Our trip to Italy was simply wonderful. The Italians know how to source great food, cure the most amazing meats, crush grapes into the world's best wine, relax while eating, and take life a slower more suitable pace.
Our first leg was spent in Turin at Terra Madre where we discovered the depth of Italy's food system at the Solone del Gusto and made connections with amazing young farmers from all over the country. I had the pleasure of meeting Alice Waters who unfortunately was terribly uninterested in meeting me despite the huge friendly smile and brief life summary I gave her. We fed off the energy of the Youth Food Movement which seems to be sweeping the world at such an exciting rate and brainstormed about how to better unite. The most valuable session I attended was a mentor farmer workshop where Slow Food grouped young farmers with older/more experienced farmers and facilitated conversation about growing practices and life down the road as farmers. Albert, a farmer from eastern Washington laid out the most valuable lessons one can learn from farming which are actually wise life lessons: patience, adaptability, seeking and pursuing opportunities, honing the ability to mechanically fix anything, seeing the BIG picture and telling your story.
Alice Waters is a bitch.
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