2012 Winter Welcome Potluck

Date: Saturday, January 28, 2012Time: 1:30pm to 3:00pmLocation: Church of the Pilgrims, 2201 P St NW Washington, DC 20037 (entrance around the corner from main doors, on the left)Cost: Free! (suggested donation $5)What to Bring: Your favorite dish, along with the recipe for inclusion in Slow Food DC’s first cookbook!I am really excited to see familiar and new faces at our first potluck of 2012 on Saturday January 28th. It will be held in the basement of the Church of the Pilgrims, from 1:30 to 3pm. The potluck is free and everyone is welcome. We will be taking donations to help cover the cost of the space. Five dollars should be enough, although we always welcome more!Our annual winter potluck is one of my favorite events because it exemplifies the communal aspect of Slow Food--gathering together to enjoy food that was thoughtfully prepared, taking time to enjoy the flavors, respecting the hands that grew the food, and of course getting to know one another. As the new chapter president, this year I will be introducing our new board. While there is a lot of hard work is ahead of us, I am thrilled to be working with a very enthusiastic group. We are already diligently planning to make 2012 a great Slow Food year.The community building aspect of Slow food is one of the main things that drew me to be more involved. Whenever we actively “do slow food”-- paying attention to what we nourish our bodies with, taking the time to appreciate the thoughtful preparation of food, learning new skills and techniques, building relationships with farmers and artisans, working with programs that aid those less fortunate in finding ways to share in good, clean, fair food--we are doing things with other people.As my involvement with Slow Food DC has grown over the past few years, I sometimes encounter confusion about what Slow Food actually is. Are we just about the enjoyment of food or are we in it to affect policy? I honestly believe there is room for both at our table, and neither can be successful without the other. Of course, this is just my opinion, and I am well aware that figuring out the shared identity of an organization starts with an open and honest dialog. So I hope to not only feast with you at the potluck (the food is always amazing) but to hear your thoughts on what Slow Food means to you and how we can grow together.