Back to the Roots: Food & Community – A Special Terra Madre Dinner at Frank’s

Back to the Roots: Food & Community – A Special Terra Madre Dinner at Frank’s

Article and photos by Jane Meijnen

Terra Madre means Mother Earth.
Terra = land, earth, ground, soil.
Madre = mother.

In Wikipedia, Terra Madre is a network of food communities launched by Slow Food and the intent is to provide small-scale farmers, breeders, fishers, and food artisans whose approach to food production protects the environment and communities. The network brings them together with cooks and consumers so they can join forces in working to improve the food system – to assure the continuity of Mother Earth.

And so we have the day 10 December dedicated globally as Terra Madre Day to respect and honor our local producers and artisans, whose passion we all reap much benefit from.

This year a special dinner was held on 20 December 2021 in Hong Kong to celebrate Terra Madre Day, at Frank’s Italian American Social Club with a one-day only menu largely derived from local ingredients. The star producers of the evening were on the center table ~ Zen Organic Farm providing the vegetables, Wah Kee Farm providing the pork, and J’s Garden fron Yunnan providing pumpkin, garlic, and foraged truffles and walnuts.

The buzz of anticipation was running high on arrival, as Slow Food members gathered in the bar enjoying our complimentary cocktail before being led upstairs for our dining extravaganza.

The buzz continued throughout the night as our senses were illuminated with taste sensations, as family style dishes were brought to our tables with great finesse. A rainbow of colors whetted our appetites with a selection of pre-antipasto gems, launching the 7-course tasting menu. Impossible to select a favorite, perhaps mine was the ‘Cuttlefish Tagliatelle Frank’s Diavolo’ of homemade nduja, mint and condition of cherry tomato.

A FABULOUS evening had by all.

Thank you Chef Vinny Lauria, our fantastic farmers, and Slow Food Hong Kong.