SLOW Food

[galianomama]

Talking about taking Sunday off for a day of rest, and how busy our lives are, I have joined (finally!) the SLOW movement. I love it! Waiting for my first issue of mag to come in the mail, but the concept is wonderful (at least as far as I am concerned).

Definetely for foodies, but also for anyone who takes an interest in farming, outdoors, family and all the stuff in our lives now we seem to never have time for.

Here is the basic philosophy:
"Slow food, founded in 1986, is an international organization whose aim is to protect the pleasures of the table from the homogenization of modern fast food and life. It promotes gastronomic culture, develops taste education, conserves agricultural biodiversity, and protects traditional foods at risk of extinction."

There are a number of businesses here on the Island that belong to the 'movement' and we try to support them as much as possible. One here in Victoria is Wildfire Bakery who grows these wonderful organic wheats that would normally be lost now, but he is responsible for 'saving' (for lack of a better word). Anyhow, I love the concept, and my husband and I are firm believers in this.

Here's the site.......what do you think???

www.slowfood.com

 

[peapod]

Slow food...what next....are you slow at other things to and I was thinking about this...all the times I have laid on your bed with you and hubby...never once did I notice you had a bike on the ceiling....funny eh?

 

[galianomama]

Well that is so I can s-l-o-w-l-y try to ride my bike, whilst laying down. Not bad eh?

 

[peapod]

No not really...and another thing...you snore...don't deny it....you know I know...remember vancouver I did not get any sleep whats so ever...while you cut down an entire forest

 

[TenPenny]

If I understand correctly, the main point of slow food is that people take time to cook, and to enjoy the food. Why does that require a special movement?

 

[peapod]

Ten penny you would have to know galaniomama to get that answer, the women wears gum boots to bed

 

[galianomama]

Good point! There are other layers to it also, in that it supports local organic farmers, offers solutions to smaller farms in terms of support and biodiversity to large areas of the earth that are constantly being mis-directed in terms of over development and under funding. That kinda stuff. Makes us think about where our food actually comes from, and how it is grown.

 

[peapod]

Makes me wonder where you come from

 

[galianomama]

Why does that require a special movement?

This is one of the components to the slow food movement:

The Ark of Taste aims to rediscover, catalog, describe and publicize forgotten flavors. It is a metaphorical recipient of excellent gastronomic products that are threatened by industrial standardization, hygiene laws, the regulations of large-scale distribution and environmental damage.

Ark products range from the Italian Valchiavenna goat to the American Navajo-Churro sheep, from the last indigenous Irish cattle breed, the Kerry, to a unique variety of Greek fava beans grown only on the island of Santorini. All are endangered products that have real economic viability and commercial potential.

 

[Haggis McBagpipe]

I think it is a fine idea, Galiano. Maybe it is a comment about our times that it does require a special movement. It shouldn't, but it does, as society continues to move away from such things.

 

[bevvyd]

Slow food always tastes better than fast food.

 

[peapod]

Ok galaniomama I know you pretty well...where are you getting this from...it must have happened on the weekend...where did you happenstance on this stuff...come on spill

 

[galianomama]

Hi pea!

Naw, I've been into this one for awhile. Just never talk about it that much. Starting thinking about it quite a bit during the summer, so I joined. I guess with the last thanksgiving kinda came to the fore front as far as what we eat, when we eat it, etc

I love the whole concept of slow food, and especially when visiting all the little wineries and farms up island it is very prevalent. Merridale Cider (hey pea - we could hit there next weekend) has a wonderful ploughman's lunch you can have, tour the facility and pick up a couple of great bottles of cider while you are at it. Stuff like that I love, and being such a foodie, it comes pretty easily.

The fact that it makes us stop and think about our daily bread, and buying locally produced food and working with the environment to save species of animals and plants to me makes it good stuff.

People usually have no idea or even care where there food has been produced and arrived from, something which we should be very much aware of. Much like your GM foods, pea.

 

[renoqueen]

My husband and I have been SLOW FOODIES for quite awhile - just didn't know it had a name. It started when we got the idea to boycott the fast food joints for the good of our health. Then we started reading stuff about the benefits of organic foods and the avoidance of certain cooking styles. WE just feel better and enjoy our food more. I want to know where my food came from and what is in it.

 

[bevvyd]

Many years ago one of the girls I went to school with did a presentation on hyper-activity due to food additives. She brought in this book with her which outlined all the additives each brand of food contained. I was horrified. Never buy Hunts products, trust me on this one. Seems her son was kicked out of kindergarden for hyper-activity and after seeing alot of different doctors she found one that said "go get this book, read it, throw out everything in your cupboards and start over again". Well within 2 weeks she little boy was a well adjusted little tike again who was permitted back in school and has been doing wonderfully ever since.

Diet is key to so many problems we all face.

 

[peapod]

You are so right bevvy! once you know the makeup of ingredients, you are on your way...because you will not eat half the stuff you come into contact with :lol:

 

[Knoss]

I don't know about the whole organic local thing. I'd think big commercial farms are more eficient.

still it's a good idea to not focus on rush rush fast food. That would be good for a bar. Come in at 5:00 order supper and a few drink then eat at 6:30 and go home