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NEW YORK, June 7, 2006 - On June 20 at 6:45 p.m., the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ (ICE) and Slow Food New York will host Wild Gulf Shrimp Feast, a dinner with hands-on cooking components featuring wild Gulf shrimp. Members of the White Boot Brigade, a shrimper organization from the Gulf Coast, will discuss their work and their lives, including the devastating impact of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Profits from the event will help send Gulf shrimpers to the Slow Food International Terra Madre Conference in Italy in October 2006.

Many small family farmers and fishers were affected severely by last year's hurricanes. Their traditional way of making a living was already threatened before this, however, by unsustainable farming practices. The White Boot Brigade is an organization of traditional family shrimpers, many of whom lost their homes and boats during the hurricanes. They typically fish for wild Gulf shrimp, which this evening will feature.

The warm water shrimp are part of Slow Food USA's Ark of Taste, which seeks to preserve traditional foods that represent an economic, social, and cultural heritage. The shrimp are noted for their sweet taste and firm, almost crunchy, texture.

The evening will start with remarks from White Boot Brigade members, followed by the viewing of "Gulf Fishers in the Aftermath of Katrina," a movie featuring fishermen and shrimpers. Sarah Copeland and Miriam Garron, both ICE alumni and recipe testers at The Food Network, then will lead attendees through a demonstration and a hands-on cooking class featuring wild Gulf shrimp flown in that morning specially for the event. After the class, everyone will sit down for dinner, to last until 9:45 p.m.

Tickets are available at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/5491 at the cost of $55 for Slow Food members and $60 for non members. The event will take place at ICE at 50 West 23rd Street.

Slow Food New York City, the NYC convivium of the international Slow Food movement, identifies the varied and authentic gustatory and cultural experiences that are unique to our city and preserves and cultivates them through education, activism, and enjoyment.

Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ ICE

The Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ (ICE®) is New York City's award-winning center for culinary education. Founded in 1975 by Peter Kump, the school offers highly regarded 8- to 12-month career training programs in Culinary Arts, Pastry & Baking Arts, Culinary Management and Hospitality Management. With an intensive curriculum, dedicated Chef Instructors, a strong record in externship placements and a clear entrepreneurial focus, ICE is widely regarded as a great pathway to begin or continue a culinary career. ICE also runs the largest program of hands-on recreational cooking classes and wine education courses in the country, with more than 26,000 enthusiasts taking any of the 1,500 classes offered each year. In 2008, ICE was named the International Association of Culinary Professionals' (IACP) Culinary School of the Year and a School of Distinction by the ACCSCT in 2006. ICE's 42,000 square-foot facility is open seven days and nights a week, 350 days a year and is located at 50 W. 23rd Street, New York, NY 10010. More information can be found at www.iceculinary.com.