As the golden arches subliminally call all fast food junkies to its utopia, others choose to head in the opposite direction and run for the seclusion of a home-cooked meal and good bottle of wine with friends and family.

Italian journalist Carlo Petrini formed the Slow Food Movement in 1986 while the rest of the world fell for the trapping of convenient food on the go.

And while the French were boycotting the "royale with cheese" and hurling fresh octopi bits at branches of Macdonald's, the Italians took the more subdued route and formed a group aimed at supporting organic farming and natural products, thereby preserving the culture of good food, grown and made the old-fashioned way.

Lifestyle choices, healthy eating and fresh ingredients

Today the Slow Food Movement has convivia (groups) based all around the world, including two here in South Africa: Cape Town and Johannesburg. Their philosophy is to "elevate the quality of food and take time to enjoy it is a simple way to infuse our daily lives with joy".

The Cape Town Convivium, which was established in 2001 by Jos Baker, was initially formed as a small group "dedicated to preserving the pleasures of the table, as well as protecting the world's fast-disappearing artisan products".

Steven Flesh, secretary of the Cape Town convivium says that the movement is concerned primarily with good food and the taste of things: "Slow Food is about lifestyle choices, eating healthily and using fresh ingredients."

The convivium meets up once a month to discuss fine wine and food, but also to find ways to inspire people through the establishment of the Funa Foods Fund — aimed at uplifting disadvantaged communities via food-related projects.

Their first project involved building a borehole and pump for a Khaylitsha crèche, which was to supply water for the community's vegetable garden. The development was entirely funded by generous 'snails' (convivium members) and fund-raising ventures like festivals and tastings.

Growing your own food

The project had been dubbed the Umanyana Support Group, whereby the group helps Mavis Nduzlwana, a Khaylitsha resident, to grow her vegetable garden, which she uses to provide for her soup kitchen for needy kids.

Another development based in Riebeck West, called the Goedgedag Trust, involves planting olive trees, which the locals harvest, then use to make olive oil. The fund is kept going by supporters donating money used to plant olive trees in the area.

But besides the usual banter and doing their bit to educate the 'malnourished' public on fine wine and food, the convivium also promote local farmers and arrange mini festivals and tastings. And you don't have to be a member to enjoy the benefits of these outings — all members are allowed to bring along a friend.

Protecting endangered foods

Another offshoot of the movement is the Ark of Taste project, which was introduced to identify and publicise endangered foods such as tuna roe and Moselle red peaches, and to encourage consumers to buy them, thereby contributing to the theory that if the product was in demand, supply would increase.

Here in Cape Town, Steven says that the convivium is glad to see the reintroduction of waterblommetjies (water lilies), a locally-grown product used in the preparation of stews and other meals. But as the rest of the world moves towards a lifestyle filled with convenience and processed foods, how does a movement like Slow Food survive?

"Slow Food will not abandon the primary element of safeguarding the pleasure of the table and traditional local products," said founder Carlo Petrini. And this is done through educating children about food sourcing, production, preparation and — best of all — tasting.

Food education

The international movement has already published an instructional book of tasting for children in Italian, which is now being translated into English, according to Alice Waters, owner of Chez Panisse restaurant in Italy.

And South Africa will soon be following suit by starting a school garden project in the future, aimed at teaching the values of food and nutrition. This may be easier said than done: how does one convince a kid that carrots are better than a big, fat juicy burger from a fast food joint?

Difficult question, but the answer may lie in educating them from a young age and exposing them to the importance and enjoyment of finding out how food is made and where it comes from — which is exactly what Slow Food aims to do.

For more information, visit the Slow Food South Africa website: http://www.antbear.co.za/information/slow-food-movement.htm.