Released May 22, 2008

LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- Slow Food-Las Vegas, the first Nevada convivium of Slow Food USA, will introduce Nevada natural, grass-fed beef to Las Vegas residents on Tuesday, June 3, from 7 to 10 p.m. at a free-form dinner function. The beef was raised at the Smith Ranch in Smith Valley, Northern Nevada. Jim Smith and his wife, Tina, operate their third-generation ranch and will be present at the event. The Smith family takes great care that their animals are raised naturally and are 100 percent grass-fed. The menu for this event will be prepared with local foods by celebrated chef Alex Stratta, renowned chef Nick Lorenzen and Restaurateur Giovanni Mauro. The event will be held at Southern Wine and Spirits, 8400 S Jones Blvd. Participation is by RSVP only.

Natural beef animals from the Smith Ranch reproduce through natural means, are 100 percent grass fed their entire lives, never exposed to antibiotics or hormones and finished on pasture rather than a feedlot. Both Jim and Tina Smith will be present at the event to explain their production techniques and care for their animals. Slow Food Las Vegas is bringing this high quality beef into Las Vegas for the first time and it will be done without freezing.

This Slow Food Las Vegas dinner event is open to the general public. Registration for this dinner event is $75 per person, $60 for Slow Food members. Interested attendees can RSVP with Slow Food Las Vegas for this event or obtain more information about Slow Food by sending an email to info@slowfoodlv.org or by calling the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension at 702-257-5509.

Slow Food is a non-profit, educational organization dedicated to supporting and celebrating the food traditions of North America. Slow Food conducts programs and activities dedicated to taste education, local food production and biodiversity, and the building of food communities. Slow Food believes that pleasure and quality in everyday life can be achieved by slowing down, respecting the convivial traditions of the table and celebrating the diversity of the earth’s bounty. Sponsors of this Slow Food event include Southern Wine and Spirits, Nora’s Restaurants and the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension.

University of Nevada Cooperative Extension is an outreach arm of the University that extends unbiased, research-based knowledge from the University of Nevada-and other land-grant universities-to local communities. Educational programs are developed based on local needs, sometimes in partnership with other agencies and volunteers. For more information about the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, please visit the website at http://www.unce.unr.edu or call (702) 222-3130.

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http://www.unce.unr.edu/news/article.asp?ID=1199