Slow Food began in 1986 when an Italian journalist visited Rome and saw a brand new branch of McDonalds at the foot of the Spanish Steps. Carlo Petrini was horrified, it seemed that a global takeover of industrialised, standardised fast food was well on the way and it could be the beginning of the end for the huge variety of good, traditional, regional Italian food. He decided that a 'slow food' movement was necessary to counteract the potential for 'fast food' world domination.

What does Slow Food actually do?

The manifesto guides, but the local convivium is the grassroots heart of Slow Food. It organises a variety of events such as tastings, dinners with a particular theme, and visits to places of food and drink interest. It collects information about regional food and drink, whether it be good shops or restaurants, or food and drink products under threat - and passes on this information to Slow Food members worldwide. Conviviality and enjoying yourself are essential features of Slow Food membership!

Members receive several issues of 'Slow' magazine as part of their membership each year. This magazine (it's more like a book) is superbly produced, with 140 pages of top quality articles, beautifully illustrated. They also receive local newsletters and information about forthcoming Slow Food events and activities.

Collectively Slow Food has initiatives ('the Ark of Taste' and the "Presidia') designed to identify, preserve and protect threatened food and drink products, rare breeds or species. An example in Britain is Cheddar cheese hand-made in Somerset from unpasteurised milk. In our own area, we are hoping to make perry an entry into the Ark, as well as a Presidium.

Slow Food continues to develop taste education programmes for children and adults. It also campaigns to sustain quality agriculture and to maintain the biodiversity of our food supply. It does not restrict itself to the developed nations and is active in promoting projects to sustain food production in the world's poorer countries.

75% of European food product diversity has been lost since 1900.

93% of American food product diversity has been lost in the same time period.

33% of livestock varieties have disappeared or are near disappearing.

30,000 vegetable varieties have become extinct in the last century, and one more is lost every six hours.

The mission of the Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity is to organize and fund projects that defend our world’s heritage of agricultural biodiversity and gastronomic traditions.

The Foundation's vision is for a new agricultural system that respects local cultural identities, the earth’s resources, sustainable animal husbandry, and the health of individual consumers.