There is an invisible thread that connects the story of a tradition, the flavor of a product, and the voice of those who guard that product every day.
A thread that too often breaks in the circuits of hasty communication, where everything becomes "excellence," but nothing is truly told.
Voices from the territory, stories to listen to
We at Retrogusti believe that the true Italian food and wine heritage does not only live in the big names or recognized brands.
It lives in the folds of the territories, in the hands of artisans, in the stories of those who fight every day to keep a variety, a ritual, a taste alive.
It is in this spirit that our collaboration project with the Slow Food Communities is born, an extraordinary network made up of people, stories, resistances, and dreams.
But what exactly are Slow Food Communities?
The Slow Food Communities are local groups — made up of farmers, breeders, cooks, activists, artisans, or simple enthusiasts — who come together around a concrete idea of change that is born to protect a product, a practice, or a knowledge, and does so by promoting a sustainable, fair, and respectful food model for the environment and people.
They are not exclusive circles or folkloric committees: they are active presences of culture and future, often away from the limelight but essential to keep alive the cultural and food biodiversity of our country.
We don't talk about them. We talk with them.
We have decided to open the pages of our magazine to these communities, inviting them to tell their stories in the first person.
It is not an aesthetic operation. It is a political, cultural choice. It is our way of saying: this voice matters.
We do this because, as is our style, we believe in a culinary narrative that starts from the ground up, that gives space to the territories even when they are not trendy, and that uses the word "tradition" with the respect it deserves, not as a marketing tool.
In the coming days we will begin to publish the first articles received from the Slow Food Communities that have joined.
We invite you to read them, share them, and use them as a compass to navigate through a different Italy: smaller, more authentic, more necessary.
Because telling stories means sharing responsibility: that of protecting, enhancing, and passing on.
And so, we will continue to tell stories, to explore, to discover new aftertastes. We will continue to be that voice that invites you to pause for a moment, to reflect, to seek the value of the things that truly matter. Because food and wine, in the end, are just an excuse to talk about ourselves, our history, and our humanity. And we still have many stories to tell.
If you are part of a Slow Food Community and want to participate in this project, write to us at:
We will be happy to listen to you.