A Challenge for the Whole Family

by Sarah Beam

It is only Day Four of the 2008 Eat Local Challenge, and I've already tried three new recipes that will be added to heavy rotation at my house. Around here, eating locally during October (when the CSAs have ended their seasons and most everyone's personal gardens have gone to seed) entails much advance planning in that there aren't many available opportunities to actually purchase food grown locally. We have the Saturday farmer's markets in Athens and Watkinsville, and the Thursday pickups at Athens Locally Grown for the food that was ordered on Monday and Tuesday, but that's it. If I need eggs on Sunday, I'm out of luck. This is a sea change in a time of 24-hour supermarkets whose shelves are stocked with every imaginable foodstuff from around the world.

Maybe that's why they call this a challenge.

It is because of these purchasing limitations that I took some chances and picked up a few things we might not normally have bought. After all, I can't have us running out of food, now can I? And since a few of our usual fall-backs are currently off limits, most notably pasta, I'm finding myself willing to step out on a limb and get a little more creative with meal-planning. Frankly, this is right up my alley. I thrive on a good challenge.

My carnivorous husband generally tolerates more than supports my food purchasing proclivities so I had been more than a little concerned about how this local food pledge would affect him. One of my goals is to show my family why this is so important, not to teach them the virtues of self-denial. I want them to have as much fun as I am, to see this as an adventure, to be able to laugh at my missteps and foibles (and believe me, there have been more than a few), and to feel a sense of ownership and camaraderie when we do well.

Good thing my expectations aren't very high, hmm?

Amazingly, even when the odds have been stacked against us and time has been short and it would have been much easier to just open a box of pasta and toss it with one of the sauces I froze over the summer, my little family has thrown themselves behind me, transforming into my personal cheerleading squad, and cheerfully accepted one very late dinner and one less-than-satisfying dinner. And the tolerant carnivore who I had feared would roll his eyes at this whole undertaking? When the kids and I showed up at the Locally Grown pick-up point on Thursday, there he was, sitting on the steps in his work clothes, waiting to surprise us and to find out what the hubbub was all about.

I love my support squad. And I want so badly to make this worth their while.

So I have pulled down obscure cookbooks from high atop my shelves and I have picked up some ingredients we have very little (if any) experience with. The bread machine has earned a permanent home on my kitchen counter and I've scoured the internet looking for information on purchasing a pasta roller. I've learned how to make fried chevre, one of our long-time favorite restaurant items; I have finally mastered the art of making pizza crusts, thanks to my yard-sale bread machine; I have learned how to make sweet potato chips and succeeded in converting my husband from his former sweet potato spurning ways. Like I said, this is right up my alley. And I'm having more fun than is probably socially acceptable for a rural stay-at-home-mom just making dinner.

Sarah Beam cooks, eats and pretends to work just outside of Athens, GA. She chronicles her food neuroses at Recipes for a Postmodern Planet

Comments

[shannon carson]

I recently moved to Salt Lake City and signed up for service with a local company called Winder Farms. I signed up for the convenient food home delivery - was hoping to save some trips to the grocery store (awefully busy with work, kids etc...- great convenience!). A pleasant surprise was that so many of their products are from the local Salt Lake City area - or from the region. I always try to buy local when I can, but it was such a nice surprise to see that I could have home delivery of all the stuff we use most (bread, produce, meat, milk etc...) AND much of it is locally made. They just started offering Paradise Bakery bread, and I love their milk. Kids really like their freezer jams - but most of all - I'm thrilled they started offering dinners - so far they've all been really good. I love the stuffed cajun pork chops. Has any one started buying their milk in glass bottles? I saw Winder started offering that, my neighbor said it was "awesome" in glass - any one else try it?

[Michelle]

We used to go to a Mennonite farmer who had his milk in glass bottles. It wasn't the brand you mention of course, but it was in a glass bottle.

BUT...I must caution you that you need to really make sure that your milk is secured in a safe place when driving home. I had to slam on the brakes to avoid an accident on the way home and the bottle broke. You know you NEVER get that smell out of your car....

:) Silly story aside.... I enjoyed when we were able to shop at Farmer Brown's store. The milk was wonderful and I'm sad that we don't have an option here for milk in a glass container.