Slow Food Columbia Valley is thinking globally and acting locally on Saturday, December 10 by joining Slow Food’s “global food revolution in celebration of our collective local food roots.”

Terra Madre Day, an annual celebration led by Slow Food International, is a day to celebrate “good, clean and fair food.” Around the world, small-scale farmers, producers, cooks, students, and other Slow Food members are using their creativity and knowledge to build a better food future, by hosting events.

Invermere’s event will celebrate African cuisine and draw attention to Slow Food’s project 1,000 Gardens in Africa. The goal of the organization is to create 1,000 food gardens by 2012. According to Slow Food, “more than 300 gardens — concrete examples of local, sustainable and self-sufficient food production — have been created.”  The proceeds from the event will go to the “1000 Gardens in Africa Project.” Future local events and projects may see the development of connections between Slow Food Columbia Valley, Groundswell Network Society, the Community Greenhouse and garden projects in Africa.

Since the inception of Terra Madre Day, Slow Food Columbia Valley has held annual celebration dinners and luncheons locally at Earl Grey Lodge, Eagle Ranch Golf Resort and David Thompson Secondary School.

This year, our dinner will be held at Birchwood Restaurant.  New co-owner/chef Marc Leblanc has planned a multi-course African-inspired menu to be prepared with as many locally-grown ingredients available. This is going to be a terrific evening and if you love food, you will not want to miss this event.

Tickets are $55 for members and $65 for not-yet-members and are available at Circle Health Foods. For more information on Slow Food Columbia Valley, contact Alison Bell at alisonbell0@gmail.com.