A message from Julia Quenault.

Slow Seasons Greetings and Happy New Year from your new Committee

We hope you are all well this festive season and would like to introduce you to the new committee and give you details of planned events for 2011.

We have 9 people on our committee:

Julia Quenault – group leader
Emma Hefford – treasurer
Rod Bryans
Katie Bryans
Ben Garland
Vicky Pemberton
Emma Carlton
Beppe Vernaglione
Terry Griffiths

We are all keen to provide an informative and fun set of events for 2011. If anyone has ideas for events then please let us know. You can contact us by email at slowfoodjersey@gmail.com..... Ben please complete this section

Our first event planned is for Thursday 3rd February, 7.30pm – “A Chinese meal with a difference”. Hosted by Lam at the Star, St Peters – Lam will be cooking a special meal for Slow Food members, including explaining his cooking methods/ingredients and the opportunity to go into his kitchen and watch him cooking. Cost £18 pp, drinks extra.

Please advise Julia as soon as you can on 07797 723885, email julia@cfs.o.je, if you wish to attend.

Other events that are in the process of being planned are:

Visit to the Liberation Brewery
Coach trip around Jersey’s farm shops
Attendance at the Food Festival planned for May – including a speaker
Pie competition
Cake Baking Demo – Sweet Inspirations – Emma Carlton
Indian cooking demo – posssibly by Cyrus Todiwala (the Proprietor and Executive Chef of the Café Spice Namasté restaurant in London and has been credited with an innovative and fresh approach to Indian cuisine in addition to being a champion of learning in the workplace).
Attendance at the Fish Festival in August

Further details about these proposed events will follow in the New Year.

Have a wonderful slow Christmas and we look forward to seeing you at some of the events in 2011.

Your Group Chair,

Julia Quenault

Menu for 18th November at Highlands

A cracking menu for a lovely night...

Appetiser:
Tortellini of fresh local Crab, creamed Leeks,
Curry-scented oil.

Starters:
Roast Butternut Soup with a hint of Chilli.
Or
Roulade of fresh and Smoked Salmon with Prawns,
Mixed salad Leaves.

Main Courses:
Oven-roast Breast of Chicken with Creamy
Vegetable Risotto.
Or
Baked fillet of Cod on homemade Pea Puree.
Parmentier potatoes, tomato beurre blanc sauce.

Desserts:
Warm Pear Frangipane with Vanilla Ice Cream.
Or
Bailey’s Cheesecake

£14.50

Slow Food Jersey's AGM

We postponed our AGM and decided to combine it with a trip to sample the delights at Highlands College restaurant.

So on November 18th the Head Chef at the Atlantique Restaurant in West's Centre is, along with the students, providing a special seafood menu. The cost is £14.50 for three courses and coffee.

Anyone can attend so invite who you like...

The college is open to the public on the following days and evenings;

Tuesdays       12. For 12.30. – Lunches (term time only) – 3 course + tea/coffee cost normally   £10.50
Wednesdays  12. For 12.30. – Lunches (term time only) – 3 course + tea/coffee cost normally   £10.50
Thursdays     6.30 for 7.00.pm – Dinner (term time only) – 3 course + tea/coffee cost normally £14.50


Restaurant re-opens Tuesday 11th January 


SPECIAL EVENTS COMING UP IN THE NEW YEAR


Tuesday 18th January – Healthy Eating Lunch
Wednesday 19th January – Big Breakfast

Monday and Tuesday 24th/25th January – Burns Night – this is run by our Culinary Skills students who attend an evening course

Thursday 27th January    – An evening working with Chefs from Bohemia Restaurant
Wednesday 9th February – Afternoon tea
Tuesday 15th February    – Valentines Lunch
Thursday 17th February  – Valentines Dinner


WEEK COMMENCING 21ST FEBRUARY – HALF TERM


Thursday 3rd March   – Restaurant closed for private function

Thursday 10th March – Italian night
Thursday 17th March – St Patricks Night Dinner

Thursday 24th March – Restaurant closed for private function

Thursday 31st March – An evening working with Chefs from Atlantic Hotel


WEEKS COMMENCING 11TH, 18TH AND 25TH APRIL – RESTAURANT CLOSED FOR EASTER BREAK


Thursday 5th May – Last Dinner production
Tuesday 10th May – last Tuesday lunch production
Wednesday 11th May – last Wednesday production

Food Blogs

One area we haven't covered is food blogs and a recent mention on Swiss Miss led me to Bitchin' Camero.

That led me to the Times top 50  food blogs followed by the Telegraph's Rose Prince choosing hers.

 I'll let you browse in peace...

Hamptonne: Slow Food Jersey AGM September 24th

This years Slow Food Jersey AGM is taking place at Hamptonne a much cherished Heritage site. On Friday the 24th at 7.30pm we are inviting anybody who is interested in joining Slow Food and wants to sample some of Jersey's fresh fish offerings from local fisherman Kevin Holden to come along.  The charge is £10 a head for non-members and £8 for members. (This just helps us recoup some of the costs.)

It's a Pot-Luck night which simply means you can bring some food along to share with others. There will be wine on offer and Kevin is cooking his catch of the day on a barbecue.

Don Thompson President of the local Jersey Fisherman's Association will be on hand to give us some insights to our local fishing industry.

This is a great opportunity to meet  like minded people who share an interest in what happens locally both in terms of Slow Food and Jersey's abundant produce.

Taste the Passion

Genuine Jersey have launched their new "Taste the Passion" campaign. The idea is close to the heart of Slow Food's ethos of reducing the distance fom the producer to the plate.
The "Taste" is all about us the consumer and what flavours we can find in locally sourced produce. The "Passion" is that of all those people who take the time and effort to put such great food on our plates.

We start with Egg week, Seafood and Organic produce. Over the coming weeks you will see posters and flyers for all manner of foods. Many of the producers are getting out to meet the public and finding out how well their products are received. We have also accomodated the idea of people writinfg to the producers to thank or make comment on their products and this idea came directly from a Slow Food meeting I attended.

This Island and its coastal waters is abundant with excellent food. We have rich fertile soil, cold clear waters and a moderate climate. All of these factors create top quality produce and rich harvests.

People are looking for transparency over their foods provenance, where did it come from, who was the producer, how has it been treated? They simply want to know that the food on their plates is of the best quality available at the right price and has travelled the least distance to get there. All of these criteria apply to most Jersey produce.

Local food, locally caught, grown or produced here is just that. Don't believe me ask Shaun Rankin a Michelin star chef. He is a great believer in what this Island has to offer as his new book and TV series soon to be aired will show.

2010 Fish Festival

Well it's over and everyone seemed to have had a terrific time.
There was loads to see and do for both kids and adults and plenty of local fish to sample. The stalls where heaped with lobster and scallops.

A massive Paella was a winner with the locals.

There were local brewers selling cider and local ales. Liberation had brewed a special lager called Jack Spratt just for the occasion.

Emma Carlton of "Sweet Inspirations", who has recently just been awarded three gold stars from the "Taste of Britain" awards for her Sticky Toffee Pudding was selling her delicious cakes and pastries.

Slow Food had a stand to spread the word and gain some new members..

Over 9,000 visited the event and sampled some of the best food and drink this Island has to offer. All of this was put together by an industry in decline.

Day after day these guys go out in all kinds of weather to fish these coastal waters, plentiful with all manner of fish, and don't really get the poilitical support they deserve.

That said because of this event everyone had a better understanding of what Jersey fishermen do to provide such great treats for us all.

Well done to them and everyone concerned and in particular to Don Thompson who had the original vision and the skills to make it happen.

Jersey Fish Festival

Saturday 17th July starting at 10.00am down on Victoria Pier is this years Jersey Fish Festival. Only the second time it has been run... 
They have some great food, plenty of local beer and and a full set of bands playing. Without doubt this is going to be a terrific event. Don Thompson and his cohort of helpers, Natalie, Steph, Doug and pals will be there to meet and greet you all. Look for the Crew shirts...Look out for the Pirates...

There's Robbie's sculling race, a flyover, Tina will have loads for the kids to make and paint, sand to play in, a touch tank loaded with local fish, food stalls, best dressed boat competition and a blessing for the fleet by the Dean of Jersey.

A Water Carnival, a boat race  and a "Man Powered Flight" competition all capped at 10.30pm by a massive firework display.

So as you can see you won't be disappointed. Slow Food will be there to talk to anyone interested in joining. The more people join, support our cause, the more we can do...

Guardian Slow Food Article.

If you would like to read about Slow Food and Carlo Pettrini's thoughts on it or ask questions follow the link.

The West Show

Coming soon the next Slow Food adventure will find us manning a stand at this years West Show on the 10th and the 11th of July up at St. Peters.

Quickly followed by the Jersey Fish Festival on the 17th of July.

Come along and share with us some of the best produce found in our fields or from around our shores.

Taste the Passion.

Island Spring Cattle, Rose and Flower Show and World Cheese Awards.

Hello,

Just to remind you all of the RJAHS event on the 12th-13th June (Saturday and Sunday) up at their home in Trinity. As there is no Foire De Jersey this year here is a golden opportunity to catch some of the best that Jersey has to offer.

All of the cheeses, of which there are over 80 different varieties, have been created from Jersey milk.

Genuine Jersey cheese from the Classic Herd has now gone national and can now be found adorning the tables of  Mitchell & Butler's fine dining country Pubs.

Both the Cheese Awards and the Rose and Flower Show are inside whilst in the Showground we have the cattle. There is also a mass of other things to see especially for the kids. An animal farm, Shire horses and a troupe of Circus entertainers allowing the kids to join in.

Slow Food has a stand there. So if you have any prospective members and they would like to know what we are about here is a good place to start.

The Normandie Market will be up there. So if you have time on your hands, kids to entertain or you're keen on cheese get yourself up there. Everyone is welcome.

Jersey Royals - Bartletts

Slow Food visited Bartletts on Saturday and were amazed at the level of investment and support they have given the local community in providing this sterling operation.

£14 million for a seasonal product subject to all manner of prevailing problems, as the current drought has exemplified, is a serious commitment to Island produce.

Every element of the process has been thoroughly tried and tested. Apart from sorting and packing for all the major UK retailers its main role is to cleanse the spuds and keep them cool to retain that classic flavour we all love and expect from a Jersey Royal.

The water used is rain or bore hole derived. It's also recycled with any solid matter being distributed back to the field.

Even the seasoned members of our party found it difficult to raise any points of criticism. So much time and effort has been spent on consultation and making sure that everyone, producers in particular, was involved that the result is pretty much the best you could expect.

Tasting the product cinched the idea that reducing the time from getting the product from field to plate has proved a success. Bowls of steaming spuds were eagerly devoured and the whole event was declared a tasty success.

Slow Fish Goes Live

There is a new site associated with Slow Food appropriately called Slow Fish.as you will see it carries all the same ethos and reasoning but with a marine theme.

What you may not know is Slow Food Jersey is heavily involved in this years Jersey Fish Festival.

It's a one day event on the 17th of July highlighting the exploits of our local fleet, engaging and educating the public about our local catch and having fun.

There will be food tasting, live bands and a Viviers touch tank. (Pictured above is a Chancre Crab scuttling about in the Viviers.) A sculling race, an RNLI display, a fly over, a fishing boat race and to cap it all off a fireworks display.

Put it in your diary and come along.

The Great Sausage Event.

As usual we had a great night. 18 different sausages and a complete new Pie section.

Everyone was completely sausaged out by the end. The trouble is with so many entries you occasionally had to double back to check if you had given a correct score. So 18 tastes became considerably more. Add to that the pies and a sweet course of delicious cakes cooked by Emma's mum and we were suitably stuffed.

But the outright winner in 1st and 2nd place was Julia Quenault who has now won three years on the trot the coveted trophy and the honour of being accredited the Best Banger maker on the Island.

If anyone is in doubt get your self up to the Classic Herd Farm shop at St Peters and taste for yourself.

It's great to know there is so much choice and John Hackett does provide a classic opponent.

The best pie was a Steak and Ale pie and as soon as I know who created it I will post it on the blog.

Next up Jersey Royals....

Sausage Night....

Dear Slow Food Member, Non Members and Interested Parties,
The Great Sausage Competition - put your own entry in this year and compete against the best sausages in Jersey.
Thank you all for your great responses to my last email. As a result our event at Cafe Spice on Thursday 25th March was a great success. Thank you to everyone who attended to make this such a successful evening.
April Event: Thursday 29th April we have our sausage competition. Now with a new class for pastries: sausage rolls, pasties and pork pies alike.
Details: Open to members and non members - Location: Royal CI Yacht Club, Le Mont du Boulevard, St Brelade - Time: 7:00 for 7:30 Cost: £15 members £17 non members (this includes all the tastings for the competition, a main meal and coffee not to mention a great atmosphere). There will be a no charge for kids for the competition so please feel free to bring them along (kiddies menu will be available) - To book please send request and money to Rosie at Cheriton, Manor Park Rd, La Pouquelaye, St Helier, JE2 3GJ. Email: r.boleat@localdial.co
Please reply to Rosie by the 26 of April so we know numbers.
We are still looking for entries for the competition this year so whether you are a chef or just handy in the kitchen and fancy your chances please give me a call on 07797 725 325 for further information as we would love to have your entries
Thank you all again and hope to see you at one of our future events.
Many thanks
Emma
Miss E Hefford - Chairman Slow Food Jersey

Sausage Tasting

Just to remind everyone about the Sausage tasting event. It's on the 29th of this month down at St Aubins RCI Yacht Club. Just across from the Old Court House. Parking is always a problem so best to park further up and amble down.

Anyone can come along. Members can bring guests.

This was a highly attended event last year so come early. It starts at 7.00pm. Get a drink, take in the terrific view and wait for the contest to begin. There were 16 varietie's last year and this year there could be even more.

Sausage Competition

Just to remind you all that the Sausage Competition is coming up in April. Date to be confirmed.This was one of our star events last year with over 16 sausages to sample not to mention the gorgeous black pudding and pork pies.

Our committee member Julie Quenault from Classic Herd in St Peter's was the worthy winner last year but once again it's up for grabs.

All local entrants. Locally made and locally eaten, down with those excellent hosts at the Royal Yacht Club, St. Aubin.

Any one can enter and we are hoping to get a Polish entrant for the first time this year. Want to know how to make them? Here's a few tips from the Guardian.
If you are interested at joining us there or want to enter your sausage then just drop an email to rod.bryans@live.com or phone me on 515141. Or maybe you are just interested in joining SlowFood. Either way we would love to hear from you.

Sea Food

For those of you who like to kept up to speed on what is happening as it happens fisherman Kevin Holden has his own website and blog http://jerseyfreshfish.com/

He's currently at sea wallowing just off Sark with a catch of scallops and he's now focussing on fish before returning this week-end.

Great blog well worth a look.

Cafe Spice

The date for the Indian Night is March 25th, 7.00 for 7.30. Cost is £15 for members and £17 for non-members. Bargain.

Sam has devised a special menu for Slow Food with locally sourced ingredients where he can. He's going to explain the cooking methods and ingredients used for each course. So that we have a greater understanding and knowledge of what it takes to produce at home what has become the nations favourite cuisine.

This event is open to members and non-members so bring a friend.... I look forward to seeing you there. Spread the word.

Indian Food Night

March heralds an authentic Indian/Bangldeshi treat at the Cafe Spice in Kensington place. Date to be advised. Probably a Tuesday or a Wednesday night.

Sam will be providing some dishes created especially for Slowfood and advising us of the ingredients and the methods of cooking. Locally sourced ingredients will be used.

This will be one of those rare opportunities to understand why Curry has become the UK's favourite national dish.

Anyone wishing to attend, even if you are not a member but are interested in joining, just email me on rod.bryans@live.com

BBC Food Programme - Gastronomy

Sheila Dillon (Food Programme) visits Slow Food's University of Gastronomy and discusses the Legacy left by Brillat-Savarin.

Jamie has his say....

Jamie Oliver attended TED and committed himself to changing hearts and minds. Whatever your feelings about Jamie he is nothing if not tenacious and if he effects change in the way we all deal with food then more power to him.

His TED wish  - "I wish for your help to create a strong, sustainable movement to educate every child about food, inspire families to cook again and empower people everywhere to fight obesity" although directed to an American audience should have resonance in any corner of the world where fast food is served to our kids.