Slow Food Negros Island reiterated to Negrense agriculturists, consumers, farmers, producers and youth the value of mindful eating and importance of good, clean and fair local food and ingredients during the first Slow Food Negros Island Summit at the Social Hall of the Capitol Building in Bacolod City, yesterday.

Dr. Anabel Villanueva told Negrenses to never forget food in their localities and their original ingredients.

Good food also correlates with clean food, clean means no pesticides, are naturally grown and will not cause diseases to those who eat them, she said.

Also from Slow Food is Mia Lizares Gonzaga of Kusina Mia and Cantina Mondo who said that this is their first time to have a summit in Negros, and they aim to spread the importance of Slow Food to Negrenses, especially to the youth.

She said Slow Food was started by Carlo Petrini and a group of activists in the 1980s when they protested the opening of big fast food chain in the tourist area because they feared the next generation will forget about Italian food and eat fast food for the rest of their lives.

Slow food is an antidote to fast food because it emphasizes mindful eating, not eating hurriedly and forgetting about it.

Participants at the whole day summit listened to the introduction to Slow Food by Pacita Juan of Slow Food Manila, Reena Gamboa-Peña, Gonzaga and Villanueva,   Ige Ramos who spoke on Tuklasin ang Katutubong Kulinaryo ng Pilipinas (discover Filipino dishes), Nicolo Aberasturi of Down To Earth on Homesteading Growing Food Instead of Lawns, Margarita Fores of Grace Park and CIBO about The Philippines' Ark of Tastes, Hindy Weber Tantoco and Melanie Go of Holy Carabao on topic of The Holistic Life , Amy Besa of the Purple Yam in her topic Green is Gold in Negros and Cherrie Atilano of AGREA in Making Agriculture Cool, Smart, Sexy and Humane.

Chef Fores said that to promote organic farming and help farmers, chefs showcase produce and create interesting things that people didn't notice. There's a bounty of ingredients here in the Philippines, not only locally but for global audience.

Ark of Taste is a portion of Slow Food where it searches to different parts of the world the endangered or nearly extinct ingredients that are only known to locals.

Besa said the value of local food and ingredients and told Negrenses that the country is rich in herbs, seafood, souring agents and more.

A Slow Food tasting by the Slow Food Negros Island Convivium was held at noon, it included Fresh Start's Piaya, Isabelle Patron's Cheese, Kusina Mia's Fresh Negrense Lumpia and Inday2x, Twenty Six Herb Garden's Ensalada nga Puso with Organic Rice, Barefoot Bistro's Arroz Tinolang Manok, Peñalosa Fram's Tinunuman nga Mushroom, Merkado's Kare-Kare, Terrasse's Dinuguan with Puto, Enting's Fish Kinilaw, Saravia Blue's Crab Meat, 18 th St. Pala-Pala's Squid Adobo, Sitting Duck's Pinaksyo na Lobo Lobo on Garlic Biscocho, Talos Farms' Organic Garden Salad with Local Coconut Vinegar and Honey Vinaigrette and Destileria Limtuaco's Flavored Rhum. *KDP

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