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Epicurious at the Farmers Market

partysugar — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 11:15:33 -0700

Yesterday Tanya Steel, the award-winning editor in chief of Epicurious, was at the San Francisco Ferry Building. YumSugar and I took a walk down to meet with the Epicurious street team and check out the latest produce at the Tuesday morning market. On a green market tour to promote eating locally, Epicurious has created a bunch of special recipes that feature produce specific to each region. For some tips on how to eat locally and more pictures of Epicurious at the Ferry Building, read more.

Subscribe to a farm delivery. Fresh, in-season fruit and vegetables can easily be delivered to your door.
Purchase fresh ingredients at farmers markets.
Stop at roadside stands for peak season produce.
Don't be afraid to ask growers for advice.
Grow a garden! Nothing is more local than your own backyard.

How do you eat locally? Share your tips with us below!

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When Traveling Stateside, Do You Seek Out Local Foods?

YumSugar — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:15:09 -0700

One benefit to visiting exotic locales is trying different kinds of food, but our country also boasts lots of local specialties. When I roam the US, I'm obsessed with tasting the regional faves, whether it's Texas barbecue, regional hot dog varieties, or different types of sandwiches. What about you?

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What Foods Do You Buy Locally?

partysugar — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 09:13:19 -0700

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Let's All Be Outstanding in the Field

YumSugar — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 16:00:00 -0800

The other day, CasaSugar tipped me off to a really cool organization called Outstanding in the Field. Their whole purpose is to dine at the source, right on the fields that deliver the harvest. Back in 1999, chef Jim Denevan - who also happens to be a well-respected artist - began staging dinners at organic farms around Santa Cruz, Calif. He said:

Senses are heightened in the fresh air. And it's not every day you get to sit next to the person who planted the beans, raised the lamb, and shaped the cheese on your plate.

Once word started to spread about these dinners, everyone in the food community - including many well-respected Bay Area chefs - wanted in. Soon, there were outdoor dinners at many of the areas local farms. However, that wasn't enough. Now the folks at Outstanding in the Field take their mission on tour. They're currently working on their 2008 farm dinner schedule, but they've got the cities in place already. Dinners will be held from California to New York and at many places in between. Tickets range between $150-$200, but it includes a five course meal with wine pairings, as well as a tour of the host farm. I don't know about you, but I know I want to go to one of these!

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2007's Favorite Food Trend Is . . .

YumSugar — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 15:40:31 -0800

This year saw the rise of food as a fun activity, fancy fro yo, and sweets that are savory. However none of those topped your favorite-food trends the way local food and high-end comfort food did. The lead kept flip-flopping - currently high-end comfort food is winning by two votes - however I'm going to have to go with the local-food movement.

Eating locally is a trend that has been growing over the years and in 2007 it's finally become something the average person has heard of. The Oxford American Dictionary declared locavore word of the year, and even my local Safeway touts produce that's locally grown. It's also a trend that many restaurants have adopted, and I think it's one that will grow in 2008.

So what do you think of the local-food movement? Do you eat locally-grown food when you can? I try to, but admittedly, I can't do it completely. Give up pineapple? I think not!

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First-Ever White House Farmers Market Makes Its Debut

YumSugar — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 03:50:44 -0700

Some legislation, like healthcare reform, might take a little more work for the White House to push through, but other initiatives, like the White House farmers market, are happening virtually overnight. Less than a month ago President Obama revealed that he and the first lady were looking into holding a farmers market outside the White House - and the plan's already come to fruition. At the opening of the FreshFarm market yesterday, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Washington DC mayor Adrian Fenty spoke to a crowd of about 300 shoppers about the importance of eating healthy, local food.

The visitor that drew the most attention was Michelle Obama, who encouraged Americans to get to know the farmers that grow the market's food, and stressed the importance of fresh markets, particularly in urban deserts.

Located at 810 Vermont Avenue, just blocks from the White House, the market runs Thursday afternoons through the end of October, and accepts food stamps. It sells pasture-raised meats, artisan cheeses, milk, yogurt, fresh fruits and vegetables, breads, flowers, and preserves. DCers, have you had a chance to visit?

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President Obama Hopes For White House Farmers Market

YumSugar — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 13:00:20 -0700

In March, Alice Waters and other supporters of the local food movement thought they'd finally gotten what they wanted when the Obamas announced the planting of an organic garden in the White House. But yesterday reformers were pleasantly shocked when President Obama announced his hopes to set up a farmers market at the White House. At the Organizing for America National Health Care Forum on Thursday, Barack Obama revealed that he and the first lady are looking into the idea of a farmers market outside the White House that would sell food from the White House garden or other local farmers:

"One of the things that we’re trying to do now is to figure out, can we get a little farmers’ market - outside of the White House . . . that is a win-win situation. It gives suddenly D.C. more access to good, fresh food, but it also is this enormous potential revenue-maker for local farmers in the area."

He also discussed the importance of connecting local farmers to school districts, in an effort to improve the federal school lunch program. I wholeheartedly applaud the idea - if established, it would be the first-ever White House farmers market, setting a landmark precedent for Americans to start shopping more frequently at farmers markets across the nation. Do you think President Obama will follow through on this idea?

Do You Know Where Your Fourth of July Food Came From?

partysugar — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 05:50:48 -0700

With everyone from celebrity chefs like Michael Chiarello to national corporations such as Lay's focusing on eating locally, it's hard not to wonder where your food comes from. For example, where exactly was the pork used to make these burgers raised?

Since the majority of Americans will be hosting barbecues this weekend, I thought it would be fun to test your knowledge of classic Fourth of July foods. To find out where that hot dog was created, take my quiz!

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Michael Chiarello Urges You to Advocate Sustainable Food

YumSugar — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:00:45 -0700

I couldn't go to this year's Food & Wine Classic and not attend a seminar hosted by two of Napa Valley's most influential food figures. I'm talking about the session led by culinary authority and Top Chef Masters contestant Michael Chiarello and Peter Jacobsen, the owner of Jacobsen Orchards, a farm that supplies produce exclusively to Thomas Keller's famed restaurant The French Laundry. The two discussed the importance of making economically and environmentally just practices, as well as offered suggestions for advocating sustainability. See their ideas (and more photos) after the jump

Lay's Goes Local

partysugar — Wed, 13 May 2009 07:50:33 -0700

Frito-Lay, the nation's biggest snack-food company, has announced plans to go local. Next Tuesday the Lay's brand of chips will roll out a new marketing strategy. Dubbed "Lay's Local," the campaign focuses on the 80 farms (scattered across 27 states) that grow the potatoes used to make the chips. Dave Skena, the vice president of potato chip marketing for Frito-Lay, explains the reasoning behind the emphasis on locally grown potatoes:

Knowing where food is made and grown is important to consumers. Sharing with consumers how regional we are is relevant and compelling. Our intention is solely on celebrating the contributions people and communities across the country have made to the Lay's brand.

A Chip Tracker on Lays.com allows consumers to find out where a bag of chips is made. With other companies promoting the use of natural and local ingredients, it comes as no surprise that the snack maker has jumped on the bandwagon.

Lay's potato chips has always been one of my guilty pleasure foods, but how can I feel guilty knowing they're made from locally grown produce? What do you think of the news?

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