Slow Food

[Rebel Rose]

Faith, are you involved in the slow food movement at all? Do you think it's had an impact on buying habits in Italy?

[Faith Willinger]

Ciao Rebel Rose

I'm involved with Slow Food, have been a member since they began, but I have some doubts about the organization--no one ever talks about the money. They know how to use Italian government funding and regional sponsorship, with publications, dues, fees for stands and for entry to fairs, publishing empire, and more. Over 140,000 visiters at the Salone del Gusto this year. But I'm crazy about many of the things they do--think they've given new respect to farmers, gave strictly regional (and endangered, at times) products global exposure. I'm not sure how I feel about thier University--training future chefs, artisans and the press seems like they get to instill the party line across the board in the food world. I recently went to the Salone del Gusto in Torino, and, as always, learned a lot, made a lot of interesting contacts, tasted a lot of very interesting foods. Slow Food has impacted on the entire Italian food world--supermarkets feature regional cultivar beans and local fruits and vegetables by cultivar.

a presto

Faith

Faith, are you involved in the slow food movement at all?  Do you think it's had an impact on buying habits in Italy?

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