Photo by Myra Klarman

Record numbers, yet so smooth and easy. The nice steady pace throughout the day made it seem rather calm. Silvio’s brilliant idea of Pizza Rustica, besides being delicious, was prep’d ahead of time to a great degree, making things proceed smoothly. And then there is just the presence of Silvio, the King of Calm, the new reigning champ of soft, smooth, scrumptious, satisfying service. Adding to the Friday effort were the team of happy-friendlies: Shana Kimball, Maria Bonn, Rex Roof, Kate Daum and Bridgette Carr. A dedicated dishwasher roll and a “relief clean-up” position (come in at 10:00, eat and stay till clean up is done) seem to be in order at this greater volume of humanity. Interested: our volunteer signup survey is here.

Thursday prep night was a blast as well. 12 of us at one count, many of the Friday crew, joined by Silvio’s daughter Francesca who can roll out a mean pastry dough, Lisa’s son Nevon who is a Selma regular now, contributing in any way needed (finding Silvio’s back alley door for a last minute ricotta pickup, getting up Friday morning to wash afew dishes before school, etc.) whenever he is not in school (2 more months buddy). Ian Bost went above and beyond taking on the “vegetarian carving a prociutto leg” job among others. Matt and Shannon came through again. I know I am missing at least one (but thank you all). The preppers feast was hoop-house salad, cured meats and home-made cheese and bread, vegetable soup, zing’s brownies, … (hint, hint, we could use your talents)

I think the weather was really one of the nicest contributors today as well. As people started moving about outside, seeing all the bicycles lined up in the driveway, neighbors shoveling compost into garden beds, finally thinking the last hard frost could be behind us.

It may be time for someone else to roll out a Thursday morning breakfast(?), a Friday night supper(?) We sure could use a roving band of potato and onion dealers. I look forward to hearing your ideas for the next steps in stirring the local food pot.

Oh, by the way: We had our first encounter with “the man” regarding our renegade chickens. Basic brief back-story: we got our birds last year when it was not clear the city would ever get around to a common sense approach to poultry. As part of our community-building, neighborhood-affiliating, school-kid relating efforts (as well as to let the backyard grass recover a bit from a hard winter) we moved the featheries up front about 2 weeks ago. It has been a blast with many conversations, kids feeding the birds scratch grain treats, lots of oohs and ahhs.

We had thought we would not pursue the official permit, as we are a bit out of compliance anyway and did not really feel this should be required (that this process was more just a way for the city to ease into a common sense practice). The city attorney hand delivered a notice telling us of all our waywardness.

Photo by Myra Klarman

Scott made his third appearance at Selma Cafe and is obviously still full of ideas of how to create amazing taste treats from what is available from an early spring Michigan. Hugely popular was his corn-tortilla breakfast strata layered with tortillas, home-made black beans, tomato-cilantro sauce cheese, green onions and drowned in an egg-yogurt-cream-milk-sour cream bath. Thanks to Tantre Farm (eggs, milk), MSU Student Organic Farm (green onions), Growing Hope hoop-house (fresh cilantro) the Tessmer Hoop (side o’ salad greens), Sera Cheeses (Mozarella) and the larder (several quarts of last year’s tomatoes) for making this a local feast.

Once again the community came together with a relay race of overlapping shifts sufficient to put on one of our biggest breakfasts. Bridget Carr, Anne Karle-Zenith, Ali Asad Lotia, Garin Fons, Shana Kimball, Matt Burton and Meghan Milbrath (did I miss anyone?) all came through to make the day run smoothly. Selma Cafe is attracting larger and larger groups including a 10 person meeting of the Slow Food Huron Valley leadership team and a swarm of 11 Eberwhite parents and kids starting off their day right.

Kim Bayer again ran the podcast interviewing several of our guests including organic gardener Erica Kempter of Nature and Nurture and Chef Aaron Lindell. Rich Klarman follows with our first Selma Cafe serenade (Whats so Funny ‘Bout Peace, Lover and Understanding) on miniature guitar and let’s us all know about this year’s Festifools event. Who is that really behind that Frida facade?

Master of ceremonies Scott MacInnis with special guest Van Sly dripped, dropped, poached and topped. Eggs Beni were the big favorite, about split between the house cured smoky ham option and the spinach and mushroom variety.  Several people were not fooled by pre-conceived options and ordered theirs “all of the above”.

Our servers came through again with grace, efficiency and good will, delivering food, keeping tea and coffee cups filled, and washing piles of  dishes. Hats off to you, and big thanks  Matt Burton, Garin Fons and Ali Asad Lotia.

Chris and Monique Williams were on hand to discuss their mushroom biz and were kind enough to chat with us on the podcast….

…. for a bit about mushroom 101. Speaking of the Podcast, Kim Bayer was my guest this week, discussing her blog The Farmer’s Marketer, The Homegrown Festival and how paying attention to where our food comes from has turned out to be a way we have enjoyed life more fully.   Kim skillfully turned the interview around and asked me a couple questions before I turned it over to her for a while to interview a few of our guests including Jeremy Lopatin and Mad (more frantic really)  Max. I will be begging Kim to take over the podcast as she proved a natural today.  Please lobby her to sign up if you get a chance.

We had 55 guests today and raised about $600 for the local foods community.   I hope you can be one of our guests next week.  6:30 to 10:00 as always.

Up next: March 27 – Aaron Lindell will serve Spanish Tortillas featuring local eggs, onions,  organic fingerling potatoes with a mushroom or house cured spanish chorizo version.  He will also offer up country style ham with biscuits and red-eye gravy.  Add to that our standards of whole grain waffles, Lisa’s kickin’ granola lubricated with a cup a joe or Arbor Tea and you have a great start in store to your Friday.

On February 27, 2009 a breakfast working-meeting was convened with all those (able) having expressed an interest in the perpetuation of a regular “breakfast salon”. From this meeting (stoked with strong RoosRoast coffee, chorizo, waffles, Michigan fruits, …) this plan has emerged:

• Selma “Cafe” will be open 6:30 – 10:00 am every Friday as long as is viable (volunteer staffing levels are maintained, we are not all imprisoned, etc.)
• Location will continue to be 722 Soule Blvd. Ann Arbor, MI The home of Lisa Gottlieb and Jeff McCabe
• Selma “Cafe” is envisioned as a center, a hub, a heart of the many ongoing efforts to improve our lives through community building, free access to affordable, healthy foods, and to foster right-livelihood in vocations with meaning and purpose
• Each event will be organized by a “chef” who will work with 2 (or so) other “staff” members
• A weekly podcast will be originated from Selma “Cafe” at 9am (Eastern) that will feature an on-site host (Jeff McCabe til further notice) discussing a topic with 1 on-site and 1 off-site guest. Topics will span subjects related to re-localization of food economies.
• You are welcome!! Please come see us, pull up a chair, tell us what you would like to drink, to eat, what is on your mind. Pass through when you are able, or stick around and make it happen.
• Suggested donation is $10-$15 for breakfast. This is an all-volunteer operation. All proceeds go directly to the local farmers and producers that supply the ingredients and to non-profit groups working to expand access to healthy, sustainable food resources.
• Selma “Cafe” will adhere to principals of openness, inclusiveness and transparency. We seek your help in building the tools and organizational structure to maintain this foundation.

Please click on the comments link (just below here) to add your feedback on the Diner for a Day event and to offer any ideas for future events. Thanks!!