The Ark of Taste Docks in Turin this October to Embrace New Endangered Products

This year’s edition of Salone del Gusto and Terra Madre is debuting with a space dedicated entirely to the Ark of Taste, one of this year’s key themes. Slow Food created the international Ark of Taste project to halt the loss of biodiversity, which is progressing with a dramatically high pace, and to collect and catalogue both the primary materials of agriculture as well as transformed food products that play a key role in the world’s culture, history and traditions. Agricultural biodiversity includes an incredible heritage of fruits, vegetables, animal breeds, cheeses, breads, cured meats and sweets; lost and forgotten over the years by a food industry that has chosen and used only a small variety of the species available, damaging ecosystems and decreasing consumer choice.

With the international project Slow Food calls attention to these foods’ risk of being lost and invites everyone to help protect them by supporting their producers. The Ark is a starting point for highlighting the value of products at risk of extinction, which is why at Salone, an Ark of Taste space and a series of Taste Workshops and conferences will allow visitors to learn more about this international project and to discover and taste Ark products from all around the world.

The Ark of Taste space at Salone del Gusto and Terra Madre:

Hundreds of Ark passengers will be on display at the Oval, in the heart of the International Market, in a 600 square meter space dedicated to agricultural biodiversity. Non-perishable Ark products will be exhibited along the walls of the Ark of Taste area and more perishable foods as well as livestock breeds will be represented through photo or video documentation. In addition, Slow Food invites all visitors to bring along a product that they believe should be protected for future generations to be boarded on the Ark. Slow Food will happily welcome everyone who wants to share their culture through their endangered foods by physically bringing a product to board on the Ark of Taste. This space will be good opportunity to meet producers as well as individuals from around the world who have taken the time to tell us about these products. Renowned Italian photographer Oliviero Toscani, who has previously worked with Slow Food, will also be on hand at the Ark display to photograph Ark of Taste passengers, new nominations, and the people who produce or nominated them.

The Ark will also be at the center of attention of the following conferences, which will put traditional products from a certain geographical area at the center of attention:

The Ark of Flavors to Save Saturday, October 25, 2014

The Ark of Taste Docks in Iceland Thursday, October 23, 2014

The Ark of Taste Docks in Asia Thursday, October 23, 2014

The Ark of Taste Docks in Africa Saturday, October 25, 2014

The Ark of Taste Docks in Latin America Saturday, October 25, 2014

The Ark of Taste Docks in Eurasia Monday, October 27, 2014

The Ark of Taste Docks in North America Monday, October 27, 2014

During a series of Taste Workshops at Salone del Gusto, the audience will be able to try Ark of Taste passengers from around the world. Here are some examples:

Ancient and Cutting Edge Pork Butchers Saturday, October 25, 2014

International Network of Affineurs Monday, October 27, 2014

Something’s Brewing in Scandinavia Friday, October 24, 2014

Wine and Regionality: Priorat, History of a Metamorphosis Thursday, October 23, 2014

Abracadabra… Amphora! Friday, October 24, 2014

Experience and Taste Pu’er Tea Monday, October 27, 2014

Ethiopian Kafa Coffee, History’s First Coffee. Thursday, October 23, 2014

To apply for accreditation for SDG/TM 2014, please visit the following website: http://www.salonedelgusto.com/press/pre-accreditation/

For further information please contact:

℅ Slow Food Paola Nano, +39 329 8321285 [email protected]

c/o Regione Piemonte: Tel. +39 011 4322549 [email protected]

c/o Comune di Torino: Tel. +39 011 4423605 [email protected]

Organized by Slow Food, the region of Piedmont and the city of Turin, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies, the international Salone del Gusto event is coming back to Turin, Italy, now its 10^th year. Dedicated to the world of food, Salone del Gusto is once more united into a single event with the international meeting of Terra Madre, a network of small-scale producers from around the world. Salone del Gusto and Terra Madre 2014 will be held from October 23-27 in Turin’s trade fair Lingotto Fiere. It will see the presence of over 1000 exhibitors from 130 countries.