If fast food is not to your taste, Slow Food could be more to your liking. MAXINE GORDON reports

IT all began as a joke, but the Slow Food movement is no laughing matter. It is a serious-minded campaign to turn us on to the joys of good quality grub. With its origins in Italy, the movement has several groups across the world including Britain, the latest of which has just been launched in North Yorkshire.

York food historian Laura Mason is one of the founders of the North Yorkshire branch - or convivium, as these local groups prefer to be known.

"The Slow Food movement began almost as a joke in Italy by Carlo Petrini in 1989 when McDonald's announced it was going to open a branch on the Spanish Steps in Rome," says Laura.

"There was a lot of concern about the aesthetics of it all and the impact it would have on Italian food traditions.

"I believe it did open, but because of the protests, McDonald's had to moderate the way it looked and how it operated."

The idea of Slow Food, which seeks to defend local produce and culinary traditions against the pressures of the fast food industry, has since caught on throughout Europe. There are now 15 groups operating in the UK, including Manchester, Edinburgh and London.

Laura has launched the North Yorkshire branch with the help of Linda Hearn, founding director of specialist tour operator Inntravel, whose holidays focus on gastronomy.

Linda said: "Whether it be encouraging families to return to eating together, or to unite local producers such as cheesemakers, restaurateurs, brewers and farmers, the movement is for those who want to cultivate common cultural and gastronomic interests - an antidote to modern life."

A diary of events for the North Yorkshire convivium is still being put together and will consist of regular meetings with much of the focus on tasting local produce.

Ideas so far include an asparagus evening, soft fruit tasting and a sausage event to mark Bonfire night.

Slow Food is very much a family affair, and the organisation believes it is important to develop children's palates early - annual membership costs £35 with each family member joining for an extra £12. An additional charge is made for each event.

"Tastes in food are acquired before you can talk," says Laura. "So it is important to get children to try everything. How do you know if you like something if you don't try it?"

Laura would also like any teacher in the area with an interest in culinary matters and in encouraging and educating children about what we eat to get in touch.

Slow Food is aimed at people who have a real interest in food: how it tastes and where it comes from, whether they be a producer or a consumer.

"There is a certain educational element involved," admits Laura. "In Italy, they hold workshops where they discuss food."

A bit like the culinary equivalent of wine tasting, then?

"That's a good analogy. You can sound very evangelical about the idea, but it is about having a nice time as well. Food is a great lubricator of social wheels."

Another aim, adds Laura, is to encourage consumers to shop for local produce.

"Smaller producers have not had as much encouragement from the consumer as they could have done. People go to the supermarket and end up buying everything there.

"It would be nice for people to be more aware of what the smaller producers are doing and to make the effort to go out and buy the products and encourage them.

"It would be nice if people in this country were more thoughtful about food and where it comes from.

"I really like going to farmers' markets and buying goods there. I'd much rather buy beef from a stall where people actually know when the animal was born, what it was fed and how it was raised."

At the end of the day, Slow Food is about safeguarding quality and providing pleasure for foodies.

Laura says: "It's about appreciating food as a pleasure, which is not something we have been very good at in this country."

- For more information about the North Yorkshire Slow Food convivium, contact Katharine Meehan or Linda Hearn on 01653 629029 or email: kmeehan@inntravel.co.uk or lhearn@inntravel.co.uk

- For more information about the Slow Food movement, visit the website: www.slowfood.com

Updated: 09:07 Tuesday, April 16, 2002