You may have heard of the slow food movement, which is a direct antithesis of the modern fast food reality. The slow food movement is a grassroots idea of slowing down and linking the pleasure and nutrition of food to a commitment to the planet. I’ll be blogging more about this movement.
For now, though, I wanted to focus on one organization called the US Ark of Taste. This domestic program aims to protect the variety of natural food on the planet. right now, there are hundreds of foods that are actually in danger of extinction from the planet, never to be seen from again. Instead, we know that other “food” such as hugh fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners will probably be around for the planet’s lifetime. This is simply because of demand.
The US Ark of Taste aims to inform Americans all about the wonderful food that is out there. By promoting these products and getting consumers to eat them, we can ensure that they will remain part of our planet.
Why are these foods in threat of extinction? Well, beside the demand factor, it is a matter of standardization and industrial production, with a little damage to the environment thrown in. For example, when you went to the store for your Thanksgiving turkey (if you eat it), what choice did you have. You could choose frozen or fresh and perhaps choose a brand. You might have been able to choose a sel-basting turkey. You probably had no choice of actual variety in terms of breed. A heritage turkey, while smaller than industrialized turkey, is a wise choice in terms of taste and the environment.
There are all sorts of food like this to explore, from beverages to prepared foods. Slow Food USA offers the ability to download a complete list of the US. Ark of Taste catelog on their website. Just go to http://www.slowfoodusa.org/index.php/programs/details/ark_of_taste/
You can read more blog posts by Mary Ann Romans here!
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