For this six credit program, the student will engage in workshops and dinners at the 2017 Slow Food Conference in Denver, CO to see how the Slow Food Movement impacts the way people view food. The student will discover what unique taste experiences can be gained from small, local, and craft food/beverage businesses. As well as, how these products are made. The student will also visit small businesses like breweries and distilleries. Tours and observational activities of Farm-to-Table restaurants will also take place to determine what makes a farm-to-table restaurant successful. Finally, the student will observe how terroir is showcased within the various food products.
| Learning Objectives | Activities that will help me to attain this objective | What my sponsor will evaluate |
|---|---|---|
| How does the Slow Food movement impact the way people view food? What can I learn from Slow Food? | Attend workshops & dinners at the Denver Slow Food Conference 2017. Read ‘Slow Food Nation: Why our Food Should be Good, Clean, and Fair’ By Carlo Petrini. | Create a blog post summarizing each workshop or dinner I attend during the Slow Food Conference; include pictures. |
| How do Farm-to-Table restaurants differ from one another? How do they source their ingredients? How do you determine what makes a farm-to-table restaurant successful? | Read ‘Farm to Table: The Essential Guide to Sustainable Food Systems for Students, Professionals, and Consumers’ by Darryl Benjamin. Tour Fruition’s farm and visit their restaurant. Explore other farm-to-table restaurants in Denver, Washington, or Oregon; observe the differences in menu, sourcing, ingredients, etc. | I will create a blog post for every farm-to-table restaurant I visit with pictures of the menu, restaurant, and meals I order. If possible I will include interviews from staff members, owners, chefs, farmers, or cheesemakers in my blog posts. |
| What unique taste experiences can be gained from small and local artisianal food/beverage businesses? How are these products made? What special methods are used to produce a certain taste? How is terroir showcased (or not showcased) within these products? | Read and review ‘Taste What You’re Missing’ by Barb Stuckey. Visit breweries, distilleries, bean-to-bar chocolate factories, etc. in Colorado, Washington, or Oregon. | Create a blog post for each separate tour, visit, or experience I have; include pictures. |
Evaluation of Work
- Narrative evaluation from sponsor
- Narrative self-evaluation from student
- Finished Blog
Faculty Support
Will communicate and update my sponsor with an email at least once a week. If I need additional support, I will contact my sponsor or set-up an in person meeting.
Previous Faculty
Sarah Williams, Donald Morisato, Martha Rosemeyer, Abir Biswas, & Steven Scheuerell.