DooFLetter - A Newsletter On Our Food Show For Kids

DooFLetter Volume 1, Number 1

In response to the overwhelming interest in all things DooF, we here at DooF headquarters have cooked up our first newsletter to keep our friends up to date on the progress of the show.

Consider it an appetizer, a tasty sampling of the latest activities from the DooF kitchen...

EDUCATION UPDATE!
May marks the conclusion of the first year of our outreach program to the Oakland Unified School District, sponsored by the Alameda County Department of Nutrition with funding from the California Nutrition Network. Since September, the DooF team has produced a series of short educational videos and has brought simple, seasonal recipes to hundreds of second graders. Students have not only enjoyed the experience of preparing healthy food, but have also been able to learn more about where that food comes from. Last month, one of our students confided that making his carrot and radish salad "was more fun than playing video games." After a great school year, we look forward to resuming classes this fall.

DOOFERS IN THE NEWS

DooF writer/producer Margo Hall-Callender has made a critical splash this month in the highly acclaimed play "The People's Temple," showing to packed houses at the Berkeley Repertory Theater. Tickets are going fast, so make reservations soon! Read for yourself what the Chronicle had to say at SFGate

DOOF PILOT PRODUCER'S PROGRAM
Since its inception only 18 months ago, DooF has achieved a great deal. The excitement we've inspired in financial supporters like the Alameda County Public Health Department and the California Nutrition Network has enabled us to establish a successful education program, assemble an impressive creative team and advisory board, produce a series of high quality educational videos and complete scripts for six TV episodes.

To take the next step, we need to produce a complete pilot episode. For this reason, we're inviting a small group to join our Pilot Producers Program. Each "Pilot Producer" will be invited to visit the set during filming, attend a private screening of the finished episode, and join us for a special thank you event at one of San Francisco's hottest new dining venues.

For details on how to join our Pilot Producers Program, please Contact Us

DOOF KID OF THE MONTH
This month we shine our DooF light on Brandon Callender, talented son of acclaimed Bay Area Actors Margo Hall and Peter Callender. Brandon, 10, has been with the DooF team since its inception, having acted in the first DooF demo video we produced way back in the fall of 2003. He has subsequently become a lead player in nearly all of our educational videos and scripts in development. In his spare time, Brandon likes to read a lot, design paper airplanes and sports cars. His best friend is Eliyah and his favorite subject in school is science. Brandon hopes to attend UC Berkeley and become a forensic scientist, a lawyer or both.

RECIPE OF THE MONTH: FAVA BEAN PASTA À LA DOOF

Shell 2 lbs. fresh fava beans. Drop them into boiling water for 1 minute, drain, and put them into a large bowl of ice water to cool. Using your thumb, pop the beans out of their skins, and set them aside.

Heat a sauté pan with 4 tablespoons olive oil. Add the beans, some finely chopped spring garlic and a small handful of chopped parsley or mint. Cook over medium heat until sizzling. Set aside to keep warm.

Cook dried pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain the pasta (saving a few tablespoons of the cooking water) and add to the pan with the beans. Place over medium heat and toss until mixed, adding a little of the pasta cooking water to moisten. Serve on hot plates and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. Delicious!

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