What's your new year's resolution? A message from Josh Viertel, President of Slow Food USA

[To Whom It May Concern],

I wanted to share something with you - my new year's resolution.

This year, I resolve to begin work to grow our movement by one million members in the next three years.
I know that sounds like a lot, but it is going to take at least a million of us to make food good, clean and fair for all. I'm committed to spend every ounce of energy I have working towards that goal, and so I'd like to do something that's always a little uncomfortable - ask you for your financial support.

http://slowfoodusa.org/newyears

Now that we've got that uncomfortableness out of the way, let me explain what your contribution will mean to the movement.

We know you're committed to the values we share, but the reality is that without your financial support Slow Food USA can't continue to make possible the inspiring work I see our volunteers do every single day. We want to be here in the years to come to make sure this work continues.
Hundreds of school gardens built, minds changed and food communities transformed, an historic school lunch bill signed into law - this is the work your support enables.
Here's a snapshot a what we achieved together this year:

• 170,000 actions taken to see the first real increases to school lunch funding as part of our 'Time for Lunch' campaign, including petitions, phone calls and letters to Congress
• Your egg recall petition heard in Washington DC, with legislation passed making our food safer, while protecting small farmers
• Thousands of Slow Food members broke ground at gardens, farms, and community events, and then broke bread together to celebrate, at over 180 simultaneous 'Dig Ins' from coast to coast  in September.
• We grew to a community of over 200,000 supporters in over 225 chapters nationwide.

Never before has our food system been so broken: one in three of our kids will develop diabetes; farmers are leaving their land every day. But never before have so many people stood shoulder to shoulder together, ready to do something about it. Parents, students, farmers, small business people, and others - folks from all walks of life - all mobilized to make change.
That's what it will take to fix our food, and to get us there we need your support. Will your new year's resolution be to help us make food good, clean and fair? Please give what you can today, before the end of the tax year:

http://slowfoodusa.org/newyears

Thanks for helping me work towards my resolution,

Josh Viertel
President, Slow Food USA
[info@slowfoodusa.org]
PS - There's only a few days left to make a tax-deductible donation this tax year. I've resolved to grow this movement by a million members. What's your resolution? Click here to make food good, clean and fair.

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Mixologist Aiello at Work

Mixologist Aiello concocting a cocktail of Van Arsdale lime vodka, brown sugar basil simple syrup, lemon juice and fresh basil.

With Björk in the background...

The Reuben of all Reubens, Part 1

I have a confession: I am a New York City virgin...until a recent visit last week. Wowee, NYC is the only city in the world! In my travels to and from all over the world, it always seem to transform into a culinary adventure and NYC surely demonstrates to be a fine foodie's playground.

Say hello to the Reuben on Rye at Katz's Deli:


Yes, I was hungry for an authentic New York Reuben from Katz's Deli but you would have been as well in the whirlwind experience I will now call "The Reuben-of-all-Reubens Shuffle."

The Dream:
Since 1888...let me repeat that...1888! Today is the last day of my NYC interlude and I am distraught! I don't want to leave but I'm nearing my last five dollars and the last thing I want to do is get mugged! Throughout the entire visit, one of my main goals was to fit in...fall in line...be an insider...to belong and feel special. Human truths...

But I blow my New York cover by snapping some pictures with my iPhone. Or did I? This queue in front of Katz's (and at the same time not for Katz's) seem to not notice my presence.


I go inside and the two "Katz's Deli bouncers" hand me a ticket, tell me not to lose or I will have to pay a $50 fine! Yikes! What have I gotten myself into?

Californians - Stand up for sustainable food

Below is an email from Slow Food USA. Please support them at:

http://slowfoodusa.org/



I signed the petition and here is my message to Governor Jerry Brown:

Let's preserve the future!

Dear [Believer],

On the heels of our big win on child nutrition two weeks ago, we thought folks in California might like to know about an important opportunity to make California's food system better.

Our friends at Roots of Change are using the great opportunity of a new Governor to set the standard for healthy, affordable and sustainable food. Please read their email below and sign their petition for comprehensive legislation that supports healthy food and farms for all Californians.

Thanks,
The Slow Food USA team

--------- Email from Roots of Change -----------

Hi,

Now that the election is over it’s time for the real work to begin. The sustainable food movement must seize this window of opportunity, when the governor’s agenda for the next four years is being set, to show the depth of concern about unhealthy food and agriculture in California.

If you think the California food system is broken this is your opportunity to be a part of fixing it. Make your voice heard by joining an unprecedented partnership between non-profit organizations from every sector of the sustainable food movement and the concerned citizens of California.

Click here to tell governor elect Jerry Brown to push for a healthy food and farming system in California:

http://rootsofchange.org/sign

After you sign the California Healthy Food and Agriculture Petition, you can have even more of an impact by forwarding this email to your friends and family who are also concerned about food. The combination of all of our voices will be one that cannot be ignored.

Thank you,
Roots of Change