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Fast
times call for Slow Food
February 27, 03
Suzanne Havala Hobbs
Modern
life is fast.
We seldom seem to have enough time for
work, ourselves or our families.
But a movement that began in Europe asks
people to reflect -- and slow down --
around one central aspect of all of our
lives: food.
The idea behind the Slow Food movement is
that most of us today don't pay enough
attention to the food we eat. We don't
enjoy preparing it and eating it as much
as we should. We don't think enough about
where our food comes from and what's in
it.
Slow Food is also about preserving
culinary traditions and protecting small
farms.
It may come as no surprise that the Slow
Food movement got its start in Italy in
1986, in part in reaction to McDonalds
opening in Rome. More broadly, though, it
was a protest of the industrialization
and standardization of the food supply
and the loss of regional products with
their unique recipes and flavors.
In Italy, the movement has 35,000 members
in 340 chapters advocating for policies
that protect cultural foods and the
environment. Educating the public about
these core values is an essential goal.
One major success: the government has
incorporated food studies based on these
principles into the school curriculum for
kids.
The movement is spreading. It now has
more than 65,000 members and supporters
in more than 45 countries, including the
U.S., where the focus is North American
food traditions.
Slow Food U.S.A. advocates "living
the slow life" by recognizing that
food can be a daily pleasure if we make
the time for it. It can be especially
rewarding if we share meals and meal
preparation time with family and friends.
"Slow Food U.S.A. is an
eco-gastronomic association," says
David Auerbach, PhD, co-chair of the Slow
Food Research Triangle chapter and a
faculty member in the philosophy
department at North Carolina State
University.
"In the U.S., it's associated with
school gardens. The philosophy is to eat
food grown locally and in season, and to
promote small producers."
The guiding principles of Slow Food
U.S.A., which is a nonprofit educational
organization, include:
• Sustainability. Stewardship of the
land, ecologically sound methods of
farming, and promoting food that is
local, seasonal, and organically grown.
• Cultural diversity. Preserving
cultural cuisine and using culinary
traditions to promote a sense of
community.
Pleasure and quality in everyday life.
Recognizing the contributions of those
who produce and prepare wholesome food
and showing appreciation for creativity.
• Inclusiveness. Educating people
about the mission of Slow Food and
working to engage them locally and
globally.
• Authenticity and Integrity.
Ensuring that staff and leaders of Slow
Food model movement ideals in their lives
and that they are reflected in events and
projects.
Auerbach says the membership base in Slow
Food USA is broad. Examples of
activities sponsored by the Research
Triangle chapter include an olive oil
tasting, cooking demos by local chefs, a
coffee tasting, and membership potlucks.
The group has plans to develop an
innercity garden project, work with
children in elementary schools, and sell
produce at the farmer's market.
For more information on the Slow Food
movement, a calendar of events, or to
join Slow Food Research Triangle, go
online to the Slow Food USA web site at www.slowfoodusa.org.
Membership in the local chapter costs
$60-$75 and includes a subscription to
Slow, the movement magazine published in
Italy in five languages as well as a
subscription to The Snail, the newsletter
published for American members. You can
also call the national office of Slow
Food USA at (212)-965-5640.
In the meantime, the next time you feel
"enslaved by speed" and that
you have "succumbed to the Fast
Life," consider the advice of Slow
Food. Begin your defense of the good life
in the kitchen.
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