A few months ago I attended a bi-annual event called Terra Madre/ Salone del Gusto in Turin, Italy for an exciting week-long celebration of local food and culture put on by Slow Food. Slow Food is an organization started in 1986 by Carlo Petrini who was angered by McDonald’s opening near the Spanish Step in Rome and campaigned to promote small farmers and artisan food producers. Today, Terra Madre and Salone del Gusto has the unique distinction of being one of the largest international gatherings of small-scale farmers, artisans and activists working to promote sustainable food systems. For the first time this year, Terra Madre was opened to the public and I was honored to be one of nearly 200 U.S. delegates selected by Slow Food USA to partake in this global exchange about local food culture, gastronomy and environmental sustainability. For more info about this blog please see link.