I’ve written a couple of times over the last year or so about aspects of food culture, whether it be in Italy or in Scotland and whether at the level of Eataly in Turin or Muddy Boots in Fife. And this is a good time to mention it again, as it is Slow Food UK Week this week, with events from the 18th to the 24th June and all across the UK.

As their web site notes:

“Slow Food UK Week celebrates the many wonders of good British food. This year we will focus on our newest initiative, the Chef Alliance in partnership with Highland Park, in which leading British chefs share their enthusiasm for local, sustainable ingredients. Our Chefs will champion Forgotten Foods with special Slow Food UK menus, share their insights in vibrant talks, and open their doors for the first ever Slow Food Crawl.

We are very grateful that many of our Chef Alliance members work closely with local groups and volunteers across the UK, helping to support Slow Food UK’s programmes and educational projects.”

Slow Food was founded as a wine and food association by food activist Carlo Petrini in the small northern Italian town of Bra in 1986. Its initial aim was to support and defend good food, the enjoyment of eating and a slow pace of life. It then broadened to encompass a wider quality of life and sustainability and environmental issues.

Slow Food UK …

… works to reconnect people with where their food comes from and how it is produced so they can understand the implications of the choices they make about the food they put on their plates. It encourages people to choose nutritious food, from sustainable, local sources which tastes great.

Slow Food UK runs a number of educational projects and a Local Group network of over 50 Groups which promote and enjoy the Slow Food way of life at a local level and also has a shop in Neal’s Yard in Covent Garden. It also has a number of educational projects including The Ark of Taste – a unique catalogue of exceptional food products in danger of disappearing due to current food production and distribution systems.

Given the excellent produce in Scotland and the great local producers that are around, perhaps this week is a good time to try something local, whether from local restaurants, local shops, local farms, farmers markets …