EAT LOCAL
What does eating local mean? I’ve seen a couple of definitions: within 50 miles, within one days drive. Even on an island, whenever possible I eat local. These vegetables were picked only a few hours before they arrived at the market, the local outdoor farmer’s market that is.
I always seem to get it wrong with peppers; when I want mild, I get hot….does make life interesting tho……
I’ll try the big green peppers this time, and some eggplant, 3 varieties.
My favorite is Horse Drawn Farms; yes they still use horses, and yes the focus is absolutely natural and organic.
You have never tasted beets, celery and carrots like these.
Fresh herbs in abundance, and even though I grow my own I always find something new and different
Locally grown and butchered organic lamb, beef and pork; there is no substitute……
You’ll never find anything like this again.
He absolutely insisted I do his family portrait and I am not sure which he was prouder of? Definitely local….
All summer long a variety of the freshest of fresh lettuce. After all this, winter is especially hard.
And you thought California produced the best artichokes.
Testing the scales, a good thing as I was the first customer.
I am always surprised to find such sweet melons so far north. Small and sweet.
Another favorite; fresh line-caught salmon, and local oysters….
This is some of the best smoked salmon I have ever eaten and it’s perfection with eggs.
What should I make for dinner, oysters or salmon?
How about grilled salmon? Maybe the fog will clear and we will have a view…….
When I finally got it all home, I couldn’t resist the photo op……
Local peaches are a rare treat, though we do have an abundance of strawberries, raspberries and apples.
The flowers were by Ralph (not as in Lauren) who helps at the farm and only recently learned how to do the arrangements, for sale at the market. This was a striking original combination which I could not resist.
I could not decide which image I liked better?
Dinner designed, was a medley of sautéed vegetables, in olive oil and sea salt with an even greater medley of herbs All local except the sea salt from France and the olive oil from Petaluma, California (O OLIVE OIL) not sure you can drive there in a day?
The salmon was basted in O OLIVE OIL (the blood orange variety) and grilled on the Fuego grill (the fog retreated and we had a gorgeous view again) The lemony mayonaise (with fresh chives) made more lemony on account of lemons from an undisclosed location.
The dinner wine was NAPA cellars 2008 Chardonnay, recommended by Chef Peter and yes, you can drive there in a day if you are driving a 550 Maranello! The desert wine which drenched the local strawberries (below) was the special local vineyard raspberry wine; somehow especially good on strawberries. The confectioners sugar did not fit the local criteria, as the Nespresso espresso and bitter chocolat did not either.
Buy local and EAT LOCAL whenever you can. CASUDI ~ 21 August 2010
Gorgeous photos!