Shooting Stars of Thought |

It dawned on me the other week that had been almost a year since the start of last year’s One Local Summer. The exercise involved committing to eat one completely local meal just once a week, for each week of the summer. It was amazing, and that is an understatement. I started out knowing a small bit about my area, and felt that each week was not only a discovery, but a culinary adventure. I was pushed creatively, inspired to try new dishes, and constantly motivated to not only see what was available in my region but to connect with the person responsible for growing it/making it/raising it. I ended the summer with a wonderful repertoire of meals, a newfound respect for farmers–especially farmers in Southern California–and a continued excitement in my region’s cuisine.

After realizing what time of year it was, I of course quickly scrambled around the internets and found there was still time to sign up for this year’s OLS. So I did–and I’m already looking forward to another delicious summer, brainstorming meal ideas, and trying to expand my knowledge of what’s available locally.

But there’s a difference between this year and last. This year, I already know I can eat one meal a week locally. In fact, I often do, sometimes without even realizing it. There are so many local foodstuffs I discovered last summer that I fell in love with, that I’ve been buying primarily local produce ever since. And there are several other local products that I’ve only recently discovered–meat, breads, nuts, and of course more beers–that I never even mentioned last OLS. Plus, it’s that time of year when all the goodies emerge at the markets, making me entirely giddy about the possibilities for the evening’s meals. All of this makes me think eating locally this summer will be that much more pleasurable.

Since I know it’s possible, I hope to strive not just for completion of one meal a week, but for as many opportunities as I can find. I’d like to try out new cookbooks, experiment with new dishes, and seek out even more products that I haven’t yet tried. I’d like to eat locally in restaurants–and I know that there are at least three in my neighborhood that could accommodate an all-local meal. I’d like to find out what the limits are, and why there aren’t certain products available locally (I already know the answers about a few). And I’d like to take my local-procurement mindset with me wherever I go. I already picked up a few bottles of local wine during a recent trip to Baja, and am planning on checking out a Phoenix farmer’s market when I’m there in two weeks. I’d also like to find steady, reliable supplies of local products that aren’t offered at the farmers’ markets. I just found a neighborhood market that stocks local milk and yogurt (Hollandia Dairy), and another that carries local eggs (Hilliker Ranch, read about them here). I’ve got the backyard garden going again, and this year, I’m excited to have homebrewed beer to incorporate into my meals.

Needless to say, I’m excited. But I touched on this last summer, and I’ll touch on it again now: for me, eating locally, and participating in OLS, is not a challenge. I don’t lose if I fail to eat locally one week, or crave non-local foodstuffs the next. Eating locally is a pleasure, an experience that brings great satisfaction and a venture that brings many opportunities to try new flavors and to share thoughtful meals with friends. I enjoy my time in the kitchen just as much as I enjoy my time at the table, and I am grateful for any opportunity that gives me an excuse to do both. But I don’t want to view it as an all-or-nothing thing. More importantly, I want to include my friends and acquaintances in the pleasure–especially if they aren’t accustomed to eating locally and don’t know what this foodshed has to offer. And I’d rather introduce them to eating locally through pleasure, than to suggest that to eat this way is something that is difficult to do.

But the sun is setting, the light is getting dim on my front porch, and there’s a fridge full of farmers’ market bounty awating me inside. So without further ado, I believe it’s time to commence this deliciously local summer.