Slow Food Founder Visits Charleston

by Patricia Agnew

On February 23, the Charleston chapter of Slow Food was honored with a visit from Carlo Petrini, president and founder of Slow Food International and author of the new book Terra Madre exploring worldwide efforts to develop and sustain the local food movement. Slow Food Charleston hosted two events for our distinguished visitor.
Soon after his arrival, a well-attended reception and book-signing took place at McCrady’s, featuring hors d’oeuvres prepared by Executive Chef Sean Brock with local produce and meats from Thornhill Farm near McClellanville.
Cypress was the setting for the splendid event that followed. For a sold-out crowd, Executive Chef Craig Deihl (pictured above with Petrini) prepared an elegant dinner celebrating the much-touted black guinea hog, the small black breed of swine now returning to American tables thanks to the development efforts of Gra Moore of Florence-based Carolina Heritage Farms. Described by Chef Deihl as the most unbelievable pig he’s ever worked with, the hog is noted for its glorious fat and sumptuous meat resulting from a diet of heirloom corn, acorns, hay and other vegetables. Read more...