And so I found myself, with my “Cooks” co-writer Olivia May, cooking breakfast for 97 people on a recent “FM @SELMA” (Friday Mornings at Soule-Eberwhite-Liberty-Madison-Affiliation) — the current nerve center of the local food movement — at the beautiful West Side home of Jeff McCabe and Lisa Gottlieb. How we all came to this point (me, Olivia, stalwart volunteers, the 97 guests, and especially Jeff and Lisa) is the story of how one dinner, three years ago, created a growing movement that is determined to forever change the way we eat in Washtenaw County.

That initial fundraising dinner in 2007, with food provided by local growers and cooked by renowned chefs Eve Aronoff (eve) and John Somerville (the Lark), was initially thought to be a “one-off” fundraiser for the Ypsilanti organization Growing Hope. But it planted the seeds of what has since evolved into a recurring Friday morning breakfast to support local farmers.

After that first dinner, Lisa and Jeff prepared them- selves structurally, spiritually and gastronomically. They transformed their home with a spacious, sunny kitchen that would be the envy of anyone (Jeff is a licensed build- er). They read Michael Pollens’ The Omnivore’s Dilemma, which generated much thought-provoking conversation. Lisa became excited about “what it means to eat real food and turn our culture back to local farming – where we know where we’re getting our food, how the plants are raised, and how animals are cared for.” Their inaugural Friday morning breakfast was on February 15, 2009. A fundraiser for filmmaker and food activist Chris Bedford, “Diner for a Day” again boasted the talents of Eve, along with the Produce Station’s Scott MacInnis and local chef-turned-coffee roaster John Roos. The second breakfast was much more modest – the purpose was to eat leftovers and celebrate Jeff’s birthday. But they didn’t quit. The next few were plan- ning meetings, and what sprung from that – despite some inevitable organizational and legal challenges — were the Friday morning breakfasts that show no sign of letting up after more than a year.

These are no ordinary breakfasts. Lisa says the food is “awesomely delicious.” Try breakfast Pizza Rustico from Silvio Medoro (Silvio’s Organic Pizza), “Hippy Hash” from Max Sussman, Salvadorian breakfasts from Sylvia Nolasco-Rivers of Pilar’s, stuffed winter coulibiac from Dan Vernia (“Mind, Body, Spirit”), and frittata from Wonder Woman and Bad Fairy of the “Bona Sera Supper Club.” But one of the beautiful things of FM @SELMA is the opportunity it also gives for the non-professional chefs to ply their wares.

Tantre’s Richard Andres likens the breakfasts to Amer- ica’s “Rebel Café’s” that spawned revolutionary Thomas Payne, and a long line of grass roots organizers, that are a “tradition in this country.” Richard contributes vegetables, ideas and energy to FM @SELMA; in turn he feels “acknowledged, recognized, loved, and encouraged” in his efforts to transform his and Deb Lentz’ Chelsea Farm into a relevant force in the local food movement.

Local producers like Tantre receive about one third of the money raised at FM @SELMA’s breakfasts (suggested donation $12-15). Another two third goes to build “hoop houses” — structures designed and built with volunteer labor, to enable four-season plant production. Two have been built locally so far; one for urban farmer Greg Willerer of Brother Nature Produce in Detroit, and another off Joy Road, just north of Ann Arbor, for Tomm and Trilbey Becker of SunSeed Farm.

FM @SELMA literally could not survive without the many regulars who come for Thursday night prep (and organic potlucks), and who make things work on Friday by greeting guests, taking and serving orders, expediting and plating dishes, grilling waffles (Lisa’s recipe, a weekly mainstay, especially popular with kids), washing dishes, and post-breakfast cleanup.

Long time volunteer Susie Baity Stearns is often the first smiling face visitors encounter. She helps newbies navigate the sign-in book and masking tape “name tag” system, while finding them a seat and a hot beverage of Roos’ Roast coffee or Arbor Teas.

Lisa and Jeff confound expectations by seemingly be- coming more energized by the constant influx of people into their home. Lisa, a self-described “kinesthetic extrovert,” also sets pragmatic boundaries. While visitors no longer bother ringing the doorbell, they know the second floor of the house is off limits. On the night we prepped, Jeff and Lisa left to see a jazz show, with a dozen friends completing the work and having dinner. Other nights they might go up to bed while others stay. There is also some- thing deliciously upside-down about slipping into someone else’s home on a Friday morning to start breakfast for 100 visitors, while the homeowners eventually pad down in slippers to grab a cup of coffee and say good morning. Lisa, a social worker for the Washtenaw County Youth Home, has a special routine on Fridays. She may begin her day with yoga in her downstairs studio, and then come upstairs for breakfast. She and Jeff are quite hands-on, both involved in soliciting chefs, procuring the ingredients for the weekly breakfasts and often participating directly, like doing their own ham curing.

Both are thrilled with the events of the last year. Jeff is helping to plan for the 2nd Annual HomeGrown Local Food Summit on March 2 from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. at UM’s Dana Building (http://localfoodsummit2009.blogspot.com). He’s looking forward to celebrating local victories and making bold goals for the future.  Looking back on events leading up to the Summit, Jeff observes, “Last year was for brainstorming and networking. But this year is for action"