MONTICELLO - Tables pushed together into long lines, waiting for diners, were covered with heavy, white paper held in place by glasses and bottles of wine.

Others, forming a sort of seven, were laden with fruits, freshly made salads, organic sweet corn, deviled eggs, herbed potatoes and pans filled to overflowing with lamb and turkey.

The preparations were for the first meeting of the Goose Creek Slow Food Convivium and fittingly took place on the farm of John and Connie Caveny near Monticello. The Cavenys raise heritage Bourbon Red turkeys. John Caveny is also on the board of directors of Slow Food Chicago.

The convivium - chapter - was founded by the Cavenys along with Rhonda Killian-Sinkosky, owner/chef of Montgomery's on the Square in Monticello. They had about 65 respond to invitations for this first gathering, John Caveny said.

Two of Cavenys' turkeys and two lambs were prepared over open fire with only a salt scrub, Jake Sanders, Montgomery's executive chef, said. True to the slow food name, the meat wasn't rushed as lamb grilling began at 8:45 a.m. and turkey at 11 a.m. for seating around 2:30 p.m. Both meats were grilled via the spatchcock method, described alternately as butterflying or meat split and flattened.

Slow food, explained Julie Pallotta of Chicago, co-chair of Chicago Slow Food, is a movement that began about 20 years ago as a reaction to fast food and the changing culture and taste of food.

"The whole point of slow food is that food should be joyful," said Pallotta. "Real food tastes really good.

"The point of slow food has gone just from preserving to introducing what real food tastes like."

But the movement also seeks to see that farmers who raise products good for the environment earn a fair wage for those efforts.

"We try to shorten the distance between the farm and the table."

Slow food used to mean eating slowly, she said. "Now you can really feel the grassroots of eating foods close to home. We're getting apples that taste like apples, pears that taste like pears."

To that end, one of the things chapters do is sponsor potluck events with wine and spirits and conversation.

"I've not been to a slow food (event) where everyone wasn't smiling," said Stan Schutte of Shelby County. Schutte, also a member of Slow Food Chicago, is president of Triple S Farms, where organic livestock is raised.

"I love doing these (slow food events)," Schutte said. "Farmers are a part of the group. That's important to me. I'm the guy - one of the guys - (raising) the food.

"(Slow food) is fun, good food, good times, good people," he said.

Schutte said he feels slow food groups have a better chance of growing memberships now because the consumer is ready to become involved.

"I'm kind of new to all of this," admitted Belinda Sanders of Mahomet. But, she said, she too thinks the idea will grow as people want to know where food is coming from and to know their food sources.

One of the things slow food is doing is getting people to know their farmers, said Bob Pallotta, the other co-chair of Chicago Slow Food.

As a farmer, Schutte said, "They (slow food chapters) are our cheerleaders. All we need to do is show up."

Arlene Mannlein can be reached at amannlein@herald-review.com or at 421-6976.

About slow food

According to Slow Food International, Slow Food is a nonprofit, eco-gastronomic member-supported organization founded in 1989 to counteract fast food and fast life, the disappearance of local food traditions and people's dwindling interest in the food they consume, where it comes from, how it tastes and how our food choices affect the rest of the world.

According to Slow Food USA, slow food is simply about taking the time to slow down and to enjoy life with family and friends. Every day can be enriched by doing something slowly - making pasta from scratch one night, squeezing your own orange juice from the fresh fruit, lingering over a glass of wine and a slice of cheese, even deciding to eat lunch sitting down instead of standing up.

In Illinois, the listed groups which are a part of Slow Food USA are Slow Food Chicago, Slow Food Springfield and Slow Food Goose Creek.

To join, the cost is $60 per individual or $75 couple per year. Memberships are taken online, where a brochure for mailing or faxing can be downloaded as well at www.slowfoodusa.org/join/index.html.