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. .