[Sca-cooks] Royalty and Historic/Traditional Food

[Sharon Gordon]

In October of 2004, the Slow Food group,
http://www.slowfoodusa.org/
http://www.slowfood.com
a group devoted to the preservation and documentation of local and
tradtional food, the promotion of gastronomic culture and the conservation
of agricultural biodiversity held a conference in Italy called Terra Madre.
 The conference brought together over 5,000 people from 130 countries
representing local food communities who seek to grow, raise, catch, create,
distribute and promote food in ways that respect the environment, defend
human dignity and protect the health of consumers.  Many of the people are
devoted to the preservation and historic and traditional foods.

Along with the conference was a Salone del Gusto where people could taste
artisan food from around the world.

The opening speech by Slow Food president Carlo Petrini shows the importance
of the culture of food when he says
"Cooking as language, cooking as identity, cooking as a primary need of all
humankind. It is in fact culinary skill, manual dexterity and the ability to
capture the right mix of flavor and spiciness that make eating pleasurable.
This pleasure has never been and will never become the privilege of a few.
It is one of the physiological prerogatives of all us, a sign of humankind's
serene relationship with nature and life. "
http://www.slowfoodusa.org/events/petrini_speech.html

The closing speech by Prince Charles is good summary of the current
situation.
http://www.slowfoodusa.org/events/prince_charles_speech.html

(photo)
http://www.slowfood.com/eng/sf_sloweb/sf_sloweb_dettaglio.lasso?passaswe=SW_01387

Sharon
gordonse at one.net