In Praise Of Slow Food

When a friend of mine moved from France to London last year, one local tradition left her perplexed.

It wasn't the British penchant for talking about the weather, or for apologizing when someone else steps on your toes.

It was that Londoners often eat while walking down the street.

"Devouring a Niçoise salad and dodging pedestrians at the same time is not a sign of civilization," my friend concluded, with Gallic hauteur. "It's a sign that you need to slow down."

You can say that again. In our fast-forward culture, we have lost the art of eating well.

Food is often little more than fuel to pour down the hatch while doing other stuff -- surfing the Web, driving, walking along the street. Dining al desko is now the norm in many workplaces.

All of this speed takes a toll. Obesity, eating disorders and poor nutrition are rife. We are also missing out on the sensual pleasure and social connection that come from eating good food together.

The bright news is that people all over the world are taking a slower approach to food -- and eating better as a result.

The Italian-based Slow Food movement now has 100,000 members in 132 countries, including the fast-food-loving US. The search for a kinder, gentler relationship with food is reflected in other trends, too: the renaissance of the farmers' market; the rise of school gardens; the growing popularity of cooking classes; the organic, fairtrade and eat-local movements; the thriving artisanal production of everything from cheese and chocolate to bread and beer.

The recession may also be helping. To cut back on restaurant bills, people are eating at home more. But unlike in the last downturn, when sales of frozen meals soared, more of us are taking the time to cook from scratch. The US is now racking up the highest levels of homecooking since 1992.

There is so much to be gained from investing more time in what we eat.

Buying fresh ingredients means knowing where your food comes from and what's in it. In a world where so much happens through computer screens, making a meal by hand, touching the raw materials, feeling your way through a recipe, tasting, adjusting, engaging all the senses, can be a soothing release.

Eating more slowly, chewing every mouthful, pays dividends, too. It helps digestion and guards against gluttony by giving the stomach time to tell the brain that it is full.

It also allows you to savor what you put in your mouth. Of course, this works better with Slow food, which is packed with natural flavors, textures and aromas that linger on the palate and in the mind. By contrast, processed food is designed to be eaten quickly: Pay it too much attention and you start to realize how vile it tastes.

Sharing a slow, convivial meal can also bring people together. It is no accident that the word "companion" is derived from the Latin words meaning "with bread." As Oscar Wilde noted, breaking bread together can even help us bond with those we find hardest to stomach: "After a good dinner one can forgive anybody, even one's own relations."

At the same time, studies from around the world show that children who have regular family meals are more likely to do well at school, enjoy good mental health, and eat nutritious food; they are also less likely to engage in underage sex or use drugs and alcohol.

Yet Slow food need not be a luxury for the rich. As Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, the 19th century French gastronome, put it: "The pleasures of the table are for every man, of every land, of every place in history or society."

In other words, a Slow meal does not have to be a five-course banquet of handmade delicacies. Small, affordable and simple works, too. You can prepare a fresh tomato pasta or vegetable soup in less time and for less money than it takes to order in pizza or sushi.

Start by fencing off time in your schedule for cooking and eating. Then get reacquainted with your kitchen. Grow a few herbs, like mint, rosemary or thyme, in the garden or on the windowsill. Buy your own fresh ingredients and cook with them. Turn the preparing of food into a communal affair by enlisting others to help with the chopping, grating, stirring, simmering, tasting and seasoning.

When the cooking is finished, eat together round the table with the electronic gadgets switched off so you can savor the food and let the conversation flow.

But, hey, don't beat yourself up if you fall short of the Slow Food ideal. Nobody's perfect. And I mean nobody:

The last time I bumped into my French friend, she was racing down a London street munching on a sandwich.

When was your last slow meal, and aren't you due another one soon?

 

Follow Carl Honore on Twitter: www.twitter.com/carlhonore

Comments

[dartigens09]

I was always taught to eat slowly by my parents; more out of the fact that I had a habit of eating so fast I choked than anything else (I was one of those children with a black hole for a stomach). My mother never believed in fast food, as she has a great love of cooking, and a mental repository of more recipes than I ever thought even existed. As a result, fast food has become one of those rare happenings, at times when I'm too hungry to make waiting viable and I have the money - not to mention forgetting about how my GI tract is going to react in a few hours.
On top of that, my mother has taught me how to cook, and despite being a technology-loving geek, I still can't go past cooking for a fun pastime. I still do occasionally look up recipes on the Internet out of interest - last month I was on a Asian food kick, this month I'm eyeing off a site filled with traditional Scottish recipes.

My last meal? Shredded chicken over white rice that was cooked with a bunch of herbs. I figured plain white rice wasn't all that good, so I grabbed a bunch of everything from the herb garden, tied it all together in cheesecloth, and put it in with the rice. The chicken was leftover from salad the night before. Had some rice leftover too...about to be packed up for tomorrow's lunch.

[owlsocks]

We are vegan so, as a result, we generally cook every meal from scratch at home. In fact it has helped me shed 60 pounds and has brought my beloved and I some truly memorable and joyous and loving moments around our kitchen and our table. I wouldn't have it any other way. :-)

[Bernadette Noll]

I am a firm believer in the family dinner as the way for families to slow down, connect and truly enjoy family life together. Of course our toddler doesn't always agree but he's learning, little by little, the rituals that accompany our meals together. We start with the chiming of our small gong. A moment of silent breathing. We follow it up with serving of the meal and a round of high point/low point or a round of appreciations for the day. Adding the ritual to the mealtime has made it a truly slow experience - where everyone learns to speak and share and everyone learns to listen too.

http://www.slowfamilyliving.com

[chlsmith]

One of my beliefs is that a family should eat a meal together at the table in the home at least 5 nights a week. This meal could be takeout or homemade, but the gathering is the important part. My kids are 2 1/2 and 1 and I can tell you that by doing this, they naturally want to eat at the table as a family for every meal. Even when the oldest is snacking, she tends to sit there.

My wife is a stay-at-home mom, so this makes things a little easier. She's really gotten into using the Crock Pot, but she cooks a lot of roasts in the oven. She's a fantastic cook, but even she can't do it every day.

She just called to see what I wanted for dinner and I think she's making a pork roast. We have our neice in this week, and her family doesn't eat the way we do, so this should be new to her. I hope it's a treat for her as much as it is for us.

[Pema]

wow the way you speak of your wife, true love. and appreciation. wonderful post.
happiness,
p

[jesselee26]

my mind boggles at the number of people my age i know that don't cook and aren't sure how to.

i hope there really is some kind of renasisance for food in the united states, because it just seems pathetic.

[theycallthewindmariah]

Slow Food is sensual. I like to shower before cooking dinner, open a bottle of wine, put on some nice music, light some candles, cook slowly in a very clean kitchen, drink a bit of the wine, put more of it into whatever is cooking. There's no hurry. Dinner at 8 is just great.

And I do not believe in ever, ever discussing any family problems or shortcomings during dinner. All conversation should be enjoyable and uplifting. There is nothing sadder than families that don't talk during dinner or don't even look at each other. We need love.

[DemFem]

I love food & love eating it & I refuse to be neurotic over it. So many people these days almost seem apologetic for eating. That's just silly. I want to enjoy my food so I put a lot of thought & preparation into our meals.

I cook at least a meal (or two) every day & I can't seem to stomach fast food or processed food anymore. It just doesn't taste good to me. My philosophy is that I love food & if I'm going to take in the calories, it better be of superior quality or it's just not worth it. I also value my health so I avoid saturated or trans fats & include a lot of fresh vegetables, whole grains & fruit into each day's menu. I do like meat, so I try to watch what kinds of meat I buy & we end up eating a lot of chicken anyway.

[kendra]

Would add, only eat when you're hungry. Not because it's "lunchtime" or "dinnertime", there's free food today at work, etc. Most Americans could really use skipping a meal or 2.

Take a walk or jog instead --& take the kids along for "quality time" together!

[empiricalWeb]

not really true... people need to make better food choices and eat more freqently to be fit...

Skipping meals is a recipe for disaster. It slows your metabolism, and if enough meals are "skipped" your body burns off your lean muscle as energy then it will immediately store any fat's you take in there after.

[kendra]

Key is exercise, cardiovascular, everyday. Eat low-calorie & close to nature. Graze lightly on healthy food.

Skipping a meal & exercise is a recipe for a lean, low-fat body. We're an overfed, overindulged society of excess.

Spouse & I are runners & eat 1 square meal a day. In our 40s & always complimented on our physique. Just make food an afterthought, not to be obsessed about.

[Trittydi]

Bill Cosby said Cake was the perfect breakfast food.

When we went to the northwoods for vacation - I liked to make a big pineapple upside down cake in the cabin's 18" cast iron fry pan. We had it for breakfast every morning until it was gone.
*

[Pema]

lol i had a slice of lemon cake for breakfast. to counter that ill make fresh carrot juice for lunch, but dang cosby is a smart man.

[Trittydi]

Cooking it slow sometimes works nicely too. Like a nice Ratatouille - which we're making about once a week right now while the right veggies are in season. Slow can be perfection. Serve with couscous, a nice red wine, and perhaps a simple green salad.

One of the best things about having cooked from scratch for so many years - is that now our three, twenty-something children - even the boy - cook for themselves all the time - REALLY cook - like pizza from scratch, and simple and complex dinners. They love cooking and are not intimidated by cookbooks.
*

[willynel]

I agree with you, except on Ratatouille. I love it! The problem is that it takes way too long to prep. And a Cuisinart is not good for this. You need big chunks of stuff for the best flavor and a Cuisinart doesn't quite do that.

By the way, Ratatouille is like meatloaf: it is sooooo good the next day. Heated then put into an omelet. Yum!

Gotta go. I am getting hungry.

[Trittydi]

Yes - eating it the same day is not nearly as wonderful as eating it the second day on. We make large amounts of it at a time - 5-6 quarts - so the prep time isn't such a big deal when we know we'll be eating it all week. Also - my husband helps with this - he loves it too. We usually give large amounts of it away too - to our vegetarian daughters or my in-laws.
*

[Dice Klay]

if you want slow food eat konjac root powder.

[Tyheem Thompson]

This is true. I like when food takes a long time to cook. It shows that the cook is putting time, effort and alot of love into the meal.

[odyssey58]

I spent about 7 hours in the kitchen today preparing a birthday meal for my son, and I loved every minute of it. I made fried chicken (local pastured, of course), mashed potatoes, biscuits, green beans, and salad. For dessert we had apple pie instead of cake. It was delicious!
I've always been a fan of slow food. Even in college I cooked my own meals. I lived in apartments rather than dorms so I always had a kitchen.
About 6 weeks ago I finally got a dishwasher. We haven't had food prepared outside the home since then.
Slow food is the way to go.

[Tyheem Thompson]

Wow sounds like some meal. I should've been there lol. Slow food is definitely the way to go.

[Gumpster]

The Slow Food movement is also about knowing where your food really comes from - sourcing local when possible. It is extremely liberating to know who raises/grows your food versus factory produced.

[sonoffestus]

How did that song go?.......­......"slo­w down, you move to fast, got to make the morning last." Something like that.