“Say (Natural) Cheese!” at This Slow Food Event

(Gerry Furth-Sides, photos courtesy “Cheese” Exhibit, Slow Food) Cheese, the largest international event dedicated to raw milk, natural cheeses and artisanal dairy products, returns to the city of Bra, Italy, from September 15-18, 2023. Organized by Slow Food and the City of Bra, the fourteenth edition brings together herders, cheesemakers and enthusiasts. 

The theme of this year’s edition is The Taste of the Meadows, emphasizing how raw milk from pasture-raised animals are crucial to sustainable food systems.

“Food production, and dairy production specifically, face daily environmental challenges.   That’s where Slow Food believes agroecology comes in as the solution to address these issues,” comments Francesco Sottile, Slow Food Board member.

“Agroecology is based on the sustainable use of local renewable resources, leveraging the knowledge and priorities of local farmers, employing biodiversity to provide ecosystem services and resilience.  It is key in implementing solutions that yield multiple benefits from local to global levels.

It also champions local producers, family farming, rural communities, food sovereignty, local and short food supply chains, and the diversity of native seeds and breeds.  Plus, it ensures access to healthy, quality food for all. 

Moreover, agroecology can be effectively applied to grasslands and the animals that inhabit them. Grasslands have the potential to transform livestock farming from one of the sectors with the greatest environmental impact into an activity that helps mitigate the climate crisis. 

This capacity increases with greater soil fertility and the richness of vegetation. That’s why soil covered with permanent meadows ranks higher than forests as a solution for carbon sequestration, as it avoids the risk of releasing all the stored carbon in a short period, for example by fire.”

International guests include exhibitors from 14 countries have already confirmed their participation in the event and will be present in the international market. This includes renowned names such as the affineur Jasper Hill Farm from the United States, the Slow Food Presidium of Raw Milk Stichelton from the United Kingdom, producers and selectors from Switzerland and other European countries. 

Long-standing exhibitors like Poncelet from Spain, Mons Fromager et Affineurs from France, and the Dutch Slow Food Presidium of Aged Artisanal Gouda will also be present.   

Italy, with numerous producers from all its regions, holds a place of honor. Slow Food Presidia is comprised of producers committed to preserving and passing on traditional production techniques and crafts.

As always, Cheese provides a remarkable opportunity to expand knowledge, engage in conferences and debates, and savor new culinary offerings. Attendees can participate in Taste Workshops, guided tastings led by specialists and producers, and attend Dinners curated by international chefs.

At Cheese, the Italian and International Market showcases the finest products from cheesemakers, herders, cheesemongers, and affineurs from all corners of the globe. Many of these producers are part of the esteemed Slow Food Presidia network. 

The cheeses, available for purchase, are exclusively made with raw milk in dairies that prioritize animal welfare. Slow Food believes that natural cheese are richer in biodiversity and a more authentic expression of their place of origin.

More detailed information is available at:

The events calendar (in progress)  //cheese.slowfood.it/en/event/

The Exhibitors catalog  //cheese.slowfood.it/en/scheda_espositore/

The latest news //cheese.slowfood.it/en/news/