Slow dancing and slow motion are familiar terms to most people, but have you ever heard of Slow Food? Slow Food is a fast growing movement in Chicago, the United States and around the world. The movement promotes healthy, fair-trade and quality food; a reflection of today’s awareness of the principles behind green, organic, local and hand-made products. Slow Food is more than a movement; it’s a multifaceted ideology that is being talked about on farms, in city gardens and in the halls of government.

But what’s behind the name? Proponents of green markets and organic foods claim their foodstuffs are greener, healthier and more eco-friendly, but are they also slow? The Slow Food movement—with its roots in the mid-’80s—was born as Italy’s rebuttal to the global fast food phenomena. When McDonald’s attempted to infiltrate Rome’s gastronomical empire, Slow Food founder, Carlo Petrini, and his fellow compatriots took to the streets and rallied for the preservation of Italy’s food heritage, and thus, the Slow Food movement was born. (slowfood.com)

Petrini, argued that food should be “good, clean and fair;” standards he thought had disappeared with the packaged and processed meals zapped to perfection in microwaves from Kansas City to Cairo. For Petrini, these three words symbolize a local idea with global ramifications with an emphasis on “quality, environmental sustainability and social justice,” ideas that appeared to be lost in a world of mass production.

Slow foodies, whose registered members near 100,000 worldwide, place a strong emphasis on the fact that food should taste good, the first component of Slow Food. Taste signifies more than its sensory associations, but also includes a food’s origin, history and the fairness of its production—connecting the farmer directly to the consumer or “co-producer” as Slow Food views them. Advocates of Slow Food argue that food tastes better when you know its source, the people who produced it, and your personal role in the process from farm to fork. In the world of Slow Food, local production mixed with cultural traditions simply produces good food.

Along with taste, Slow Food must be clean. One Slow Food objective is the protection of local environments and biodiversity. Slow Food not only promotes regional production, but also fights to limit imported foods, which often contain preservatives and pesticides. In addition, as food is transported to its final destination, foodies argue that it racks up food miles, which contributes to environmental degradation and lessens the freshness of the food. Though not a vegetarian movement, the idea of clean food stresses that the meat production process must not treat the animals cruelly. “Unclean” food includes those that have been genetically modified (GM-foods)—where the genes of foreign organisms are spliced into the genes of, say, a tomato. Slow Food views GM-foods as a threat to biodiversity, and many chapters of Slow Food are actively campaigning against the use of GM-crops in their communities. 

Slow Food’s final caveat is fair. In terms of food, fairness implies that the purchase of the food product results in a fair price paid to the farmer who produced it. In this respect, Slow Food is in line with Fair Trade standards and international certification and labeling organizations like FLO (fairtrade.net), which guarantee a fair and just price to the individual farmers that produce anything from coffee to cotton. Thanks in part to the Slow Food movement, consumers have grown more sensitive to the value of fairness in food production, distribution and pricing worldwide.

Though grassroots by origin, the Slow Food movement has gained momentous “speed” in Europe, with Slow Food brands lining the shelves of supermarkets in Switzerland and Italy—where homegrown and home-cooked food still reign supreme. Perhaps Europe’s long history of appreciation for fine food (think France’s Lé Cordon Blue and the Italian Slow Food founded University of Gastronomic Sciences) or its strong anti-fast food culture, have spurred steadfast partnerships among public, private and government sectors for the benefit of protecting Europe’s food heritage. One example, the Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity, was collaboratively founded by the region of Tuscany, private companies, citizens and other public bodies to promo and fund projects “to preserve ‘heritage’ crops and livestock strains as elements of traditional foodways.” Europe’s growing support base for Slow Food’s ideology and its increasing influence on policy are evident in various countries where sections of agricultural land and entire states have been declared GM-free. After successful propagation in Europe, the lingering question is, will Slow Food find a home in the heart of a fast food nation?

Almost 10 years ago, the Slow Food movement extended its reach and established a Slow Food USA office in New York City, however, the movement’s growth has been painfully slow. Slow Food’s attempt to entrench itself in the land of endless drive-thru restaurants has met its fiercest competitor yet: 50 years of fast food culture ingrained in the American psyche, not to mention physique. Despite this uphill battle, Slow Food USA is showing promise with more than 200 local chapters in the United States formed since its arrival.

Among the problems facing Slow Food USA is the question: what would an historically American food culture look like? Though tasty, few Americans would label culturally significant foods such as Philly’s cheesesteak, Chicago’s deep dish pizza and Boston’s baked beans, as healthy, well-rounded meals. This country’s short history has produced an even shorter abundance of American recipes passed down through generations, posing a problem for the Slow Food movement’s idea of local, cultural and traditional food. For these and other reasons, Slow Food USA has taken a different approach from its European predecessor. The Slow Food USA website, slowfoodusa.org, projects the same core vision, yet reflects a slightly different emphasis on the mobilization of people to join the movement at a local level. Slow Food USA has a variety of home-grown programs including: the U.S. Arc of Taste, which promotes certain domestic food products nearing extinction; Slow Food in Schools, which educates youth about eating locally and being healthy; and Slow Food on Campus, which teaches students about food systems and food justice. 

“Americans in general seem less concerned with preserving biodiversity and avoiding GM-foods.”
Professionals and students from Chicago’s own DePaul University traveled to Tuscany—one of the strongholds of the Slow Food movement—to learn first-hand about food policies and healthy traditions promoted by the movement and protected by European policies. The trip’s objective was to recognize the centrality of food in our health, lifestyles economies and public policies. For a week, students observe the Slow Food movement and food policy in action as part of their Master’s studies. Many of the students returned anxious to create and participate in similar practices here in Chicago.

One such method for participation exists through Chicago’s own local Slow Food chapter (slowfoodchicago.org), which has adapted its approach to suit the Windy City. The entirely volunteer organization provides listings for various Slow Food events, schedules for neighborhood farmer’s markets and recommendations for local restaurants that adhere to the Slow Food principles. Local staples include Logan Square’s funky Lula’s Café or the Loop’s sky-scraping Everest. Regardless of price, there is a definite taste difference; the food is fresh, local and representative of the current season—food buffs will be hard-pressed to find any of spring’s harbingers like rhubarb and asparagus on winter menus at these restaurants.

In addition to promoting established Slow Food proponents, Slow Food Chicago has encouraged the food education of Illinois’ youth. Slow Food Chicago was an integral part in creating the Edible Schoolyard in Evanston’s Dawes Elementary School where children not only learn about growing food, but also how to enjoy and savor the tastes of their products.

However, there are decisive differences between Slow Food USA and its European forerunner that are based largely on its local, constituent basis. Americans in general seem less concerned with preserving biodiversity and avoiding GM-foods. Although, biodiversity is still generally supported by all, Slow Food in the United States is less critical of the risks of GM-foods. The good news is that the Slow Food ideology is not a fad, but a knowledge expanding movement. 

Living in a metropolis like Chicago, it’s sometimes difficult to recognize the interconnection between food, health, land and quality of life. Slow Food is a movement that reminds us how food is more than an object for personal, fast consumption. The central message of Slow Food is about recuperating the relations with our own bodies, fellow citizens, the environment and government policies. Slowing down to eat, rest, reflect, meditate, connect and rethink is a gift and an opportunity for all of us. Let’s take it!

Join the Slow Food Movement here in Chicago
As part of a national organization with over 18,000 members, Slow Food is positioning itself to play an active role in advocacy for food policy with the debut of a nationwide “real school food campaign,” to share tips on how everyone can get involved to bring healthy quality food to school children.

For those who are interested in local food advocacy, on Wednesday, August 26, Slow Food Chicago will host an Eat-In at Daley Plaza. Everyone is invited to bring their lunch and come to the table. The event will be a fun, energizing rally where people can learn more about where their food comes from and how eating can be a political act.

Slow Food Chicago will host a number of delicious participatory events this summer, including the annual summer solstice fundraiser pot-luck for the Chicago Honey Co-op in mid-June. Held at the Co-op in North Lawndale, this is an opportunity to see urban agriculture and job training in action and to enjoy an evening of slow food outdoors under the Chicago sky.

The Slow Food Chicago education series this summer will feature regional foods on the Ark of Taste. In the fall the organization will host a Tomato Festival to celebrate the bounty of home grown heirloom varieties with tastings and a potluck dinner. In September Slow Food Chicago will host a Summit on Forgotten Fruits hosted by the Renewing America’s Food Traditions program. This event will focus on backyard gardeners who want to learn more about growing unusual heritage and heirloom fruits. 

Culinary walking tours of various ethnic neighborhoods, including Little Village and Rogers Park, are also part of the taste and education series.

Slow Food Chicago is well known for hosting fabulous tasting dinners that partner local farmers and other food artisans with well-known restaurants. Upcoming events will feature a week-long celebration of everyone’s favorite summer sandwich, the BLT. Featured restaurants will make a slow food version using heirloom tomatoes and other ingredients. Other fun events include an aphrodisiac dinner and the big blowout fundraiser BBQ in August to be held at the Goose Island gastro pub.

Visit slowfoodchicago.org for more details on Slow Food Chicago events and membership information.