The Slow Food Southwest regional meeting in Chino Valley, AZ June 8 & 9, 2013 with several Slow Food chapters.
Poppy flowers are a beautiful addition to any garden with an amazing benefit – the seeds are edible! Great growing tips and a delicious recipe are inside.
The Slow Food Southwest regional meeting was held in Chino Valley, AZ on June 8 and 9, 2013 with members from several Slow Food chapters including Phoenix, Prescott, Santa Fe, Southern Arizona and the Navajo Churro Lamb Presidia. In addition, Slow Food USA was present with Richard McCarthy, Executive Director and Aimee Thunberg, Associate Director of Communications.
The meeting was held at the Prescott chapter leader’s house, Molly Beverly. Regional and seasonal dishes were prepared and brought to the meeting, or cooked at the event. Several fermented salsas were offered as starters, with a wide range of dishes for the dinner and next day’s Sunday brunch.
Richard McCarthy, the new Executive Director for Slow Food USA opened the meeting with a thoughtful and honest overview of Slow Food’s successes and challenges that have come from its growth in the past several years. He then turned to look at the future and what he and the board have for the vision of Slow Food in the United States. There are some great things that are set to appear on the horizon in the next few months!
After the meeting finished, dinner was prepared by the Prescott chapter while everyone enjoyed getting to know each other. New friendships and partnerships were formed over some incredibly tasty food, along with a lot of laughter and joking. At our table the two Navajo representatives demonstrated that they have a seriously funny side to them that is both creative and has stamina as we were hooting and hollering for well over an hour! Several people from the other table came over to see what all the noise was about, and wound up staying to enjoy the good times.
The next morning started with an indescribably delicious Sunday brunch, after which we finished up the meeting. A lot of networking happened both days, with a result that the Southwest chapters are looking forward to working much more closely together to share and spread the word of how wonderful Slow Food is.
Enjoy the video and overview of the Southwest Regional meeting!
The book “The Culture of Vegetables and Flowers from Seeds and Roots” by Suttons and Sons printed in 1910 had this to say about the poppy-
“The recent developments of this flower have brought it into great and deserved popularity, and it may be safely affirmed that no other subject in our gardens affords a more imposing display of brilliant colouring during the blooming period. All the varieties are eminently adapted for enlivening shrubbery borders and the sides of carriage-drives. Large clumps of some of the bolder colours should be sown in spots that are visible from a distance, and they will present glowing masses of flowers.”
What a beautiful description for a flower that has been cultivated for a long time. Here are a few gardening tips for the poppy:
Many people associate poppy seeds with the familiar and wonderful array of Eastern European baked goods, from poppy seed pie or the poppy seed filling in the Purim holiday classic Hamantaschen. The Czech Republic is one of Europe’s largest producers of poppy seeds. When you harvest your seed pods from your garden you can make your own savory dishes featuring the poppy seeds.
Here is a perennial favorite that is easy to make and tastes so much better made at home, Poppy Seed Dressing!
Poppy Seed Dressing
Makes about 2 cups
Slow Food Southwest Regional Meeting
The Slow Food Southwest regional meeting in Chino Valley, AZ June 8 & 9, 2013 with several Slow Food chapters.
The Poppy and Its Seeds
Poppy flowers are a beautiful addition to any garden with an amazing benefit – the seeds are edible! Great growing tips and a delicious recipe are inside.