I first encountered cooking locally and seasonally during a macrobiotic phase I went through in my late teens. It lasted a year or so, but the principles stayed with me. In the mid ‘80’s, I wanted to replace all menu items using summer produce with fall and winter fare, as we moved into those seasons. I was told I couldn’t because our customers had come to expect these items. I realized that I would be fighting a losing battle and kept my seasonal thoughts to myself. Twenty years later, local and sustainable have become key words in the eating green revolution.
In this spring menu, the key players – radishes, halibut, spinach and rhubarb – are all available locally at the same time. This menu is a good starting point for a summer menu; salmon can be used when it comes into season and served on a bed of green beans with diced tomato and fresh basil added to the vinaigrette instead of lentils. Apricots, peaches or blackberries can replace the rhubarb in the cobbler, and grilled zucchini with a sprinkling of local cheese – goat or otherwise – would be delicious as an appetizer.
There are many aspects to sustainable eating, and the way to approach it is by taking baby steps. You could just cut to the chase and make it your mission to purchase only local and sustainably produced food, but if you have a family with varied tastes, it’s better to slowly introduce a new way of eating. Incorporate the good while removing the dubious. Keep your goals small and realistic. Here are a few “baby step” tips to get you started:
Make every bit count
How many of us have vegetables going limp in the crisper, cheese going mouldy and stale bread? Use everything up while it’s still fresh. On the rare occasion when I have more vegetables than I can eat, I’ll make soup and freeze it.
What does your money suport?
Many people have no problem spending $12 a day for specialty coffees and a snack to go along with the coffee. Yet, there is resistance to paying what is perceived as an outrageous price for local, sustainable food.
Get the kids involved
Teach them about where their food comes from. Let them choose an item to eat that falls within the sustainable criteria. If you have outdoor space, plant a small garden that will be easy to take care of. Tending a few carrots, potato plants or heads of lettuce then eating them is a wonderful experience for children.
Shop seasonaly
Support farmers’ markets and natural food stores that stock local ingredients. Instead of planning what to eat, let what is available do the planning for you. You’ll fall into the happy rhythm of cooking and eating with the ebb and flow of the seasons.
by Karen Barnaby
