Name: Slow Food Cincinnati Series
Start: 2025-10-22T18:00:00-04:00
Location: 2715 Reading Rd, Cincinnati, OH, United States, Ohio 45206

This three-part collaboration between Slow Food Cincinnati and the Civic Garden Center—sauerkraut with Gary, wine making with Luis and cheese making with Eduardo—reflects the spirit of the Slow Food movement, which began in Italy in the 1980s as a response to the spread of fast food and industrialized eating. At its heart, Slow Food is about reclaiming the joy of cooking, protecting traditional knowledge and honoring food as both nourishment and culture. By focusing on simple, foundational techniques like fermentation, cheesemaking and winemaking, these classes connect us to practices that people have carried forward for generations across the world.
In Italy, Slow Food grew out of the belief that food should be “good, clean, and fair"—good in flavor and quality, clean in production with respect for the earth and fair in supporting the people who grow and make it. This series brings that philosophy to life here in Cincinnati. Participants won't just learn recipes; they'll learn to slow down, work with their hands, use seasonal and local ingredients and reduce waste—all of which strengthen our local food system and keep traditions alive.
The CGC and Slow Food Cincinnati share a natural symbiosis. The CGC's focus on sustainability, composting and education pairs seamlessly with Slow Food’s mission to preserve food culture and build community through shared learning. This partnership demonstrates how environmental stewardship and food heritage are deeply interconnected. From Gary’s practice of fermentation to Eduardo’s focus on dairy traditions to Luis’s celebration of wine chemistry, each class highlights the cycle of growth, transformation and renewal. Together, they offer a living example of how global principles from Italy can take root locally, helping our community connect the soil, the kitchen and the shared table.
PRICING:
From September 3 to September 30: Get all three workshops for $125 (a $25 savings)!
Starting on October 1: Discounted series pricing will no longer be available, and any remaining places in each class will be available for purchase individually at $50 each.

SAUERKRAUT MAKING
DATE: Wednesday, October 22, 6-7:30pm
In our Kraut class, you will learn fermenting basics and walk away with your very own crafted sauerkraut. In this hands-on workshop, Gary Lebyman of The Pickled Pig will teach you proper cutting, brining, seasoning and fermenting white you make a quart of kraut to take home and watch bubble up. Pickled Pig will provide all supplies.
MEET YOUR INSTRUCTOR: Gary Lebyman is the owner of The Pickled Pig in Cincinnati’s Walnut Hills, a neighborhood spot known for house-made fermented foods, sandwiches, and smoked meats made with locally sourced ingredients. Gary and his wife, Libby, began by selling fermented goods at farmers’ markets before opening their brick-and-mortar in 2019. In 2021, he received the Slow Food Cincinnati Snail of Approval Award for his commitment to good, clean, and fair food. He has supported the Civic Garden Center by providing leftover fermented vegetables for their compost systems, helping reduce food waste.

WINE MAKING
DATE: Wednesday, December 3, 6-7:30pm
Discover the art and science of winemaking in this engaging workshop! Together we’ll explore Cincinnati’s rich winemaking history, learn about native grape varieties, and craft personalized wine recipes to ferment at home. As part of the workshop, you’ll participate in a guided tasting to sharpen your palate and gather inspiration for your creations. We’ll also introduce basic chemistry concepts related to wine, such as fermentation and balancing acidity, explained in simple, accessible terms for beginners. You'll leave with one pint of ingredients necessary for at-home fermentation.
Participants must be 21 or older. No experience is necessary. All materials will be provided, with optional supplies available for purchase afterward.
MEET YOUR INSTRUCTOR: Luis Aguilar-Dwyer, originally from Houston, Texas, combines a background in Environmental Biology with hands-on winemaking experience gained at a Cincinnati winery. Now a staff member at the CGC, Luis connects his love of plants, wine chemistry and community education through teaching. This season, he will lead a workshop on homemade winemaking, showing how fermentation can be both approachable and rewarding. By blending science and tradition, Luis reflects the values of the Slow Food movement, inviting participants to slow down, learn by doing and celebrate food and drink that are good, clean and fair.

CHEESE MAKING
DATE: Wednesday, January 7, 6-7:30pm
This demonstration-based will guide participants through the process of making two fresh cheeses—ricotta and paneer—that can be easily recreated at home. You’ll learn not only the techniques but also some of the culture and history behind ricotta, with opportunities to sample different ricotta cheeses throughout the class. You’ll go home with a ricotta-making kit that includes a cheese template to shape the cheese, a storage container and recipe and instruction cards.
As the final class in our Slow Food Cincinnati Series, the evening will also feature reflections from the Board Chair of Slow Food Cincinnati, sharing the history of our local chapter and how it connects to the broader international Slow Food movement.
MEET YOUR INSTRUCTOR: Eduardo Rodriguez is a dedicated food artisan who specializes in teaching traditional cheese-making practices. As part of Cincinnati’s community of local food artisans, Eduardo works to preserve food heritage and share the accessible craft of dairy culture. In 2015, his local cheese business, My Foods, won a Slow Food Cincinnati Snail of Approval Award. This season, he will lead a workshop on ricotta cheese and paneer, guiding participants through simple, approachable methods that highlight quality ingredients and time-honored techniques. Through teaching, Eduardo connects people to the deeper values of the Slow Food movement—good, clean, and fair food for all.
REGISTER: https://civicgardencenter.networkforgood.com/events/91326-slow-food-cincinnati-series-making-sauerkraut-wine-and-cheese