A new chapter of the Slow Food movement is being organized in Prince Edward Island to promote local products. Slow Food helps people rediscover the joys of eating and understand the importance of where their food comes from, who makes it and how it’s produced. Slow Food is a non-profit, eco-gastronomic organization that was first organized in Italy in 1989. It now has more than 80,000 members worldwide.
“Prince Edward Island, with the bounty of its land and sea, is the perfect environment for a Slow Food chapter,” said Bobby Shapiro, one of the organizers. “We have formed this chapter to bring together producers, retailers and the public to uphold the slow food mission.”
Part of the mission of Slow Food is to defend biodiversity with efforts to save traditional grains, vegetables, fruits, animal breeds and food products that are disappearing. In addition, Slow Food organizes events to showcase products of gastronomic quality and to offer discerning consumers the opportunity to meet food producers.
Shapiro said that the local convivium ( where people can share the everyday joys that food has to offer in a convivial atmosphere) plans to meet monthly, and will organize field trips to Island producers and dinners that highlight local products.
The first meeting is scheduled for May 10 at Flex Mussels in Charlottetown. Anyone who would like to join can do so at the meeting or by logging into the Slow Food website at www.slowfood.com.