TAHOE/TRUCKEE, Calif. and#8212; Imagine shopping for your weekand#8217;s groceries based on whatand#8217;s in season, not whatand#8217;s on a list. Imagine feeding your family the kinds of food their bodies need and crave. Imagine delicious meals that feed your body and nourish your soul. It can be done, with Joanne Neft and Laura Kennyand#8217;s latest cookbook and#8220;The Art of Real Food: Seasonal Recipes for Every Week of the Year.and#8221; The cookbook, an inspiration for anyone whoand#8217;s longed to connect with food and the farmers who grow it, guides readers through the seasons by offering recipes, ideas and cooking tips for fresh, in-season food for 52 weeks. Meet Joanne Neft co-author of and#8220;The Art of Real Foodand#8221; in Truckee, June 13, at Dragonfly at the Slow Food Lake Tahoe event and#8220;Cooking Outside the Box.and#8221;

Passionate food advocate Dragonfly owner and chef Billy McCullough will be also on hand to create recipes from Mountain Bounty Farmand#8217;s CSA box and provide ideas on how to utilize fresh foods in season. Billy has long been an advocate of locally grown foods and wines and changes the menu at his restaurant Dragonfly to reflect the fresh foods in season. Meet the farmers who grew the food being served and#8212; Mountain Bounty Farmand#8217;s owners, John and Angie Tecklin. Mountain Bounty Farm is Tahoeand#8217;s largest CSA (community supported agriculture) program.

Join Joanne, Billy and the Tecklins at this delicious event to share conversations about the changes in our food system and how it is affecting overall health in the community, while enjoying good food and drink for the evening. There will be several tables with food and wine pairings with organic food contributions from Mountain Bounty Farms, grass-fed meat from Trimmer Ranch of Genoa, Nev. and wines from Truckee River Winery and Sobon Estates Winery.

The event will be held at Dragonfly, 10118 Donner Pass Road, Truckee and will help raise funds for Slow Food Lake Tahoe. It is $35 for Slow Food members and $40 for non members. Call 530-587-0557 to make a reservation.

Slow Food Lake Tahoe is excited to bring together so many passionate people of local food and create a night of education, fun, and community. Slow Food Lake Tahoeand#8217;s mission is to reconnect people to the enjoyment of local, seasonal and sustainable food while educating the community about their vital role as participants in our food system.

and#8220;We, as mothers or cooks, give our love and caring to those we feed and#8212; this makes healthy meals one of the most important things we give our children, families and friends,and#8221; said Neft. and#8220;Itand#8217;s the most direct way we have to loving those we care about.and#8221;

For more information or to get involved with Slow Food Lake Tahoe visit www.slowfoodlaketahoe.org or call Monica Bender at 417-686-0128.