Slow Food: Good, Clean and Fair

(From AI Overview, by Google)

Slow Food is a global movement that promotes a way of eating and living rooted in good, clean, and fair principles: food that tastes good, is produced sustainably and healthily, and supports local communities and producers. It emphasizes high-quality, seasonal, and local ingredients, traditional cooking methods, and the enjoyment of meals shared with others, all as an antidote to fast food culture and a way to protect biodiversity and food traditions.

Key Principles and Goals

Good Food should be delicious and of high quality, emphasizing tradition, seasonality, and local origins.

Clean Food production should be sustainable, minimizing environmental impact, and the food should be healthy for consumers.

Fair Food should be accessible and affordable, and producers should be compensated fairly for their work.

Practices and Values

Local & Seasonal Encourages the use of locally grown, seasonal ingredients and supports local farmers and producers.

Biodiversity Advocates for the preservation of diverse, often endangered, varieties of plants and animals and traditional food cultures.

Conscious Consumption Promotes mindful eating, taking time to enjoy food and understanding its origins and connection to the environment.

Traditional & Authentic Cooking Celebrates traditional cooking processes and the use of unprocessed, authentic ingredients.

Education & Community Aims to educate people about the importance of food systems and foster connections between farmers, chefs, and consumers.

How to Participate

Eat mindfully Take time to enjoy meals and appreciate the food.

Choose local and seasonal ingredients Buy from local farmers and markets.

Cook at home Prioritize homemade meals using unprocessed ingredients.

Learn about your food Understand where your food comes from and how it's made.

Support sustainable practices Choose products from producers who respect the environment.

Slow Food is a worldwide movement that envisions a world in which all people can access and enjoy food that is good for them, good for those who grow it, and good for the planet, according to the organization Slow Food International.

It is called slow food at a time when fast-food outlets are multiplying, an eco-gastronomic movement is developing, the aim of which is to counter junk food and anything that could harm health.

Slow Food (Organization)

Slow Food is an organization that promotes local food and traditional cooking. It was founded by Carlo Petrini in Italy in 1986 and has since spread worldwide.

Slow Cooking

Slow cooking is a way of cooking food slowly on low heat – 140 degrees Celsius or lower – over a long period of time (most commonly four-to-eight hours), typically in a rounded, lidded pot (slow cooker) on the stovetop or in the oven.

Slow cooking is a culinary method that cooks food gently on low heat for an extended period, often in a lidded pot or slow cooker, to tenderize tougher cuts of meat, infuse deep flavors, and retain moisture, resulting in moist, flavorful, and often nutritious dishes with minimal preparation. It is a set it and forget it style of cooking, perfect for busy individuals, as the food can cook unattended for several hours.

Key Characteristics

Low, slow heat The defining feature is the prolonged cooking at a low temperature (typically well below 140°C or 285°F).

Moist, enclosed environment The use of a tightly-fitting lid traps steam, which condenses and drips back into the pot, self-basting the ingredients in their own juices.

Tenderization The slow, gentle heat breaks down tough connective tissues in cuts of meat, making them incredibly tender.

Flavor infusion The long cooking time allows flavors to develop and meld, creating deep, complex tastes.

Nutrient retention This method helps retain more nutrients compared to faster cooking methods like boiling or frying.

Hands-off cooking Once the ingredients are prepared and placed in the slow cooker, they can cook for several hours with little supervision

See:

Let's Take It Slow (10/21/2016), at https://www.suitandapron.com/home/lets-take-it-slow

(From AI Overview, by Google)

For beginner slow cooking, start with recipes for tougher cuts of meat, layer ingredients with root vegetables at the bottom, and avoid overfilling the pot. Brown meats before adding them for better flavor and to prevent dryness. Use less liquid than traditional recipes, add dairy products like milk or cheese at the very end to prevent curdling, and avoid lifting the lid to maintain heat and ensure even cooking.

(From Wikipedia)

Low-temperature cooking is a cooking technique that uses temperatures in the range of about 60 to 90 °C (140 to 194 °F) for a prolonged time to cook food. Low-temperature cooking methods include sous vide cooking, slow cooking using a slow cooker, cooking in a normal oven which has a minimal setting of about 70 °C (158 °F), and using a combi steamer providing exact temperature control. The traditional cooking pit also cooks food at low temperature.