The Devotay eNewsletter - October, 2008

Food is about to demand your attention.

-Michael Pollan 

I don't want to talk about it.

The Devotay  eNewsletter - October 2008

Not only did my beloved Cubbies get swept again in the first round of the playoffs, they got swept by the team that subsequently lost to the Phillies.  Embarassing.  Don't talk to me about it.

Attention Des Moines/Ames Area

I'm coming your way two Fridays in a row.  First, I'll be in downtown Des Moines at the Kitchen Collage (430 E Locust St.) tomorrow, 10/17, for a brief reading from my book and signing at 11:30, and refreshments will be provided,  Hope you can stop in, get a book and say "hi."

Then one week later, on 10/24, I'll be reading on the ISU Campus @ noon, at 8 Curtiss Hall.  Sponsored by Wheatsfield Co-op and Slow Food Ames, this one is a brown-bag event, so please feel free to bring your lunch and sit and enjoy, should be loads of fun.

Both event are totally free and open to the public.  Hope to see you there.  Not from the area?  Please tell your friends to come see me!

On the Radio-Ah-O

They always said I had a face for radio.

The book's been getting a little airtime lately, but don't fret if you missed it cuz there's more to come. First I got a mention in the Christian Science Monitor and they put a little mp3 interview on the website, and the nice folks at WVUM in Milwaukee had great things to say bout my book and about 10 others.

Closer to home I had a great deal of fun on KSUI's Know The Score, and while they don't post those online, I'll be putting an mp3 on my blog as soon as I receive it.

But wait! That's not all!  I recently completed recording an interview with Lynn Rosetto Kasper of Splendid Table fame, and will be on her show on an upcoming weekend to-be-named (don't worry, I'll be shouting from the rooftops). On top of that, I'll be on WSUI's Talk at Twelve on 11/13, and then my big Live From Prairie Lights debut is 11/14, so mark your calendars. 

Our wine tasting theme for the year has been "The Wide World of Wine," but when it comes to Zinfandel that world is much narrower (read: it's all grown in California).  So, instead of the customary 4 wines from 4 continents thing, we're going to feature 4 Zins from 4 California AVAs (Lodi, Amador, Paso Robles, & Sonoma) this coming Monday, October 20th @ the customary start time of 6:30.

Not only that, but we're throwning in a whole extra wine this time around, a cousin of Zinfandel called "Primitivo," from the Southern Italian region of Puglia.

So, here's the lineup:

• Oak Ridge "OZV" Zinfandel, Lodi 2005 
• Spelletich Cellars Alviso Vineyard Zinfandel, Amador 2003
• Ridge Zinfandel, Paso Robles 2004
• DeLoach White Zinfadel, Sonoma 2006
• Feudo Monaci Primitivo, Puglia 2001

Caveats & Fine Print: 

For those who are unfamiliar with how we do things at these tastings, it's really quite simple, and a whole lot of fun.

One Monday a month we set aside a portion of the restaurant for those who want to revel in the glory of the grape with others of their own ilk. It's just $23, and for that paltry sum you get tastes (roughly 2-3 ounce pours) of 4 different wines in some sort of cohesive theme (this year it's varietals), as well as a tapa or two to match and some sparkling conversation with winemakers, wine sellers, fellow wine lovers and of course Kim and Yours Truly.

All are welcome, from the novice to the bonafide sommelier. All you need is an interest in wine and the ability to bend your elbow. Actually, not even that - we have straws if you need'em.

Slow Food members get $2.00 off, and everyone who sticks around for a full dinner afterward can enjoy 25% off any bottle on our list.

It’s always on a Monday, and the fun always begins at 6:30. Make your reservations by calling the restaurant at 319.354.1001.

The winetasting calendar is available at this link. 

Just gotta give a quick shout out to the folks at Vesta, the still-pretty-new restaurant that survived the flood next to the Marriott in Coralville.  They have a beautiful spot there with a big bar, a big patio, and a show kitchen.  Must-haves on their menu include the lamb sausage pizza and Chili-rubbed duck breast with Swiss chard, three potato gratin & Chambord reduction.  Hmmmm baby them's tasty vittles.

That name by the way is a reference to the Greek hearth, same etymology as "vestal virgins," and is a reminder that they have a big brick oven for those great pizzas and breads.

They are open every day from 11am to 10pm, so I'm sure you can find a moment to stop by and try them out.  great beer and wine list too, and a dang tasty Martini.

Brunch! 

Don't forget that Devotay has launched a Sunday brunch buffet.  It runs from 10am-2pm every Sunday, and is just $14.  Kids 12 and under are 1/2 price. 

On the buffet you'll find something new and different every Sunday, as well as a few old standards.  One week you might find crepes, another might have sourdough french toast.  You'll always find our tasty local bacon and our Kalona Organics butter for your bread.

We feature a couple of tasty cocktails too: the classic mimosa is fresh orange juice with sparkling wine (we use Cava); and Kim's Sherry Mary is just what it sounds like -  great homemade bloody mary mix with dry sherry (yes, I was skeptical at first too, but it really is quite good). 

So just like for dinner, call 319.354.1001 to reserve a table, and bring your friends and family.  Our cyclists discount applies too. In fact the good folks at Bicyclists of Iowa City will be flooding in at 1:00pm this Sunday, so get there early!   

Election Day Special

'Tis the season folks and everybody has to get out there and VOTE on November 4th.

Now whether Ralph Nader is too conservative for you or you always thought Alexander Haig was a commie, all are welcome at Devotay and we have a deal for everybody who votes.

Show up on Election Day with your "I Voted" button on and we'll give you a free glass of Devotay's own Sangria with which to either celebrate or drown your sorrows, as the case may be.  Of course this is one of those "with purchase" kinda deals, and for those of you between 18-21 years old, sorry, can't help ya.  Life's unfair, I know.  You should still vote.

Those of you who've read any of my stuff outside this newsletter probably know that Michael Pollan is who I want to be if I grow up.  He wrote an open letter to the next President, and it's brilliant, so I wanna share:

Dear Mr. Presiden-Elect,

It may surprise you to learn that among the issues that will occupy much of your time in the coming years is one you barely mentioned during the campaign: food. Food policy is not something American presidents have had to give much thought to, at least since the Nixon administration — the last time high food prices presented a serious political peril. Since then, federal policies to promote maximum production of the commodity crops (corn, soybeans, wheat and rice) from which most of our supermarket foods are derived have succeeded impressively in keeping prices low and food more or less off the national political agenda. But with a suddenness that has taken us all by surprise, the era of cheap and abundant food appears to be drawing to a close. What this means is that you, like so many other leaders through history, will find yourself confronting the fact — so easy to overlook these past few years — that the health of a nation’s food system is a critical issue of national security. Food is about to demand your attention.

Complicating matters is the fact that the price and abundance of food are not the only problems we face; if they were, you could simply follow Nixon’s example, appoint a latter-day Earl Butz as your secretary of agriculture and instruct him or her to do whatever it takes to boost production. But there are reasons to think that the old approach won’t work this time around; for one thing, it depends on cheap energy that we can no longer count on. For another, expanding production of industrial agriculture today would require you to sacrifice important values on which you did campaign. Which brings me to the deeper reason you will need not simply to address food prices but to make the reform of the entire food system one of the highest priorities of your administration: unless you do, you will not be able to make significant progress on the health care crisis, energy independence or climate change. Unlike food, these are issues you did campaign on — but as you try to address them you will quickly discover that the way we currently grow, process and eat food in America goes to the heart of all three problems and will have to change if we hope to solve them. Let me explain.

You can (and should) read the whole thing at the NYTimes

Read an Excerpt from my Book

If there is still anyone left out there who has yet to buy my book (first of all, I'll need your 5 paragraph explanation as to why not by noon Monday), I thought you might like a little taste.  the good folks a Grist.org were kind enough to post an excerpt, which you can read by clicking here.

This one has a nice Iowa angle and a bit of history too, not to mention being just right for Apple season .

Don't forget, you can get the whole book at Devotay, or at Prairie Lights.

Links to the Nice Things They are Saying

	Selected through the Upper Midwest Booksellers Association read what booksellers are saying
	Excerpt at Grist.com part of WVUM radio’s Lake Effect Program, Milwaukee, WI Excerpt in Edible Grand Traverse Reviewed in The Iowan magazine Featured in the Christian Science Monitor Interview with Kurt Friese in the Press-Citizen Read the new review in this month’s Iowa Source Deborah Madison reviews A Cook’s Journey for Culinate Anne Kapler reviews the book for the Gazette in eastern Iowa Chef Kurt Michael Friese will appear on The Splendid Table radio show this fall. Check here for show date.

Discount for Cyclists

As mentioned before, Kim and I are avid cyclists, and proud members of Bicyclists of Iowa City.

In order to encourage more cycling, less traffic and less pollution, we have now instituted a 10% discount for anyone who rides their bike to the restaurant.

Just show your server your helmet, point out your bike, and we'll knock 10% off your meal.  If your guest(s) ride(s) too, we'll discount their meal as well.  This is not only for next week, but from now on.

That's all from Devotay World HQ!

Peace,

kmf  

"If you eat you are a part of agriculture" - Wendell Berry 

In This Issue:

Attention Des Moines Area

On the Radio-Ah-O

Wine: Of Zin and Salvation

An Unsolicited Testamonial

Brunch

Election Day Special

A Letter to the Next President, By Michael Pollan

Read an Excerpt from my Book

Links to the Nice Things They are Saying

Discount for Cyclists