Slow Food U.S.A. is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to supporting and celebrating the food traditions of North America. From the spice of Cajun cooking to the purity of the organic movement; from animal breeds and heirloom varieties of fruits and vegetables to handcrafted wine and beer, farmhouse cheeses and other artisanal products; these foods are a part of our cultural identity. They reflect generations of commitment to the land and devotion to the processes that yield the greatest achievements in taste. These foods, and the communities that produce and depend on them, are constantly at risk of succumbing to the effects of the fast life, which manifests itself through the industrialization and standardization of our food supply and degradation of our farmland. By reviving the pleasures of the table, and using our taste buds as our guides, Slow Food U.S.A. believes that our food heritage can be saved.
Slow Food U.S.A. believes that pleasure and quality in everyday life can be achieved by slowing down, respecting the convivial traditions of the table, and celebrating the diversity of the earth's bounty. Our goal is to put the carriers of this heritage on center stage and educate our membership on the importance of these principles. We hope you will join us!
Slow Food U.S.A. oversees Slow Food activities in North America, including the support and promotion of the activities of more than 75 local chapters, each called a convivium, that carry out the Slow Food mission on a local level. Each convivium advocates sustainability and bio-diversity through educational events and public outreach that promote the consumption of seasonal and local foods and the support of those who produce them.
Inspired by Noah's Ark and its protection of animal species, Slow Food's Ark USA seeks to identify, promote and protect foods in danger of extinction, such as the Delaware Bay Oyster, the Bourbon Red turkey first bred in Tennessee, Aged Dry Jack Cheese, and naturally grown, hand-parched wild rice from the lake regions of Minnesota and Wisconsin. Products such as these are economically and ecologically fragile, yet an important part of their local economies and culture. By increasing awareness of and demand for these high quality foods, we can help make them viable products that will bring pleasure for generations to come.
The relationship between ecology and gastronomy, neither of which can exist without the other, is a central theme of all Slow Food publications. Slow, our award-winning quarterly journal devoted to food culture around the world, and The Snail, a newsletter for U.S. members, are perhaps the greatest benefits of membership. It is these publications that unite Slow Food's 70,000+ members and 560 convivia in over 45 countries.
Posted to About by Lisa, January 3, 2004 12:00 AM