“Slow” may just be the secret ingredient to healthy and hearty meals.

By Laurence Civil

An Eco-gastronomy Approach
Anywhere else in the world, the opening of another McDonald’s could have passed unnoticed. When it happened in Rome’s historic Pizza di Spagna in 1986, it was seen by some as unacceptable, a fast-food invasion of the Italian lifestyle. In defence of their lifestyle values, Arcigola was formed. This was the birth of the Slow Food movement in Italy.

Slow and Steady
From the Spanish Step’s incident it took Slow Food three years to organise themselves and officially began on 9th November 1989, when delegates from 15 countries endorsed the Slow Food Manifesto written by founding member Folco Portinari.

Six years after its launch in Italy it began to grow internationally by progressively opening offices in Europe, USA and Japan, with its head office in Bra, Northern Italy. Slow Food produces an extensive range of multilingual publications and organises a series of food events to increase public awareness of their cause.

From Plate to Planet
Today the Slow Food Movement has grown to include chapters in 122 countries with over 83,000 members. Although it is a global organisation, its management is de-centralized with each local chapter managing its own affairs – promoting artisans, farmers and local flavours through a series of taste workshops, wine tastings and farmers’ markets in their local area.

They have also opened a University of Gastronomic Science, in Piedmont, and Colorno, in Emilia-Romagna, Italy. Its aim is to awaken and train our senses; to show that Slow Food enables people to re-discover the joys of eating; to understand the importance of caring about where their food comes from, who makes it and how it’s made.

Slow Food Philosophy
Slow Food is based on three basic qualities: good, clean and fair food. The food we eat should taste good and has been produced in a way that does not harm the environment, animal welfare or our health. It is also about compensating food producers with a fair price for the produce they grow. Using cheese as an example, Barrie Lynn – The Cheese Impresario, a passionate Slow Food practitioner writes in the “Cheese Matters” monthly column published by The Beverly Hills Times:

‘Good’ is how the cheese maker takes total passion in what they produce. How good is the raw product, the quality of the milk they have sourced and the taste that their recipes are bringing to their cheeses? Having made their cheese, what is their level of expertise in ageing and curing their artisanal products? The cheese maker’s passion, pride and creativity in what they make are important.

‘Clean’ is how the farmers, the cheese makers and those who work for and with them are treated; how they steward the land; as well as how they treat their animals and what they feed them.

‘Fair’ is how the farmers and cheese makers are paid. They need to make a living wage and be a respected part of the society.

So What Does Slow Cooking Mean in Practical Terms and How Can We Apply it to Improve the Quality of Our Lifestyle?
“It [Slow Cooking] saves you more time, it’s a healthier way to cook and eat – something that you don’t get with fast food or microwaved meals. Slow cooking enables us to get the real flavour of the food without resorting to magic. There are also economic advantages of slow food as what’s been cooked can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a month without losing any of the flavour. Never try to hurry the cooking time through very high temperatures. If you do, the meat becomes salty which we know is bad for the heart as well as for our bladder.”

CHEF PROFILE If the best chefs are born, then Chef Sau del Rosario came in this world with a silver spatula in hand. This native son of Pampanga has travelled through Europe and Asia, honing his craft. Refining his tastes and skills to the point that he is now considered one of the Philippines’ most innovative and in-demand chefs

Expert’s Take: Chef Peter Hoffman, Owner of Savoy restaurant, New York on slow cooking meat Best Meat to Slow Cook Grass-fed beef lends itself exceptionally well to slow cooking. Cattles which are grass-fed, rather than grain-fed not only affect the milk they produce but also how their meat affect the taste of the final dish. The lower temperatures and extended cooking time of this technique are perfect for bringing out the true beef flavour offered by this product and transforms stews not just into a gourmet meal, but also into one that delivers distinct nutritional advantages over grain-fed beef. Selecting the Meat It’s important to choose the right cut; if the meat is too lean it will turn dry. Shanks, brisket, shoulder, oxtail and kangaroo tail; duck, quail and hare legs; pork trotters and pork belly are all meats that benefit from slow cooking. How to Cook? Before cooking, brown the meat in oil as this adds flavour and colour. Add aromatic vegetables to your dish such as carrot, onion, garlic and celery; and spices such as clove, ginger, cardamom, bay leave and peppers. The most suitable herbs are parsley, rosemary, sage coriander and thyme. Finally for richer gravy, use a wine stock.”

Slow Cooking Tips Using a slow cooker is the most convenient way to incorporate slow cooking into home cooking. One main advantage of using a slow cooker is that it keeps dishes hot for up to two hours. Here are some practical tips to help you do it right. Soups and stews are the most practical dishes to slow cook. The moisture creates steam, which helps to take it above the critical 140ºF temperature quickly. Make sure that you defrost meat or poultry before slow cooking. Cut the meat and poultry into uniform cubes so they take the same time to cook. Don’t cook a whole chicken or a large chunk of meat as it may end up not fully cooked. After preparing the individual ingredients, store them in separate containers in the refrigerator. While it may be temping to store uncooked items in the slow cooker’s insert to reduce washing up, it is not really practical, as the cold insert will take longer to reach the cooking temperature. For best cooking performance, fill the slow cooker to no less than half full and no more than two thirds full. Bring the liquid to a simmer before adding the main ingredients. Once you have started slow cooking, avoid lifting the lid too often as it causes a loss of heat and extends the cooking time. To reheat slow cooked dishes, use a hotplate or the microwave oven.

Recipes Trenette Al Pesto (Trenette with pesto) Recipe from Osteria Luigina (Genoa, Liguria in Italy) Serves four | Preparation and cooking time: 2 hours 5 bunches fresh small-leaved basil 1 handful pine kernels 1 clove garlic 1 knob butter 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 4 tbsp Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated 1 tbsp Pecorino sardo, grated sea salt Wash basil leaves carefully and dry on kitchen paper. Put the garlic and a few grains of sea salt and pound with a pestle. Add basil leaves and then, one by one, add in the pine kernels, cheeses and butter. Continue to pound until the mixture assumes a creamy, emulsion-like consistency. Add more salt, if necessary, and mix well. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and drizzle in the oil, stirring continuously. Meanwhile, cook Trenette in boiling salted water. Drain and toss in a bowl with the pesto, spooning in a few drops of the cooking water, and serve immediately. Baccala Alla Livornese (Salted cod Livorno-style) Recipe from the Cantina Nardi resturant, Livorno, Tuscany in Italy) Serves four | Preparation and cooking time: 50 minutes 800g salt cod, pre-soaked 1 onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, chopped 1 sprig parsley, chopped 1 sprig rosemary, chopped 1 piece dry chili, flaked 1 can tomato passata 2 glasses dry white wine 1 glass white wine vinegar extra virgin olive oil salt Heat extra virgin olive oil in heavy-bottomed saucepan. Gently fry onion, garlic, parsley, rosemary and chilli until soft. Pour in tomato passata and wine. Simmer over a medium heat for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, cut salt cod into bite-sized pieces Dip in vinegar, coat in the flour and, in a separate pan, fry in boiling oil until golden. Remove from pan with a slated spoon and transfer to tomato sauce. Combine for five minutes and serve piping hot. Recipes Courtesy of Slow Food Press Office www.slowfood.com

Slow Dining Venues Asia Enoteca Italiana (Chef Stefano Merlot) 39 Sukhumvit Soi 27 Bangkok 10110 www.enotecabangkok.com US Savoy (Chef Peter Hoffman) 70 Prince Street New York 10012 www.savoynyc.com Chez Panisse Restaurant and Café 1517 Shattuck Avenue Berkeley, CA 94709-1516 www.chezpanisse.com Europe Osteria del Boccodivino Via Mendicità Istruita, 14 12042 Bra (CN) www.boccondivinoslow.it L’Osteria del Treno Trattoria-Railway workers’ cooperative Via San Gregorio, 46-48 Repubblica-Stazione Centrale Milan www.osteriadeltreno.it