Asheville, NC — The President of Slow Food USA made a special request during his recent trip to Western North Carolina. He wanted a glimpse of FEAST, an Asheville-based program that teaches families, many from low-income communities, how to cook with healthy, local food.
"It's so important that kids grow up knowing where food comes from, how to cook it, and how to experience it with others," said Josh Viertel, President of Slow Food USA since October 2008.
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| Viertel gives tips on homemade tortillas |
He attended a FEAST class at Asheville Middle School in hopes he would glean ideas to use in national programming. "The best ideas come from volunteer leaders who work on the ground," Viertel said. "I find it inspirational."
About 20 sixth grade students in Sara Monson's Exploring Career Decisions class split up into teams and busily made hummus and baba ghanoush with fresh herbs from the school garden, tortillas, bruschetta, peach salsa, kale and salad with strawberries. Local growers supplied the greens and fruit.
Monson said that FEAST, which stands for Fresh, Easy, Affordable, Sustainable and Tasty, is always one of the students' favorite parts of her curriculum. "The parents I talk to say that the kids try things they learned in cooking class at home, and even correct them on the proper way to cook," Monson said. "It's a good change from the regular classroom – something different."
Replication at home is exactly the aim of the program, according to FEAST Director Kate Justen. "Children are likely to choose healthy food if they have helped prepare it," Justen said.
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| Learning how to read recipe. |
After the completion of a series of classes, students should know how to follow a recipe, understand what foods are in season locally, and choose moderate portions. They figure out the types of food that are good fits for their bodies, which typically means they decrease their intake of sugar. As they cook, students put into practice kitchen safety rules as well as lessons learned in math, science, language arts and health classes.
Justen founded FEAST three years ago with Cathy Cleary, co-owner of West End Bakery, in conjunction with the local chapter of Slow Food. They realized quickly that the classes are as much about communication, problem-solving and compromise as they are about food. "In reality, it's a social justice program," Cleary said.
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| Cutting herbs from school garden. |
Justen and Cleary work with volunteers to hold classes for both children and their parents in the Shiloh, Pisgah View and Burton Street communities, as well as the City of Asheville's 21st Century Learning Center. When possible, they incorporate community gardens in their programming so the families can connect to their food before it leaves the ground.
"We were thrilled to share a FEAST experience with Josh," Justen said. "Support from the national Slow Food organization is essential as FEAST expands and is replicated in other areas of the country."
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| Greens from local grower. |
Viertel was in Asheville to discuss strategies in national agricultural policy with leaders in food justice. His influential writing and other work to create a healthy food system has been recognized globally. Prior to Slow Food USA, Viertel co-founded and co-directed the Yale Sustainable Food Project, which brought local, organic food to Yale's dining halls, and established a working organic farm on campus. Viertel received his AB in Philosophy and Literature from Harvard University and previously farmed organically. He now lives in Brooklyn, N.Y.
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| Berry donation from M R Gardens. |
Slow Food USA is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to supporting and celebrating the food traditions of North America. Organization leaders believe that pleasure and quality in everyday life can be achieved by slowing down, respecting the convivial traditions of the table and celebrating the diversity of the earth's bounty. For more information about the local chapter, see http://www.slowfoodasheville.org/.
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| Asheville Middle School class digs in! |
The general public will have an opportunity to support FEAST in the fall. Asheville Affiliates is hosting a "Feasting for FEAST" fundraising event at The Venue on Market Street on September 22. For information about the event or opportunities to volunteer and donate to FEAST, contact Kate Justen at feast.avl@gmail.com.
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Media release written by Megan Riley, owner of M R et cetera, LLC, a resource for social entrepreneurs. Megan provides communication materials to help programs, organizations and mission-driven businesses grow to their full potential for the benefit of communities. See the Mountain Xpress article about Josh's visit.
