Terre Madre

The Slow Food movement has grown over the years and shifted its focus more and more to an international stage, moving in several different directions trying to bring about a paradigm shift in the way we live. They have established a university to further the educational opportunities to encompass many of the slow food princlples, preserving and ecouraging food diversity and heritage foods on a global scale. Terre Madre was born out of a desire to facilatate bringing far flung people and food communities together to work towards a connectedness thru common goals of preserving superior quality foods and sensible economic growth thru systems that are sustainable for the planet and its inhabitants. This second edition brought together approximately 5, 000 people from around the world to share their ideas and connection to strengthen the network of food communitites. Many guests from remote corners of the world were sponsered to make this trip to participate and share their native products and methods. It was a bazaar of colorful foods and peoples from all over the globe. A feast for all the senses. There were representatives from 5 continents in festive native costumes and fascinating traditional foods from their homelands. Latin America was represented with colorful potatos and tubers sliced into very tasty crispy chips. I particularly enjoyed the Yak cheese from Tibet made by the monks. It was flavorful with great texture and aroma. Another personal favorite of mine is the vanilla from Madagascar. Aromatically tantalizing, what pastry enthusiast can be without it?
Many of the groups brought handicrafts to display and sell. It was really almost overwhelming to take it all in, but I didn't mind trying. Continuing on to the Presidiums area, it was fascinating to see all the foods that Slow food is trying to help defend and preserve their place in the world market place. Many foods were familiar but there were quite a few that I had never seen or heard of before. I loved these samll brilliant red aubergine/eggplants the size of a medium tomato. I've never seen anything like it. It was a food lovers dream to wander about sampling and chatting about so many diverse foods all in one place. What can I say, you might want to try and make a trip to the edition in 2008. And of course, you might even want to stay with us at Bella Baita Mountain Retreat up in the mountains outside of Torino for a bit of diversity as well. Oh well time to contemplate that for another 2 years.....