It took time - but Slow Food's arrived in Westmeath!

Seventeen people sat down to dinner at a house in North Westmeath the weekend before last, and at an immaculately laid table, lit by elegant candlelight, they dined off the finest of Westmeath-produced food.That was the first official event of the newly-formed Westmeath convivium of the Slow Food Movement, reveals Castlepollard textile designer, Helen James, one of the committee of this fledgling movement, which hopes to do much in the year ahead to spread the word around the county about the values of the Slow Food movement.The meal, held at Coolure House, saw a menu which included Smoked Trout from John Rogan's smokery at Rathowen; Inny Eel pate by Therese Gilsenan, crusty bread made by Helen James herself, butter-wrapped venison from Greg Potterton's farm at Ballinea; gratin of potatoes made with cheese from Mary Kelly's Moonshine Farm at Dysart; Elderberry Jelly and mincepies made by Helen James of Lough Bishop guest house; Morag Newman's oatcakes and Kilbeggan Whiskey and local Honey home-made ice-cream."What we tried to do with the first event was keep it nice and informal and intimate, and to contact as many food producers as we could," says Helen, who stresses that the Slow Food movement is not just something for people involved in producing food: it's for anyone who enjoys food, or is interested in food, and interested in how it is produced and where it comes from."It was started by an Italian man who, when he saw a McDonald's restaurant open at the Spanish Steps in Rome, decided it was time to do something against fast food, so he came up with 'slow food'."It's about seasonal food, it's about local food, it's about growing your own, it's about the providence of food. It's against tv dinners and packaged food, and about becoming aware of where your food comes from, and trying to source food that is local to you," says Helen.Locally, Helen credits Una FitzGibbon of Coolure House for starting the ball rolling in Westmeath. "Una works for Bord Bia, and she would be very aware of slow food through working with Bord Bia, and has been to the Slow Food Convention so it was her idea to do something locally around here and at the moment, the other people are Morag Newman, who raises rare-breed pigs in Fore, Helen Kelly, of Lough Bishop B and B, and myself. We're the committee."For the launch event at Coolure, contact was made with food producers, and so the group who jointly prepared and dined what was themed as a "Hunters' Luncheon", consisted of a group who didn't all necessarily know each other."We hope in February or March to do something based around chocolate, and in the Summer, we are planning a big pig roast. We will hold the events in various locations," she says.Helen, who enjoys cooking herself, denies that it costs more to live by Slow Food principles. "It's not more expensive to live by that approach, but it does take a little bit more planning. For example, my husband and I sat down today for home-made lentil soup and home-made bread, and we reckon it cost only about 50 c each. It was just red lentils, celery and onions, and bread from flour and yeast. It would cost you at least €5 to have that out."Helen is confident that the time is right for the movement locally."I think parents are becoming more aware of what their children are eating, and I know that everyone is very conscious of budget, and it actually works out cheaper, or certainly, not more expensive."I think there is a definite interest, and we had a very positive reaction on Saturday, and we're hoping it will grow and grow."You don't have to be a food producer at all to join: it's just about people who are interested in food, and for me personally, it is also about meeting people in my community and getting involved in the community."To join the slow food movement costs €50 a year, and it is done through the national website, which, when you join, asks you what convivium (the word used by the slow food movement for its groups) you want to join.For your membership fee, you also get the quarterly "Slow" magazine, and you will be on the mailing list for Slow Food events.