The OSU Food Group received $800 in funding from the SSI in order to host two cooking classes during the Spring term of 2014. The specific goals of these cooking classes were to 1) instill knowledge about basic cooking skills and empower participants to cook for themselves; 2) impart knowledge about local and sustainable food systems and utilize these ingredients during the cooking classes; and 3) provide a forum for collaboration between participants, community members, local farmers, and chefs. Project leader Madie Delmendo wrote an Ecologue post and provided pictures from the cooking classes.
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This winter and spring OSU Food Group hosted two sustainably focused cooking classes. Sponsored by the SSI Project Grant, both cooking classes had the goal of spreading knowledge about what produce was available seasonally, where to buy locally sourced food, and the importance of sustainable food practices.
Professional chef Pati D’Eliseo taught the first cooking class. Pati taught a class of around 20 participants how to make purred vegetable soup and a warm vegetable ricotta salad. It was delicious! The class was a great success and OSU Food Group volunteers had the pleasure of starting many good conversations about sustainable foods with participants. The class highlighted winter available vegetables like leeks, radicchio, carrots, cabbage, and kale.
Food Group’s second cooking class took place at the beginning of spring and highlighted early spring veggies like asparagus. Rebecka Daye, graduate student from the Anthropology Food and Culture and Social Justice program, taught our second class. She featured Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo, roasted asparagus, and berry crumble. The berries we got frozen from a local farm. Even though berries aren’t in season quite yet in early spring you still have local options!
Unfortunately our last class of the year was cancelled because of unseen complications with location. Next year we hope to reapply and do all three classes!
– Madie Delmendo
CATEGORIES: Student Sustainability Initiative