Cookin' in the 'Cuse

Just because you buy it locally doesn't make it so

Often when the topic of eating local comes up it revolves around the concern for supporting local food producers and not having food transported from one end of the country to the other.  But it is only recently that we could (on a limited basis) expect to find labels on produce signifying the country of origin.  An incredibly high percentage of produce is imported into the U.S. from other countries to satisfy the American desire for fresh produce regardless of the season.  The largest number of foreign produce comes in between December and April for just that reason. 

On May 13, 2002, President Bush signed into law the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, more commonly known as the 2002 Farm Bill. Part of the Bill requires country of origin labeling (COOL) for beef, lamb, pork, fish, perishable agricultural commodities and peanuts.

But:

"On January 27, 2004, President Bush signed Public Law 108-199 which delays the implementation of mandatory COOL for all covered commodities except wild and farm-raised fish and shellfish until September 30, 2006.  As described in the legislation, program implementation is the responsibility of USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service." (Agricultural Marketing Service website)

On Saturday night I found myself in Wegman's to pick up household cleaning supplies, and before long I was browing the organic produce section.  Above one section of vegetables was a huge sign with photographs.  The sign announced the name of a northeastern farm and showed photos of fields and farmers.  The farm was in Pennsylvania. 

At first I thought, "Good for Wegman's for highlighting the farmers!"  But then I wondered why the farm wasn't located in New York State.  Are there no regional, organic farms large enough to supply a supermarket?  I'm sure there are.  But this is a good first step, I suppose.  Everytime I go into Wegman's I always ask the produce manager about why the organic veggies are not coming from a local farm and when I'm told there aren't any, I then tell him about the many farms that supply food to our local co-op (you'll see many of them listed on the side bar to the left.) 

What will be a wonderful thing is when all the produce in Wegman's (and other large markets) is labeled with its place of origin.  This will help us to know not only if we are supporting local growers, but it will tell us how many thousands of miles (or passports) were needed to get the food to us. 

Check out these websites for more infomation about COOL Legislation:

American Marketing Service

The Agricultural Sector

Americans for Labeling

No matter where you go you can eat local

I've just returned from a few days in Asheville, NC which is one of my most favorite places.  Like the Berkshires, it is noted for its mountains, art, and sustainable eating and living. 

I arrived in Asheville on Monday afternoon and one of the first things I did was make a run to the local food co-op.  I really didn't want to go out for a major dinner after a day of traveling so I figured that I could put together a great meal by shopping the French Broad Food Co-op--a co-op I had wanted to visit for many years.  They didn't disappoint.

In a matter of minutes I was able to pick up some local, crusty bread, a container of locally prepared tofu sesame noodles, water, and a bar of Dagoba chocolate for a simple but decadent dessert. 

The French Broad Food Co-op takes its name from the river that winds through Asheville.  In addition to the local produce sold in the store, the French Broad hosts a tail-gate farmer's market on Wednesdays.

As a member of the Syracuse Real Food Co-op I found that walking into the French Broad Food Co-op felt like coming home to a familiar place.  As you might expect, every food co-op has its own distinctive personality.  But it was somewhat comforting to know that I could eat well, support the local food economy, and get a taste of the place I was visiting by patronizing the local co-op.  As I think about what it means to eat within my foodshed, co-ops help me to remember that I can eat within my foodshed no matter where I'm standing. 

To find a food co-op near you check out the National Green Pages on-line by clicking here.

Slow Food Dinner at Windhaven Farm

What a day!  A 9.3 mile race in the morning and a fantastic, organic, Slow Food dinner in the evening--it really doesn't get any better than this.  The dinner at Windhaven Farm in Sauquoit, NY was really rather amazing in its simplicity, intensity of flavors, and its ability to bring together new and old friends and the farmers who produced the food.  Suzanne and Aaron of Green Rabbit Farm, Lisa of Two Hearts Farm, our hosts Keith and Margaret of Windhaven Farm, and their many, many helpers are to be commended for such a wonderful evening. 

But with not much time to write let me do three things:  tell you what we ate, show you what we ate (and other photos of the farm) and ask you to support the work of Slow Food, USA.

1.  Our appetites were whet by an addictively delicious experimental cheese that Windhaven Farm is working on accompanied by Green Rabbit's fabulous bread.  There were also Green Rabbit Sugar snap peas with an aioli made with dill, chives and other green herbs.  A bonus was a crusty summer squash pizzetta.

The main course centered around spit-roasted lambs stuffed with sage and garlic scapes.  But the vegetarians and other veggie lovers were not disappointed with the mesclun salad; roasted new potatoes (the first of the season!) with garlic scapes; savoy cabbage slaw with lime juice, peppers and green onions; roasted beets and baby carrots; and a quark cheesecake with toasted almond crust topped with fresh strawberries.

2. Photos

3.  Slow Food is an international movement that "supports a biodiverse, sustainable food supply, local producers, heritage foodways, and rediscovery of the pleasures of the table." (SF brochure)  With education and public events and advocacy for  artisans who grow, produce, market, prepare, and serve wholesome food, Slow Food works to promote a slower, more harmonious rhythm of life.  You can support their efforts by joining--click here to join on line.

Windhaven Farm produces delicious sheepsmilk yogurt and cheeses as well as free-range meats and eggs.  2446 Timian Road, Sauquoit, NY 13456  315-839-7105

For a gorgeous virtual tour of the Windhaven Farm click here.

 

Local Food Source--Evan's Farmhouse Creamery

Dave and Sue Evans and their family are among the most dedicated and impassioned farmers I have had the pleasure to meet.  Their herd of 70 cows, processing plant, and home are all located in Norwich, NY about 60 miles from Syracuse.  They produce some of the most incredible dairy products I've ever tasted including milk, yogurt, creme fraiche, sour milk, half and half as well as maple products.  They are also certified organic.  My ideal breakfast is some of their Double Maple flavored yogurt (with that luscious cream on top) topped with Mountain Rise granola (produced in Naples, NY) and fresh fruit.  Indeed, that will be a mainstay for me during our Eat Local challenge in August.

I spent a couple of hours of yesterday's rainy afternoon with Sue and other members of her family learning about Evan's Farmhouse Creamery and their take on eating locally and sustainably.  As children wandered in and out of the small farm store and other farmers stopped by to pick up milk--that's Tom Warren of Stone and Thistle Farm after he loaded up his truck with milk and other goods--Sue and I spoke about how to get the word out about how easy healthy eating can be and the need to keep organic foods affordable.  To that end, the Evans' farm store carries many other goods--at great prices, mind you--like cheeses, granola, flour, cherries, sugar, and eggs.  By the time I left, my cooler was filled with enough staples to last me the month.

               

Tom Warren of Stone and Thistle             Bringing home the goods

On my way out, Dave took me to the processing plant to see how they produce their milk.  Being a city girl (albeit with memories of the milk man delivering to our apartment) I was fairly clueless about how milk is produced.  I knew the basics but had never seen it.  The Evans process milk and yogurt on alternating days in small batches.  Milk can go from the cow to the cooler in just several hours and they process about 1,600 gallons each time.  Currently, they are working on expanding their cooler facilities and hope to begin making their own cheese in the near future.

I didn't get to see the cows this trip but plan to return with some of my youth group kids so that they can learn more about where their food comes from.  Dave and Sue conduct farm tours by appointment and are incredibly generous with their time.  Evan's Farmhouse Creamery products can be found at area markets like the Syracuse Real Food Co-op, Greenstar Co-op in Ithaca, Nature Thyme in Syracuse and direct from the farm.

Evan's Farmhouse Creamery, 5037 State Highway 23, Norwich, NY 13815, 607-334-5339

Eating within your foodshed--sources

Over the next few weeks, in preparation for August's Eat Local food challenge, I will be posting information, sources, and ideas about how to enjoy what our area has to offer.  I speak often about how lucky we Central New Yorkers are in terms of the foods--dairy products, grass-fed meats, vegetables, breads, etc.,--that are made right in our region.  So that should make eating local all the easier.

Still, it may be difficult to imagine that you might draw a circle of so many miles around your home and eat only food produced within those borders.  However, I think that more than imagination what's called for is a good dose of knowledge and wisdom about the food sources that are out there. You can check the growing list of Local Food Sources on the sidebar to the left for local and regional food producers.  If you know of a source that others should be aware of, please email me and I'll it to the list.

For more details about the Eat Local challenge check out the Locavores website--you can even register your participation if you'd like.  You'll have the opportunity to decide just how broad your foodshed will be--you can choose a 100-mile radius or the entire state of New York.  You can also decide who many of your meals will be locally sourced--will it be every meal in the month of August, or one meal a week?  Finally, you can list your exemptions--which foods will you not worry about finding locally.  I've listed olive oil as one of exemptions--I can't live without it and I haven't found any olive groves being harvested for oil in Central New York (though if you know of one--do let me know!)  Also, Jen on her Life Begins @ Thirty blog, has some great information and resources on "the hows" of eating locally.  You can check out her recommendations here.

It is my hope that the month of August will not only be a delicious month but will give us the chance to see the rich possibilities of eating locally and sustainably in Central New York.

Surprised by color

Growing my vegetable garden has meant, for the most part, lots of green.  For this first experience I chose to grow lots of greens--spinach, kale, lettuces, broccoli, etc.  I love the more colorful vegetables/fruits like peppers but wanted to ease into things a bit.

After four days of being away I woke up to survey the garden this morning and saw bits of color peaking out--signs of things to come.  The first Sungold cherry tomato has come into color and more squash blossoms are blooming.  I know this is my first garden but I don't think I'll ever tire of the joy to be found in the day by day miracles that take place there.

Berkshire Feasting

As much as I love my new home of Central New York, I do enjoy getting out of town from time to time.  This past week I had the good fortune (and good friends) to be invited for a few days in the Berkshires--one of my most beloved places in the world.  I went to college in Western Massachusetts and this area has held onto a piece of my heart (and my stomach) for over twenty years. 

This week, in between naps, reading, and excursions to Tanglewood for the James Taylor concert (which was awesome!) my friends and I managed to squeeze in a wonderful day of art and culture at the Mass MOCA (Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art).  The art was incredible--as usual--including this brand new installation of two cranes knitting an American flag (with utility poles!)  But while we were there, we had an awesome lunch at the museum cafe which has recently changed--as of a few days ago--into an American/ latin fusion place called Cafe Latino.

Cafe Latino recently hired a Peruvian chef from New York City who created a fantastic menu of food and wine.  I mean, they have plantains and tres leches cakes on the menu--how fabulous is that?  And because they groove with the Berkshire eat local vibe, much of the food was locally sourced.   I think this place would be worth a visit even if you aren't planning to visit Mass MOCA.  North Adams is just a few minutes from Williamstown, so if you find yourself in that neck of the woods, keep going east on Route 2 for some great eats.

So what would I recommend?  I don't think you can go wrong at this place.  They started us off with a complimentary basket of house-made tortilla chips and salsa.  Then I had a simple green salad with a garlic and citrus viniagrette that was peppery and fresh--a great warm up.  My friends shared a cup of lentil and chorizo soup with cilantro.  Unfortunately, it was so good, they devoured it before I knew what has happening--but take their word for it--it was delicious.

We did pass our plates when it came to the main course.  I had the lamb empanadas with escabeche and black mint sauce while my friends had the pulled pork sandwich with toasted pop corn nuts and fish tacos.

We were all members of the clean plate club.  My lamb empanadas were packed with spice that was nicely complimented by the bit of eschebeche--a sauce made of pickled jalapenos.  The pulled pork sandwich tasted like it had been cooking for hours--like good 'cue should.  The purple potato salad that was served on the side was strewn with bits of smoked bacon.  My friend really loved those zany toasted pop corn nuts--all crunchy and corn tasting (but not like the burnt corn nuts that are the bottom of the Orville Reddenbacher bag--these were good.)  But the stand out, I think, were the fish tacos.  Crispy haddock were wrapped in soft flour tortillas with a creamy guacamole and romesco sauce--these were yummy!

It really was the perfect day--good art, good eats, and great friends in the mountains of Western Massachusetts--vacation is a beautiful thing!

In Praise of Being Slow

This morning I laced up my running shoes and headed out the door at about 7:45 with all the time in the world.  I'm training for a road race and today was my last long run.  It was, in fact, the longest I've ever run--7 miles.  My point today was just to finish.  So I took it real slow.  And at the end of the run I actually felt great.  Now of course, speed has its place.  Most people running the Boilermaker next Sunday will be out there to finish as quickly as possible.  Me?  I just want to finish; so I'm not running for time but for the experience.

When it comes to food and sharing the pleasures of the table the same principle applies.  I find that food is elevated from a biological necessity to the sacred when it is carefully considered, thoughtfully and healthfully prepared, and enjoyed slowly.  When we live a largely Fast Food Nation existence, we lose the full experience of food and I'm convinced that not only our bodies but our souls suffer for it.

After the run (and a wonderful brunch of buttermilk pancakes, strawberries, and sausage--all local and organic) I set out to prepare a Raspberry Almond Lattice Tart that I spied in the latest Gourmet magazine.  It took most of the day.  I actually started it yesterday by preparing and chilling the pate brisee.  It took another couple of hours to chill and blind bake the bottom crust, prepare the raspberry and almond fillings and complete the lattice crust.  The kicker is that it needs to cool for three hours before I can even slice it.  But that's okay--it will be well worth the wait. 

After next week's race I plan to have my recovery meal at a dinner sponsored by the Slow Food Convivium of the Central Leatherstocking (CLS) district.  Slow Food is an international organization that is concerned with preserving heritage foods and bringing people together around large tables resplendent with delicious, organic foods that are local.  Groups, called Convivia, meet all across the country for meals that capture the taste of a place--if you read this blog or others like it, Slow Food is for you.  For more information about the upcoming Slow Food dinner at Windhaven Farm, click here.  Life is all too short.  As Suzanne Slomin (convener of the CLS Slow Food Convivium) says, "Be slow."