Slow Food (file under my Culinary Philosophy)

I have spoken numerous times on this blog and in person to anyone who will listen about the merits of “Slow food.” It is one of those things that can really change a life in a positive way. Slow food is, as you might imagine, the antithesis of Fast food. It is a repudiation of McDonald’s, Burger King and Arby’s, as example. It is founded on the belief that food is for enjoyment and nourishment, not merely to fill a stomach.

Katrina Heron wrote an interesting book on the subject entitled; “Slow Food.”

In the book she speaks about “Community Supported Agriculture” and lists many great examples of it in California. While reading it I became extremely motivated and fond of the idea of “CSA’s” and how I could put them to work in this country. One woman who started and runs Full Belly Farms, Judith Redmond said and I agree that; “The current industrial paradigm is failing, and people everywhere are beginning to understand that this system is an alternative, a real alternative.” And she is not just blowing hot air. Her farm produces more than 80 different crops and the “CSA” has more than 1000 members. The basic premise behind “CSA’s” is that it is not about money and instead about “relationship farming.” What a beautiful concept.

Another woman (and believe me the notion was not lost on me that it is women saying these things) who owns and operates Windborne Farm says that she started with the question; “How many people can one woman feed?” She came up with the current answer of about 100 through her dedication and hard work. Like my Mother, she is a believer in teaching simply by doing.

As I touched on in an earlier post, the current industrial model, has homogenized produce to the point of near extinction in relative terms of massive amounts of produce. I used the two examples of Tomatoes and Apples. But it goes far deeper than this.

A California “CSA” farmer under the name Pixie Growers (interesting story behind how they became Pixie Growers) asked the simple question; “Why don’t we see if we can work together rather than cannibalizing each other?” And so my mind started racing. And still is.

Another farmer from the Redwood Roots Farm states that the “Theoretical framework behind the CSA concept comes to life.” And I do belief that ultimately that is true and a paradigm that we must embrace.

So the question begs; How do we go slow?

The Slow Food Movement manifesto if you will gives the following ways to go slow;

Drink Unbottled Water
Learn regions and their food stories
Make things from scratch
Plant a kitchen garden
Buy Organic (I have a problem with this one which I will speak about in my next post)
Eat together
Avoid Genetically Modified Foods
Conserve, Compost and Recycle
Buy local
Bag lunch
Cook
Teach your children what you know
Eat Seasonal
MEET YOUR FARMERS

I capitalized the last one because Ontario is an incredible climate which grows massive amounts of food. I know you are all familiar (in Ontario) with the beautiful campaign; “Good things grow in Ontario.” Well maybe you didn’t know just how much of a breadbasket Ontario really is. If you go to http://www.foodland.gov.on.ca/english/availability.html you can see what and when we grow.

Slowly but surely I have been developing my culinary philosophy and the idea of slow food is a major component of it. I can’t give you a detailed analysis of what that is just yet, but when I can you will be the first to know.

Dan Barber once said; “Most importantly, I'd say that in order to experience the pleasures of good food, leave the politics, leave the health issues and leave the ecological issues aside. Tasting good food is a pleasure that people will come back to. That's what this is: hedonism, a to z. And I think that's one angle that makes sense [in connection] to slow food. Let's look at this from a hedonistic, celebratory viewpoint and not a depressing one, and I think that has some legs for the future."

Are you dreaming big and inspired?

A la prochaine

SDM