Slate's daily round-up of news stories today references an article on the slow food movement, "which combines concern over food production processes with gourmet tastes." The Slow Food Movement is an intriguing effort with both cultural and environmental/health related aspects. Its own website summarizes things thusly:
Slow Food is a non-profit, eco-gastronomic member-supported organization that was founded in 1989 to counteract fast food and fast life, the disappearance of local food traditions and people’s dwindling interest in the food they eat, where it comes from, how it tastes and how our food choices affect the rest of the world.
"Gourmet tastes" has something of an elite flavor, but at its heart, the movement wants to encourage the special place of food in culture. To mention just one aspect, the value of local farmer's markets (I myself partook recently, including enjoying some apple/rhubarb cider [actually tasty] and eggplant [add some water, microwave for a few minutes, and eggplant chunks are cooked quite nicely*]), and enjoying cooking/eating with friends and family. This includes eating out, I assume, but a bit more than the McDonalds path.
[Will Saletan criticized a move to block the building of more "fast food" (an open ended term) restaurants in certain areas and I too wondered just how workable the move really was. The definition would apply to some fairly acceptable fare. But, healthy eating, especially for certain groups, is very important. Thus, the availability of EBT at local farmer markets and so forth are important initiatives.]
Where food comes from is important, as local farmer markets suggest. The involvement of Michael Pollan (author of such things as Botany of Desire) raises issues of biodiversity. So, it is not just a matter of taking some care of what to eat, but to eat smartly and supporting public policies that further healty agriculture. Thus, a recent farm bill, not of much note in the media, was of some importance.
Pollan btw in his latest book discussed the overproduction of corn (including corn syrup), see also a goofy looking doc available in Blockbuster, King Corn. The author of Fast Food Nation also is involved, his follow-up also in part concerns food production (the underground economy: marijuana, migrant labor/strawberry production, and pornography). The follow-up was of some interest, but was of no match to the original. If possible, checking the original articles might be better.
As the Oxford Companion to Food summarizes:
The quality of the food and drink on our tables is seen as closely linked to the work of farmers and producers, to the environment, and to the preservation of biodiversity. Its mission, therefore, complements the many initiative by individuals and other groups to promote better food and the preservation of technologies and communities involved in its production.
Food is on of the pleasures of life, besides being one of its essentials, and properly respecting it is a useful path to take. Slowly or not.
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* This underlines that there are some small things you can do without being a chef or having a home garden, though lots of people do a little of both, and will suggest it isn't too hard really. But, even good cooks will tell you that sometimes the microwave can be quite useful.