Italy information session Thursday, Nov. 21

The first info session for Ecogastronomy: Food Cultures of Italy will be Thursday, November 21. College Hall 137 (Western Washington University) at 4-5. Kindly spread the word.

See http://www.wwu.edu/ee/studyabroad/index.shtml#summer

Please note the following:

• EESP  helps direct people to financial aid — over half the students have financial aid who enroll in the program.
• Excursions are not given in great detail, but they include in Tuscany: Chianti country, castle winery (with tasting and meal in the courtyard), hands-on ceramics/pottery classes, cooking classes, biological farm. An optional Switzerland excursion also is available (cost, additional).
• The weekend in between the two weeks of instruction and excursions is free, but sometimes we go as a group to Assisi, Perugia (this is another region — Umbria), or in Cinque Terra (region: Liguria) along the Italian riviera. 
• Also included in the price are two optional field trips in Whatcom County and on Lopez Island, once we return.
• Additional credits are available (you can talk to me about this).

Some of the best feedback can be found here: VISIT GINA'S BLOG, THE COURSE DAY-BY-DAY: http://good4ugastronomy.blogspot.com/ and also: https://www.facebook.com/groups/629347747092601/

Best Gigi

Ps. Images appear below. For more, see: http://resilientfarmsnourishingfoods.blogspot.com/

ENVS 437L: Ecogastronomy Intensive (10 credits)

Bellingham: June 15-16, 2014 (online option available)

Italy: June 22-July 6, 2013 (in Florence)

Optional excursion, Switzerland<http://www.acadweb.wwu.edu/eesp/template/studyabroad/images/swiss_3DayExcursion.pdf>

This food studies course begins with a culinary intensive in Bellingham, also available online, then moves to Florence, Italy, where students study Italian and the food cultures of Toscany. Students also study in the University of Florence sensory taste sciences department.

Study is with renowned European faculty, Erminio Monteleone<http://www.e3sensory.eu/?page_id=213>,Caterina Dinella, as well as with Western professor, Gigi Berardi.<http://faculty.wwu.edu/gberardi/index.html>

Enrollment is limited to 20.

Register now<http://www.acadweb.wwu.edu/eesp/template/studyabroad/cost_florence.shtml> to reserve your place! You can also receive graduate credits for this program. Additional credits are available through independent study (later in the 2013-2014 academic year). Courses can be repeated for credit. Those without prereqs can enroll in the program; all you need to do is contact Gigi<mailto:gigi.berardi@wwu.edu>.

Travel to Italy this summer!

First Info Session, Italy summer course, Thursday, November 21, College Hall 137

Gigi Berardi

Nov 5 at 10:31am

Florence, Italy

Study food this summer in Italy
ENVS 437L: Ecogastronomy Intensive

10 credits

WWU: June 16, 2014 (online option available)
Florence, Italy: June 22 - July 6,2014
Optional excursion: Switzerland (June 19 - 22, 2014)
This food course begins with a culinary intensive in Bellingham, also available online, then moves to Florence, Italy, where students study Italian and food culture of Italy. Students also study at the prestigious University of Florence sensory taste sciences department.
Study is with renowned European faculty, Erminio Monteleone,Caterina Dinella, and Johannes Wirz (Switzerland excursion) as well as with Western professor, Gigi Berardi.

Kitchen Literacy

As noted by Ann Vileisis,

Not to know at large of things remote from use, obscure and subtle, but to know that which before us lies in daily life, is the prime wisdom. 

                                    - Milton, as quoted by Ann Vileisis in Kitchen Literacy

Kitchen literacy  means having some connection to the sources of the meats and nuts and fruits and vegetables and other foods in our diet. Gaining that literacy, especially with family and friends, should be pleasurable — part of being an eco-gastronome.

Join us in Florence, Sienna, Lucca, Fiesole, the Garfagnana Valley, more

Summer 2014 http://www.wwu.edu/ee/travel/ctp/florence.shtml

Small is beautiful -- Bellewood Acres

Well, as you can see below, the homey Bellewood Acres expanded in the past few years.

But not so large, that its near-perfect pie dough still is produced in small batches and
stored in ordinary zip-lock bags

Fresh milk, in western Washington and in Italy

Cheese in brine

Cheese, air drying

In Italy, fresh cup of coffee, fresh milk from the machine

CSAs abound in Whatcom County (here, Inspiration Farm, with my agroecology class this summer)

Fresh milk -- In Italy -- first raw milk machine ever (in Italy) in the Garfagnana Valley

Here: One of the main organizers, a long-time raw-milk producer shows how to clean the facilities. And, loyal customers.

Pasta-making 101, all the equipment that Italy has to offer....and fresh tomato sauce and sweet backyard honey

Beginning with sweet honey, to be added some to the sauce

...our garden tomatoes

parboiling the tomatoes

juice extractor in the back, fresh tomato puree, foreground

Now sauce can be made, adding garlic and onions, herbs, and venison

pasta -- preparing the well for the fresh, backyard eggs

From the pasta machine

Trying three different pasta recipes

Drying the pasta

The winner: Almost all semolina

Making the fresh-whey ricotta

Gorgeous riccotta for lasagne

Glorious cheese

We've been experimenting with fresh milk cheeses -- cultures form France, cultures form the barn. Some, aged in the cooler, others in a converted refrigerator. Peeking around some of the cheeses are barely-dried plums.

Celebrate Local in Western Washington

This Saturday, September 14! Self-guided tour to small, artisan, and good.............Contact Sustainable Connections, Bellingham Community Food Co-op.....

...and throughout the U.S., it's harvest time, Google "[   ] County Farm tour"...and find yours!