Improving the quality of our food and devoting time to enjoy it is part of the philosophy Slow Food. The term could be translated into Spanish as "comida lenta", but its precepts have more to do with the substance than with the form of the taste of the meal; food with awareness.
This movement arises from the need to return to bringing people around a table not only to savor the food, but also to recognize in each dish, the people who are involved in the process of the development and production of each ingredient. In other words, Slow Food is a movement against fast and industrialized food and the mechanical preparation and destruction of food; a part of modern life.
It has been 20 years since its emergence in our country and little is known about it, except in some cities. However, in Banderas Bay were beginning to take the first steps in this direction at the hand of Carmen Porras, who has been interested in this philosophy and seeks share it with anyone who is interested in eating "as God provides us".
"Slow Food is an international association that works locally around the world. Here in Mexico it has already become established in several places and we are starting Slow Food Banderas Bay "comments Carmen, who in turn owns the popular restaurant El Arrayán.”The term Slow Food also relates to the fact that meals that are prepared with old or traditional recipes. They are foods that take some time to prepare, but it also implies the time to sit back with your family, with your friends and slowly enjoy the food. Slow Food promotes regional products locally ".
Here? Why Not?
"How did the idea of bringing the philosophy of Slow Food to Banderas Bay get started?” I asked Carmen Porras. "One day, I was talking with a friend who has a restaurant in San Francisco, who told me: Hey. Why you aren’t you into Slow Food? So I looked into it on the Internet. I asked. I liked it. I met with the people into Slow Food in Mexico City of and I enrolled as a member "recounts Carmen with evident enthusiasm.
After a year, representatives of Slow Food Mexico made contact with her inviting; her to participate in a world conference in Turin, Italy, attended by representatives from around the world including restaurant owners, chefs, producers and researchers. "I was as part of the delegation from Jalisco, but I was the only one! There was no one else from Jalisco and it made me realize that with so many unique products and with the great cultural wealth which the state has, there was no one else there. In Vallarta, knowing the level of service, the quality of products, and the level of the cuisine that is offered in so many wonderful restaurants here, so I said: Why not? "
For now, the main goal is to attract the local public to this movement and, in some way, promote a different approach in the way we eat. The key? The promotion of culinary events with tasting menus (conviviums* as they are known within the philosophy Slow Food) in which regional products are the star, so as to promote a rapprochement between the producer and consumer without intermediaries. "Our task is to introduce the producers directly to the owners of restaurants and the general public; so they can get to know their products; know how to use them; how to produce and can consume them in their homes." Carmen also plans perform "tasting labs" focused on a particular food item; to explain its preparation in of voice of producers and promote guided tours to the communities where the food items originate.
Fair trade, ecological awareness and social tourism in conjunction with the pleasure of eating. Did I mention that these events will be open to the general public? Of course, the idea is to integrate the greatest possible number of people; between entrepreneurs, producers, connoisseurs and people like you and me. Remember: Slow Food is substance, more than form.
Slow Food vs. Fast Food
Slow Food arises from the need to rescue hundreds of products and traditional recipes that are being lost in the world with the emergence of fast food in 1921, with the first chain of fast food restaurants of called White Castle Hamburger (that became McDonald’s 20 years later). This new trend for getting food and "enjoying it" quickly was easily adopted by the citizens of the world that had less and less time for sitting down to eat; and Mexico was no exception.
According to a report by the Mexican Association of franchises (MFA), the Fast Food Industry in Mexico earns some 10 billion dollars a year, 37% of which represents the sale of hamburgers, 30% chicken, 24% of pizzas and 9% other foods like tacos, hot dogs and cakes; surpassing even countries like Germany and France.
According to health specialists, this form of food has causes problems of obesity mainly in first world nations where fast food has significant presence. Added to this, these restaurants chains are characterized by supporting the industrialization of agriculture and animal husbandry, which in turn has led, among other factors of a macroeconomic nature, to the disappearance of many animals and plant products.
Slow Food for its part believes that, in addition to the enjoyment of food, they also unite efforts to safeguard those products and recipes that are in danger of disappearing, so that at present the partnership operates and cooperates with international agencies like the Organization of the United Nations for the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
The Banderas Bay Slow Food Convivium
Carmen Porras commented: "In the medium term we are thinking of being able to offer these events free of charge to youth who are studying in various universities of the region and that offer cooking courses here. They can be invited or make them totally free events which will also require the inclusion of regional producers. That is the goal: that people become interested in what is produced in the region, and involve a little more Mexican food and be proud and conscious that we are in a very rich local culinary culture ".
Tasting Dinner, with Live Traditional Music
El Arrayán
Allende 344, Centro
June 28th, at 7:00pm
For Information: (322) 222-7195
Open to the General Public; Space Limited
The Three Basic Considerations for Slow Food
1. The foods we eat should taste good.
2. They should be produced cleanly without harming the environment, animal welfare or human health.
3. Producers should be rewarded fairly for their work. The people associated with Slow Food are regarded as co-producers and not consumers, since they are informed of how to produce the food, in addition to providing support to producers; therefore are considered partners in the production process. The association currently brings together more than 80 thousand members distributed throughout more than 850 Conviva*or chapters around the world.
Glossary
* Convivium is a Latin word that means feast, fun or banquet. Slow Food applies this term appropriately to meetings with their partners.
** The Convivas is an expression of the Slow Food philosophy. They establish relations with producers, undertaking campaigns to protect traditional foods, organize tastings and seminars encouraging chefs to use local foods, designated producers participate in international events and work to bring the education of taste to schools. |
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