ColumnIt’s called the “slow food movement” for a reason: good food takes time. 

I had an hour on my hands for lunch. But then one espresso turned into a second, the cafe owner and I waxed ecstatic about Stumptown coffee and craft roast, and soon an hour had turned into an hour and a half. These things happen.

I happen to have that serious affliction where I start talking about food and I can’t stop. Apparently it’s contagious. Get talking to an artisan producer and you could spend the better part of an afternoon in a conversation about the how and why of what they make. Go to the market and you’ll probably end up chatting about how to put your rhubarb to use. Visit a small brewery for a tasting and the brewer could turn into your new best friend.

These are things that don’t happen at your well-equipped supermarket or fast food chain. There is a pace to shopping and eating locally, seasonally and organically. It’s a pace determined by people that love what they do and what they eat and share a common bond with those that believe that good food takes time.

There is no denying that there is a general trend to more authentic food, even fast food companies are working hard to make their food look more natural in order to bring in a clientele that doesn’t want to buy anything that seems too over-processed. Domino’s pizza with a more rustic look, Egg McMuffins with a much less formulaic shape and such. But here’s the clincher: actual natural food will never be fast.

It’s called Slow Food for a reason. Good, real food takes time; on the farm, at the market, in the kitchen and around the table.

There was a time when we lived in harmony with daylight hours and the seasons. When a meal wasn’t a drive-thru away. We ate food only when we prepared it ourselves, and we were healthier because of it. Nowadays we buy a quick snack, eat it on the go, and are so busy checking our email over lunch that we forget what we’re even eating.

This is no way to live.

If we care about what we eat, we have to be willing to engage. Food brings people together after all. We talk, we share, we learn–be it a recipe or a better way to grow basil. If we care about our food, we have to be willing to slow down. To enjoy the moment, even if the moment is as simple as eating an apple and a handful of almonds.

“Not everyone has that kind of time,” you say.

But we have time to watch television, check Facebook, text our friends, and a whole other laundry list of things that inevitably become a time suck. Adding a couple of extra minutes in your day to ask a question about your food, or spend a few more moments enjoying your meal is a good thing. Carve out time everyday to tend to your kitchen herbs and you’ll be all the happier for it. It’s all a way to reconnect to what we’re eating and where our food comes from.

Because, the more natural you want to eat, the more time you are going to have to spend. But don’t worry, it’s time well spent.

This is the latest installment of Anna Brones’ weekly column at EcoSalon: Foodie Underground, an exploration of what’s new and different in the underground movement, and how we make the topic of good food more accessible to everyone. More musings on the topic can be found at www.foodieunderground.com.

Image: Anna Brones

The post Foodie Underground: Good Food Takes Time appeared first on EcoSalon.

Although many of us love good food, we don’t always take the time to honor it. As a society we’re pressed for time, and instead of sitting down to a fresh prepared meal in good company, we often opt for the quick and processed foods which we can eat on the go. And because we want fast and easy, we certainly don’t share the experience with our friends. We’ve seen the difficulty that even Jamie Oliver has had in getting people to simply cook one meal and eat together. Although we’re fully aware that these things have a negative effect on us, both physically and emotionally, we find excuses, like, “I don’t have the time.”

The Slow Food movement was started to change all of this – not only people’s attitudes towards food – but also towards how they were eating it. Eating in good company is just as crucial as what you’re putting in your body.

In the UK, The Big Lunch is attempting to change just that. The grassroots project is aimed at getting the whole of the UK sitting down and having lunch with their neighbor. But getting an entire country to commit to eating lunch together on one day can’t be easy, right? Last year, The Big Lunch had over one million participants. And it’s not just a couple people getting together for a quick meal; the initiative often inspires full on street parties, with some participants working with local agencies to close their streets off for the big day. All in the name of eating together.

Beyond building community, efforts like Big Lunch are forcing people to think about how their behaviors are affecting their eating habits, as well as their social lives. We all live more independent, and thanks to the internet – detached lives as well – but bringing back that sense of community and friends is key.

This year The Big Lunch will take place on July 18th, and even if you don’t live in the UK, you can still be inspired to take part. Plan your own neighborly get together, with an emphasis on good, homemade food that you enjoy together, without the interruptions of everyday life. Even if it’s just for 45 minutes, turn off the Crackberry and take the time to focus on friendship and food. We could all use a little boost in our well being.

Image: Eden Project

The post Foodie Underground: Coming Together for Lunch appeared first on EcoSalon.

How does a popular wine country town just outside of San Francisco become America’s first “cittaslow” city?

Apparently, as Sonoma discovered, by just being itself.

Being slow is considered a bad thing in many parts of the world, but in Sonoma they embrace their slowness. As a result, they meet all the requirements set out by the Cittaslow International, a network of slow cities around the world.

Obtaining the cittaslow ((Italian for  “slow city”) designation isn’t easy. To start with, it’s invite only. And just because a city is invited to apply doesn’t mean it is a shoe-in. Invited cities go through a rigorous application process to prove they embody Cittaslow values. Chief among these is the concept of the slow food movement, sustainable agricultural practices, conservation of and support for traditional artisan products, hospitality programs, historic preservation, and educational programs for all ages.

The next time you are in Sonoma, “sit a down” and relax. Enjoy the sun. Enjoy the wine. Enjoy the town. There’s no reason to hurry. After all, you are now in a cittaslow town.

Image: brianholsclaw

The post Sonoma Honored for Being Slow appeared first on EcoSalon.