The American Institute of Wine & Food Hosts Days of TasteSM In Orange County & Long Beach Schools

Teaming up with farmers, chefs, food professionals, teachers and parents, The American Institute of Wine & Food (AIWF) reaches out to more than 10,000 U.S. elementary school children with its Days of Taste program throughout the months of September and October.

Modeled after a successful European program called the “Day of Taste,” in which chefs from a number of countries visit French elementary school children, Days of Taste began in 1994 in the U.S. under the auspices of the French Consulate and the New York chapter of The AIWF.

“In this age of fast and frozen foods, we want to teach school children about real food – where it is grown and how it is produced – so that they can develop an understanding and appreciation of how good food is supposed to taste,” said the late Julia Child, AIWF founder and former national spokesperson for Days of Taste. Designed and created especially for fourth and fifth grade students, the Days of Taste curriculum includes: · An explanation of the nuances of taste, which seeks to build a food/nutrition vocabulary and to allow children to experience and compare basic tastes, guided by a chef, food professional and classroom teacher; · A visit with a local farmer allows children to discover the wonder of growth from seed to mature plant and the wealth and variety of locally grown products; · The preparation of a harvest salad will help students appreciate the seasonality of locally-grown foods and how flavors combine with one another; and · A visit to the chef’s restaurant gives students an opportunity to observe restaurant operations and enjoy the sociability of eating a lovingly prepared meal.

Days of Taste events are sponsored regionally by individual chapters of The AIWF. Established in 1981 by culinary greats Julia Child, Robert Mondavi and the late Richard Graff as a non-profit educational organization, The AIWF was founded on the premise that gastronomy, the art or science of good eating, is essential to quality of life. With more than 7,000 members in over 30 chapters in the U.S., the Institute is dedicated to understanding and celebrating the pleasures, benefits, and traditions of the table.

Locally, the Orange County Chapter sponsored two schools for the two-day event, Veeh Elementary in Tustin and Fremont Elementary in Long Beach. About 140 students from the two schools participated

Day One featured a “History of Dining” program specially designed for them by AIWF member Pauline Chilton. Chef Paul Buchanan of Primal Alchemy Catering teamed up with Chef Becky Trowbridge of Marvelous Meals to guide the students through the classroom instruction on the benefits of freshly grown produce and healthy eating vs. fast foods.

Day Two featured a field trip to the Long Beach Farmers Market where local farmers spoke about local & Organic produce. Students were given $5 each to spend on fruits & vegetables to take home to their own families. Following the market, the group walked a few short blocks away to Kings Fish House where they prepared and assembled a Fall Harvest Salad made from fresh ingredients.

The grand finale of the two-day event is an interactive performance with musician and story teller Michael Heralda. Michael will use hand-made indigenous styled instruments to tell the story of the origins of corn, from planting, to preparing, to eating.

To receive more information on AIWF’s Orange County “Days of Taste” SM program, contact Dee FitzGerald or David Hill.