main courses – including a vegetarian course – and a dessert course) paired with three wines.

In addition to featuring beautiful, bucolic locations, local farms and farmers, and small-scale wineries, each dinner has a charitable partner that will receive a portion of the evening’s proceeds.

Ticket prices vary per event based on location, menu, and wines.  Group discounts are available; please call ConsciousWine at 914-248-5339 to inquire.

To buy tickets: http://consciouswine.com/about/meet-jeff/upcoming-events-engagements/

The full details for all six events, including featured winery, the charitable partners, and the specifics of start times and prices, are:

HILLTOP HANOVER

• Date SEPTEMBER 29 at 6PM
• Winery YOUNGBERG HILL
• Benefit FRIENDS OF HILLTOP HANOVER
• Capacity 60
• Ticket $135

AMAWALK FARM

• Date OCTOBER 6
• Time 5PM
• Winery TBD
• Benefit MOUNT KISCO CHILD CARE CENTER
• Capacity 50
• Ticket $145

JOHN JAY HOMESTEAD

• Date OCTOBER 20
• Time 5PM
• Winery LUMOS
• Benefit FRIENDS OF JOHN JAY HOMESTEAD
• Capacity 60
• Ticket $155

GREENWICH AUDUBON

• Date NOVEMBER 3
• Time 5:30PM
• Winery DOMINIO IV
• Benefit SAVE THE AUDUBON BARN
• Capacity 70
• Ticket $145

LASDON ARBORETUM

• Date DECEMBER 8
• Time 7PM
• Winery AMBYTH
• Benefit LASDON CONSERVATORY BUILDING FUND
• Capacity 35
• Ticket $145

About CONSCIOUSWINE

ConsciousWine, founded in 2008 by Vinny Liscio and Jeffrey Weissler, began with the goal of gathering in one place information about wineries that follow both organic and sustainable practices, and make awesome wine.

ConsciousWine promotes the unique strengths of different wineries and wines, and celebrates those winemakers committed to making superior, world-class wines using organic and biodynamic methods.

ConsciousWine began by establishing clear criteria: four principles to which a winery must adhere to be considered “ConsciousWine”.  They are:

1) Organics: Only NOP (National Organic Program) approved products are allowed in the vineyards.

2) Sustainability Farming practices geared to support the ecological, environmental and economic sustainability of the farm.

3) Vitality Vital living soil and environment are imperative for the creation of vital living products

4) Taste The wine must taste great — finished products that make a wine lover happy.

The 58 wineries presently on the ConsciousWine list have all been visited and reviewed in person, and no one has paid (or can pay) to be included on the list.

Having found a substantial group of wines and wineries that meet the ConsciousWine standard, we set out to share that information widely and effectively, using ConsciousWine.com as our platform.  Our site provides:

• Our list of all ConsciousWine wineries, with an in-depth look at a core group of “featured wineries”
• Essays and opinions on wine and the current state of sustainability and holistic practices in wine-making and grape-growing
• Summaries of news and current events in ConsciousWine,and analysis of the growth of this niche of the wine industry
• Video and photo essays about winemakers, wineries and wines
• An online store to purchase directly from wineries

The ConsciousWine website, along with our social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and Pinterest) engages with a rapidly growing community of several thousand people who share our passion for wine, sustainability, and discovery.

About Lesley Sutter and Shelley Smedberg

Lesley Sutter has enjoyed a successful career in the restaurant industry for over 25 years. She began at Fog City Diner in San Francisco and has marked a career in excellence working for some of the most formidable chefs in the business such as Joyce Goldstein from Square One, Plump Jack’s Arnold Rossman, and Mia Donna’s television celebrity Donatella Arpaia.  For the past 12 years, Lesley Sutter enjoyed a wonderful career as Executive Chef for owner Nancy Kohlberg at The Flying Pig in Mount Kisco, New York.

Shelley Smedberg is best known for her signature pastry and dessert creations. A culinary school graduate from Connecticut, Chef Smedberg fell in love with the Flying Pig in 2001 and has delighted diners ever since with her inspired desserts. Her dessert menus contrast “comfort foods” like bread pudding and fritters with more intricate and elegant desserts like slow roasted local apples with sparkling cider sabayon.

CONTACTS AND LINKS

To reach the ConsciousWine office, email cara@consciouswine.com or call 914-248-5339

For media inquiries, email chris@reallysocialstrategies.com or call 914-374-0781

ConsciousWine http://consciouswine.com/

THE LOCATIONS

Hilltop Hanover: http://www.hilltophanoverfarm.org/

Amawalk Farm: http://www.amawalkfarm.org/

Westchester Land Trust (Sugar Hill Farm): http://www.westchesterlandtrust.org/

John Jay Homestead: http://johnjayhomestead.org/

Greenwich Audubon: http://greenwich.audubon.org/

Lasdon Park & Arboretum: http://parks.westchestergov.com/lasdon-park

THE WINERIES

Youngberg Hill: http://youngberghill.com/

Dominio IV: http://www.dominiowines.com/

Lumos Wine Company: http://www.lumoswine.com/

Ambyth Estate: http://www.ambythestate.com/

SOME QUESTIONS GUESTS MiGHT HAVE & ANSWERS

What should I wear?

Dinner is at a farm, or in a farm-like setting, with portions of the evening outside.  Wear very practical shoes, and dress casually and comfortably.  Dress warmly for fall evenings.  Feel free to dress up in a fun, funky way, but don’t worry about jackets, ties, high heels, gowns, or anything like that.

What’s on the Menu?

The menu is sourced as close to the actual event as possible, so it’s impossible to say exactly what dinner will be much more than a week out.  The menus will be published on our website and available for all to see when they’re ready.  Expect a vegetarian course, fish, lamb, and popcorn.  Yes, popcorn — Lesley makes an amazing gourmet popcorn.

I’m a vegetarian/vegan, I’m allergic to ________,  or I keep Kosher.

If we know in advance that you have allergies or dietary restrictions, we will do our best to accommodate you and we will tell you definitively one way or the other.  If the night of the event is the first we are hearing of a special need, chances are we will not be able to accommodate that need.

The meals have vegetarian courses, but are decidedly not vegetarian in their entirety.  Again, we will try to accommodate every request made in advance.

Are children welcome?

Due to length, and the focus on wine, the dinners are not appropriate for children.

What happens if I cannot attend?

Reservations are transferable but not refundable.

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Co-Sponsored by Grassroots Environmental Education and Slow Food Metro North

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(Mount Kisco, NY…June 11, 2012) - On Sunday July 1st, Mount Kisco’s POUR will be honored by Slow Food Metro North by receiving the “ Snail of Approval” Award at POUR   The Snail of Approval recognizes restaurants, purveyors and local agriculture advocates around the world who aspire to provide good, clean and fair food to their community.

Slow Food Metro North has chosen to honor POUR with the Snail of Approval due to the continuous efforts that POUR has put forth to help create and sustain the local foodshed, as wellas offering and highlighting local products on its menu.

The evening will feature local, artisanal spirits by Delaware Phoenix Distillery (Walton, NY), Berkshire Mountain Distillery (Great Barrington, MA) and Brooklyn Republic Distillery (Brooklyn, NY). Craft beer will be provided by Newburgh Brewing Company (Newburgh, NY).

Additionally, Slow Food Metro North’s resident chefs, MarcAlverez (Concierge Foods) and Christopher West (Treetops), willhighlight locally sourced ingredients grilled to perfection. In addition, the Pizza Luca Truck– a wood fired pizza-oven mounted on a 1952 Chevy truck – will be stationed outside of Pour serving its scrumptious wood fired pizzas.

ABOUT POUR

POUR is a boutique bar + eatery. Housed in an early 19^th Century Victorian house on Main Street in Mt. Kisco, Pour focuses on flavors and labels you may not have heard of before, have wanted to try, or can’t find anywhere else. A well-executed menu of small plates, flatbreads, paninis, charcuterie + cheeses promises to please, while a thorough wine, brew + booze menu offers options for everyone.  For reservation, please call 914.864.0606. Pour is located at 241 Mainstreet Mt. Kisco, NY 10549.  www.pourmtkisco.com

For more information, please contact:

Anthony at 914.864.0606

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This September, NOFA-NY will host its 3rd Annual NY Locavore Challenge.  The NY Locavore Challenge is a first of its kind, month-long campaign aimed at engaging consumers across the state in actively supporting the local organic food movement.

The Locavore challenge starts with the theory “vote with your dollar,” and takes it a few steps further, by appealing concerned citizens to participate in a wide variety of events and challenges that support their local economies, encourage organic and sustainable growing practices and propel the movement. The aim is for 5,000 people state-wide to participate in the challenge this year.  New this year, we are launching a 30 Challenges in 30 Days calendar to help guide consumers in exploring the challenge each day during September.  The calendar will include daily challenges, recipes, tips, events and more.

Last year we worked with more than 40 partners to help host events, promote eating locally and educate their members or clients on the importance of supporting organic and sustainable farms.  This year we want to bring as many like-minded partners together to promote our shared passion for eating locally and sustainably grown food under a single state-wide campaign: the NY Locavore Challenge.  This campaign is an opportunity for each organization to celebrate their unique work in the local foods system, and to work collaboratively towards greater community awareness and participation in the work our organizations and our farms do each day.

Please help us make September known as Locavore Month in all communities.  Join as a partner today!

As a NY Locavore Challenge Partner you will receive your logo on the NY Locavore Challenge website, receive mention in all press-releases, letters and on the NY Locavore Challenge blog.  And as a partner benefit, NOFA-NY will promote any food or farming related event that your organization hosts during the month of September.  In exchange we ask that your include information about the challenge on your website, in organization publications, promote via your social media networks, display posters and postcards and by encourage your constituents to register.

We hope that your organization will consider partnering with NOFA-NY for this exciting event. Please contact us at (585) 271-1979 ext. 514 or at Marty@nofany.org to sign up or to request more information.

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Join Us…

July 6th and 7th, 2012 9:00 AM- 2:30 PM

Locations

July 6th- John Jay Homestead State Historic

Site, 400 Jay St, Katonah, NY
July 7th- Mt. Kisco Child Care Center, 95 Radio Circle Dr, Mt Kisco, NY

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Thursday April 26th at 6:30p.m. – At Groundowrks HV and Beczak Environment Center of Yonkers there will be a Bee Works!

Thursday, April 26

6:15 -7:15 pm: $7 adults, $3 kids, Free for High School Students!

YOH Honey – Keeping Bees in the City

City-dwellers in New York City and beyond are starting to keep bees to save our crops.  Learn the basics of beekeeping from Douglass Decandia of the Food Bank of Westchester. Stay on to screen “Queen of the Sun: What Are the Bees Telling Us,” an award-winning film about the global bee decline and the philosophy of sustainable beekeeping. Co-sponsored by SlowFood Metro North, Beczak Environmental Education Center, Groundwork USA, and The City of Yonkers Green Policy Task Force. Email weekends@beczak.org or call (914) 377-1900, ext. 12. Beczak, 35 Alexander St., Yonkers.

CHECK OUT EARTH MONTH FORUMS ON SUSTAINABLE LIVING IN THE CITY

AT BECZAK ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER, 35 ALEXANDER ST, YONKERS

“Yo Chick”

Raising Chickens in the City

Featuring the Zander Family, founders

of Front Yard Coop, and their flock!

Thurs, April 19, 6:30 PM, $7 adults / $3 under 12

“Yo Honey” Raising Bees in the City,

Featuring award-winning film

QUEEN OF THE SUN

& beekeeper Doug Decandia

of Slow Food Metro North

Thurs, April 26, 6:30 PM $7 adults / $3 under 12!

INFO: weekends@beczak.org / 914.377.1900 x 13 / beczak.org

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Slow Food Metro North presents The Ark of Taste Honey Tasting at Red Bee Apiary, Weston, CT June 23, 2012 1p-3p

Slow Food Metro North

presents

The Ark of Taste

Honey Tasting at Red Bee Apiary

Weston, CT

Beekeeper, author and founder of Red Bee Honey, Marina Marchese, will present a tour of her Red Bee apiary with an artisanal honey tasting of The Ark of Tastefive US honeys in danger of extinction.

The tasting of the Ark’s endangered honeys is the first event of its kind in the US. SFMN members and guests will be treated to an educational afternoon learning about how honey bees make honey and how honey is harvested all while tasting these coveted honeys and gaining a finer understanding of our traditional foods. Marchese will also discuss the vital importance of the role honey bees play in our food chain.

The Ark of Taste is an international catalog of foods that are threatened by industrial standardization, the regulations of large-scale distribution and environmental damage. In an effort to cultivate consumer demand—key to agricultural conservation—only the best tasting endangered foods make it onto the Ark. Not surprising is the reality that all five honeys named by the Ark are all harvested in the US, a sobering fact that reminds the public that we must do more to preserve these honey plants, our biological diversity and our culinary heritage.

Marchese is the president of the Back Yard Beekeepers Association in CT. She studied the sensory analysis of honey tasting in Montalcino, Italy and has presented her signature Honey Tasting Laboratory Workshops at top shelf NYC venues like Murray’s Cheese Shop, Artisanal Premium Cheese Center and Eataly. Slow Food Metro North will be honoring Ms. Marchese with a Snail of Approvalaward at this event.

Please join us…

WHEN: Saturday, June 23, 1-3 pm, 2012

RAIN DATE: Saturday, June 30, 1-3 pm, 2012

Tickets: $35 per person. 25 guest limit.

To learn more visit www.redbee.com

To reserve your seat RSVP on line here.

RED BEE Apiary • 77 Lyons Plain Road • Weston, CT 06883 • www.redbee.com

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Don’t Be Fooled by GMOs – Sunday, April 1, 2012 at the Westport Inn 5:30pm to 6:30

Join leaders of the Right to Know CT campaign and several state lawmakers who support the bill at the April 1 “Don’t Be Fooled by GMOs” event at the Westport Inn (5:30p).

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to learn what Genetically Engineered Foods (GMOs) are, why they aren’t labeled despite being pervasive in processed foods (even natural foods), how to avoid them in our diets, and how to support the bill through advocacy. During the Q&A  you can speak directly with state lawmakers and Right to Know CT campaign leaders from Fairfield. Take action! Let us know your thoughts.

Location

Westport Inn, Westport CT

1595 Post Road East

United States

See map: Google Maps

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Calling all CT members to help support getting this important bill passed. When one state passes this bill, other states will follow.

Write your CT state legislators and ask them to support HB 5117, An Act Concerning Genetically-Engineered Foods. Most urgently, write your member of the Environment Committee currently reviewing the bill, asking him to support it and tell him why in a short paragraph. Attach any white papers or bullet points.

Want more information? 
CT GMO Labeling Bill Informational Meeting with Q&A

What Are GMOs and What Does the Bill Mean for Consumers?
Saturday, March 10, 10-12 noon, Pequot Library, Free and open to the public

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