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28th out of 60 books
—
5 voters
Slow Food Nation: Why Our Food Should Be Good, Clean, and Fair
By now most of us are aware of the threats looming in the food world. The best-selling Fast Food Nation and other recent books have alerted us to such dangers as genetically modified organisms, food-borne diseases, and industrial farming. Now it is time for answers, and Slow Food Nation steps up to the challenge. Here the charismatic leader of the Slow Food movement, Carlo...more
Hardcover, 304 pages
Published
May 8th 2007
by Rizzoli Ex Libris
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Aug 07, 2011
Kim
is currently reading it
Some paths are converging for me in the place that reads "what I want to do next". I studied Food Science at Cal Poly, McGill Univ. and UC Berkeley only to abandon it in disgust (food is not about shelf life, corporate profit and frogs do not need to be guillotined for students to know their skin changes color when they are scared sh*tless) for English Literature.
I never stopped loving the miracle of food though and have continued to study - mostly non-Western - approaches to raising food and e...more
I never stopped loving the miracle of food though and have continued to study - mostly non-Western - approaches to raising food and e...more
The basic concept of this book is that we should all buy locally grown, fresh, seasonal food and cook a few meals from scratch. At times the books seems to demonize modern agriculture and our fast paced society, though Mr. Petrini repeatedly admits that a return to subsistence agriculture could not possibly support the current world population. On page 187: "We do not need the accumulation of wealth, but its redistribution..." It's a bit of a propaganda piece, which didn't necessarily bother me,...more
Well, I finally got to read a list of proposed actions to take regarding agro-activism. Petrini started the Slow Foods movement in 1989 in Rome. He tells great stories, as you can tell from his Diary entries in this book. He also has a semi unique perspective regarding food since he ran Terra Madre, has visited many many farms and parts of the country with unique food histories.
I was able to put another book on my list, think about how to proceed with my fascination of food over high technology...more
I was able to put another book on my list, think about how to proceed with my fascination of food over high technology...more
The premise of this book is good, unfortunately it is too long. This could have been an essay and gotten it's point across much better.
Preserving old ways of cooking is good, but that does not negate newer ways of doing things also.
Locally grown is great until you live in places that can't grow food all year round. All of these authors live in places that have a steady supply of locally grown food all year round. If you live in the northern US you will never get fresh vegetables in the winter.
Preserving old ways of cooking is good, but that does not negate newer ways of doing things also.
Locally grown is great until you live in places that can't grow food all year round. All of these authors live in places that have a steady supply of locally grown food all year round. If you live in the northern US you will never get fresh vegetables in the winter.
I skimmed some of the other reviews to see what other people are saying and there is lots of “too idealistic” and “too pretentious” whining. I approached this as an academic book, not a lazing about on Sunday afternoon reading. And while it is sometimes difficult to plow though and there are some awards turns of phrase (which I’m guess is an ESL thing), the book has some solid concepts.
I personally don’t recommend reading it unless you have serious interest in the Slow Foods community. I don’t...more
I personally don’t recommend reading it unless you have serious interest in the Slow Foods community. I don’t...more
I like it and I like the scholarship and thought he's put into creating a new theory of gastronomy, but I can't shake the feeling that the entire theory is constructed from an elitist, Eurocentric, and, most unfortunately, a perspective that does not consider the consequences of what he is asking. If nations were to adopt this new framework of food production and demand that the food we sell and eat meet the criteria of "good, clean and fair," I don't believe the earth would be able to sustain t...more
Conceptually, this book makes much more sense to me and inspires change much more than some of Michael Pollan's stuff, Food, Inc, or even some of the more in-your-face stuff like "Eating Animals." It makes a case for WHY we should want good, clean, and fair food, rather than a case for why our current food system is evil and why we should hate The Man.
This book was really boring and full of words that I had to look up every few minutes. You would read along and there would be a great little tidbit paragraph, but then it was back to the monotony for several pages. I didn't even read the last 50 pages or so because I have better things to do with my time than read a boring food book, especially when there are so many more interesting food books out there. I was really disappointed in this one.
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Oct 27, 2008
kathryn
rated it
2 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Food policy makers
Shelves:
sustainable
I am plugging through this one and can’t guarantee I will finish it. Though I think Carlo Petrini is right on with his philosophy, this book reads like an academic text and contains too many abstract ideas and not enough real life examples. The best parts of this book are the diary entries, in which he tells stories about his experiences with food around the world that clearly make a case for “slow food”. We would all benefit from more slowness in our daily lives, he thinks (and I do too). He do...more
Patronizing, elitist, disappointing. Seems like he could have used far fewer pages to state his manifesto. While I appreciate good food immensely, I just can't get on board with his notion that gastronomy and "the pleasure principle" are the answers to environmental sustainability and fair trade.
While I agree 100 percent with every tenet Petrini offers about what food should be (good, clean, and fair, and his detailed philosophies on all three), I just don't think his goals for transforming the food industry are realistic. The fact is this: Until petrol prices rise enough in the country, Americans will be completely satisfied with buying tomatoes in the dead of winter, trucked from across the country, even if they're not in season and taste bland. It's terribly sad, but reality. Petrini...more
Great book if you have enough time to spend foraging for those prized local products and cooking them in your well-stocked kitchen. A bit verbose and elitist, but he's got the right idea - buy local and buy in season for best value and best taste. I learned this concept on my first day of cooking school, so it's hardly a revelation.
If anything, this book points out the disparity that exists within the United States. The people who have the luxury of reading this book probably already have an id...more
If anything, this book points out the disparity that exists within the United States. The people who have the luxury of reading this book probably already have an id...more
Petrini makes so many good points, I find myself agreeing with everything he says! Very astute man, and I admire his determination to make global change in the way we eat and supply our food system.
I couldn't finish this book because it was slow and repetitive. I'd read Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle for the same message and a more interesting read.
Way important concepts here, coupled with (mostly) realistic solutions. It's hard to understand why everyone isn't terrified of GMO's, and taking every available action to get them out of our food supply...
Great insight into the idea of slow food. Also known as what your grandmother used to raise and cook.
May 26, 2007
taylor cocalis
is currently reading it
although the translation makes the writing seem verbose at times, there are some brilliant messages within the pages:
- gastronomy is not a stomach disease, but rather an important science linked to anyone who eats food
- in addition, gastronomy is NOT just cooking. . . rather it is an interdisciplinary science that addresses how food relates to all parts of culture
- a gastronome who is not aware of the environmental implications of his food is stupid, but an environmentalist who is not a gastrono...more
- gastronomy is not a stomach disease, but rather an important science linked to anyone who eats food
- in addition, gastronomy is NOT just cooking. . . rather it is an interdisciplinary science that addresses how food relates to all parts of culture
- a gastronome who is not aware of the environmental implications of his food is stupid, but an environmentalist who is not a gastrono...more
An overall welcome message, but not enough interesting examples.
the idea is good, but the writing is bor-ring!
Long winded, but well informed.
The Slow Food Movement has made a big impact on my life (go Utah Food Co-op!). The writing was a little dry, and took me longer than I had hoped to read it.
This book can be dry at times as it is a manifesto, and rather scholarly, but it was super helpful to have a book that defines all the buzz words that folks are using nowadays like "biodiversity" and "sustainable." I appreciated his diaries. I also loved the small excerpt about the SF Ferry Building Farmer's Market - it is pretty funny! Overall, this book gives a good overview of why knowing the source of your food is super important, the evils of the world bank organization and the agricultural...more
Sep 16, 2008
Elizabeth
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Gastronomes, not just any old foodie
Recommended to Elizabeth by:
Laura!
Shelves:
food,
non-fiction
I liked this book. (Thank you, Laura!) Petrini correctly identifies the world's food problems. He's got a lot of solutions. He's tough. He's also extremely redundant. I got tired very early on of the use of "he" and "man" when meaning people of no specific gender. And rolled my eyes at one or two paragraphs that similarly seemed to dispute the 2005 copyright. Those things aside, I really enjoyed the book. I'm already planning my travels to meet farmers in every corner of the world!
A manifesto for the Slow Food movement, it took me about halfway through the book to get into it. His diary inclusions are interesting, but the general information so far is not exciting.
I have given up on this book. It couldn't hold my interest, because it was simply to fact-driven and dry, and too opinionated. I like the ideas presented, but drifted away from the book and started reading others before I finished that one, a sure sign that it was time to give up.
I have given up on this book. It couldn't hold my interest, because it was simply to fact-driven and dry, and too opinionated. I like the ideas presented, but drifted away from the book and started reading others before I finished that one, a sure sign that it was time to give up.
Jul 09, 2007
Romana
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Everyone
Shelves:
americasleadingepidemic
Gastronomy shouldn't simply be stated as "the art or science of good eating," but rather be a more complex, significant meaning: defending biodiversity;
promoting taste education; and building of local food communities. Petrini thoroughly elaborates on why our food should be good (nutritious and delicious), clean ( sustainably produced using environmentally sensitive methods), and fair (by producers who are justly compensated and treated with dignity). Magnificent read!
promoting taste education; and building of local food communities. Petrini thoroughly elaborates on why our food should be good (nutritious and delicious), clean ( sustainably produced using environmentally sensitive methods), and fair (by producers who are justly compensated and treated with dignity). Magnificent read!
I agree with Petrini's philosophy, but I found it hard to slog through this book.
Jun 06, 2010
Cara
added it
Skimmed through. Boring.
This seemed a worthy book, and a pleasantly different angle on the whole food & sustainability thing, but for whatever reason I just couldn't seem to get in step with it and stick with reading it. But it might just be perfect for someone in a different head-space, so don't take the two stars as a critical rating.
This book discusses the importance of knowing the environmental and social aspects of where our food comes from in the world. It really opened my eyes to the global food industry's injustices to the small farmer, migrant worker, the planet and food itself.
This book is not what I would call an "easy read," but I loved it. I am a big believer in the slow food movement, and hope that it will gain more momentum. It's a shame how disconnected we've become from the food we ingest multiple times a day...every day.
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Carlo Petrini, an Italian sociologist, is the founder of the international movement Slow Food (1989).
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“I believe that he who sows utopia will reap reality. ”
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