La Commune

A few Saturdays ago I volunteered at a Slow Food fundraiser at La Commune Cafe. Most of you living in New York have heard of the Slow Food movement, as it is quite the culinary trend at the moment. But for those of you who don't know slow food is according to their website "Slow Food is a global, grassroots organization with supporters in 150 countries around the world who are linking the pleasure of good food with a commitment to their community and the environment. A non-profit member-supported association, Slow Food was founded in 1989 to counter the rise of fast food and fast life, the disappearance of local food traditions and people’s dwindling interest in the food they eat, where it comes from, how it tastes and how our food choices affect the rest of the world. Today, there are over 100,000 members, in 1,300 convivia – local chapters – worldwide, as well as a network of 2,000 food communities who practice small-scale and sustainable production of quality foods." I find it to be a very impressive and important organization. 

La Commune Cafe is a comunity kitchen and part of the commune libre d'Aligre association that is heavily supported by voulenteers and is a meeting space for many Slow Food volunteers. The association aims to aid  community leadership, cultural and sporting Quarter Aligre (a part of the 12th arrondissement). "The defense of its environment and its living environment, promotion of mutual assistance and solidarity among its people."

Commune libre d'Aligre (CLA) was founded in 1955 by Mr. Jeanson, Beauvau merchant market, in  solidarity and in an effort to aid people who needed assistance post-war. The CLA began in 1978 to celebrate the Aligre market and with many festivals, and local food and drink. The CLA is open to all, and is in fact dedicated to the life of the city in a spirit of conviviality and solidarity. I know this is sounding very hippy-dippy of me but ot me food is a way o connect people and land. I find that food and shared meals is a universal language. 

Since 2004, the CLA also hosts the Aligresse, a small garden where people, young and old, grow together. And in 2007 the CLA opened a coffee associative 3 rue Aligre, high place of conviviality in the neighborhood.

 

I find the CLA an amazing orgainzation and was happy to volunteer to help them and the Slow Food Movement. It was a long 13 hour day that finshed in the rain but I learned so much about produce that I had never seen before. We made Moroccan couscous, Peruvian cousa, sardine croustinis, and even a San Francisco cioppino.


We bought all the items we need at the local market. 

The mis-match crew making Tarts with Red Fruit