Gelato-making at The Bent Spoon

While their peers were busy wrapping up papers for the semester, ten Slow Food Princeton members spent their Monday night studying chemistry: the chemistry behind the perfect gelato, that is.  Using butternut squash they grew in the Forbes College Organic Garden with the help of director Ruthie Schwab ‘09, the Slow Foodies prepared delicious butternut squash gelato with the help of Bent Spoon owner Gab Carbone in a private after-hours event.  After a primer in crème anglaise and the differences between gelato and ice cream, Gab’s apprentices whipped up a batch of gelato to enjoy together.  Thanks to Gab Carbone for her enthusiasm and efforts to make this possible!

Oriana Poindexter ‘11, Ying Fan ‘11, Jamie Magana ‘11, Alexa Krakaris ‘12, and Salone Loney ‘10 listen as Gab Carbone explains the chemistry behind The Bent Spoon Gelato

Gab explains how to extract the flesh from butternut squash grown in the Forbes College garden

The Slow Foodies watch eagerly as their squash is transformed into gelato

Colleen McCullough ‘12 goes in for a taste!

Henry Barmeier ‘10 samples some of The Bent Spoon’s other flavors

Joseph Vellone ‘10, Gab Carbone, and the butternut squash gelato. Delicious!

Cheesemaking at Cherry Grove Farm

This past Friday, a group of Slow Food Princeton members took a trip down the road to Cherry Grove Farm in Lawrenceville, NJ to learn first-hand about cheesemaking from owner Kelly Harding.  After a tour of the farm and milking session with the cows, Slow Foodies were guided through the cheesemaking process and learned the secrets of Cherry Grove’s legendary gouda and toma primavera, and even got a peek at their upcoming bleu!  A cheese tasting was the perfect ending to a crisp autumn afternoon.

Ruthie Schwab ‘09 and Jamie Magagna ‘11 watch as Kelly Harding operates the cheese vat he imported from the Netherlands

Henry Barmeier ‘10 listens as Kelly Harding explains the techniques used to brine Cherry Grove’s legendary toma primavera