The Slow Food Movement began in Italy in 1986 as a direct response to the rise of fast food, notably triggered by the opening of a McDonald's in Rome, and the resulting threat to traditional food practices and local culinary heritage .

Founded by Carlo Petrini and a group of activists, the movement sought to promote traditional food preparation methods, locally sourced ingredients, and sustainable agriculture, countering the industrial food system that prioritized efficiency and mass production over quality and sustainability .

The core philosophy is encapsulated in the principles of "good, clean, and fair" food: food should be tasty and nutritious, produced in a way that does not harm the environment, and accessible and fair for all, respecting the rights of producers .

Key tenets include the preservation of local food traditions and biodiversity, advocacy for sustainable agricultural practices, conscious consumerism, and community engagement that fosters connections between producers and consumers .

The movement also emphasizes the pleasure and enjoyment of food, encouraging people to savor meals and appreciate their cultural significance .

Since its inception, Slow Food has grown into a global network with around 100,000 members in over 150 countries, adapting to diverse cultural contexts and emphasizing local traditions, sustainability, and community resilience .

Globally, the movement manifests uniquely: in Uganda, Slow Food supports agroecology and small-scale farmers ; in Ukraine, communities preserve gastronomic heritage even during crises ; in Malawi, the focus is on preserving local coffee varieties ; in Mexico, efforts center on maize diversity and indigenous crops, with chefs like Enrique Olvera supporting local farmers .

Mediterranean cultures such as Greece and Cyprus align with Slow Food through plant-based fasting traditions and local ingredients .

For travelers, authentic Slow Food experiences can be found worldwide

The Slow Food Movement began in Italy in 1986 as a direct response to the rise of fast food, notably triggered by the opening of a McDonald's in Rome, and the resulting threat to traditional food practices and local culinary heritage .

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Content: Breaking The Industrial Cycle With Slow Food

Where do you go to get your groceries? If your first thought was your local supermarket, you are not alone. Shopping in large grocery stores became the norm for many of us, and we rely on these outlets more than we realise. They are convenient, filled to the brim with seemingly every product you could imagine and have a price point that fits most pockets.

From afar it seems like the perfect solution, but we all witnessed what happened in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic turned life on its head and among many others, highlighted the fragility of our food economy and the part supermarkets play in it.

The University of Oxford describes our food system as “a complex set of interconnected practices and relationships that ultimately deliver food from farms, processing facilities, factories, warehouses, and retailers, to the dinner table.”

Slow Food

The industrial food system is built for scale and efficiency with an aim to maximise production, reduce cost, and function much like factories.

Although many supermarkets and producers are taking steps to include the origins of their products on their labels, there is still not enough transparency around where our food actually comes from. This industrialised structure offers customers accessibility to a wider range of products at more affordable prices but has economic and environmental impacts that many are not aware of.

Industrial agriculture is notorious for using a range of fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides in their processes to maximise output, some of which stays present in the soil long after the crops are harvested. The products are then processed in factories, stabilised with preservatives and packaged in plastic, all occurring before they are loaded onto long haul freights, planes, lorries to arrive in distribution centres and eventually to supermarket shelves.

BBC Good Food reported that “DEFRA estimates that moving food is responsible for 25 per cent of all miles covered by heavy goods traffic in the UK. Transporting food within, to and around the UK produces 19 million tonnes of CO2 annually – equivalent to around 5.5 million typical cars.”

The length of the supply chains involved in industrial food systems result in a fragile structure as any slight disruption throughout the intricate process can halt the supply chain at any time.

However, this industrial food system is not the only one available to our economy. While our modern supermarkets heavily rely on large-scale agriculture, large scale production and precise, uninterrupted international food trade and fast turnaround times, the alternative slow food system focuses on a more resilient structure.

As the resilient alternative to this industrial cycle that many in the industry are championing, Slow Food is focused on returning to the traditional methods and celebrating all things local.

The not for profit grassroots organisation, Slow Food was set up in Italy in the late 1980s in a bid to promote traditional food preparation methods and locally sourced ingredients, going against the arrival of the American fast-food chain McDonald’s in Rome. The eco-gastronomic organisation now has around 100,000 members in over 150 countries.

Recognising and raising awareness of the negative impact the industrial food system had on society, the economy and the environment, the organisation ignited a Slow Food movement: a new way of conscious consumerism that takes seasonality, locality and tradition into account.

A slow, or resilient food system can take on many forms, starting with us as individuals making a conscious effort to engage with producers, venues and outlets that are aligned with the slow food values, to foraging, growing our own produce and going to local farmers’ markets.

Any involvement in the movement can make a significant difference in local communities and build a more sustainable, resilient and eco-friendly food system.

As the first accredited Slow Food destination in Northern Ireland, the Causeway Coast and Glens have been spearheading the move toward this resilient system and together with Taste Causeway, the collaborative network of local food and drink businesses.

From exciting slow food events to highlighting producers and awarding them with Slow Food accreditation, Taste Causeway and Slow Food NI are putting local suppliers and venues at the forefront of consumers’ minds, one business at a time.

To find out more about how you can support the Slow Food movement, the businesses involved and the upcoming events on the Causeway Coast, go to https://slowfood.tastecauseway.com/

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Content: A View from Ukraine: Only with Solidarity Can We Safeguard Biodiversity and Lay the Foundations for the Future

Whatever their nature, crises have much to teach us. One of their fundamental lessons is this: Together we are stronger.

This belief underpins the Slow Food network. Wars, pandemics and natural disasters only highlight our awareness that we are one big community with a specific duty, to help each other and protect our Mother Earth.

The solidarity that we have seen in Ukraine since Russia’s invasion exactly one year ago offers a strong and concrete example of this. More than 400 donors from over 27 countries have donated over €47,000, pledging to support not only the safety of those who have fled their home country but also those who have chosen to stay and look after their animals, crops and villages, protecting the wealth of local biodiversity currently under existential threat.

Slow Food has seen evidence of the network’s solidarity from around the world. Polish, Romanian and Bulgarian Slow Food communities are hosting refugees; Slow Food Australia has collected humanitarian aid and sent it to the borders; Slow Food Prague has run workshops to showcase Ukrainian cuisine; and in France and Italy Slow Food has organized fundraisers in aid of Ukrainian producers.

So far over 60 communities have been helped by this communal solidarity in various ways, with a focus on assisting those affected by the conflict to carry on with their daily lives and save local biodiversity. At a time of war, safeguarding biodiversity might not seem a priority. But in fact it represents a vital foundation for a future recovery.

“War is total destruction,” said Andrea Pieroni, professor of Ethnobotany and Ethnobiology at the University of Gastronomic Sciences, speaking to us last summer. “It also puts at risk the entire biodiversity of a country, and consequently an entire traditional gastronomic heritage. The environmental consequences of the Russian-Ukrainian war are manifold, and the effects fall (and will fall) as much on the present as on the future of each of us. But if a war can do damage, even more damage—and this time irreversible—can be done by reconstruction, if it does not respect the traditions and cultures that existed before, seeking instead to globalize and perhaps respond to global needs rather than local ones. The Slow Food network can play a key role in supporting Ukrainians to hold on to traditions, such as those of family production and farmers’ markets.”

The activities that Slow Food has been supporting in recent months include safeguarding traditional animal breeds by purchasing forage, providing medical assistance, distributing hatching eggs of local-breed chickens, providing farmers with seeds and plants of local varieties and helping to preserve local seed collections. The Slow Food network has also helped to purchase basic equipment, such as cultivators, fridges and wheelbarrows, for communities that have either been decimated or are hosting refugees. It has helped to fix a ruined school and buy containers for the meals being prepared by Slow Food Cooks’ Alliance cooks to distribute to the needy. For Christmas the network organized the delivery of food straight from farms to over 30 families where children were staying with their grandparents, so they could have good, wholesome food for the holidays.

“The money that we have received from Slow Food is vital, both to deliver humanitarian aid to people in need, and to preserve these native Carpathian bees and their ecosystem,” explained beekeeper Vitali Pavlu. “It’s all part of a spiritual and moral outlook that we promote: to do things not because they are profitable, but because they are good. So we take with one hand and give back with the other, to create harmony.”

While some have donated financially, others have chosen to donate their time and work. Just one example out of many: Dutch Slow Food Cooks’ Alliance member Jeroen van Nijnatten and his partner Marike Reinhard. Normally working as a caterer, Jeroen is well equipped to cook on location. About a month ago he and Marike packed their van full of cooking gear and ingredients and set off for the city of Lviv.

Their action was supported by the Ukrainian Education Platform and Kerk In Actie, a Dutch collective of Protestant churches. Since then, they have served about 1,400 pancakes in and around Lviv. Moving their mobile kitchen from orphanage to shelter to football stadium, everywhere the displaced happily queued up for a plate of warm Dutch pancakes. Marike has also been running yoga sessions for children in local orphanages. Says Jeroen: “The people we cooked for—mainly women and children of course—were very happy. The best part of these weeks was to see that they really felt supported.” Jeroen and Marike have recently returned to the Netherlands, but plans for a second trip are already being made.

Solidarity has also been on show in the places where Ukrainian refugees have arrived. Kateryna Prykhodko is a goat’s cheese producer and veterinarian who attended Cheese 2019. She fled from Kiev to Italy in March 2022, bringing three children, her mother and a number of dogs. In Ukraine, she had a farm called Dragonfly, located on the outskirts of the capital. Now everything is destroyed. But thanks to the hospitality of Eros Scarafoni and his family at the Fontegranne farm in the countryside near Fermo, in the Marche, Kateryna has found not just a safe haven but also the opportunity to continue her work as a cheesemaker, teaching the locals the secrets of her blue goat’s cheese. Local and regional Slow Food coordinators are working closely with her to promote her Italo-Ukrainian cheeses, organizing a series of meetings and events to give Kateryna a hand so that her Dragonfly can “fly” again.

“We are infinitely grateful to each of you, each community, each national association and the international headquarters,” said Slow Food’s coordinator in Ukraine, Yuliia Pitenko. “We are grateful to the whole extended Slow Food family for the quick and very effective assistance. We have been able to help those who are in the occupied territories, those who are near the front, those who are in Kyiv and those who received displaced people in western Ukraine, without bureaucratic obstacles. We understand that this is solidarity, real solidarity. We understand what heart-to-heart help means, and even now, when we don’t know what will happen tomorrow, we still want to invite you to Ukraine, let it be in a year, when we will have restored our country and saved our local animal breeds, seeds and gastronomic dishes.”

Each of these activities is a step toward the future we want to see become a reality. We are all part of a global network. And while safeguarding biodiversity, educating others and advocating for policy change in your corner of the world is paramount, progress begins with the exchange of stories, knowledge and projects across the globe and is built on the relationships we forge with one another. Only together can we cultivate a better future. Wherever we are, we are not alone.

See all of our updates on the network in Ukraine

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On returning to traditional food methods

What happened after the opening of McDonald's restaurants in Rome opened?

When did Carlo Petrini launch the Slow Food Movement?

On returning to traditional food methods

What happened after the opening of McDonald's restaurants in Rome opened?

When did Carlo Petrini launch the Slow Food Movement?

Founded by Carlo Petrini and a group of activists, the movement sought to promote traditional food preparation methods, locally sourced ingredients, and sustainable agriculture, countering the industrial food system that prioritized efficiency and mass production over quality and sustainability .

What are the supporters of slow food movement advocating?

On returning to traditional food methods

What happened after the opening of McDonald's restaurants in Rome opened?

Who is founder of the Slow Food Movement?

Carlo Petrini
An Italian sociologist and activist

What are the supporters of slow food movement advocating?

On returning to traditional food methods

What happened after the opening of McDonald's restaurants in Rome opened?

Who is founder of the Slow Food Movement?

Carlo Petrini
An Italian sociologist and activist

The core philosophy is encapsulated in the principles of "good, clean, and fair" food: food should be tasty and nutritious, produced in a way that does not harm the environment, and accessible and fair for all, respecting the rights of producers .

What are the supporters of slow food movement advocating?

Conscious consumption
Enjoyment of good food

A movement promoting high-quality, fair, and clean fisheries

What are the supporters of slow food movement advocating?

Conscious consumption
Enjoyment of good food

A movement promoting high-quality, fair, and clean fisheries

Key tenets include the preservation of local food traditions and biodiversity, advocacy for sustainable agricultural practices, conscious consumerism, and community engagement that fosters connections between producers and consumers .

What are the supporters of slow food movement advocating?

On returning to traditional food methods

What is the purpose of Taiwan's Taitung County Government ito hold the "SLOW SUPER Taitung Slow Farmer Market"?

To promote sustainable agricultural development

What are the supporters of slow food movement advocating?

On returning to traditional food methods

What is the purpose of Taiwan's Taitung County Government ito hold the "SLOW SUPER Taitung Slow Farmer Market"?

To promote sustainable agricultural development

The movement also emphasizes the pleasure and enjoyment of food, encouraging people to savor meals and appreciate their cultural significance .

What are the supporters of slow food movement advocating?

Conscious consumption
Enjoyment of good food

Since its inception, Slow Food has grown into a global network with around 100,000 members in over 150 countries, adapting to diverse cultural contexts and emphasizing local traditions, sustainability, and community resilience .

How many countries have members of Slow Food organization?

How many members does the Slow Food Movement have globally?

On returning to traditional food methods

Globally, the movement manifests uniquely: in Uganda, Slow Food supports agroecology and small-scale farmers ; in Ukraine, communities preserve gastronomic heritage even during crises ; in Malawi, the focus is on preserving local coffee varieties ; in Mexico, efforts center on maize diversity and indigenous crops, with chefs like Enrique Olvera supporting local farmers .

Title:

Content: Escaping the curse of the Maxwells: How do you lead a normal life if your grandfather is Robert and your aunt is Ghislaine? Meet the mental resilience coach, the art nerd, the sex education co-ordinator and even the policewoman who’ve done just that

The new generation of Maxwells are proving a remarkable testament to people’s ability to defy their genes. Among the many grandchildren of disgraced tycoon Robert Maxwell, who had nine children, is a diplomat who worked in Hillary Clinton’s US State Department and a student who is a schools co-ordinator for a sex education charity. Here, we profile the lives of the seven children of Kevin Maxwell and his wife Pandora, who divorced after a 23-year marriage, and whose family was devastated by the collapse of the Maxwell business empire.

1. CHLOE MAXWELL

She was only one when Robert Maxwell died in 1991 after falling off his £10 million yacht. Now aged 32, Chloe lived in India after leaving school and focused on mental and physical health issues. She returned to Britain in 2018 when she was pregnant with her son and now works as a resilience coach, helping people deal with stress. She also helps her mother Pandora recycle cashmere snoods, selling items under the name Pandorable.

She has explained her life philosophy, saying: ‘We are sold the illusion that money, titles and work matter more than our health and wellbeing, but who does that serve?

‘In truth there is nothing more important than living life governed by what is most important to us. To know it is authentically our truth and not the beliefs and preferences of others. When we embody self-awareness and are attuned to our needs we can respond to life in a consistently resilient way and it makes us more aware of those around us. Self-awareness is our superpower.’

2. TED MAXWELL

Followed his aunt Ghislaine to Balliol College, Oxford, where he captained the college football team. He set up a rickshaw taxi firm and founded the first student branch of the ‘Slow Food’ movement.

Left to right: Chloe Maxwell, 32, Oxford graduate Ted Maxwell, Eloise Maxwell, 33, property manager Tom Maxwell, Madeleine Maxwell, 29, Tilly Maxwell, 37, and youngest Maya, 20

He now works in marketing and lives with his wife, a consultant for the charity that researches Parkinson’s disease, and their three children. Their home is linked to his sister Tilly’s via wooden decking at the rear, which enables them to pop in and out of each other’s houses. On Twitter, he describes himself as a ‘footballer, runner, cook, figuring out gardening and fatherhood’.

3. ELOISE MAXWELL

The fourth of Kevin Maxwell’s children to go to Oxford University, the 33-year-old describes herself as an ‘art nerd and doting aunt’. After university, she did an MA at New York’s Institute of Fine Arts – her thesis focused on the role of abstraction in the work of a modern US photographer – before doing a PhD in History of Art & Architecture at Brown University. She then took several jobs in the photographic industry in America before moving back to Britain and settling near her siblings in London’s East End. She works as a senior project manager for a design consultancy in Hackney.

4. TOM MAXWELL

While at London’s Queen Mary University, he studied international relations and was vice-president of the rock-climbing society. After graduation, he managed the restaurant The Turl Street Kitchen in Oxford and then moved to Leeds with his wife Marie, where they began a vegan and vegetarian cafe. However, the pandemic forced them to trade online, offering next-day delivery. He’s also a regional manager at an investment company which constructs and develops prime UK property.

5. MADELEINE MAXWELL

The 29-year-old took a job as a teacher, before working for the think-tank Civitas and giving maths lessons to underprivileged children. She then worked as a science intern at the charitable foundation the Wellcome Trust, the Engine Room, which aims to accelerate social change, and the Helix Centre, a healthcare lab set up by London’s Imperial College and The Royal College of Art. She now works for the consultancy Traverse, where she says she involves ‘people and communities in design and decision-making, mainly in health and social care’.

Clockwise, from top: Robert Maxwell, Kevin, Christine, Anne, Ghislaine, Betty, Philip, Ian and Isabel in 1967

6. TILLY MAXWELL

Matilda (known in the family as ‘Tilly’), 37, studied history at the University of Oxford and then spent time travelling around China before becoming a teacher. She is married to barrister Iain Munro, who has advised on one of the largest offshore deals in Chinese history. They have three children and live in one of a pair of adjoining four-bedroom properties in East London, with brother Ted next door.

7. MAYA MAXWELL

The youngest of the Kevin-Pandora clan. Now 20, she left sixth-form college in Wales in 2020 and spent the summer helping her mother make face masks. A keen photographer, she is studying neuroscience at Edinburgh University with ambitions for a career in medicine. She also works as the schools co-ordinator for sex education charity Sexpression UK.

And the others...

FLEUR HOLVE

The only daughter of Robert Maxwell’s clinical hypnotherapist daughter Anne and her osteopath husband. The 29-year-old lives with her parents in a £3 million house in Highgate, North London. After A-levels at an independent sixth-form college, she studied English literature at York University before joining the Metropolitan Police. As a constable in Tottenham, she spoke warmly about ‘the sheer diversity’ of people she met on the streets. Now a detective constable.

XAVIER MALINA

The eldest son of Christine Maxwell. He worked on the Barack Obama-Joe Biden 2008 presidential campaign while studying in Massachusetts for a degree in international relations. The 34-year-old then worked as an assistant in the Office of White House Personnel at the Executive Office of the President, and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He is now a data curator for Google. He was described in 2018 by his father as a ‘Type A personality, engaged in rewarding productive professional pursuits and piloting safely through the chaos of life’.

YURI MALINA

Christine Maxwell’s second child, now 32, describes himself as a ‘former entrepreneur’ and ‘budding scientist’. Studied science and mathematics at Northwestern University, in Illinois, before launching two start-up firms. By the age of 25, he had been listed in the Forbes 30 under 30 list in the social entre-preneurship category. Now works as a research assistant in the field of molecular biology and genetics at the University of California. Married to a fellow scientist, Ramya, whom he has described as ‘my love and kindred spirit’.

GISELLE MALINA

Aged 31, the youngest of Christine Maxwell’s three children is also a scientist with a social conscience. She has worked as a designer, waitress and bartender as well as training to be a doctor. She graduated from Loyola University in Chicago in 2020 after publishing her first article in the AMA Journal Of Bioethics – ‘Consent for Unaccompanied Minors in Immigration Detention; Advocating for Protection from Coercive Practices’ – and spent her intern year setting up a Covid hotline. Now training in emergency medical care, she describes herself on social media as having ‘a passion for refugee care and disaster response. I love backpacking, windsurfing and pretty much anything outdoors’.

ALEX DJERASSI

The only son of Isabel Maxwell and her first husband, film-maker Dale Djerassi, whose father Carl Djerassi invented the contraceptive pill. The 37-year-old graduated from Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs and spent a year helping set up the UK Holocaust Survivor Testimony pilot project. (Robert Maxwell escaped Nazi occupation by fleeing to France as a teenager, but lost his parents, four siblings and most of his extended family in the Holocaust.) Alex worked in the US State Department under Hillary Clinton, overseeing US relations with the Arab world, Israel, and Iran. After he left in 2012, he spent three years studying for a doctorate at Yale Law School, before working at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Now chief policy officer at a civil technology company and describes himself as a ‘diplomat, bureaucrat, political campaigner and entrepreneur’.

MARCELLA MAXWELL

Robert and Betty Maxwell’s first-born fell into a coma aged 15 after a car crash and died eight years later – leaving their son Philip as their eldest child. He became a brilliant scientist who moved to Argentina and, in 1977, married an Argentine psychoanalyst. Marcella is their daughter.

JACK MAXWELL

The youngest of Robert Maxwell’s grandchildren and the only son of Ian Maxwell and his second wife Tara Dudley Smith. Aged 18.

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Content: Jamie Oliver's protegee tells Prudence Wade about the tradition for plant-based fasting food in many Mediterranean countries.

When you think about Greek and Greek Cypriot food, your mind might go to a whole lot of meat.

"There's just so many kebabs, and we love a grill," admits Georgina Hayden. "That is probably a preconception that is justified."

But there's another side to the cuisine she's keen to uncover - the plant-based food eaten during Lent and other fasting times of the year. And there's an awful lot of fasting: up to 200 days a year, including the 50 days before Easter, 50 days before Christmas, and every Wednesday and Friday.

"If you're doing it properly, that is a lot of days without meat," says Hayden. "But it means when you do eat meat, they go hard - it's about balance."

Hayden, who worked with Jamie Oliver for 12 years, has dedicated her latest cookbook to 'nistisima' - "a Greek word, meaning Lenten food," she explains. "It's the food we eat in the preparation for any big religious festival. That is the bigger meaning, but if you were presented with something that was 'nistisimo', or some food that was 'nistisima', basically that means it's plant-based, on a more simple level." It does include shellfish, but Hayden's book is entirely vegan, "for the sake of ease".

It might all sound a bit daunting - the religious references and vegan eating - but that's not Hayden's aim at all. She's keen to not tell anyone what to do - she's not vegan herself and wouldn't ask anyone to go completely plant-based if they don't want to - she just wants to "empower people with a load of recipes that introduce more lentils and vegetables to their life".

And you won't find sad meat replacements or vegan cheese anywhere in the book - particularly as Hayden tried vegan feta once ("I was curious!") and calls it "honestly the most disgusting thing I've ever eaten". Instead, she found so many dishes from Cyprus and the surrounding countries are accidentally vegan, and totally delicious in their own right.

"Instead of trying to replicate cauliflower cheese and make it something it's not, it's about finding new dishes that have been around for centuries that just happen to be plant-based," she says - and this wasn't a hard task at all (the book could have been "double the size, easily").

Hayden grew up around Greek Cypriot food - her grandparents ran a taverna in North London - but her research took her even further afield. "I was researching not just Greek food but the food from the surrounding countries in the Middle East and Eastern Europe. There are so many dishes and so much food from these places that is naturally and traditionally vegan," she explains. "That just fascinates me, especially nowadays, when we're trying to eat more veg and trying to be a bit more conscientious for the planet, whether you're a meat-eater or not."

She wrote the book when the pandemic was in full force and she couldn't travel to meet people. She describes, with glee, WhatsApping monks in Lebanon, FaceTiming a woman in Jordan to see what she was making for Lent, and learning from another monk (there were a surprising amount of monks involved in her journey) the trick to the most delicious kibbeh (deep-fried, stuffed pastries) - adding pumpkin puree instead of water to the batter, to really amp up the flavour.

"There's so much talk about - and rightly so - cultural appropriation in food," Hayden says thoughtfully. "We really have to look at where our food comes from and where recipes come from. But it's a really hard one - especially in a book like this - when you're crossing so many borders. Everyone has their own version of pretty much the same dish. A lot of people are aware of stuffed vine leaves and they think of it as a Greek dish. But it's not just a Greek dish - you go to Turkey, the Middle East, you go to Eastern Europe, everyone has their own version."

Another thing all of these dishes have in common is time. "It's probably the opposite of what everyone wants right now - everyone wants speed, everyone wants less washing up and whatnot," groans Hayden. "But when you're talking about vegan or plant-based cooking, because you don't have animal fat to give you flavour" - you've got to invest a bit more time in it.

One of the monks she spoke to would cook his onions for an hour - a far cry from what most of us do, which is essentially burning diced onions in a pan for a few minutes before adding other ingredients. "OK, we might not have time to cook onions for an hour - but when you do, it makes so much difference," says Hayden. "You might do your slow-cooked shoulder of lamb for four hours - why don't you apply the same principle to your vegetables? Not everything has to be quick.

"In the book, there are loads of speedy recipes - because that's life - but equally, if you're not having a big chunk of meat for Sunday dinner, apply the same compassion and love to your vegetables and you'll get loads of flavour. I think that's even more important to do with plant-based food, because it needs that sweetness that comes from slow cooking."

But don't worry, it's not like the recipes in the book are overly complex and hard to follow - Hayden is Jamie Oliver's protegee, after all. She recently reunited with her former boss as a judge on Channel 4's Great Cookbook Challenge With Jamie Oliver, and calls him "such an amazing mentor".

Hayden adds: "He taught me so much - he has always put the home cook at the forefront when he's thinking about things, and he's essentially taught me how to write a good recipe."

Nistisima: The Secret To Delicious Vegan Cooking From The Mediterranean And Beyond by Georgina Hayden is published by Bloomsbury, priced £26. Photography by Kristin Perers.

Title:

Content: Culture Mexico Life
Farmer Javier López in the Sierra Mixe mountains of northeastern Oaxaca looks over his crops of Oloton maize, a self-fertilizing variety. Allen Van Deynze/University of California-Davis

Two new books on vanishing foods examine Mexico’s maize

Mexico's diversity of corn varieties is in danger, but there are also strong efforts to preserve them

Widely considered the birthplace of maize, Mexico features in two new books about this ancient, beloved and important crop, which has been the focus of controversy and polemic here in recent years.

Used in multiple ways, from tamales to beer to popping corn, maize is nevertheless at risk of losing its diversity.

Endangered Maize: Industrial Agriculture and the Crisis of Extinction, by University of Cambridge scholar Helen Anne Curry, is a deep dive into preservation efforts. BBC food journalist Dan Saladino’s Eating to Extinction: The World’s Rarest Foods and Why We Need to Save Them, which examines foods imperiled around the globe, looks at the unusual Oloton self-fertilizing maize that grows in the mountains of Oaxaca.

Each author approaches their narrative from the perspective of loss of indigenous food varieties and attempts at conservation.

“Even though I focus on one … unique and distinct global commodity — corn — the story I tell here about maize is actually relevant to understanding this broader story,” said Curry, the Peter Lipton Lecturer in History of Modern Science and Technology. “It’s not just varieties of maize cultivated in different parts of the world, especially Latin America – there are threats that bear on many different crops in many different parts of the world.”

Saladino is also concerned about endangered foods – of which there are 5,000 from 130 countries, according to the Ark of Taste catalog on the website for Slow Food USA.

For the book, he picked 35, including a sweet honey rich in protein because of the larvae within it, and an unpasteurized cheese from Albania with a lemony taste from wild bacteria. Individuals he interviewed included a Palestinian activist named Vivien Sansour, who was inspired to create a seed library in the West Bank after attending a conference in Mexico and learning Subcomandante Marcos’ maxim, “sin maiz, no hay pais” (without maize there is no country).

Saladino said that there are different reasons why foods are becoming endangered. “Some foods are being impacted because land use has changed,” he said. “Some are being impacted by lost skills, others because of climate change, others because of conflicts.”

“Many people are surprised to learn that one-third of the world’s wheat globally today originates in the Black Sea region of Ukraine and Russia,” he said by way of example. “Even if the war does not directly impact the supply of the wheat, global food production will be heavily influenced.”

Global production of corn goes back to the 19th and 20th centuries: the crop was hybridized in the U.S. In Germany, the Haber-Bosch process created synthetic fertilizer. More recently, transgenic varieties have been introduced. It’s all added up to skyrocketing production.

“Part of it is the significant breeding that’s occurred, and the resulting change of yield we’ve seen over time. Genetic changes achieved through various breeding practices have created the best possible combination of genetic material to survive in varied conditions.” She listed other, more specific factors – “what kind of fertilizer, how often they’re irrigated … It’s not all about genetic changes.”

While Saladino said that attempts to ramp up production have been done “for a good reason,” as a society, we’ve not “put the brakes on wanting more and more yield.”

“At the same time, we’ve ignored all the other factors at play, the impact by the system on diversity, soil, water use, the risk you embark [upon] in manufacturing very high-yield corn, the risk you find in terms of disease,” he said.

The Western world, he notes, has a history of ignoring the full picture: when the conquistadors arrived in Mexico, they were entranced with maize but ignored how it was grown. It was planted using the indigenous milpa system, alongside a nutritious complement of crops – squash and beans.

Europeans ate maize in isolation and as a result, suffered from the disease pellagra. “I think one of the big ideas in the book is the complexity that exists in indigenous traditions or food systems that many people fail to realize – in many cases, still fail to recognize or fully understand,” Saladino said.

One part of Mexico that Hernán Cortés found hard to conquer was the Mixe region of Oaxaca. Centuries later, the regional Oloton maize made headlines in scientific journals. “I was reading that a breakthrough had been made in understanding how a particularly unusual type of maize self-fertilizes,” Saladino said.

The variety drips with a mucus-like substance containing microbes that interact with the plant and air to provide fertilizer in the region’s nutrient-poor soil. “It’s one of the examples you can cite [to prove] that so much genetic diversity out there still exists,” Saladino said. “There’s so much we’re still learning.

“We don’t know if we’re going to need this in the future. So much is changing in terms of climate,” he said. Yet, he added, “Relying heavily on monocultures and [on] reducing diversity, it’s a risky situation to have arrived at.”

To date, Mexico has managed to hold onto diversity when it comes to this crop; Curry, familiar with sweet corn from growing up in the United States, was amazed by the many varieties of maize in Mexico. “I’ve only been privileged to experience a handful of other different kinds of maize in my life.” In that handful, she includes the corn on the cob she had in Mexico City.

“For obvious reasons, there’s a long history of experiences of far more varieties of maize and landraces of maize existing in Mexico,” she said.

A landrace is a crop variety that has localized characteristics due to adaptation over time to a region’s conditions.

Curry is pleased with Mexican initiatives to preserve maize diversity. “Mexico has a phenomenal history of work and research by Mexican agronomists, sustained by Mexican political institutions, in the development of maize culture from the 20th century onward,” she said. “Today, Mexican national agricultural research institutions continue to be central.”

She has visited many such institutions while researching her book, including the International Center for the Improvement of Maize and Wheat in Chapingo, México state. Mexican scientists she interviewed voiced concern about indigenous maize being crowded out by imported corn from the U.S.

“There is,” she said, “as many people surely know, a strong movement in Mexico from a variety of different groups – environmentalists, indigenous groups, campesino organizations and also scientists … They feel very strongly and rightly that the restriction of maize imports from the U.S., especially transgenic maize, is essential to maintain the integrity of Mexican native maize, varieties of criollo maize.”

Saladino noted the role of NAFTA in facilitating the imports of U.S. corn into Mexico: “A crop that had been domesticated in Mexico now travels from the States to Mexico in huge amounts, a commodity type of corn rather than original, ancestral Mexican maize. It’s a complicated story.”

He notes a positive development: Mexico City-based celebrity chef Enrique Olvera, whom he interviewed for the book, is incorporating indigenous maize into his menu.

“He pays [farmers] way above market price for the maize,” Saladino said. “He talks about maize in the same way people refer to the diversity of wine. Each one is a reflection of its place, of its people, of the different seasons as well.”

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Content: Slow Food Uganda Triumphs at the National Agroecology Action week 2023

The Agroecology Week of Action, organized by Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM) Uganda, served as a platform for like-minded Civil Society Organizations, and individuals to come together and uphold the cause of agroecology. From the National Agroecology Actors Symposium, Agroecology Market Systems Expo, to the Indigenous Food and Seed Fair, the five-day event was a dynamic and comprehensive display of the power and potential of agroecology. The Slow Food Uganda’s invaluable participation in this week-long event aimed to raise awareness, foster knowledge exchange, and inspire action towards a more just, resilient and equitable sustainable food system. The Slow Food Uganda participation in the Agroecology Week of Action provided a critical opportunity for the selected Slow Food Communities to share experiences, showcase success stories, and discuss the challenges faced by small-scale farmers and other Agroecological Actors.

PELUM Uganda, an umbrella organization comprising over 60 civil society organizations, has long been organizing this annual event of the Agroecology Week of Action, which has become an inspiration for empowering the small-scale farmers, stakeholders, and communities in driving positive change towards a more resilient and sustainable future for food and agriculture through fostering a deep-rooted commitment to promoting agroecology as a transformative approach to farming. The outstanding activities organized have made this event a platform for knowledge exchange, capacity building, and advocacy for sustainable food systems.

Throughout the Agroecology Week of Action, participants were treated to a diverse range of activities, including panel discussions, exhibitions, and cooking demonstrations. Slow Food Uganda’s active involvement in these events brought forth their expertise in promoting traditional food cultures, fostering food sovereignty, and advocating for the preservation of local food biodiversity.

By bridging the gap between policy and practice, the Agroecology Week of Action aimed to influence decision-makers and stakeholders to prioritize agroecology as a viable solution to the challenges facing our food systems. Through engaging dialogues and thought-provoking presentations, this event provided a space for critical discussions on issues such as climate change, food sovereignty, and rural livelihoods. Slow Food Uganda’s participation further strengthened the credibility and impact of these discussions, drawing attention to the importance of preserving traditional knowledge and promoting sustainable farming practices.

Here is the highlight of Slow Food Uganda’s participation in all the events that happened during the Agroecology Week of Action:

National Agroecology Actors Symposium

Slow Food Uganda’s participation in the side event focused on “Consumer and Market Led Mechanisms for Scaling up Agroecology” during the National Agroecology Actors Symposium was instrumental in highlighting the crucial role of Earth Markets in promoting and expanding agroecological enterprises. During this side event, John Kiwagalo from Slow Food Uganda shared insights and experiences on how Earth Markets can contribute to scaling up agroecology entrepreneurship. He emphasized the importance of Earth Markets in raising awareness among consumers about the benefits of supporting agroecological practices for environmental sustainability, biodiversity conservation, and improved nutrition.

Slow Food Uganda’s participation in this side event was key in sharing success stories and best practices from the Earth Markets network, highlighting how market-led approaches can attract farmers to adopt agroecological practices, leading to improved livelihoods and sustainable agricultural systems. The insights and recommendations shared by Slow Food Uganda during the side event served as a call to action for policymakers, researchers, and other stakeholders to integrate consumer and market perspectives into their strategies for scaling up agroecology.

Agroecology Market Systems Expo

One of the highlights of the Agroecology Week of Action was the vibrant market expo, where agroecological entrepreneurs from across Uganda showcased their organic produce and traditional food products. This unique platform not only celebrated the richness and diversity of local agricultural practices but also provided a direct link between agroecological producers and consumers who value sustainable and diverse nutritious food. Through showcasing the Earth Market and the Slow Food Cooks Alliance model, Slow Food Uganda played a crucial role in emphasizing the significance of supporting local economies and short supply chains as well as promoting food that is good for people, the planet, and communities. Milly Namakula, a dedicated member of the Dembe Catering Cooks Alliance, skilfully prepared the renowned Nyasaland Arabica coffee sourced from the Nyasaland Coffee Presidium in Mbale district. This local processed coffee was proudly showcased and served alongside the delightful local sweet bananas sourced from the robust BOCOVACO Food Community in Buikwe district. The esteemed presence of Mr. Abitekaniza Johnson, the Assistant Commissioner of MSME Training and Business Skills Development at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives who represented the Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, as the chief guest of the day, further raised the significance of the occasion. During his visit to the Slow Food Uganda stand, Mr. Abitekaniza Johnson had the opportunity to gain deep insights into the remarkable work carried out by Slow Food Presidia, Earth Markets, Cooks Alliance, and Food Communities. This provided the minister with a deeper understanding of how these initiatives actively foster agroecological markets, thereby enhancing the livelihoods of small-scale farmers. Over 100 visitors had an opportunity to taste the flavours of Uganda’s Nyasaland Arabica Coffee.

During the engaging panel discussion, John Kiwagalo delved into the pivotal role played by Earth Markets in fostering agroecological markets. Earth Markets, as highlighted by Kiwagalo, serve as platforms for fostering innovation and implementing initiatives that prioritize the principles of sustainability and biodiversity protection. Kiwagalo’s insights shed light on the significance of Earth Markets in creating connections between producers and consumers, facilitating the exchange of knowledge and promoting agroecological practices for a more resilient food system.

Indigenous Food and Seed Fair

Slow Food Uganda was part of over 100 exhibitors who participated in the Annual Indigenous Food and Seed Fair that happened for 2 days, showcasing their commitment to promoting cultural and biological diversity. The event provided an excellent platform for Slow Food Uganda to exhibit their diverse range of initiatives, including exciting displays of the Slow Food Garden, Earth Market stalls, and seed banks, as well as highlighting the important work of the Cooks Alliance.

Dr. Paul Mwambu the Commissioner for Crop Inspection and Certification who represented the Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries as the chief guest at the Indigenous Food and Seed Fair visited the Slow Food Uganda stand which further amplified the significance of the participation. During his visit, Slow Food Uganda emphasized the crucial role of supporting small-scale farmers in certifying their innovative practices. They stressed the need for policies that not only recognize and value the contributions of agroecological farmers but also provide them with the necessary support and resources to effectively utilize their innovations.

During the event, an array of indigenous seeds was showcased by dedicated farmers representing various Slow Food Communities. This exhibition not only provided a platform for farmers to display their valuable seed diversity but also facilitated seed exchanges among participants from different organizations. The collaborative spirit of the event allowed for the sharing of traditional seeds, ensuring their continued cultivation and protection.

Moreover, visitors were treated to a delightful gastronomic experience as members of the Cooks Alliance skilfully prepared a range of local dishes, showcasing the incredible diversity and flavours of the Uganda’s cuisine. From traditional delicacies to innovative culinary creations, the Cooks Alliance demonstrated the richness and versatility of local foods. Additionally, guests had the privilege of enjoying the renowned Nyasaland coffee, sourced from the Nyasaland Presidium, which further highlighted the exceptional quality and taste of Uganda’s coffee heritage.

The exhibition of indigenous seeds, food, artisanal materials, domesticated animals, poultry, clean energy technologies and locally made agroecological inputs coupled with the tasty offerings from the Cooks Alliance and the Nyasaland coffee, provided a memorable experience for visitors, fostering a deep appreciation for the cultural and culinary heritage of Uganda. This vibrant celebration of local food traditions and agricultural biodiversity showcased the vital role played by Slow Food Communities in promoting sustainable practices and preserving the unique flavours and traditions of Uganda.

In his opening remarks during the Food Fair, Edward Mukiibi, the president of Slow Food International and Vice Chairperson of PELUM Uganda emphasized the importance of local farmers’ initiatives in enhancing the protection of local food biodiversity. “Women, youth, indigenous peoples and men who are small scale farmers are the custodians of our biodiversity. These are the true people who are nourishing and feeding this country and no one should take this away from us.” Edward said. He added that biodiversity and culture are linked together and biological and cultural diversity is the foundation of every country’s food system.

Best Exhibitors’ Awards

Slow Food Uganda gained a well-deserved recognition by winning the prestigious award as the Best Exhibitor at the Annual Food and Seed Fair. This achievement did not only highlight Slow Food Uganda’s solid commitment to promoting biodiversity and supporting small-scale farmers but also underscored their significant contributions to fostering a more sustainable and inclusive food culture. Slow Food Uganda’s recognition as the best exhibitor in the Annual Food and Seed Fair serves as evidence to their significant impact in promoting sustainable food systems. The exceptional display at the fair captured the spirit of their mission, captivating visitors with a vibrant and diverse range of exhibits. The organization’s booth stood out through its thorough curation, showcasing indigenous seeds, traditional food varieties, and innovative farming practices. The passion and dedication of Slow Food Uganda members were clearly evident, as they shared their wealth of knowledge and engaged visitors in meaningful conversations about the importance of preserving local food heritage.

John Kiwagalo, Slow Food Uganda

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On returning to traditional food methods

On returning to traditional food methods

On returning to traditional food methods

On returning to traditional food methods

Mediterranean cultures such as Greece and Cyprus align with Slow Food through plant-based fasting traditions and local ingredients .

Title:

Content: Meeting Malawi’s Slow Food Coffee Communities

Malawi, a small country in Southeast Africa, is gaining recognition as an emerging player in the global coffee industry. Blessed with fertile soil, favorable climatic conditions and a rich agricultural heritage, Malawi has steadily established itself as a producer of high-quality coffee beans. Today the coffee industry plays a crucial role in the country’s economy, providing employment opportunities for thousands of farmers and contributing to foreign exchange earnings.

A bit of history

Coffee production in Malawi has a long history, dating back to the late 19th century, when it was introduced by missionaries.

From that moment on, for almost 200 years, coffee production spread across the country.  The 1980s and 1990s, however, saw a big drop in production due to wilt disease. As a result, partly due to the close proximity of Tanzania, also a major coffee producer, Malawian coffee struggled to be a cash crop for producers (common national cash crops are tobacco, tea, and macadamia nuts)1.

The Nyasaland variety, traditional in East Africa

Nyasaland, as Malawi was known under the British Empire, played an important role in the history of African coffee cultivation. The Nyasaland variety of Arabica, derived from the Typica strain introduced from Jamaica in 1870s, is considered to be one of the oldest Arabicas in Africa. Although it flourished initially in Nyasaland, it faced challenges when transplanted to Uganda in 1910, on account of the different climatic conditions. This setback led to the widespread cultivation of Robusta in Uganda. More recently, however, there has been a resurgence of Arabica production on the slopes of Mount Elgon (Uganda), where the Nyasaland variety, locally known as Bugisu, is highly valued by smallholders.

This new trend is epitomized by the “Mount Elgon Nyasaland Coffee Community,” based round a former Slow Food Presidium and recognized as a Slow Food Coffee Coalition Community.

Malawian coffee today

Today, the main coffee-growing regions in Malawi are located on the slopes of the country’s highlands, which offer ideal growing conditions. Here the combination of altitudes ranging from 900 to 1,800 meters above sea level and volcanic soil contributes to the unique flavor profile of Malawian coffee.

The coffee varieties cultivated in Malawi are predominantly Arabicas, known for their delicate flavor and aroma. Among the most commonly grown Arabica varieties are Catimor, Geisha, SL28, Agaro, Nyika and Bourbon. To ensure a high-quality product, these beans are handpicked by local farmers and only the ripest cherries are selected for processing. Here the washed coffee processing method predominates: it consists of the pulping of the cherries, fermentation and thorough washing to remove any mucilage before drying.

The Malawi government, along with various agricultural organizations, has actively supported the development of the coffee industry. Initiatives to improve infrastructure, provide technical assistance and promote sustainable farming practices have helped to enhance productivity and increase the overall competitiveness of Malawian coffee on the global market.

Slow Food Communities

With its commitment to quality, unique flavor profiles and the dedication of its coffee farmers, Malawi is establishing itself as a promising source of high-quality coffee.

Today, producers are mostly organized into cooperatives. One such is the Phoka Cooperative, located in Northern Malawi on the edge of the Nyika National Park: in 2021 it adhered to the Slow Food movement and split into several Slow Food Communities within the Slow Food Coffee Coalition. Currently, there are seven Slow Food Communities of coffee farmers, and neighboring farmers have also expressed their desire to be part of the network and set up more Slow Food Communities in the future.

The existing Communities are all to be found in the Rumphi district in the north of the country, where the cooperative headquarters are situated. They are:

  • Chakaka Coffee Growers;
  • Kajoni Coffee Growers;
  • Mantchewe-Nkhota-Mbulamaji Youth Coffee Growers;
  • Vungu Vungu Coffee Growers;
  • Nkhonthwa Coffee Growers;
  • Junju Coffee Growers;
  • Mphachi Coffee Growers.

They all grow Arabica coffee–especially the Geisha, Catimor and Nyika 129 varieties–which has been proven to be more resistant to diseases and does well at the higher altitudes of the Phoka area.

It is thanks to the work of these Communities and the strength of the network itself that the Coalition has been able to recognize the quality of Malawi’s unique coffee varieties and the importance of protecting them from the threats of industrialization and monocultures. By promoting agrobiodiversity and encouraging farmers to cultivate coffee in accordance with agroeconomic principles, the Slow Food Coffee Coalition is seeking to preserve the Malawian environment and safeguard the livelihoods of the farmers.

To achieve this, all the Communities took part in the FAO-sponsored project “Enhancing community resilience to climate change in mountain watersheds” under the Coffee Coalition umbrella, implementing agroforestry practices to increase resilience to climate change and natural disasters with improved land and forest management. Agroforestry and, in general, improved farm management are especially important in Malawi for solving problems such as water consumption in the fields.

One coffee, many challenges

Aside from coffee not being one of the country’s main cash crops, coffee growers in Malawi are still struggling to tackle a number of challenges, the first of which is the spread of pests and diseases.

We were told by Lowani Mfundawanga, Coffee field technical expert of the Phoka Cooperative that, “Farmers were using uncertified seeds gathered from under coffee trees already contaminated with CBD (coffee berry disease). For a long time, there were no certified seed producers and growers would re-use their seeds, even if they had been attacked by diseases. This led to the proliferation of unhealthy plants and consequently reduced yield.

To solve these problems, we are planning to train coffee seed producers in possession of disease-resistant seeds to sell them as certified seeds. The disease-resistant seeds are those of the Nyika129 and Gesha coffee varieties.”

The second most common challenge is that of agricultural practices. “Agroforestry practices promise a bright future for our farmers since they will help reduce climate change,” says Lowani, implying that cultivating coffee in an agroforestry system (intercropping coffee plants, shade trees, fruit trees and bushes) also contributes to pest control, land management and food security. And he adds that farmers  are happy to perform such practices. At this point, producers are training each other on the basis of what they have learned implementing the agroforestry management project.

The various challenges also include logistical issues connected with the transport of coffee from production centers to major cities. On top of that, the machinery used in processing centers is outdated and inefficient, which translates into tiresome labor and lower quality. It is crucial for cooperatives to replace this old machinery with modern processing equipment to enhance the quality of their coffee. The main obstacle, however,  is financial constraints. The price of coffee is subject to stock market fluctuations, making for inconsistent trading over time. This unpredictability poses significant challenges for cooperatives and producers alike, making it difficult to allocate resources effectively and maintain a consistent level of quality in coffee production.

“Participation in the Slow Food Coffee Coalition was very important for the Communities,” says Manvester Ackson, Slow Food Coordinator in Malawi, “because it helped create a direct link with buyers. This way, producers are able to set prices directly, without having to succumb to the stock market. Producers don’t have a stable market for their coffee, so insofar as it allows them to forge direct links, for them the Coffee Coalition is a very important marketing opportunity.”

The Communities embraced the Slow Food Coffee Coalition and are now taking the actions necessary to implement the Participatory Guarantee System, designed to certify that their coffee is good, clean and fair, and give them added value in the eyes of potential buyers.

Being part of the Slow Food Coffee Coalition brings the Communities into a network in which knowledge, expertise and experiences are shared, and collaboration among the parties enhanced.

In Malawi, the coffee season has only just begun. So let’s look forward to drinking the Communities’ excellent coffee, thereby supporting farmers as they create more climate-resistant landscapes.

Stay up to date on where and when the coffee from the Coalition will be available by joining the network here!

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