A joyful ruckus of conversation and laughter filled the halls of the Ferry Building on Friday Feb. 12 for the seventh annual Food From The Heart.

Those looking to make their hearts go pitter-pat could try chocolate covered with strawberries, cones filled with sliced meats, three-cheese fondue, pork sausages and a variety of Napa Valley wines.

"Everything's delicious," Kerstin Bandner, a patron, said. "I'm having a great time and the money is going for a good benefit."

The event, annually hosted by the Ferry Building, brought together the building's vendors, local farmers and the Napa Valley Vintners to help raise funds for Slow Food, a worldwide movement aiming to unite food, community and environment.

"The concept of Slow Food is based on three principles: good, clean and fair," said Vera Ciammetti, Slow Food's volunteer coordinator. "Good food from healthy plants and animals; clean for the body and for land; and fair to the workers, the farmers, the producers and the consumers."

For only $2 per ticket, patrons could get a taste of what each purveyor had to offer, be it wine, food or sweets.

The profits raised by Food From The Heart would be used to send two farmers to Terra Madre, a four-day event in Torino, Italy where they can share ideas on common practices about farming.

"Once there, all the farmers can talk and help each other," said Lorenzo Scarpone, Slow Food's San Francisco Chapter Governor. "Our association is not just about eating well, it's about the small farmer and making sure he survives."

Many vendors present at the event understood the importance of survival. "I think it's important and great to preserve the traditions and as many things of farming as possible," said Jerome Chery, a winemaker at the event.

"We just wanted to try all the food," Tyler Ford said. "It's our first time here and we're very impressed."

Whether they were aware of Food From The Heart's mission, the guests seemed to agree on one thing.

"It's so fun. Such a good idea. Regardless of the cause, it's a great opportunity to have all these vendors in one hallway," said Emily Bergen, enjoying the event with a few friends. "It's just something different and great to do on a Friday night."

Slow Food San Francisco will be screening FRESH, a film that honors those who are redesigning the food industry, Feb. 26 at the Presidio Sports Basement.