On Slow Food: A Rant

			From: drwo@woteki.com Subject: On slow food: a rant Date: July 31, 2003 3:09:56 PM EDT To: aroundthekitchen@drwoonline.com Reply-To: aroundthekitchen@drwoonline.com As I mentioned in my report on the Pinot festival, I attended a “seminar” on “slow food”. Although my reaction to the idea is probably unduly colored by my reaction to the seminar “leader”, I found the whole idea a bit overwrought. I venture that everyone on this list is a slow food practitioner to some degree, whether you know it or not, or you wouldn’t be on the list. The slow food movement started as a reaction to the opening of a McDonald’s at the Spanish steps in Rome. In rebellion against this encroachment of the icon of fast food on the wonderfulness of Italian food and living, some Italians decided to take up wooden kitchen utensils. The movement has since spread to the US, and other places, where there are a number of active chapters. The essence of the movement, if I may interpret, is to pay respectful attention to the origins, preparation and enjoyment of our food. Above all, it seems to espouse the development of a sense of place about the food we eat as well as incorporating an environmental ethic about the way it is produced. In addition, it assumes that one pays attention to the preparation and enjoyment of food, including the convivial aspects of its consumption. I guess what I found overwrought was the way these principles were presented, since I certainly don’t disagree with them. Indeed, I think I live them. But what was almost laughable to me was that slow food is some sort of “discovery” or something new, or whatever. Maybe we, this list, are a slow food chapter and don’t even know it. Just don’t ask me to attend any “fast food-aholics anonymous” meetings. Long since recovered, I remain, yours truly, Dr. Whoahhhhhh……. From: Dominus@comcast.net Subject: Re: On slow food: a rant Date: July 31, 2003 6:50:39 PM EDT To: aroundthekitchen@drwoonline.com Reply-To: aroundthekitchen@drwoonline.com Ahhhh, as Awnuld would say, “Dr Wo’s bacckkkkkk.” A great article. Well written and I’m sure reflects the opinions of this board. I have read articles where the Italians and years ago with the influx of McDonald’s into France they, too, were afraid to lose their life-long traditions of food preparation. There is currently a new “reality” series called “The Restaurant” where a reputable NY chef, Rocco DiSpirito, starts an Italian restaurant based on his family heritage. (He’s Italian) He said he never cooked Italian food since he always wanted to be American (?) so he studied and trained in French cooking. Ehhhh! “Houston to DiSpirito, you are Italian.” After he’s made his millions, NOW, it’s time to get down to “slow cooking” and do it right. His mom is the head chef, yadda, yadda, yadda. With the demise of haute cuisine, especially in NY, where will this lead us? Into our own kitchens, buying or growing our own fresh ingredients and cooking real SLLLLLLLOOOOOOWWWW. Same methodology when it comes to other enjoyments of life but I’ll leave that for another forum. I see another email about the Pinot festival. Off to read it! Cheers all, Dom From: leslie.borden@comcast.net Subject: Re: On slow food: a rant Date: August 7, 2003 10:18:50 AM EDT To: aroundthekitchen@aroundthekitchen.info Reply-To: aroundthekitchen@aroundthekitchen.info Been meaning to get around to responding to this one. Tom, I agree with you on all counts. I am a dues-paying, card carrying member of Slow Food, but I want to like them more than I do. Their quarterly magazine, Slow, can have some interesting articles, but it can be awfully pedantic, a little too much breathing their own exhaust. Still, they do awards to people who are fostering and preserving old foodways, and not just in cute little European villages, but in South America and Asia. They also have projects to preserve or bring back old or heirloom food animal breeds. The local Washington area convivium (that’s what local chapters are called) is having a pig roast in Maryland in September, but it’s the first thing I’ve seen them do in several years. The last couple of things were, I thought, basically dumb: an afternoon in the kitchen of Teatro Goldoni and one at a Chinese restaurant. Huh? As to Corby Kummer, yeah, I know. He was on a panel at the Culinary Institute of America food writing course that I took in ‘99, and was (by stark contrast with the other panelists) supercilious and spent a lot of the time editing some copy he had brought with him to fill the idle moments when someone else was talking. See you around the kitchen, lb