Greener Leith

Some of the people who turned out to help us plant the Pilrig Park Berry Hedge, were members of the Edinburgh Slow Food 'Convivia'. We were fascinated to learn that Edinburgh has the largest Slow Food group outside London in the UK, so I asked Pilrig resident Donald Reid to tell us more. He writes:


The Slow Food Movement began in Italy as a reaction to the spread of fast food and the emergence of convenience as the guiding principle in how and what we eat. An international non-profit organization, Slow Food encourages us to take a little more time to understand and appreciate the food we eat, highlighting the basic philosophy that eating good food can, and should, be a daily source of pleasure in our lives.

Slow Food doesn't refer to slow cooking or long, drawn-out meals – instead it promotes an attitude to food which values locally grown produce, eating food in season, artisan producers and non-industrialized farming. Slow Food sees food and eating as valuable parts of our cultural heritage and seeks to improve our relationship with the people involved in growing, making and selling food. Increasingly, Slow Food also challenges us to be more aware of the social and environmental impact of our frequent food choices, offering the radical suggestion that we could eat our way to a solution to some of the world's current ills.

Slow Food in Scotland

There are a number of Slow Food groups, also known as convivia, in Scotland. The Edinburgh convivium is second only to London in size in the UK with around 200 members. Local gatherings and events take place every month, including informal 'Slow Suppers', cooking demonstrations, farmers' market lunches, tasting evenings, visits to local food producers and special meals with top local chefs. We also run a 'Slow Food Recommended' scheme for local restaurants and food shops, and are involved with taste education opportunities such as Cooking for Kids.

For more, visit www.slowfoodedinburgh.co.uk or www.slowfood.com