I’ve always been a decent cook and provider for my family, but the abrupt season change has me contemplating a different path: Making more food myself all of the time (not just some of the time), and using local ingredients to do so.
Sure, I’ve always been a Farmer’s Market fan, and I do shop at New Seasons—from time to time, that is. But while I know (and agree with) the benefits of buying local, sustainable, organic food—well, the spirit is willing but the flesh is often weak. More accurately, I don’t often find the time, energy, or copious disposable income to always buy local, to always cook for the family instead of grabbing something to go on the way home from work.
But I’m now taking my lead from Tricia. I’m getting inspired by people like Audrey, my friend LeLo (who’s been canning and preserving all summer) or that whirling dervish of energy, Sarah Gilbert.
And I now have my very own sourdough starter sitting out, beginning the fermentation process & capturing the wild yeast from the air. I’ll get my crockpot started on some homemade applesauce and apple butter tomorrow (after a visit to the Portland Nursery Apple Tasting, that is.) And I’ll figure out if it’s possible to buy local and sustainable *without* going bankrupt, or spending all of my time in hunter and gatherer mode.
What advice can you offer me about how to make the changes I seek without losing my mind in the process? And—what changes are you making in your lives as the world turns chilly?
{ 8 comments }
Ooh I love it! I need to get on that apple butter myself. I love that you’re thinking of this, and thinking about how to make it work into your life. For me it’s been about buying what’s in season and figuring out what to do with it, even if I’m not familiar with it. Like rhubarb! I’m now a huge rhubarb fan. I haven’t done sourdough, but I think it may be next on the list to try…..
This is such a great thing to do – and you truly don’t have to drive yourself mad in the process. My biggest tip is to take it one step at a time. Do one thing, get it into a routine over time, and then do the next thing. The biggest mistake I see people make is they try to make a bunch of big changes all at once, which usually doesn’t work over the long haul. Taking a longer view has really helped me to make gradual changes that stick. And maybe as important, it’s helped me to enjoy the process.
We are DEFINITELY having the Richter household over for dinner.
One thing at a time is great advice. Other things that have helped me are to figure out what my staples are, like bread, cheese, milk, because always having those things on hand makes it easier to buy other foods in season, and know I can make a meal out of what we have. Also, I have a pretty chaotic schedule, so I’ve started to plan at the start of the week what my cook at home nights will be, which makes it easier to figure out how I’ll use the food on hand, without having to say “Monday is spaghetti night, Tuesday is …” and decide everything in advance.
I am in fact at this moment in the middle of making some bread from scratch. Though I must admit it so far seems to be turning out to be a disaster. Not quite sure what I did wrong but I have a sneaking suspicion I added half a cup of something instead of a whole cup of something.
Love it! We just opened one of my jars of pickled okra and it was excellent. Next up, we brought our pepper plants and tomato inside to winter over and picked up some great grow lights to boot.
I agree with the others. Take is slow. Also, I have found Food Network recipes to be very helpful when trying to figure out what to do with a veggie I am unfamiliar with – i.e. Fava Beans.
Also…enjoy it.
I’ve already adopted the ‘buy what’s in season’ mantra, and will heed the wisdom to take baby steps already.
And yes – the Richter family (minus one cranky teen, who never travels anyway) happily accepts dinner invites *and* will always bring wine/dessert!
@Betsy Richter –
When I moved to Portland in 2001, I lived with a relative until I found a place. They and a neighbor had gone halfsies on a share from local veggie co-op and got a bag of produce delivered from a Sauvie Island farm every week. Since I was freeloading while looking for a job, I often prepared dinner and frankly found the veggie delivery every week to be a major factor in stretching my knowledge of what you can do with veggies. I gather they didn’t have much choice about what was delivered each week — it was all governed by harvest times, the way our ancestors were. So I experimented (so this is what? Swiss chard? What the hell is Swiss chard? Kale — looks like a nasty weed to me) and to be honest, loved it… and the veggies. I learned so much and cracked a number of cookbooks that have become staples in my house.
I’m not part of the co-op now, can’t afford it as a single, but I love the idea of buying local and do. What I miss is the strange (to me) vegetable landing on the doorstep and being the one who has to turn it into a tasty dinner. When I buy my own, I tend to stick to what I know — which doesn’t expand the repertoire.
Off to nag — I mean talk — to the relatives about rejoining the co-op.
yay for wild yeast! I agree with Metroknow: definitely work things in over time. tackle one change at a time; I switched all breakfasts to local/from scratch at once, for instance, but that was many months after I’d gotten chickens, so could easily have that all-important egg component.
I also think that simply shopping the farmer’s market regularly and committing to eat everything you buy there *that week* is a great goal. you’ll start getting excited about the flavors and options.
another idea is just to purge your pantry, forcing you into few options — it works for some people
Comments on this entry are closed.