Final Thoughts on Slow Food

Interview with Shana

Shana is the co-owner of John's City Diner in Trussville and downtown Birmingham and she also happens to be my neighbor. She worked with Frank Stitt at his restaurant Bottega for 3 years. In her interview, she gave her opinion on the whole Slow Food epidemic. She strongly believes in using locally grown food in her restaurant and at home. She said that the taste and freshness of the food compared to food that may come from a chain grocery store make such a difference. She explained how buying local helps the environment and the economy. The only con is the extra expense but in the long run, it really can make a difference in your life. The vitamins one can consume from fresh veggies can help with longevity. Back in the day, no one ever had to take a multi-vitamin because there wasn't a McDonalds. Her and her husband don't eat fast food. She strongly oppose eating fast food. The number one reason they don't eat it is because of the inhumane treatment of animals. She said, "Upton Sinclair, author of The Jungle, exploited the meat packing industry more than 100 years ago and nothing has changed. Now, the fast food industry is the problem." She believes that helping out the community and sitting down to a home cooked meal would solve so many of society's problems.
Interviewing Shana really opened up my eyes to someone who lives by the Slow Food code. She really convinced me that what we eat can solve more problems than just health. It makes me want to go to the farmers market this summer and pick up some fresh produce to cook. My mom grows some veggies in my backyard so this summer I might compare one of those to one from the grocery store. I have eaten at John's City Diner many times and it truly is one of my favorite places to eat. I'll always know that what I'm eating has come from the right places. I am really going to cut down on the amount of fast food I eat.

Chew On This and Fast Food Nation

Both Chew On This and Fast Food Nation are written by Eric Schlosser, a critic of the fast food epidemic in the United States. He uncovers the truth behind the fast food industry's motives and has often been compared to Upton Sinclair and other muckrakers in US history. Both of these novels blame it on the fast food. Fast Food Nation, is divided into two parts, "The American Way", and "The Meat and Potatoes". The first part explains how fast food became popular in the US and how it all got started. The second part of the book explains the story of the food, like where it comes from and how it gets to the costumer. These books cover from what chemicals give food its flavor to the treatment of animals and then to how fast food companies try to sell it to you. It's all one big system that people like Slow Foodies try to exploit. Even though the novels are talking about all fast food in general, it's main enemy is McDonalds. It has become an international phenomenon and the rest of the world is catching up to America's obesity rate. Like Scholsser says, "Even in this fast-food nation, you can still have it your way" (Schosser 258).
Both of these book really gave me a peek inside our nation's fast food industry. I never realized what masterminds the CEO's of these companies were. They really have done a lot of work to brainwash people into buying their food. I never realized what I was eating until I read this book it was a real eye opener.
The things I wish the book would have mentioned more was about the people who are fighting the industry like movements more than union workers. I also wish it wouldn't have pointed most of its anger at McDonalds. Even though it is so well known, there are so many fast food franchises out there. I don' t think McDonalds is the only culprit.

Schlosser, Eric. Chew On This. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2006. Print.

Revenge of the Slow

The article “Revenge of the Slow,” by Bruce Sterling, fore tells how the Slow Food Movement is combating the fast food industry. He says, “McDonald’s is a multinational corporation: it retails identical food products on the scale of billions, repeatedly, predictably, worldwide. Slow Food, the self-appointed anti-McDonald’s, is a “revolution” whose aim is a “new culture of food and life” (Sterling). He explains how Slow Food began with a clique of famous Italians, along with the radio personality, Carlo Petrini, began protesting along the streets of Rome against the unhealthy food that its citizens were being served. Today, Slow Food is as global as McDonalds but they use networking rather than being hierarchical. Having built this distribution net, Slow Food offers grants to needy producers for things like barns, butcher shops, and tractors. Slow Food is a non-profit organization who has about 150 full time employees and has a budget of about $37 million a year. It also publishes tourist guidebooks and recipe books. It has many criteria including: is the product nonglobalized, is it artisanally made, is it sustainably produced, is it high quality, and is it likely to disappear from the planet anytime soon. Sterling explains, “But while McDonald’s mechanically peddles burgers to the poor, Slow Food acculturates the planet’s wealthy to the gourmand quality of life long cherished by the European bon vivant” (Sterling).
This article was neat because it explained more about the Slow Food movement in Europe as opposed to the US. I also found out that they have criteria and are almost as global as McDonalds. I think it’s interesting, that out of all the fast food restaurants in the world, everyone tends to agree that McDonalds is the biggest enemy. I guess that’s because they are the largest and guiltiest of having unhealthy food globally.

Sterling, Bruce. "Revenge of the Slow." Meltropolis Magazine Mar. 2008: n. pag. Web. 16 Apr 2010.

Slow Food in a Fast World

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQZMuKj_KS8&feature=related

Sandra Lewis, the host of Life at the Table, talks about how much our lives are dominated by the calendar and appointments so no one has time to sit down and enjoy a healthy meal anymore. She says, “Researchers are saying that we eat 24% of our meals in our car today” (Lewis). She explains that convient fast food is not good for the body or soul. It’s all about where our food comes from. Lewis introduces us to a beef rancher and he explains that most beef we eat at fast food restaurants are not raised on natural grass their entire life. He talks about the nutritional differences in good beef and bad. She also interviews a chef of a burger joint who makes everything in his restaurant homemade.

This video was great in explaining how cattle ranchers and chefs view how food should really taste. It gave more than one person’s opinion on the Slow Food idea. It showed some really good recipes and the host seemed to be learning new things just like the viewer.

"Slow Food In A Fast World ." Youtube. Web. 15 Apr 2010.

The Slow Food Movement Around the World

The article, “Slow Food,” by the Ecologist, explains the Slow Food Movement and mentions some of the countries involved in it. The first ideas of the movement were founded by Francesco Angelita in 1607. He studied the life of snails and said that humans can learn from the slow and silent life of snails. Angelita explained that, “Careful observation revealed behavior that can be summed up as follows: the snail is ‘of slow motion, to educate us that being fast makes man inconsiderate and foolish’; and, since it carries its house, ‘wherever the snail is, that is its home,” (Ecologist). We all know that snails prefer nature over civilization. Speed has been the obsession of the modern world and food has become one of the speediest in society. More money is spent on fast food in the US than is spent on education. 90% of the money Americans spend is on fast food. Of the many things the Slow Food movement is fighting, one of them is unpasteurized cheese. They say the food isn’t sterile. The article goes on to explain more about the Slow Food Movement.

I thought this article was helpful because it explained the significance o f the snail and how it relates to the Slow Food Movement. It also gave many insightful statistics about fast food in the US and other countries. I also liked how it explained what the movement was fighting for and against in the food industry. I think that the people who are involved in this movement are very brave to go up against the strong fortress of the fast food industry.

"Slow Food." Ecologist (2003): n. pag. Web. 15 Apr 2010.

http://www.southernliving.com/food/how-to/frank-stitt-highlands-birmingham-alabama-00400000042829/

"Slow Food is about taking the time to be at table together, family and friends, breaking bread, the spiritual nature of being connected with where the food comes from," (Stitt). A Southern Living journalist interviews Chef Stitt on the Slow Food Movement and how he uses it in his cooking. He explains that the movement isn't a political thing. He says its about the pleasure of eating a piece of food that was grown in the right place and conditions and was cooked correctly with love. He goes on to say that it helps the local farms out too. He then explains how most businesses don't want people to have this healthy food because it takes money away from them.
This source really helped me understand exactly what the leaders of this movement in Birmingham are trying to achieve. It showed the positive side of the idea and hearing the passion in Chef Stitt's voice really sold it to me. You can tell that he really wants Americans to eat better quality food and enjoy it with the friends around them. It's all about the origin of the food and how it was nurtured.

" Chef Frank Stitt on "Slow Food"." Southern Living. Web. 7 Apr 2010. .

Slow Food Savors Its Big Moment

Kim Serverson, a NY Times journalist, writes about the big Slow Food USA party in San Fransico with her article, "Slow Food Savors Its Big Moment." To get things ready, the mayor let the group dig up the lawn in front of City Hall and plant a quarter-acre garden. Fifteen architects have volunteered to build elaborate pavilions dedicated to things like pickles, coffee and salami. Nearly $2 million has been raised. The Slow Foodies hope this festival will be like Woodstock and will open up the idea to people. They also realize that it may be their best chance to prove that Slow Food, as a movement, is not just one big wine tasting with really hard to find cheeses that you weren’t invited to. This movement has not been as popular in America as it has been in Europe so the leaders of the movement in the US are trying to make it over to become more inviting to outsiders. Corby Kummer, a food columnist, says "I don’t know if it’s going to be the youthful, happening Woodstock they want it to be, but it certainly has the potential. It will be a failure if it is only well-dressed people over 35 from the Bay Area treating it as if it’s another Ferry Plaza Farmers Market,"(Serverson). Outside of the tight culinary circles of San Francisco and New York, people seemed to have a hard time figuring out exactly what Slow Food did. Despite all of the negative comments about Slow Food, it has raised money to help farms that suffered from hurricane Katrina. Many of the leaders hope that the movement will catch one.
This article was really helpful for my blog. It showed me the way most Americans view the Slow Food Movement. I got to understand why it might not be so popular even though it has good intentions. The article also explained how the leaders of the movement in the US are trying to come up with new ideas to actively recruit new members. Maybe with their effort, the members can change the way most Americans eat.

Serverson, Kim. "Slow Food Savors Its Big Moment ." NY Times 23 July 2008: n. pag. Web. 5 Apr 2010. .

Can Slow Food Feed the World?

Bryan Walsh, a writer at TIME Magazine, investigates the effectiveness of the Slow Food Movement in his article, "Can Slow Food Feed the World?". Every Labor Day, many consumers go to the Slow Food Market in San Francisco. But, most people who show up are gourmands. This has shown that more of the higher class individuals can afford to live on this lifestyle compared to lower to middle class citizens. Michael Pollan, a culinary writer said, "This is a coming-out party for a more inclusive Slow Food movement," (Walsh). Many have critized that this Slow Food Movement is focused more on show than on solving public health issues. Many wonder why the members of this movement care more about the perfect vegetables than worrying about those who are going hungry. The one thing Slow Food and its critics agree on is that something is wrong with the global food system. Agribusiness has long argued that industrial farming is the only way to economically feed a global population nearing 7 billion. Organic farms just don't produce enough food per acre to feed everyone. In its broadest sense, the movement is trying to get people to stop and really think about what's on their plate and how it got there.
My topic is arguing whether Slow Food is really that much more better and practical for the everyday person or wheather food from the grocery is just as good for you. This article really digs deep in into the flaws is this movement when every other article just explains how good eating organic food is for you. It not only looks at the positive but it gives you the reality of this Slow Food explosion. It is a great source to get many opinions about this world wide movement.

Walsh, Bryan. "Can Slow Food Feed the World?." TIME magazine 4 Sep. 2008: n. pag. Web. 1 Apr 2010.

The Slow Food Movement in Birmingham, Alabama

Jan Walsh, a writer at Birmingham Magazine, explains the evolving of the Slow Food Movement in Birmingham with the article, "Local Flavor". The Slow Food Movement has been around for awhile but it has recently become popular in Birmingham. It was started by Frank and Pardis Stitt. Their goal was to overcome the unhealthy and fattening fried foods of the South. It actually originated in Italy in 1986, when Carlo Petrini realized that the industrialization of food was unhealthy and made the food lose flavor. Slow food is the absolute complete opposite of fast food. "It is not ordered through a microphone to a
faceless menu board with a loud voice anxious to add fries or super-size," (Walsh). Slow food is grown or produced locally and arrives fresh, full of flavor. The movement originated in Italy and it is produced locally and arrives fresh to various restaurants. Today the movement is active in 50 countries and has over 80,000 members. In Birmingham, the members of this movement try to reach out to the public by having educational events to promote the importance of slow food. They also promotes the local growers. Frank Stitt, the creator, uses the produce from Snow Bend's Farm in his restaurants around the Birmingham area.
I really like the concept of slow food. My family and friends eat more fast food than we should and I know that it's really bad for the body. Eating locally grown food, would most likely taste a lot better than fast food. I watch the Food Network sometimes and the food always looks so delicious. Eating completely organic food would have benefits like having more energy and being a healthy weight. I'm pretty sure that most people would like to know where their food came from and it would comforting to now that it's healthier too. Maybe, if everyone ate better, the fast food industry would realize that putting healthier options on the menu would be a good idea. This idea of eating better could eliminate many diseases and problems in people's everyday life.
Walsh, Jan. "Local Flavor." Birmingham Magazine 12 Mar. 2007: 255. Web. 25 Mar 2010. .