Almost twenty years ago I met a traveler named Elijah, barefoot & barechested, wearing just cut off shorts even though it was late fall already. He’d walked his way across the country and advised me to eat what the earth offered wherever I was living at any moment. He said it was the trick to his health & vigor. Citrus grows where it’s hot & it’ll cool you off, root vegetables in colder climates, stick to your ribs and digest slowly to keep you warm.
He might’ve been a crazy man. It’s no secret I have a crazy-man magnet embedded deep inside me. But he had a point about the food. He was ahead of his time, or more accurately, he was passing on what once passed as common sense.
I hear things like that and file them away under slowly but surely.
The Slow Food philosophy : We believe that the food we eat should taste good; that it should be produced in a clean way that does not harm the environment, animal welfare or our health; and that food producers should receive fair compensation for their work.
I’m reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver*. She chronicles her family’s year of living off local foods, many of which they grow or raise themselves. The point is eating healthy, supporting your local farms and decreasing both our carbon footprint & our reliance on fossil fuels. Her book is chock full of humor and recipes.
I think I can do this.
I live in Queens, in an apartment with two cats. All plants are restricted to the safety and relative darkness of a locked bathroom, and still, occasionally the cats get in and turn them over. So I’m not planting corn and potatoes, but I can rely more on my local farmers.
I’ve already given up on ever eating another supermarket apple. I’ve tasted the real thing and they are not even remotely alike.
Although 60% of my diet comes from fresh fruit and vegetables, tonight’s dinner was a can of Progresso Tomato soup topped with Parmesan cheese from a jar then washed down with a glass of Crystal Lite Lemonade. This change isn’t going to happen overnight, first I need to eat everything in my cabinets, the pantry and the freezer.
But I can make immediate changes in any grocery purchases going forward. There are no shortages of Greenmarkets in NYC. Instead of pounds of grapes and blueberries from Costco it means shopping the local farmers market; buying what’s in season and planning ahead for when it’s not; designing meals around seasons rather than convenience or whim.
It’s living more in rhythm with the earth, and so, I’m back to Elijah. Fall is coming and with it turkey sausage, pumpkins and pears. But no matter what, I’m not giving up Trident Bubblegum. It’s my signature scent.
* I’m reading a library copy, determined not to purchase books until I’ve already read them & then only if they’ve changed my life. It’s changed my life and it’s on my wish list. I promise not be insulted if you decide to buy me a copy when you order your own. Used, of course!
I went vegan two years ago. After a lifetime of food issues, I now feel better about the food I eat.
I agree totally. I have been Vegetarian for almost 20 yrs. now. Supermarkets are out, and Farmer’s Markets are IN! Fresh food does the body good! Thanks for your article, I always enjoy reading what you have to say! Convenience food is not healthy food, that’s for sure! xo~
I recently gave up eating quadrapeds, although poultry is still fair game (hehehe couldn’t stop myself, sorry), but I don’t know if I’m headed for vegan. Maybe. Today I took home another dozen fresh eggs from the farm, some corn, tomatoes and garlic. This weekend I’ll check out the Farmer’s Market and see what they’ve got. It’s going to be interesting and challenging, but I’m giving it my best shot
i’m just starting to learn how to cook. it’s been thrilling to not be so afraid of the kitchen! i am finding that when i eat foods from the local produce stand, it’s a loving act. i like that sort of thing. also, i stopped eating meat a few years ago. i didn’t plan it, it just happened. the transition was a little tricky but i do think all in all i feel better. thanks for this article though. it inspires me to keep going on the fresh and local trip. of course, there will be progresso soup nights though!
Sandy – check out the recipes link. it’s all the recipes in the book, simple, good. I’m going to teach myself about produce i don’t really know. I want to buy things that *look* good and then find out how to cook them…(fyi there are enough cans of progresso soup in my cabinets to hold me over till I figure this out!)
nice! thanks so much! also, do you know alice waters? pretty cool lady. http://www.chezpanisse.com/about/alice-waters/
i recently picked up one of her books (the art of simple food). it’s pretty sweet.