slow food nation mayhem.

The other morning I walked out of a rental kitchen just as half a dozen cooks from all over the United States were entering it to begin prepping for the Slow Food Nation onslaught. I ran into people I have worked with but have not seen in many years, and I met new ones.

All over San Francisco restaurants are receiving quadruple orders of produce, meat, dairy and dry good supplies in preparation for an influx of 60,000 International food-interested folks, over the course of the next 3 days.

And then there are the people who have no idea it's happening. Slow Food? What's that?

For the uninformed I just remind them not to drive into San Francisco this weekend.

I keep thinking about the people who will avoid it altogether. I get it, of course, because events like this tend to make me so overwhelmed I can barely function normally. It's inspiration at coliseum level volume. It's deliciousness to the point of painful. It's gorgeous and too much, all at the same time.

How come everything has to happen in three days and not spaced out over 365?

But I want to leave you with this thought.

When an event comes to your attention, and you leaf through it, noticing there's nothing on offer for you, please consider the possibility that you may have something to offer the event. By being absent you refuse to learn and receive, but also to give and share and teach.

Much of this weekend will be not about spending money, but about supporting those people who, in lieu of the big business of creating more and more unhealthful food "choices," are choosing to create artisinal foods in slower, less mechanical ways.

Said very well by my comrades at Emporio Rulli:

"ABOUT SLOW FOOD:  Slow Food is a non-profit, eco-gastronomic member-supported organization founded by Carlo Petrini, an Italian, to counteract fast food and fast life, the disappearance of local food traditions and people’s dwindling interest in the food they eat, where it comes from, how it tastes and how our food choices affect the rest of the world."

When you choose, if you have the financial means to do so, to eat food that harms the people, animals, eco-systems, soil, cultures and local economies from whence it is produced, as little as is possible, {in this day and age}, you are performing a radical, infectious act.

This weekend please think about giving back, even if the event this weekend gives nothing to you.

Comments

[Thy Tran]

Shuna,

As always, you wrote a thoughtful and important piece that goes much deeper than the usual response to questions about our complicated, far from perfect world. Thank you so much for tackling this in such a fair and, yes, challenging way.

I hear what you're saying about trying to engage and educate those who exclude or misunderstand you. But as someone who has worked in restaurants, magazines, newspapers and -- yes -- nonprofit org's dedicated to sustainable food, I am worn down and cynical about well-meaning yet completely clueless people.

I have truly tried to be an agent of constructive, positive change -- in my writing, in my cooking, in my nonprofit work, in my professional memberships, in my volunteer and pro bono work, and as a director on various nonprofit boards.

Girl, I'm tired.

I'm frustrated with being expected to do the heavy lifting rather than simply sit back to savor some multicultural learning and good food. During those rare occasions when I'm surrounding by people who actually understand my experiences, I physically relax and am happy not to EXPLAIN and EDUCATE and ORGANIZE for the benefit of others.

Recently, at the end of an especially long period trying to help three different organizations in SF become more "diverse" I made the mistake of swearing off food events where I felt significantly under-represented. I defined that generously as less than 30 percent women, less than 10 percent people of color. (Don't even get me started on how I tried to account for affluence.)

I did almost nothing for six months and then realized, sadly, that I was destined to carry around that mantle of educating others forever.

Personally, I'm taking a vacation this weekend to get away from all of that awareness raising.

[Andrew the Organic Maven]

Shuna,
I am a recent convert to your site, and again your have produced an extremely thoughful and inspiring piece on a vital topic.

Viewing all this from a piece of land that is in the process of becoming a bio-dynamic market farm on the other side of the world (or Pacific Ocean to be precise - on Australia's eastern coast) is great, and I'm really keen to connect with any like minded chefs in Australia.

And although we've only been at this project for a year, I can relate to what you and Thy are saying.

I'll leave you with this -
'Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end.'

Cheers

[Alexis]

I'm going to do some Slow-Food inspired eating right here in New York this weekend. Thanks, Shuna!

[Amy Sherman]

Thanks for your point of view and your open mind, refreshing, as always. As for me, I'm happy to say I'm having a ball at Slow Food Nation, eating good food, discovering new producers, hearing inspiring speakers and photographing all the glorious colors.

[Tricia]

My good friends, the Massa's will be there this weekend. Go by and say Hello for me! Massa's Organic Rice...

(we met, briefly at Blogher- you admired my sister on ichat... ;0)

[sam]

me trying to be radical and infectious along with the best of them!