Slow Food on the Road

A great way to discover local culinary treats when you travel is to check out  local chapters of Slow Food when you make your plans. There are lots of events and one just might be scheduled when you are in town. If you are traveling alone, it will make for an interesting evening and you can meet some people. If you need to do something different with a client, an evening like this can be a real relationship builder (if your client is into food/wine).

We went to a French wine tasting (all independent producers, most organic or biodynamic) sponsored by Slow Food Boston last night. Held at Dave’s Fresh Pasta in Somerville, MA, the wines were accompanied by artisinal cheeses, some killer duck/porcini/bleu cheese ravioli, spicy shrimp, and pan forte. The people were fun and the food/wine wonderful.

At just $35 per person, we tasted six wines and had plenty to eat. So,  it’s an economical evening as well. It was very casual and a bit cramped so it might not be the best choice if you are meeting someone for the first time and it wouldn’t have been a good place to talk serious business. On the other hand, it made for a far more memorable experience than another dinner at the local steak house.

The next time you are on the road, look beyond the restaurants and you just might find some great eating and a story you’ll tell for some time to come.