Slow Foods/Local Foods

Marcie Sillman
06/06/2006 at 9:00 a.m.

The Slow Food movement started in Italy in 1986 in response to the opening of a McDonald's in Rome's famous Spanish Steps neighborhood. The movement encouraged people to get together for home-style, leisurely meals. Now, with Slow Food members in more than 100 countries, the mission is moving beyond the table into anti-globalization politics, farmland preservation, farmers markets and organic farming. Is the slow food movement having an effect on the local farm economy? How is it practiced in the Northwest? We also want to hear your stories: Do you have a slow food tradition?

Guests:
Hsiao-Ching Chou is the food editor for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Mary Embleton is the executive director of Cascade Harvest, a Washington-based organization committed to farmland preservation. She also heads up Farmlink, a program that connects people who want to get started in agriculture with farmers and landowners who are committed to establishing the next generation of producers.
Gerry Warren is a founder of Slow Food Seattle and currently serves on its board. He also works on the "Ark of Taste", which is part of the international effort to register artisan growers and producers of traditional foods.