Home cooking. Sounds a little quaint, doesn’t it? It brings to mind a picture of Grandma at the stove, clad in her well-worn apron, stirring a fragrant, bubbling pot of something good to eat. That used to be the way we all ate. There were no fast-food restaurants, no processed foods to simply open and heat. Each meal was prepared from scratch using plenty of fresh ingredients.Times have changed and so has our way of eating. For many, it’s all about convenience now, and speed to table. Microwaves have replaced stoves and ovens; pre-packaged meals have replaced dishes of fresh food. Kind of makes us long for the old days when meals were more of a social event, a time for the family to come together, share some food and conversation.
This shift in culture is noted by writer Michael Pollan (Food Rules, Omnivore’s Dilemma, In Defense of Food). At a recent gathering, he spoke about how everyone used to be in the kitchen cooking, now we hardly give it any time. We’ve become a fast-food culture, to the detriment of our health and well-being.
To get families back together in the kitchen (and then around the dining table), Pollan suggests making it a part of your child’s upbringing. When you’re in the kitchen, have your kids join in, giving them jobs they can do. One technique he used was to offer his son the choice between cooking tasks and washing the dishes afterwards. Not hard to figure out which one he picked.
Get groups of friends together for a dinner party. Instead of each one bringing a prepared dish or you making it all ahead of time, have the group prepare the dinner together.
Establish a meal-sharing agreement with a neighbor. Each of you makes one meal (with enough servings to feed both families) and split it up. That’s a nice way of cooking once and eating twice.
Of course, all of this means that you have to get back into the kitchen yourself and be the example. You can make it easier by hitting your local farmers market for ingredients. As Pollan points out, it’s a great way to buy food that’s raised in a way you can feel good about. A recent conversation with New Canaan Farmers Market Master Lexi Gazy supports that.
“People want to trust where their food comes from,” she said. “There’s been a grass-roots movement of people supporting their local farmers markets because they’re feeling more responsible for their own health.”
Markets like New Canaan are defined by the local food they offer. Gazy outlined the criteria for a vendor being able to set up a table:
“Top priority is given to Connecticut farms selling their crops. CT farms who make products are next, followed by vendors who make products with ingredients sourced from CT farms. Some exceptions are made for vendors who partner with CT farms, like the coffee stand who uses dairy products from a local farm.”
The local non-farming community is supported as well. Gazy says the New Canaan market has one space designated for non-profits to exhibit on a rotating basis, and one space for New Canaan artisans. More information can be found on the New Canaan Farmers Market website.
We have a whole bunch of other reasons why we love to shop at the Farmers Market. Tops on our list? You’ll buy really fresh food.
The beauty of “eating local” is that the food you’re eating is as close to picked as possible. Produce that travels from far away (sometimes from a whole other hemisphere) usually doesn’t have the luxury of ripening on the plant. Ripe fruits and vegetables don’t travel well or last too long, so they’re picked early and left to ripen (or not) on the store shelf. The food you buy from the farmers market came from a matter of miles away, usually from within the same state. That means that it’s retained more nutrients, plus it tastes fresher and better (and it’s probably nice and ripe).
When you shop local, you support local businesses and your local economy. You’re going to spend your money somewhere, why not in your own area? Spending money in your own community helps it thrive, making it a better place to live. You’ll help keep people working and contribute to the overall community.
There’s always something new to learn. These farmers know their stuff and they’re happy to give you new ideas on how to eat their crops. Need a recipe for greens? How about advice on how to grow the lettuce or tomato plants you’ve got your eye on? They’ll give you the lowdown on what you really need to know.
There’s always something new to try. Think of the market as an all-you-can-eat buffet with lots of healthy produce. The great thing about a buffet is that you can try a little of one thing. If you don’t like it, you haven’t made a big commitment. Same holds true for the farmers market. Interested in fiddleheads? Buy a handful and see if you like them. Never tried Russian Kale? One bunch will set you back just 3 bucks. When in doubt, sauté the vegetable in question with a little olive oil, salt and pepper.
It’s a great opportunity to teach your kids where food comes from. Farmers markets are great for showing your kids what types of foods grow in your area. If it’s not local, it’s typically not sold at the market. Find a farmer who’s willing to spend a few minutes chatting with your kids about what he’s selling that day. Kids will love the sensory experience of mingling with brightly-colored, fragrant produce. They’ll also learn about seasonality. It’s a great lesson to review what they saw at the market that week and compare it to what they see a few weeks later.
You can make some new friends too. Chat with the farmers each time you visit to get to know them a little bit more. Tell them how you prepared the food you bought from them last time and how much you enjoyed it. If you didn’t enjoy something, tell them that too and they might have a suggestion on a different preparation method next time. Interact with the other customers. Ask them how they plan to prepare what they’re buying. If, like this writer, you and another shopper are hesitating over the same bunch of parsnips, offer to split them in half so you each get the amount you want. http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifIt’s not just all about the produce. Many farmers markets (New Canaan included) showcase other local products like baked goods, grass-fed meats, milk products, coffee, soap, honey, plants and flowers. It’s one-stop shopping for a pretty fabulous meal.
New Canaan’s market is open every Saturday from 10 - 2 until November 19. You can check out http://ctnofa.org/FarmersMarkets.htm for information on the Farmers Markets in your area.
Lisa Corrado, M.S. is the owner and Chief Nutrition Officer of Lisa Corrado Nutrition. She makes busy people healthier with a combination of clinical nutrition and culinary training. Lisa recently added a twist to her already unique background of nutritionist/chef by becoming a cancer survivor. Learn more at LisaCorradoNutrition.com.
Her insights into food culture, "The Spice of Life," is featured regularly in issues of Aetherial Living.
No comments:
Post a Comment