台灣慢食會

Romania - Where small producers risk disappearing
Romania's entry into the European Union was strongly desired, pursued and finally celebrated. But since January 1 2007, life has not improved for all of the country's over 20 million inhabitants. In particular, the requirement for small producers to comply with European regulations, an essential step if they want to legally produce and sell in Romania and the wider European market, could force them to modify their traditional production methods to such an extent that their final product is totally debased.
It was the herders and the producers of the Brânz? de Burduf Presidium who explained to us what is happening. When the government in Bucharest adopted European regulations, it applied them much more restrictively than countries such as Italy or France, and only allowed one year before producers and different types of production had to comply with European laws and regulations. There are various reasons for this position. There is a concern that Brussels might apply penalties, it was decided to adopt an excessively hygienic approach and there is perhaps also an awareness that choosing dialog and discussion with producers is not the easiest solution.

Yet this is the path the Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity has decided to take. It has started work with the producers of the Brânz? de Burduf Presidium to identify the traditional methods of production, organizational changes and equipment needed to ensure that products satisfy food safety requirements but are still traditional and of high quality

Events for Learning, Meeting and Tasting

Slow Food Ticino a Ristora 2008
From January 25 to 29 the Lugano Exhibition Center hosted the fourth edition of Ristora, a fair for the professional catering, hospitality, food and wine industry.
Slow Food Ticino was actively involved in the event, organizing Taste Workshops and meetings to introduce visitors to Slow Food philosophy. Presidia and Ark of Taste producers from Ticino were present at the Slow Food stand to tell the public the background and characteristics of each product. In addition to many other events, on Sunday January 27, Silvio Barbero, secretary of Slow Food Italy presented the Slow Food movement in a talk entitled 'Good, Clean, Fair ... what is the Slow Food movement?'.
　

Filling the Golden Glass
Slow Food San Francisco is celebrating the fifth anniversary of the Golden Glass with wines from producers worldwide who observe the principles of 'good, clean and fair'.
Now one of the most important international wine events in California, it will be held on Sunday June 8 at the Fort Mason Center in San Francisco.

'For the 2008 event we are expecting about 3000 visitors--wine lovers, journalists and industry professionals,' says Renato Sardo, the organizer. 'Slow Food San Francisco appeals to Slow Food convivia around the world to help us find producers who best express Slow Food philosophy in their local area.'

Bike the Blossoms
In April the Slow Food Vancouver convivium, partnered by the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival, is organizing an active, tasty experience combining nature and food in the magnificent setting of Vancouver's Canadian spring: Bike the Blossoms.
Participants will cycle along routes flanked by magnificent displays of Kanzan cherry blossom, stopping to sample specialties at outstanding restaurants, or have coffee, bakeries or tea at places selected by Slow Food. The tour also features Fraser Valley farms, where cyclists can taste local artisan produce and chat to producers.
The Slow Food Vancouver Convivium is looking for help in organizing the event. If you're willing to lend a hand please contact:

Young Chefs Compete
QOCO, the International Contest for Young Chefs, is returning to Andria - Castel del Monte (Province of Bari, Italy), a white, sunny town in Puglia surrounded by magnificent silvery-green olive groves. The event, organized by the Andria local authority in partnership with Slow Food Italy and the National Association 'Cities of Oil', and sponsored by the Puglia Regional Authority and the Bari Provincial Authority, will be held from February 29 to March 2.
The contest will see eight young chefs (under 30) from northern Europe asked to prepare a dish inspired by Puglia and its produce which will then be judged by a jury of industry professionals, journalists and experts, including Silvio Barbero, National Secretary of Slow Food Italy.
Visitors will also be welcomed by a rich array of attractions: walks, guided visits and tastings at olive oil producers, aperitifs and hosted dinners in local restaurants.

Slow Education

Canteens
In recent years Slow Food has focused attention on canteens at the workplace, school and university, hospital and residential care institutions.
Slow Food Italy is currently working with EDISU (Organization for the Right to University Study) in the Piedmont region to upgrade and improve Turin University canteens run by EDISU.
Three separate work groups have been set up to do this.
The first group is modifying and updating canteen menus, introducing seasonal food and dishes associated with local traditions, and communicating with the end users by informing students why and how the changes have been introduced.
The second workgroup is planning the launch of a university course in Food Education and Group Catering at the Faculty of Agriculture of Turin University.
The third group is carrying out a feasibility study on modifications to the supply chain: the local market and local area are being examined to see where it is possible to eliminate non-seasonal produce, encourage the use of local products, and enable food to be sourced according to short supply chain criteria, subject to economic factors such as cost and quantity.

Mission Biodiversity

A Taste of Presidium Argan Oil
On February 10, a special tasting of Presidium argan oil was held in Agadir, Morocco. More than forty participants, including Moroccan producers, technical experts and researchers, gathered to discuss argan oil tasting methods and quality.
Argan only grows on the southwest coast of Morocco in a poor, arid area with very high summer temperatures. This thorny tree is an amazing resource because it not only helps to oppose the dangerously advancing desert but its berries provide a golden, intensely flavored oil with hazelnut notes.
This first trial will be followed by the creation of a panel of Moroccan tasters who will try to define the sensory profile of argan oil, helping producers to eliminate the main defecst.

The International Network of Mercati della Terra at Montevarchi
>From March 7 to 9 Montevarchi (Italy) will be hosting a meeting of people involved in the emerging International Network of Mercati della Terra, literally 'Earth Markets', organized by Slow Food Italy and the Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity in collaboration with the Tuscany Regional Authority. Slow Food Italy regional coordinators will be joined by the first local authority bodies interested in starting a project in their area. The meeting will include contributions from coordinators in Lebanon, where a first market has already been set up in El Mina (near Tripoli), Mali, Peru, Bulgaria, the US, France and the UK. Participants will have an opportunity to take stock of the initial situation, consider future communication about the project and the management of the International Network.

　

UNISG: life on campus

Alumni Invest in Italy
In June 2007, UNISG master alumni Dwight Stanford and Raffaele Paolini bought and started running the Nascondiglio di Bacco holiday farm, in the picturesque Piceno hills, in the Marche region of Italy. The two are preparing to plant a six-hectare (15 acre) vineyard around the 500 year-old farmhouse with numerous varietals for both red and white wine production. A kitchen garden provides guests with very fresh local vegetables to complement the excellent regional wines and pecorino cheeses served.

For more information, or to read the new gastro-preneurs' blogs, visit:
www.nascondigliodibacco.it

...and Investing in UNISG Alumni
A new feature on the university website has recently been launched to support the gastronomic job marketplace and help connect UNISG graduates and potential employers.
Students and alumni can create searchable online profiles and CVs, and companies and organizations can post job and internship opportunities. This feature is an important step in creating a sustainable future for food-leadership development, and a great way to find skilled, enthusiastic employees. Everyone is encouraged to use the site, forward this information to others, and promote it within their communities. To search résumés or post jobs, go to dida.unisg.it and click on the orange 'Alumni' tab on the left-hand side of the page.

Communications...

Slow Food-Cittaslow Cooperation Protocol
As mentioned in Convivium Update last November, a Cooperation Protocol of Understanding was signed between Slow Food and Cittaslow during the Slow Food International Congress in Puebla, Mexico. The document, designed to ensure close collaboration between the two associations and declaring Cittaslow's support for the Terra Madre project, is now available in Italian and English versions.

GranOs finally online!
The GranOs siteis finally online. The GranOs project was set up by Slow Food to describe and protect the genetic, morphological and physiological characteristics and the known food and non-food uses of plant varieties that need to be defended. The site contains the full text of the project in Italian and English, with a comments option for suggestions. Open source information will be available shortly, while the first seed database will be online in time for the Terra Madre meeting this autumn (Turin, October 23-27 2008).

For any questions or information and events you wish to share please contact your national office or your area coordinator if no national office exists in your country.

Slow regards,

Slow Food International Office
international@slowfood.com
　