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75 °F Forecast | Road Cams Saturday, August 28, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Prime Times Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Rogue Valley's Finest EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend July 19, 2004 Lois and Ray Holdridge of Ashland prepare their outdoor pizza oven � which takes four hours to heat up to 600 degrees � in anticipation of playing host to a �convivium,� or chapter, of Slow Food USA. Mail Tribune / Andrew Mariman Group savors food, fellowship By JONEL ALECCIA Mail Tribune Ray and Lois Holdridge have never eaten a fast-food meal in their lives. Seriously. At ages 64 and 59, respectively, the Ashland pair insist they’ve never visited McDonald’s, never noshed on KFC, never dipped a chip in that orange nacho sauce from Taco Bell. Instead, Ray, a former winemaker for Gallo, and Lois, a retired nurse and diabetes educator, embrace the philosophy and practices of slow food, an international movement that has found a new footing in Southern Oregon. Advertisement "I believe in everything fresh," says Lois Holdridge, who makes her own breakfast granola and can hardly wait for local peaches. "I’ve eaten that way all along." So when a local group of like-minded people decided to form a Rogue Valley "convivium," or chapter, of Slow Food USA this year, the Holdridges were there to help. Lois Holdridge coordinated the application that welcomed 30 local members to a worldwide organization of more than 80,000, including chapters in Portland, Bend and Eugene. And when it was time to host one of the local group’s first gatherings, Ray Holdridge fired up the outdoor stone pizza oven and invited everyone to sit down and sample slow food first hand. Crust crafted from a 13-year-old dough starter and artisan cheese made at the Rogue Creamery in Central Point highlighted a lively evening of conversation, wine and food. "Slow food is about conviviality," explains Gus Janeway, the 35-year-old Medford winemaker who first proposed a slow food chapter in Southern Oregon. "And conviviality is about living together." At its heart, the slow food movement aims to enhance community by promoting sustainable buying and dining practices, advocates say. It was founded in 1989 by Carlo Petrini, an Italian who was appalled at the encroachment of fast food and the hurried, harried lifestyle that accompanies it. Instead, advocates of slow food urge people to think about what they eat, as well as when and why and how. "The slow food philosophy says that everyday actions of normal human beings should be a contribution to our community," says Janeway. On a practical level, that translates into local people buying local products such as a bread and cheese and wine and then agreeing to prepare and consume them thoughtfully, Janeway says. "In a metaphysical sense, it means taking the time to recognize what nourishes you," he says. For the Holdridges, who moved to Ashland from the San Francisco Bay Area, such dining practices have been part of their lives for decades. Breakfast is homemade granola and fresh fruit. Dinner is three kinds of vegetables, a salad and fresh bread. A party is pizza cooked in the 600-degree oven that takes four hours to heat. But even Lois Holdridge admits that the slow food philosophy runs counter to the reality of many modern lives. "Of course, we didn’t have kids," she says. "We could come home from work at 6 p.m. and take two hours to get dinner." Janeway acknowledges that not everyone has the time or money to spend on artisan foods. But, he adds, that’s not the point. "I can see how it has the appearance of an elitist movement, but at its heart, slow food is very democratic," he says. Education is a big focus of the slow food movement in other places, and organizers intend to offer seminars and classes here. True to its name and its logo — a snail — the group has taken time to get going. "We’re in such an embryonic stage, we need to educate ourselves before evangelizing," Janeway says. Local volunteers recently formed smaller groups that will focus on Southern Oregon’s wild bounty, produce, traditions and culture, vines and wines and products. In time, they’ll present public seminars, dinners and other events. The next planned gathering will be Aug. 29 at Roxy Ann Vineyards. Chef Susan Powell from Ashland’s Pilaf restaurant will create a vegetarian menu using produce from Hillcrest Orchard. The event will be limited to 50 people. Tickets will be available first to local convivium members; public tickets will be available after July 27. Once the word gets out, local organizers are confident that Slow Food will flourish in Southern Oregon. "I think there are a lot of people who believe in the concept, but aren’t even aware of the movement," Lois Holdridge says. Join the movement Anyone with an appreciation for the Slow Food philsophy is welcome to join the local "convivium," organizers say. Annual membership is $60 per person or $75 for a couple. The next local event will be held Aug. 29 in Medford; space is limited. For information about the local chapter, call Lois Holdridge at 488-0263. To learn about the international movement, visit www.slowfoodusa.org Reach reporter JoNel Aleccia at 776-4465, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities