Slow Food, a world-wide organization of over 80,000 members, was founded in 1989 to promote gastronomic culture and diversity and traditional foods. It has hosted Salon del Gusto every other year since 1986 in conjunction with the Piedmont Regional Authority. The 2004 event, which drew 130,000-plus visitors in 2002, is in the Lingotto Exhibition Center in Turin and runs from October 21-25.

Sam and Mariah Calagione of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery of Milton, Del., Gene Muller Flying Fish Brewery of Cherry Hill, M.J. and Chris and Kristin Leonard of General Lafayette Inn and Brewery of Lafayette Hill, Pa. had their beers poured during Salon del Gusto and are attending the event under a program run by the Association of Brewers which provides part of their expenses through a grant from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.

For the first time this year, Terra Madre, a world meeting of food communities, will be held concurrently with the Salone del Gusto, running from October 20-23. This event is also the creation of Slow Food founder Carlo Petrini. Tom Baker and Peggy Swerver of Heavyweight Brewing in Ocean County, N.J. and Bill and Nancy Barton of Yards Brewing of Philadelphia are attending that gathering, and the Salone, as representatives of Slow Food Philadelphia, which is paying part of their expenses. They are also participating in "Earth Workshops" related to beer production which are being conducted by Terra Madre, as is Leonard.

Philadelphia Slow Food was created in 1998, according to its local representative, Hansjacob Werlen, a Swarthmore College professor. "I am a great admirer of craft beers and believe that the Philadelphia region has many exceptional brewers," Werlen said. "I chose Heavyweight and Yards to represent us because of my respect for their beers but there are several other local brewers I wish I might have chosen as well."

Over 500 American producers are attending the Slow Food gathering, including repesentatives of 24 U.S. breweries and AOB president Charles Papazian.