The Slow Food Way
Ancient Tastes of Tuscany
Story and Photographs By: Stephen Ashton

While in Florence for the annual Festival dei Popoli, the prestigious and committed 44 year old (the world's first) documentary film festival, I happened upon a curious brochure that enigmatically described “Antichi Sapori di Toscana. A Forum and Festival of Ancient Tastes of Tuscany. Upon investigation I learned that this event, now in its 10th edition, spans three days and has been always dedicated to the experience of traditional Tuscan cuisine, foods and wines of the region.

This was too good to pass up! I quickly made some arrangements, changed my plane ticket (not so easily done in Italy) and boarded a bus for the little town of Lastra a Signa just twenty minutes away. By the time I arrive, the December Tuscan sun had set. I was greeted by Manila, the director of the Tourist Office, and we went off on foot through the narrow streets in the old town. Lastra a Signa was a favorite place for the genius sculptor and architect Filippo Brunelleschi who designed and built the freestanding Cupola of the Duomo (Dome of the Cathedral) in Florence. Brunelleschi's contributions to Lastra a Signa include the still standing magnificent 550 year old stone city walls and towers.

Click on Images for Captions

Adjacent to the 15th Century wall is a large tent which houses the Ristorante “Antichi Sapori” that is operated by volunteer chefs and servers. Long tables are filled with mostly local gastronomes… I am honored to be the only foreign journalist or for that matter the only North American at the event.

I am delighted to discover that this year, for the first time, the town-sponsored event has teamed up with the Italy-based Slow Food movement. I had previously known about the Slow Food movement…or thought I knew. I understood Slow Food to be organized into “Convivia”groups that get together for extended meals… plenty of time to savor the nuances of every course. “Ah,”I said, “this is going to be fun!”

What I soon find is that Slow Food is indeed all that and more! The event intends to make the experience not only one of tasting traditional dishes, but a celebration of foods that have been on the verge of extinction! Through a series of remarkable events (see accompanying article on the Slow Food Movement) and the vision of Italian writer/philosopher Carlo Petrini, nearly all of the foods tasted at the Antichi Sapori di Toscana have not only been identified in an official capacity, or “preserved” in a small way, but more importantly, are re-established as commercially viable enterprises known as “Presidia.”These Presidia initiatives work hand in hand with the Ark of Taste, which you will learn about in this article. I am now prepared to enjoy the tastes of ancient Tuscany the Slow Food Way.

Stephen Ashton travels the world in search of independent films to be featured at his Wine Country Film Festival, held in the Napa and Sonoma regions of northern California each summer. His love of food and culture leads him into great escapades that he translates into stories for Food&Beverage International magazine. We welcome your comments.

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