Me Time: Slow Down and Savor These Tasty Treats

When back-to-the-earth advocate Carlo Petrini founded the slow-food movement, he wanted to protect the pleasures of the table and embrace everything that fast food (and munching at your desk) does not, including enriching every day by lingering over a meal. Here are good-for-you treats worth taking the time to relish.

Single-origin dark chocolate
Explore the flavor nuances of these chocolates with E. Guittard’s Single Origin 2-Ounce Bar Sampler ($38), which includes a taste of Madagascar, Ecuador, Venezuela, and Colombia.

Biodynamic wine
A step beyond organic, biodynamic wine embraces the ecological-and-spiritual cycle of the grape, from compost to bottle. Try Bonny Doon Ca’ del Solo Albariño 2007 ($20).

Artisanal cheese
Made with love by farmers who handcraft small batches, artisanal cheeses embody the slow-food movement. Try American Artisanal Cheese Sampler ($49).

Flowering tea
A cup of hot tea can calm and revitalize you at the same time; a cup of flowering tea—that unfurls its leaves as it brews—is a drinkable work of art. Try Numi Organic Flowering Teas (prices vary).

Slow produce
They may be high-maintenance, but fruits and veggies that demand your full attention are worth the effort. Try pomegranates (a ruby-red fruit that’s eaten by extracting the seeds surrounded by juicy flesh) and artichokes (you pull off each leaf and drag it between your teeth to scrape off the edible portion).