Slow Food

Carlo Petrini; with Ben Watson and Slow Food Editore

Foreword

excerpt from the Foreword by Deborah Madison

Slow Food is a very big creature, large enough to accommodate more than one point of view as to what it is exactly. Like the blind men patting the elephant to determine its nature, anyone who's drawn to Slow Food can probably find what they're looking for based on their own interests.
To the gastronome, Slow Food might have to do with artisanal foods and wines. To the person seeking a tempo of life that is more in step with life's natural rhythms, unlike America's present fast-paced model, Slow Food offers a sympathetic response. For those whose concerns run to the historical aspects of food, traditional methods of cheese making might be of particular interest, or the examination of traditional foods and food methods found in different regions of the country. Those whose historical quests are more aligned with animals and plants will find that Slow Food, through its Ark of Taste initiative, provides a place to actively debate the merits of old breeds, from turkeys to sheep, or oysters to apples, and to become actively involved with their preservation. If your concerns are with the politics of social change, you may find yourself in harmony with Slow's commitment to land stewardship and food that's grown by sound and sustainable methods. And all seekers join hands at the table, for Slow Food sees 'the kitchen and the table as centers of pleasure, culture, and community.' The lens through which Slow Food views the world of food is a wide one indeed.