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According to Slow Food USA:

Slow Food is an idea, a way of living and a way of eating. It is a global, grassroots movement with thousands of members around the world that links the pleasure of food with a commitment to community and the environment.

I first became intrigued with the idea of slow food after reading the book In Praise of Slowness: Challenging the Cult of Speed, describing how our need to do more with less all the time was making us less happy and less healthy. At the time (a few years ago), I started looking for slow food restaurants, most notably ending up at the Craftsman, a Minneapolis treasure. (Side note: at my first visit to the Craftsman, I tried their pickle martini and discovered that not all local foods are created equal. Still, I'm thrilled to live in a city where I will continue to find and review restaurants that serve local, sustainable food for a very long time.)

Slow food fits really nicely into the idea of sustainable food, locally grown food, non-processed food, real food. Slow food takes all the time it needs to grow, and doesn't generally travel very far to get to the table. Slow food still has most of its nutritional value. Slow food is prepared with thought and care, and - in the best cases - it's eaten and enjoyed slowly, often with friends or family.

Slow Food USA is a treasure trove of events, microsites, blogs, and other great stuff. There are local chapters and there's a general store. The site is a bit overwhelming for relative newbies (at least it is for me), but there's so much great information that's it's worth checking out.