Salone del Gusto

THE Salone del Gusto is a biennial world’s fair of artisan foods held by Slow Food in conjunction with Terra Madre in Turin, Italy.

Scents, colours, sounds, personalities, cultures and histories create the exciting atmosphere around you as you stroll through the lanes of the Salone del Gusto market. You are on a journey in search of food quality. In 2006, as never before, the exhibitors were committed to preserving and guaranteeing food quality by supporting Slow Food’s philosophy, and by sharing the principles associated with a broader idea of quality in every element in food production.

Salone exhibitors displayed the very best artisan food products from Italy, where about 300 selected producers represented the ‘Buon Paese’. The Meat Lane, Oil Lane, Cheese Lane, Sweet Lane – these were just a few of the stops on a taste journey through the market, which was divided once again by themes so visitors could easily find whatever took their fancy. An endless choice of products combining tradition, fantasy and attention to quality. Beer was also back to delight aficionados.

At the Salone del Gusto visitors paid a return visit to companies that have always taken part in the event. But they also got to know some of new producers that have rediscovered artisan methods and launched products from the past, sometimes with an extra touch of imagination.

The Salone programme is devised in conjunction with international branches of Slow Food, making it possible to involve a growing number of quality artisans. Some of them are from European countries, such as the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Spain and Germany. Producers from Japan, Argentina, Mexico, the United States, the Philippines, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Norway and the Netherlands were also represted in 2006.

Many of these producers are able to attend the Salone thanks to the support and co-operation of local authorities. International development co-operation projects, like the ones implemented by the Piedmont Regional Authority in northern Italy, are becoming more common. Organisations like Food From Britain, Icex (Spain) and Sopexa (France) are also working to promote local products abroad.

The Salone del Gusto market presented opportunities to discover unusual Japanese sweets or to taste the most celebrated traditional French and British cheeses and compare them with lesser known products such as kaymak from Montenegro. Also present was the famous jamòn Iberico de belota, meats from England, Scotland and Argentina and a bevy of other unusual foods to taste and purchase.

One pavilion at Salone 2006 was entirely devoted to Slow Food presidia products.

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Salone del Gusto