The Slow Food Association

At a recent Food Festival in a central park in Exeter I listened to a fascinating talk about traditionally produced cheeses at the dairy at Home Farm based a few miles outside the city.  Mary was passionate about her products and was excited that one of the cheeses had recently won two awards. The trophy is a rarity apparently (two for one cheese unheard of) and therefore a great accolade.  The Quicke family have been farming in the area for over 450 years.    We sampled the cheeses and they were very good.  Quickes Traditional Ltd also produces butter, meats and ice creams.

Cheese flavours and textures take on the hues of the particular season as well as regional differences.   “Real” food does reflect and echo the characteristics of the natural environment – a sort of barometer of the natural flora and fauna and soil.

This event reminded me of the Slow Food Association and I wondered how many of our students were a member of this or had heard of it?  I am not an expert but think the movement began in Italy. It was founded in 1986 as a response to the globalisation of the fast food culture and has members in over 104 countries.  Slow Food links ethics and food pleasure and describes this wonderfully in the term Ecogastronomy.  This non-profit organisation seeks to raise awareness educationally as well as restoring the dignity to which food and its preparation deserves. It has as some of its very noteworthy and inspirational objectives:  promoting and defending biodiversity and thus “saving an endangered animal breed or vegetables variety means preserving an environment, recovering recipes and rewarding the discerning palate”.  It records plants and animal species at risk of extinction, it supports various initiatives and local members can attend a range of different events from wine and cheese tasting, meals and have the opportunity to meet local producers.

You can join the organisation as an individual, couple or as a young person.   Individual membership costs £35.00.  See www.slowfood.com

Don’t forget we are happy to put your own favourite recipes and health tips etc up on the new website.  Please send them to me at Jacqueline@kevala.co.uk If anyone is already a member of the Slow Food Association please write and let me know.