It’s time to Slow, down in Tuscany

Starting next November 29 and running until December 2, the first edition of Toscana Slow will showcase a series of events and meetings scattered across Tuscany. Toscana Slow is conceived of as a touring chance to discover the link that connects micro and macro producers of Tuscany’s enogastronomic treasures: olive oils, bread, wine. It will be a great chance to look for, try, and re-discover ancient flavors, traditional taste and historical memory. The program, organized by Slow Food Toscana, consists in journeying across the Region with the purpose of promoting the extraordinary enogastronomic patrimony of Tuscany, with its 365 nationally acknowledged “traditional” products. Extra value to this great capital is added by Tuscany’s 35 DOC wines, by its 12 Dop and Igp products (certified by the European Union), by the more than 1500 organic farms and the about 2000 rural hostels on records. The announcement of this gastronomic kermesse was made at the XIII edition of Festambiente (International Festival of the Environment and Solidarity, organized by the environmental association Legambiente) recently held in Grosseto. The two representatives of Slow Food Tuscany, Carlo Macchi, Governor, and Stefano Ferrari, Fiduciario of Cecina, just announced the event: a four days itineraries among arts, agriculture and a high quality of life. “In the course of Toscana Slow,” declared Tito Barbini, Spokesperson of the Agricultural Cabinet, Regional Administration of Tuscany, “the whole regional territory will become a tasting workshop. Toscana Slow is going to be a great festival for the preservation and promotion of an exceptional eno-gastronomic patrimony that, thanks to its blend of history, agriculture, and culture, is acknowledged all over the world as a symbol of quality.” In other words, Toscana Slow is a journey across the best of Tuscany. The festival will feature special menus for elementary and middle school students, and a 50% discount on regular prices in the best restaurants of Tuscany to the under 26. Tasting workshops, war-horse of Slow philosophy, will be particularly well represented, and some hospital and nursing homes will feature traditional Tuscany meals. Legambiente is an enthusiastic supporter of Toscana Slow. As the coordinator of Festambiente, Angelo Gentili, argues, “taste, traditional products, wine, and oil are the added value of our region, the distinctive elements of the world famous “Made in Tuscany”. Which is why we think that popular and contagious festivals such as this are the best possible way to familiarize consumers with quality, authenticity, and tradition.”

Photo: Toscana Slow. Cover of the Program