Dr. Richard Taylor.  OK, this is way off topic for a food and pottery blog, but we saw and heard a speaker last night who, I wish, I had run across 5 or 6  years ago when my Mom really first started showing the signs of dementia.

Dr. Taylor has dementia and pleads for us (who supposedly don’t) to learn about what it’s like and how to help those who do have it.  And please understand that of those who are 65, 1 in 7 has one of the 70 or so types, and at 85, 1 in 2 will have it).  Think about those numbers for a minute and what it will take society to deal with in terms of money and people.  Essentially everyone will have dementia or have to help someone who does.  A couple of links to his website and to a book and DVD he has out on dementia and how to help those who have it.

October 16th and 17th will mark the dates of the First Annual Couscous

Chef Farid Zadi

Festival in Pasadena, CA. http://couscousfestival.com/ If you’re anywhere near Pasadena, this will be an event not to miss.  Chef Farid Zadi and Susan Park are putting this festival together.  Besides Chef Farid’s demonstrations and workshops, Paula Wolfert will discuss and demonstrate making couscous in the traditional manner (steamed), Clifford Wright and Charles Perry will talk and demonstrate, and much more.

Clay Coyote Tagine at Chef Zadi's

We’ve been working with Chef Farid and Susan to make a signature Chef Farid Tagine which will be available only through their hanout (store).

If you’re on Facebook, Chef Zadi is posting truly interesting posts on his page.

We’ll have more soon about what’s coming in cooking.  Be prepared, you’re in for a “flavor explosion”!

AND A GREAT TIME WAS HAD BY ALL…
This was the 18th Annual Cambridge Pottery Festival and US Pottery Games…and what a great time. We’ve always had other shows conflicting and not gone. Shame on us! It’s a semi-unique kind of show – all pottery!
None of those pesky painters or glass blowers. The atmosphere was relaxed, only 40 booths so no one was in a rush.
Potters from all over the country, mostly mid-west but also North Carolina, Arizona, Nebraska, Florida. (That’s us, second on the left in the photo on the right.)

The big event is the Pottery Games, where potters, experienced and student, run timed throwing contests for a cylinder, large pot, plate, etc. These run from about noon on Saturday through the weekend.

There’s a raku pit, where you glaze a pot and watch it fired and an hour later take it with.
Kids events, you can try your hand at throwing a pot (with help).

We were so enthralled we came back wanting to start as similar festival here in Hutch! Two potter friends Joe Frank McKee and Travis Berning from North Carolina who were there told us about the Smoky Mountain Pottery Festival (June 6) and Western NC Pottery Festival (Nov 7) that run back east. (We carry Joe Frank’s work in the Gallery).
Anyone want to volunteer to help us pull this off in 2011?

Watch this spot. We’re running a Sushi
class at the Gallery March 21 and will be videoing the event and posting on line (YouTube with link to this blog). It’s a new effort we’re trying this year. So far we have people interested in doing Chinese and Indian Cooking Short Courses, we’re thinking of a “How to buy pottery” and “How to Buy Blown Glass”. What else might you like to see? Click on Comments (below) and let us know what might be of interest, or if you’ve got a specialty, and might be interested in teaching a 2 hour class.

Fresh veggies weeekly from our CSA Loon Organics

THE CLAY COYOTE BLOG IS NOW HOSTED AT
www.claycoyoterecipes.com

SOMETHING IMPORTANT!
Like so many, I pay attention to the frequency with which I hear various subjects, to try to determine trends. That has to be tempered with awareness that where you are and what you’re doing may color what you hear.
That being said, I’m hearing from a lot of different directions and sources, that people are looking at trying to use more and more locally grown foods…both for health reasons, because it helps our local economies and because it “feels” better as well as tasting better. Amazing isn’t it? We’re beginning to figure out that the foods we eat and our health are linked.
There’s also something about linking to your local community that completes a circle. There is a commonality between food and handmade pottery, in nurturing us, our families and our communities. The level of humanity in growing, harvesting, preparing and serving food to each other is complimented by the use of utensils that have been made by people you know.
A couple of years ago there was an article in Ceramics Monthly, which we posted here, which explored this in more depth.
Recently, perhaps partly because the ‘growing season’ will be upon us soon here in Minnesota, we have become aware of the almost explosive growth of CSA farms, and local organic foods, changing what we eat to be more healthy and healthful.
There has been a spate of books recently that talk about these topics.
A few we’ve read and can recommend highly are:
“The Omnivore’s Dilemma” by Michael Pollan
“The Hundred and Fifty Healthiest Foods” Jonny Bowden
“Good Calories-Bad Calories” by Gary Taubes
“In Defense of Food” by Michael Pollan
“Weeds and Why They Grow” by Jay McCaman (for gardeners)
If you have thoughts on this topic, and other good books to recommend on better eating, please share by posting a comment below.
Adam and Laura have taken over Katy and Peter’ August Earth CSA Farm and renamed it to Loon Organics. They’re still looking for some members, as is a new CSA “The Farm of Minnesota” being established by Dan and Donna Moe. They won’t be certified organic for a couple of years, but are using organic methods now (Website to come shortly). They can be reached at 320-587-7882.
Dan observed in a visit a couple of days ago that if you consider cost of food as part of healthcare, you can spend a smaller amount on food and pay for it in bad health later. Or you can pay more for food now, live better and have better health later with lower costs for medical care.
If you’re not in the Hutch area, we strongly recommend looking at www.localharvest.org which is an excellent starting resource for locally grown foods.
This is all another reason we’re so excited about our new line of Ceramic Flameware Stovetop Cookware. It adds another dimension to being able to use handmade pottery for cooking.