Slow Food

Initially, the slow food movement started as a sort of counter culture movement to fast food in a globalized world. Slow food is described as ‘good, clean, and fair food’. Think organic and locally sourced food. But it expands a little past that with an emphasis on local culture. Similar to this movement is the wine culture in Italy (vineyards vs industrial wine sector). The heart of this movement stems from a desire for good tasting food and an appreciation for the culture behind the food. One of the factors that helped the spread of slow food was the desire for many budding gourmands and individuals to get in touch with their cultural heritage. In Italy where the production of these goods existed in their backyard, the movement was able to spread through schools and wine tastings. One of the first slow food restaurants to open was the Osteria del Boccondivino – which would later grow into the headquarters for the revolution. Some of the core values promoted by the movement were region, tradition, simplicity, hospitality and reasonable prices. 

We visited a slow food market that embodied the spirit of the movement – the food wasn’t too complex, but the identity was clear and there was a clear love for the food by the staff. It’s a grassroots movement that’s been kept alive largely from some of the less privileged members of society like farmers. The movement has been criticized by both left-wing and conservative parties – some calling it hedonistic and (according to the article) the social elite didn’t like it because it would break down their monopoly on gastronomic practice and social status. This aspect is a repeated social phenomenon because middle and lower classes attempt to imitate upper class – I like this example because in the case of slow food, Italians have been able to create affordable alternatives to many food hobbies originally only available to social elites.

Internationally, slow food started to expand in the late 90’s thanks to the intrinsic competition between French and Italian cuisine. Universities and slow food fairs began to spread the movement even further. Slow food has a small sponsorship movement but that's where the movement gets complicated. Sponsorship is difficult in the slow food movement because of the desire to keep the ‘soul’ of the movement intact. There’s a concern that slow food becomes a buzz word like organic or sustainable. As a result, businesses can’t advertise the logo. Businesses that do follow the requirements to be a part of the movement can sponsor single events or recurring advertisements in slow food approved magazines. Wine and cheese producers are given a bit of leeway in sponsorship and have grown to be some of the largest sponsors after 30 years of practice.

The slow food organization no longer directly trades foodstuffs between producers and restaurants because of the required connection with private entrepreneurs. Additionally, sales within a non-profit organization can undermine the integrity of the organization (concern for profit margins etc.)

Largely, the slow food movement has came to be in regions where industrialization has brought prosperity and economic decline – inspiring young individuals to find alternative, affordable food production models. This has created a culture that loves food and challenges global trends of fast food.

Some photos of the market and the festival of St Anthony celebrated in Fontecchio