From the Slow Food Ark of Taste: Jimmy Nardello Peppers

Over 30 years ago, a group of Italian protestors stood at the base of the Spanish Steps in Rome and passed around a bowl of penne. The demonstration amplified challenges faced by the world’s food systems. Among them, a dire lack of  biodiversity and investment in heritage crops and livestock breeds, consequences of conventional agricultural practices, inequity in labor and a loss of heritage and culture.

Their chants, “We don’t want fast food. We want slow food!” served to pop the bottle of prosecco that celebrated what would soon be known officially as the Slow Food movement.

Now, with a robust portfolio of programs that range from a cook’s alliance to equity, inclusion, and justice work, to school garden programs and much, much more, Slow Food works to achieve its ambitious mission of good, clean and fair food for all. A rally cry that rings true to OGC’s purpose and work.

While the volume, value, and integrity of Slow Food’s work are impressive across the board, one program that OGC directly supports through our work is the Ark of Taste.

Slow Food’s Ark of Taste addresses a behemoth challenge: the lack of biodiversity in our modern food system, resulting in its inherent vulnerability. While a collapse poses practical concerns, so does the impact of the loss of diverse varieties on the cultures and people that celebrate them. Combatting that all begins with identifying varieties and breeds of heritage food.

To drive their mission, Slow Food has welcomed and tested submissions from every country in the world. Their evaluation ensures that varieties “brought on to The Ark” are significant for the heritage of the people who grow and cook them and are also viable for cultivation.

They catalog their findings and publish these varieties and breeds to encourage everyone to “look for them, describe them, eat them and promote them.”

Available now: Jimmy Nardello peppers! They are but one of more than 200 produce varieties in the Ark of Taste catalog, and included for a good reason!

Originating in Italy, these pepper seeds made their way to the US in 1887 and were treasured by Jimmy Nardello, the 4th son of a first-generation American family. Before his death in 1983, Jimmy was immortalized by loaning his name to his favorite variety of pepper, which his mother brought from her homeland years before. It soon became a favorite amongst American chefs and eaters as well.

Long and slender with shiny thin-walled flesh, these frying peppers are sweet, fruity, and produce a practically creamy texture when cooked. They retain their vibrant red hue when roasted, grilled or pickled. While delightfully intense in flavor, they are free from any heat, making them just as delicious eaten straight off the plant. A great pepper for drying, Italians traditionally strung them through their stem with thread, making for both a practical means of preservation and a lovely way to adorn a kitchen.

Beyond being delicious, they’re food with a mission, and nothing speaks more to our priorities than that! As Kristi Yoder, OGC’s Senior Sales Manager shares, “Prioritizing biodiversity in our food supply chain by supporting the growth and purchase of unique varieties is integral for our future. It is sad to think some varietals will go extinct because of a lack of interest in the market.”

In addition to OGC’s concern about the loss of varieties, we also acknowledge its impact on growers.

“Farmers work to preserve unique varieties by growing and marketing them,” Yoder continues. “Supporting their work ensures that the distinct characteristics of these varieties stay viable for future generations to enjoy, in addition to strengthening our food supply. It is vital to OGC and eaters everywhere that we continue to source organically grown, uncommon and delicious varieties like those noted in the Ark of Taste.”

Watch for other varieties from the Ark of Taste throughout the year! Summer and fall features include Cherokee Purple heirloom tomatoes, Sun Crest peaches, Mariposa, and Elephant Heart plums, Blenheim apricots, Ozette potatoes, Fuerte avocados and some fantastic heirloom apples including Gravenstein, Arkansas Black, Newtown Pippin, and Golden Russet.

Hats off to Slow Food, Ark of Taste, and their work that further proves that eating is not just a pleasurable act, but also critical to keeping plant species alive and flourishing!

Slow Food does a fantastic job of documenting and telling their own stories! We highly encourage taking a moment to watch their Ark of Taste video which delves into all the delicious details about this program! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDPERiWHCUM&feature=youtu.be