Slow Food

Directory designed at And Partners, NY for Metropolis Magazine

Today I am learning how I can become involved with my local Slow Food Chapter. What is Slow Food? Well, the short answer is… the opposite of fast food. A more informed answer from slowfoodusa.org is “an idea, a way of living and a way of eating. It is a global, grassroots movement with thousands of members around the world that links the pleasure of food with a commitment to community and the environment.”

The first time I really heard of Slow Food was in March of 2007. I was working at a design firm in NYC, and eagerly took on the task of designing Chicago’s Taste of the Town restaurant directory. The concept for the directory focused on the Slow Food movement and the local chefs and restaurants who participate in and advocate Slow Food practices. Huh. Really? At that time, life was in the fast lane for me, and dinner was mostly take-out with little thought to where my spicy tuna roll came from and how long it took to get there. If it tasted good, filled my belly and didn’t empty my pocket, who cared?

Yet, when I look back now, it really was that little project that started my caring for, and not just enjoying, all things food. In the last two and a half years, I’ve been researching, observing, cooking and tasting my way into a “slower” and more sustainable way to eat. This wasn’t intentional, and certainly not a goal I set out to meet, it just happened as my single existence became a family of three and I, in turn, became more knowledgeable about what goes into our bodies and how it affects our well-being. Now, this may seem like a lot of hooey to many folks, but the facts are out there… the world has changed and so has the quality of our food. Convenience has trumped health benefits and environmental impact for way, way too long and now we’re paying the consequences. For some interesting information, check out this shopper’s guide to pesticides. Just try not to freak out.

Living a ’slow food life’, i.e. committing yourself to learning more about your food, taking the time to prepare and enjoy your meals, buying local, choosing organic, reducing impact on the environment, etc., doesn’t happen overnight, and can seemingly be a stressful and expensive way to live. In fact, it is nearly impossible for a large portion of the population. However, for those of us who do have access to time, information, clean, fair food and can afford some organic varieties of goods, we really should do what we can. This doesn’t mean that EVERYTHING in your pantry has to have organic written across it in beautifully-set, sans-serif type. It just means that with every step you take towards a pesticide-free, less-traveled, less-processed, more nutrient-rich, less-wasteful, better-tasting, fair, community-promoting, spirit-fulfilling and ultimately, more beautiful and enjoyable way of eating, you are saving yourself, your children and the planet. Think about it…