Eating Local at the Teach In

I'm just all awed ..........

Attended and presented at a Teach In at the local university. Even though it was a long day for me, I'm reinvigorated. Great discussions were had at this teach in!

As part of a panel presentation on how food systems are affected by global warming, I was able to talk about the benefits of eating local. My little part - local foods - is something I'm passionate about. I could speak for days - nonstop - about local foods. Often times when presenting about local foods, I take the twist of talking about the wide array of local foods we have due to migration of peoples and their foods.

For example: Have you heard of Lemon Zinger tea? I love it. One of it's ingredients is lemongrass, a tropical plant - a perennial tropical plant. Lemongrass is now grown in the Midwest.

What?! Yes, when Hmong refugees came here to live, lemongrass came with them. As an adaptation to our climate, lemongrass is grown as an annual. Lemongrass can be found in local gardens and farmers markets each August. Unless, of course, I've beat you to the market and bought all the lemongrass in sight.

Enough cannot be said about all the other wonder meals I'm cooking because I have fresh lemongrass - or lemongrass stashed in the freezer. Lemon chicken: organic local whole chicken, stuffed with lemongrass, local garlic, local onions, sea salt and pepper. Roast. Enjoy.

I'll be eating good this week

I'll be eating good this week! Just got back from a bike trip to the farmers' market. Viewed Eunice's Apron Show and bought an Asparagus to Zucchini recipe book from her. Just love that recipe book, it's so packed full of great recipes. I buy this book at second hand sales and pass along to my friends.

Picked up fresh, redddddd, riiiiiiiiiiiiiipe strawberries, baby dill, lemon balm, and spring onions for fresh salads this week. I'll be tearing into one for lunch today! And Monica's spearmint lip balm made with bees wax is just dreamy........ Deb showed up with her baked goods - oooooooooohhhhh how incredible! I was able to limit myself to just two little snack cakes, even though that huge banana bread was calling my name. Maybe next week....

Great day for a slow bike ride and visiting with friends at the market.

What do you do for the fourth?

What do you do for the fourth? I attend the best bash in this part of the world! Friends E & B host a varied lot of their friends in a back yard barbeque and food fest. After hours of eating, we stroll down to an overlook on the lake and watch fireworks shot off from the harbor.

Quite incredible - we get to see two sets of aerial pyrotechnics. First is the fireworks display from a town six miles down coast. Actually, that's where I live - out on a peninsula. Thus, the clear view from the town six miles up coast. When the grand finale is done six miles down coast, then the fire works six miles up coast kick in - WOW!

We all lie down on blankets and watch in wonder - just like the tykes sitting next to us. Oohhhhhhhh, ahhhhhhhhhhhhh, ooooooooohhhhhhhhhh.

And when it's all over, we stroll back to E & B's back yard to polish off what's left and meander on home - all tired. And this year, we're really glad that tomorrow is Saturday and most of us don't have to get up too early to go to work, but must still get up early enough to get the best buys and freshest stuff at the local farmers markets. Strawberries are in season!

It's a ..cultural event

Wow! What an incredible day at the local farmers and artisans market - just imagine one of the largest farmers markets in the area coupled with a car show! Two dynamite events.

My friend J, a Hmong man who came to this area as a teenaged refugee over 20 years ago, sells egg rolls in the booth next to ours. He was surprised to see the turn out at the car show and asked me if I knew the anticipated attendance. I was surprised to hear him use the word "anticipated". I was unaware he knew the word - obviously his english skills have improved greatly in the past few years. So, we chatted about the anticipated attendance, and then he asked what is the purpose of this "car show" gathering?

I stumbled around just a bit trying to explain just what is a car show. J wanted to know if there was a money prize for the best car. At Hmong festivals there is frequently a cash prize for the best soccer team, or badminton team or dance team. He seemed puzzled when I told him no cash prize at this event.

Well, I thought I'd try to explain why the car show was such a big deal that hundreds of classic cars would show up along with thousands of admirers. So I pointed out a 60-something year-old lady who was dressed as a bobby soxer - hair in a pony tail held in place by the folded scarf, white shirt - untucked, of course, blue jeans rolled up into big cuffs, white socks and tennies. I said - that's how she would have dressed as a teenager in 1957 - and that car she's standing next to would have been a popular car in 1957. Ah, J said, nodding that now I get it head-nod. He said, "This is a cultural event - you are showing your children how you used to live."

Ah, yes. Although I've never quite heard of a car show referred to in that manner, J did indeed get it right - it's a .....cultural event.

Art makes me happy

It's Art & About's Spring Gallery Tour weekend. Come on out for really cool art by really cool artisans. This is an incredible group of talented folks who work really hard to make their art and promote art in our communities. They even have a booth at a local farmers' market. Check 'em out!

Bike riding weather, kite flying breezes, fresh produce from the backyard garden or farmers' market makes me happy.