Synopses & Reviews
In a world increasingly dominated by fast food, The Pleasures of Slow Food celebrates heritage recipes, artisan traditions, and the rapid evolution of a movement to make good food a part of everyday life. Slow Food is defined by how its made: if its allowed to ripen before its harvested, prepared by hand and enjoyed among friends, its Slow Food. Its a philosophy, a way to farm, a way to cook...a way to live. Its also the name of a 65,000-strong international movement, numbering among its members some of the most distinguished names in the food world. The Pleasures of Slow Food showcases over 60 recipes from the worlds most innovative chefs for dishes that feature local handmade ingredients and traditional cooking methods. Premier food writer Corby Kummer also profiles Slow Foods luminaries, such as Italian cheese maker Roberto Rubino and Canadian Karl Kaiser, who makes sweet ice-wine. Pairing fantastic recipes with engaging stories, The Pleasures of Slow Food brings the best of the food world to the kitchen table.
Review
In a world increasingly dominated by fast food,
The Pleasures of Slow Food celebrates heritage recipes, artisan traditions, and the rapid evolution of a movement to make good food a part of everyday life. Slow Food is defined by how it's made: if it's allowed to ripen before it's harvested, prepared by hand and enjoyed among friends it's Slow Food.
It's a philosophy, a way to farm, a way to cook...a way to live. It's also the name of a 65,000-strong international movement, numbering among its members some of the most distinguished names in the food world.
The Pleasures of Slow Food showcases over 60 recipes from the world's most innovative chefs for dishes that feature local handmade ingredients and traditional cooking methods. Premier food writer Corby Kummer also profiles Slow Food's luminaries, such as Italian cheese maker Roberto Rubino and Canadian Karl Kaiser, who makes sweet ice-wine. Pairing fantastic recipes with engaging stories, The Pleasures of Slow Food brings the best of the food world to the kitchen table. -The Atlantic Monthly
The organization Slow Food - meant to stand as the antithesis to "fast food" - dedicates itself to artisanal and traditional foods. Italian journalist Carlo Petrini, president of Slow Food, and Eric Schlosser, author of Fast Food Nation, contribute a brief preface and foreword, respectively. Kummer's history of the organization ably chronicles its growth from a protest against installation of a McDonald's in Rome in 1985 to its current focus on the Ark, "a directory of endangered foods around the world that members rescue by enjoying them." There is a section on 10 of the artisanal products included in the Ark, some coupled together for comparison (for example, there is a short essay on cheese made in the Basilicata region of Italy and another on cheese made in Vermont): these stories provide glimpses into the psyches of people like Jim Gerritsen, who has dedicated his life to growing heirloom potatoes in Maine. Kummer then offers simple, homespun recipes, and proposes that through each one, the homecook can learn "how to imprint that taste on your own dishes." Recipes are arranged from "Old World to New," so there are a few selections from Italy, such as Pesto alla Genovese from the Garibaldi family, who run a farmhouse restaurant in Liguria, and from Ireland - Baked Cheese with Winter Herbs from Tom and Giana Ferguson of County Cork. The vast majority of these 44 recipes, however, come from American restaurateurs such as Ana Sortun (Lamb Steak with Turkish Spices and Fava Bean Moussaka) from Oleana Restaurant in Cambridge, Mass., as well as from Alice Waters and Daniel Boulud And while the recipes from America don't always focus on local ingredients, they do embrace the spirit of Slow Food. This is a noble and handsome effort. -Publishers Weekly
Synopsis
Originally published in 2002, this was one of the first books on the Slow Food movement. We are offering this wonderful volume in paperback for home cooks who strive to preserve the traditions of growing, cooking, and eating good food. With 15 profiles of artisans plus 45 time-tested recipes by chefs and cooks (Alice Waters, Rick Bayless, and more), this cookbook promotes regional heirloom foods that feature local ingredients and/or have been prepared the same way for generations.
About the Author
Corby Kummer's work for the Atlantic Monthly and Gourmet has established him as "a dean among food writers" (San Francisco Examiner). A media commentator on food topics, he lives in Boston.
Susie Cushner is a Boston-based photographer whose work can be found in Viva la Vida (0-8118-3184-1), as well as Gourmet and Saveur magazines.
Eric Schlosser, author of the best-selling Fast Food Nation, lives in New York City.
Carlo Petrini, a food writer, is the founder and president of Slow Food. He lives in Italy.