In the face of industrial agriculture and standardized diets, we need a Noah’s Ark of foods. One that protects the foods that make our cuisine so special: the ingredients that express the talents of our region. A treasure to carry forward for the future of our tastebuds and our countrysides.
Julien Dumas, the new chef of the Saint James in Paris, tells us about a cheese that he enjoyed as a child, Persillé de Tignes. This excellent product represents the commitment required from chefs everywhere to protect the environment and its biodiversity.
“Black chicken, authentic chicken.” This Tuscan saying expresses just how firmly rooted pollo nero del Valdarno truly is here. As part of the Food for Change campaign by Slow Food, we set out to encounter this passenger aboard the Ark of Taste.
Kumatiya, a small, spiny tree typical of Rajasthan, has a great deal of appeal. In addition to being a part of the territory’s traditional agroforestry system and a source of complementary revenue with its gum arabic, it also offers a gratifying gourmet treat: its seeds.
The Gravenstein apple is a symbol of the Sonoma County community. Brought here by Russian trappers in the early 19th century, it has provided food and drink for the locals for many years. Today its orchards are threatened by the success of the region’s vineyards.