The animals went in two by two (and the fruits, nuts, vegetables…)

One of Slow Food’s flagship programs is the Ark of Taste; the global At Risk Register for endangered foods. Foods that taste delicious (no need to pay a premium to taste the difference here), and have huge genetic biodiversity. We need this biodiversity as our climate changes, pests become immune to big Agri-tech’s arsenals and mainstream farming focus on ever fewer varieties.

Over the past year we have looked at how they can be incorporated into menus, how this sustains the countryside around us, and the stories of some of our producers, such as the upland Shepherds who earn £8k a year for working 60 hour weeks – there is no NMW if you own the farm.

But perhaps the biggest ask from this, is a directory of UK Ark products, so we have produced one just in time for Christmas – but equally it’s a super book to use for menu planning when looking for ideas.

140 Pages, and with over 130 Ark Products, it costs just £10 and all proceeds go to our Children’s Education program. Now if that doesn’t sound the perfect stocking filler, what else does?

You can order a copy here www.slowfood.org.uk/almanac