Dear Slow Food Oxon Members:

Our first SF book reading meeting was a real success, very informative and a very enjoyable setting, too, please check our website in Features. Just to remind you, the book we discussed was Last Time to Eat by Gina Mallet. The next book we are going to discuss is The Rituals of Dinner: The Origins, Evolution, Eccentricities and The Meaning of Table Manners, by Margaret Visser. It is available at Amazon and the date for the next meeting is Wednesday, 24 May same place – The Wine Café, 38 South Parade in Oxford. Do come along and please let Liz know beforehand webeditor@slowfood-oxon.org.uk

Our biggest event this year is approaching fast – the fund raising dinner in support to Slow Food UK Association. We now have a venue, a menu and a price to it and I am encouraging you to let me know on your plans ASAP via e-mail. The Invitations will be posted shortly to your addresses.

Event – Celebrate the Taste – Fund Raising Dinner in support to SF UK Association

Date – Thursday, 18 May, 7pm for 7:30pm

Venue – Headington Hill Hall at Oxford Brookes University, London Road, Headington, Oxford.

Price - £45 non-members, £85 for couples non-members, £40 for members, £75 for couples-members. If you are an active member and would like to bring some non-member friends along, as well as your partners non-members – we shall treat them as SF members. Just state so in your reply slip.

Payment – cheques payable to Slow Food Oxon enclosed with your RSVP slip

Cancellation policy – will be shown on printed invites

What will this price cover?

£10 in support to Slow Food UK national office, 4 course meal, all local, seasonal and organic as much as possible, possibly – wine (tbc), Slow Food UK Arc of Taste and Presidia products tasting, guest speaker, raffle products (proceeds to go to third world countries food producers to attend Terra Madre 2006), beautiful surroundings in Headington Park and fascinating 17^th century rooms.

Due to the very limited space, I need to know how many SF Oxon members will attend before I can promote the event to the neighbouring Convivia, Local Food members and University staff. So, please, please send me an e-mail. This is a unique event and we hope to raise enough funds to support our national office, and I very much count on your participation and support.

Important: If you cannot attend the dinner but would still like to support Slow Food UK, please send your contributions payable to Slow Food Oxon to my home address (see below).

Last but not least, please mark your calendars for the following upcoming events in the summer (now posted on our website)

24 May – Book Reading group, Oxford, details from Liz Wilding, webeditor@slowfood-oxon.org.uk

6 June – Ethnic Foods evening in Oxford (No Fuss Chinese Dinner with Chef) details and sign up with Geoffrey Whittle ranger.organics@virgin.net

10 July – Coffee tasting in Wallingford, sign up and details from Sally Turnbull sally.turnbull@slowfood-oxon.org.uk

19 August – visit to David Barbour’s Heath Farm in Swerford, Cotswolds Brewery Tour (£5 per person) and dinner at local pub. Sign up and details from David david.barbour@slowfood-oxon.org.uk

We may still add another event during these months – a wine tasting “New World vs Old World”, so we’ll let you know as soon as we secure the venue.

Thank you for your time and I am looking forward to your replies,

Tamara