Irvine, CA – On June 26, 2010, Slow Food Orange County will host its second annual barbeque in Bommer Canyon, Irvine, California. This event is for the whole family and will focus on good, clean and fair food. The setting is beautiful Bommer Canyon, full of mature sycamore trees and surrounded by miles of open space. Bommer Canyon, historically, was the cattle camp for the Irvine Ranch and is generally not open to the public at large. This is a special opportunity for all of us to enjoy a quality meal in a beautiful outdoor environment.

The barbeque dinner will be prepared by Chef Ryan Adams of Sorrento Grille in Laguna Beach and Slow Food Orange County team members. In the spirit of sustainability and low carbon footprint, please bring your own individual wine glasses and eating utensils. Plates will be provided.

Served Family Style

Watermelon and Cucumber Salad
Red Onion, Lemon Basil, Feta Cheese, California Olive Oil, Lemon Juice

Warm Heirloom Potato Salad
Garlic, Onions, Local Herbs, Red Wine Vinegar, Olive Oil

Grilled Corn and Fava Bean Succotash
Parsley, Tarragon, Red Onion, Garlic

Barbequed Citrus-Marinated Mary’s Free-Range Chicken

Dessert

Honey-Spiked Irvine Strawberries
Grilled Lemon Biscuit


The featured speaker will be Jill Richardson, author of Recipe for America: Why Our Food System Is Broken and What We Can Do To Fix It.

“Jill Richardson is a fresh voice in the movement to create a healthier and sustainable food system. This book will be part of the burgeoning food social movement, as it provides a guide to the most important issues and how to work on them.”
-Marion Nestle, author of Food Politics

Live entertainment will be provided by Walden Dahl, one of the finest bluegrass/swing musicians touring today, and his band. He is known for the hit songs he has written for bluegrass stars including Ralph Stanley and Alison Krauss. The band will start at 5:00 and play throughout the evening.

Event Timeline:

4:00 p.m. Gate opens
4:30-5:00 p.m. Optional short trail hike led by a docent of the Irvine Conservancy
5:00 p.m. Live music starts, wine and finger food served
6:00 p.m. Dinner served
6:45 p.m. Featured speaker Jill Richardson
7:15 p.m. Raffle prize drawing
8:00 p.m. Event concludes

Raffle prizes include gift certificates from Slow Food-supported local restaurants, tickets to the Pageant of the Masters including dinner and parking, food and gardening products and gourmet food baskets.

This event is graciously made possible through the assistance of the City of Irvine and contributing sponsors Sorrento Grille and Chef Ryan Adams, Whole Foods Market, Mary’s Free-Range Chicken and Quivira Vineyards and Winery.

Proceeds from the event will benefit Monkey Business Café, the Hart Community Homes foster care system project that was established to support foster care youth with job training and skills that will enhance their ability to pursue independent living. Staff from Monkey Business Café will be assisting with the event.

Tickets for the barbeque are $50.00 per person and $20.00 for children 12 and under. They can be purchased online through www.brownpapertickets.com (event #112350). Ticket price includes dinner and wine. We anticipate this will be a sold-out event so be sure to purchase tickets in advance. Space is strictly limited and there will be no on-site ticket sales.
Come to the Second Annual Slow Food Orange County Barbeque, enjoy the natural rustic setting of Bommer Canyon, dine on delicious, sustainable food, sip organic wine, make new friends and learn about Slow Food Orange County.

For more information about the barbeque or Slow Food, contact Roger McErlane, Chair of the Slow Food Orange County Barbeque Committee, at rogermcerlane@mac.com.

WEB: www.slowfoodoc.org