What is Slow Food?

In 1986, the fast food chain, McDonald's, announced plans to open a restaurant near the Spanish Steps of Rome. Italian citizens were outraged. Food is an integral part of the Italian culture. In Italy, food is to be prepared with care and shared with friends and family. It is to be lingered over and savored. Nothing could be less Italian than McDonald's. In response to the giant of fast food, the beginnings of the Slow Food movement began. This organization has grown to be an international group, with national and local chapters all over the world. Its mission is to preserve local food traditions and educate people about the consequences of fast food and fast living. I've posted a link to both the international and American Slow Food organizations on the right side of this blog.

To me, slow food is a state of mind. It's about slowing down enough to sit down and eat dinner with my family. It's planning a made-from-scratch meal, finding quality ingredients and cooking it with care and love. While the slow food attitude is easy to maintain in Italian culture, it can be challenging in our fast-paced American culture. We move at such a quick rate and have such hectic schedules, it can be hard to get everyone in the house at one time. In families where both parents work outside the home, finding the time to prepare a home-cooked meal can seem impossible. I think it's worth making the time, though. It may mean rearranging schedules and re-prioritizing activities. For those who never sit down together at the dining room table to share a meal, just setting aside one day may make a big difference. Get everyone involved in preparing the meal, sit down and talk to each other. Reconnect. The Italians have a wonderful proverb: A tavola non s'invecchi mai. You never grow old at the table.