Buying Local
Besides Whole Foods, most grocery stores don’t specify where there products are coming from. You may assume, such as bananas and pineapples are obviously not local, but nothing may be specifically labeled. There are also sometimes when I think people would rather not know that their clementines come from Spain, Mexico, or some South American country. We would rather just grab them and go without a second thought. As long as it is available at the grocery store, then it must be in season somewhere right?
Most things that have to endure that long haul in shipping are picked when they are underripe so the skins are harder and so they can ripen throughout the time it takes for them to get to the store. That’s why if you buy a tomato in winter, it may look nice and red on the outside, but is just grainy textured mush on the inside. Buying things that were picked that morning at their optimum freshness just make more sense for our taste buds and nutritionally.
Going to the farmer’s markets is one of my favorite things to do, and not because I am a vendor there. I shopped at farmer’s markets before I even thought about becoming a farmer, mainly because I enjoyed being able to talk to the farmer that grew it with his own two hands, and because everything tasted so much better.
When I was in college, I had organic strawberries in season for the first time, and I swore they were the best strawberries I had ever eaten. Experiences like that get tainted by the fact that strawberries are available all year at the grocery store, most people don’t even know when strawberry season is anymore.
When it comes to the choice of organic or local, to be honest with you, I choose local. I would much rather buy something that was fresh out of the field, then purchase something that has been in the shipping process for multiple days before it gets to me just because it has the organic label. Freshness is the key to taste.
And, I mean ultimately this idea applies to much more than just buying produce. Wouldn’t you rather support your neighborhood, independently owned business than the big corporations? I’m not trying to sound like I’m against the man or anything, but times are tough and small businesses need the support. It’s a hard decision to make, but worth the extra price that you sometimes have to pay for fresh, local produce.
Learn more about being a locavore at
http://www.local-matters.org/ or visit your local farmer’s market.
Besides Whole Foods, most grocery stores don’t specify where there products are coming from. You may assume, such as bananas and pineapples are obviously not local, but nothing may be specifically labeled. There are also sometimes when I think people would rather not know that their clementines come from Spain, Mexico, or some South American country. We would rather just grab them and go without a second thought. As long as it is available at the grocery store, then it must be in season somewhere right?
Most things that have to endure that long haul in shipping are picked when they are underripe so the skins are harder and so they can ripen throughout the time it takes for them to get to the store. That’s why if you buy a tomato in winter, it may look nice and red on the outside, but is just grainy textured mush on the inside. Buying things that were picked that morning at their optimum freshness just make more sense for our taste buds and nutritionally.
Going to the farmer’s markets is one of my favorite things to do, and not because I am a vendor there. I shopped at farmer’s markets before I even thought about becoming a farmer, mainly because I enjoyed being able to talk to the farmer that grew it with his own two hands, and because everything tasted so much better.
When I was in college, I had organic strawberries in season for the first time, and I swore they were the best strawberries I had ever eaten. Experiences like that get tainted by the fact that strawberries are available all year at the grocery store, most people don’t even know when strawberry season is anymore.
When it comes to the choice of organic or local, to be honest with you, I choose local. I would much rather buy something that was fresh out of the field, then purchase something that has been in the shipping process for multiple days before it gets to me just because it has the organic label. Freshness is the key to taste.
And, I mean ultimately this idea applies to much more than just buying produce. Wouldn’t you rather support your neighborhood, independently owned business than the big corporations? I’m not trying to sound like I’m against the man or anything, but times are tough and small businesses need the support. It’s a hard decision to make, but worth the extra price that you sometimes have to pay for fresh, local produce.
Learn more about being a locavore at
http://www.local-matters.org/ or visit your local farmer’s market.
What’s included this week?
1. Eggs from Roshon Farms
2. Yellow Crookneck squash
3. Tomatoes- Celebrity Supremes, a red hybrid (heirlooms to come)
4. Potatoes
5. Garlic
1. Eggs from Roshon Farms
2. Yellow Crookneck squash
3. Tomatoes- Celebrity Supremes, a red hybrid (heirlooms to come)
4. Potatoes
5. Garlic
Recipe of the Week
Frittata (a Spanish omelet)
Frittata (a Spanish omelet)
6 eggs, beaten
1-ounce Parmesan, grated
1/2 teaspoon salt & pepper
1 teaspoon butter
1/2 cup chopped roasted squash
1/2 cup chopped country ham (or not if you don’t eat meat)
1 tablespoon parsley leaves
Preheat oven to broil setting.
In medium size bowl, using a fork, blend together eggs, Parmesan, pepper, and salt. Heat 12-inch non-stick, oven safe sauté pan over medium high heat. Add butter to pan and melt. Add squash and ham to pan and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Pour egg mixture into pan and stir with rubber spatula. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until the egg mixture has set on the bottom and begins to set up on top. Sprinkle with parsley. Place pan into oven and broil for 3 to 4 minutes, until lightly browned and fluffy. Remove from pan and cut into 6 servings. Serve immediately.
This recipe yields 6 servings, so if you don’t want to use all your eggs in one recipe, half it and only feed 3 people. The good thing is that it uses one egg per person so you can stretch them out a little bit!
1-ounce Parmesan, grated
1/2 teaspoon salt & pepper
1 teaspoon butter
1/2 cup chopped roasted squash
1/2 cup chopped country ham (or not if you don’t eat meat)
1 tablespoon parsley leaves
Preheat oven to broil setting.
In medium size bowl, using a fork, blend together eggs, Parmesan, pepper, and salt. Heat 12-inch non-stick, oven safe sauté pan over medium high heat. Add butter to pan and melt. Add squash and ham to pan and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Pour egg mixture into pan and stir with rubber spatula. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until the egg mixture has set on the bottom and begins to set up on top. Sprinkle with parsley. Place pan into oven and broil for 3 to 4 minutes, until lightly browned and fluffy. Remove from pan and cut into 6 servings. Serve immediately.
This recipe yields 6 servings, so if you don’t want to use all your eggs in one recipe, half it and only feed 3 people. The good thing is that it uses one egg per person so you can stretch them out a little bit!
Thank you for your support,
Gretel and Steve
Gretel and Steve
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