Living a Locally Supported Lifestyle

Archive for August, 2010

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With Walpole, New Hampshire’s L.A. Burdick Brand, One Bite is Never Enough

Monday, August 30th, 2010

A menagerie of chocolates lies within.

The only reason to ever rejoice at finding a mouse in your chocolates is if that box of goodies happens to hail from L.A. Burdick.  No, this is not the blog version of “If You Give a Moose a Muffin.”  (Though I very much enjoyed reading that series of books as a burgeoning foodie child.)  Rather, this is a quick account of how mentally and viscerally delectable L.A. Burdick’s Handmade Chocolates really are.  In short, the experience is comparable to being led into a bank vault and then handed one twenty-dollar bill.  “But,” you would proclaim, “I know there’s more!”  And indeed, with L.A. Burdick, the boxes are set-up so that the truffles are so tiny that eating one is just simply not satisfying enough.  You must taste at least two.  But then, two, when put together, are actually quite small as well; so then, why not try four?  As you can intuit, the story of eating these handmade delectables is never ending.  That is, until you finish the box.  Just one hint of advice: leave the company’s trademark mouse for last; and don’t ever attempt to give one a cookie.
-Serena

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Slow Food Albemarle-Piedmont Launched with Success

Sunday, August 29th, 2010

On Sunday, August 22, the Slow Food chapter for the Albemarle and Piedmont regions of Virginia was launched with late-summer success.  From mid-afternoon until well into the sunset, a gathering of growers, promoters, and enjoyers celebrated with local eats and very good brew.  The mission of this new sect to, “Provide a gathering space and platform to inspire and grow knowledge and awareness of community and food initiatives,” was clearly well taken by all in attendance.  A group whose purpose is to converse while conjunctively consuming?  Yes, please.  No wonder the kick-off was met with such fervor.  And perhaps, the potluck attracted even more young families, old pairs, and general friends by having been held on the grounds of Tufton Farm in Charlottesville, where Thomas Jefferson’s Center for Historic Plants is based.  The greenhouse was a wonder and the property well worth the drive over to take in.  With hope, the chapter’s organizing committee will plan a series of follow-up meetings for interested folks to dive into; after all, there’s never a better moment to live better and to give back to our regional societies than now.
-Serena

An official banner and sign-in area greeted attendees to the new Slow Food chapter.

Dozens of interested folks gathered for the potluck-style event.

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Made in USA Not Always as it Seems

Thursday, August 19th, 2010

Washing.  It’s the phenomenon of wiping the slate of your brain clean as well as the cycle you put your clothes through.  In this ever-soiled world, there is always more washing to be done.  Now the term has expanded.  It’s gone beyond the vocabulary surrounding cults and housewives and has gone towards the flooding of markets by the media.  When on the topic of sustainability, green-washing is also ever-present.  And, not long ago, local-washing became a new word on the horizon.  So, what about it?

We know that buying locally made goods is important.  And as soon as we, as consumers, proclaimed that priority, savvy businesses followed suit with letting their customers know that their product too, is local.  Using the zeitgeist as a marketing tool is fine as long as it’s not false.  For instance, not long ago, Juicy Couture changed the tags on its products from “Made in the Glamorous USA” to “Designed in the Glamorous USA”— an assertion that was probably much closer to the truth.  But, can a product that is Made in the USA from foreign-sourced materials still be considered and then labeled as an American made good?  Our answer at Locallectual is, “yes”— as long as it’s labeled that way.

I started thinking more deeply about the dilemma not long ago when I learned that clothes by Catherine Malandrino—one of my all time favorite brands for women—were USA-made.  I did a bit of research online and learned that the products are in fact made here but from fabrics that had been imported.  Had I been local-washed?  My personal take would be, “no.”  Though there are plenty of brands that, when they say they are local (read: national), they really take the conservative route and use American made materials to craft the Made in USA goods, the literal end result remains much the same.  Take the brand, Prairie Underground.  The Seattle-based company uses, “…local sewers, dyehouses, knitters as well as sustainable fabrics like hemp and organic cotton sourced directly from the United States whenever possible.”  Now, that’s an exceptional case, and I’d love to see more of it.  Until then, let’s take it one step at a time, and document our triumphs with proper transparency as we go along.

-Serena

Clothes by Catherine Malandrino are assembled in America but made from foreign fabrics.

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Oh Say Can We See The American Dream?

Wednesday, August 18th, 2010

The new all-American ads for Jeep claim, “The Things We Make, Make Us.”

I usually don’t crave the indoors during summer time.  Air conditioning makes me feel sickly; looking outside conjures up constant feelings of anxiety to get back out there.  But, on that uncommon rainy weekend, going to the movie theater as a form of entertainment seems like just the right thing to do.  And this time, in addition to the feature film being a great one (Inception: I loved it), the previews weren’t half bad either.
Take the advertisement for the new Jeep: it’s a phenomenal portrayal of America at its height and how those who buy the newest sports utility vehicle will be assisting in keeping that high vibe going.  “Made in America” is what our country is about, the ad says.  We built our country from the products that we’ve manufactured and continuing to do so will be the answer to our stagnation.  While perhaps a bit romantic, the commercial hit the spot: it was historical, it was sentimental, and it was visually appealing.  In fact, one couldn’t tell until the very end of the segment that the point of the documentary-style sequence was to sell the viewer something tangible: a car, a lifestyle, and the American Dream that many of those who live here feel they’ve lost sight of.
In many ways, Locallectual plans to achieve the same end that Chrysler does: a country that survives and thrives from its own hard work and beautiful creations.  A recent Financial Times article was subtitled “Americans are becoming more American;” I was instantaneously drawn to read on to see if the phrase was meant to depict a positive situation or a sardonic one.  Let’s make it the former.
-Serena

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Fruit! Eat, Drink, and Experience it This Summer

Monday, August 16th, 2010

‘Tis the season to devour colorful, fresh fruits!  Every once in awhile, what you want is the same as what you need; at this time of year, the healthful sweets are exactly that.  And, lucky you: here in Virginia (and elsewhere, of course), there are many ways to go about slicing that (extremely local) banana.

This past Saturday, many headed to Monticello in Charlottesville for a Summer Fruit Tasting upon Mr. Jefferson’s hallowed garden grounds.  Attendees  received a short history, updated education, and mouthfuls of several of the species grown atop this famous hill.

Or, take the casual way out by making your way over to Chiles Peach Orchard in Crozet.  The location is beautiful AND unusually flat for this region, making picking your own in the heat of the day much more bearable for both you and your family.  Then, head on into the shop for some relief and local food fun.  I ended up taking home two-dozen peach cider donuts and a block of peanut butter walnut fudge.  (Silly me, I forgot the peaches!)

If somehow you dislike fruit altogether, then you can still acquire a taste of the summer goodness with a glass of Chateau Morrisette Winery’s Sweet Mountain Laurel.  Believe it or not, this wine from the Floyd location tastes almost exactly like Concord grape juice— with a kick.

-Serena

Fruit! Eat, Drink, and Experience it This Summer

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Clarendon’s Boccato Gelato Offers Culinary Relief

Thursday, August 12th, 2010

On a recent last-minute trip up to northern Virginia, I found myself stressed, sweltering, and rambunctious by early evening.  I had been late making it to Dulles airport to pick-up some very valuable individuals on a day where the heat well surpassed the 100-degree mark.  Then, it was fairly early for a Saturday night when everyone present just felt like going to bed.  My bright idea?  A drive into the city for some relaxation and culinary relief.  That’s right.  When everyone else is in bed and it’s still a sauna way past dark, why not head to Clarendon, Washington, D.C. for spoonfuls of Italian ice-cream?  At Boccato Gelato & Espresso, the house is alive and full until late and the creamy, creative flavors offered are enough to put a smile on anyone’s face.  After my dosage of dark chocolate gelato, I was able to fall asleep—completely satisfied—with the rest of them until daybreak.

-Serena

Boccato’s gelato is amazing in more ways than one.

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CFSC Educates, Inspires through National Conferences and More

Thursday, August 12th, 2010

If you follow Locallectual’s postings and have yet to read about the Community Food Security Coalition, then now is the time to be made aware of this non-profitable light.  CFSC is a Portland-based organization with staff all over the country; it works to bring food security to the United States and Canada through action-oriented education.

In May of this year, the coalition partnered with the National Farm to School Network as well as the Urban & Environmental Policy Institute to host the 5th National Farm to Cafeteria Conference in Detroit.  This three-day extraordinaire consisted of workshops, short courses, and field trips interspersed with receptions, speeches, and other social networking events.  As my first CFSC conference, Taking Root was a success.  I tasted platefuls of Michigan grown goods at the Local Foods opening night event, met farm to cafeteria activists from across the two countries, and learned more than I could take in about the growing, farm to fork movement.

If the Community Food Security Coalition and its activities sound enticing enough to you to get involved, now is the time to look into its 14th annual conference, to be held this October in New Orleans.  With a title like “Food, Culture, & Justice: The Gumbo That Unites Us All,” you’re sure to eat and absorb your mouth- and heart-ful of solid, local food-based information.  Or, just sign-up to be a member of CFSC today.  In this movement, every body counts.

-Serena

At the Local Foods Reception, attendees were served Michigan-centric dishes.

Whoever said Detroit was depressed needs to visit it once more.

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It’s Time to Stop and Smell (Your Local Version of) the Roses

Tuesday, August 10th, 2010

Floridata has an abundance of information on which types of dahlias are grown where.

I have to say: I love that buying local has encompassed the flower world as well.  While purchases of bouquets may not ever reach the magnitude of food and beverage buys, the floral industry still deserves to be recognized as one of importance in terms of sales, and the impact that consumer choices have on which types of flowers are grown and sold where.  For instance, I’d bet that most American buyers—even those who attempt to purchase locally and organically grown edibles—have no idea that the majority of flowers that they take home are sprayed down with pesticides and then shipped thousands of miles and to get to their area supermarket.  While I understand that what one consumes takes priority over what one experiences visually, with a bit more knowledge, perhaps those purchasers would begin to think about the provenance of other household items as well…  (A quick aside: could organic, local food be the gateway drug to other similar products like organic, local body products and clothes and now, flowers?  I very much think so.)
Roughly said, awareness is the key.  If you eat well and treat your body well, consider putting a bit of thought into where that gift of floral loveliness is coming from too.  Some farms these days are hosting pick-your-own flower days just like orchards do with peaches.  And, like Virginia’s Culpeper County is doing later this month, some areas are now hosting local flower festivals.  If you’re around, perhaps make the Great Dahlia Festival your stop on the last two weekends of August.  Admission is free and even if you don’t take any of the award winners home, you’ll be able to enjoy and get educated on the prizewinning flowers of Central Virginia.
-Serena

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Hell Hath Frozen Over – McDonald’s Buys Local

Friday, August 6th, 2010

Yea, you read that right. McDonald’s has gone local. Supposedly. In Washington State, the worldwide provider of burgers and fries has launched a campaign called “from here“, which showcases their “local’ purveyors in the state. Locavores, of course, are just a tad bit cynical of this claim, and the corporation’s dedication to the “buy local/eat local” movement”, and it seems they have some pretty good reasons to be so. The “from here” site states that 95 percent of McDonald’s fries and Filet-O-Fish fillets and 85 percent of the apples served in Washington State come from Washington. This isn’t very hard to due when McDonald’s is running its campaign in one of the US’s largest producers of apples and potatoes.

McDonald’s big billboards across the state touting things like “Served in Seattle, Grown in Pasco” (an eastern Washington farm-belt town) hold a bit of fine print. At the bottom a small disclaimer appears that says “Participation and duration may vary.”  This is another reason both industry experts and locavores are skeptical of the McDonald’s Monster and their new campaign, claiming this is a case of  “localwashing.” Eric Giandelone, director of food-service research at Mintel, said the inclusion of the disclaimer on the billboards leaves McDonald’s open to criticism because “[the chain] isn’t spelling out percents or numbers that we can verify.” Hmmmm.

And McDonald’s isn’t the only big-food brand that’s getting on the local food bandwagon, and putting lots of ad dollars behind these campaigns. Frito-Lay has a new “Chip Tracker” while Hellmann has a “Real Food Movement,” that tells of their local-mindedness.

So what to think of all of this? Well these locally-minded campaigns are good signs of the momentum and power of the local food movement. If food giants are trying to tweak their models then obviously people are really starting to think more about the origins of their food. However, we have to wonder if the companies are motivated by money or their consumers’ well-being, and how long they’ll keep this up. I have my fingers crossed that this isn’t just a fad, however only time will tell. But if we keep using our consumer spending power to buy local, I think this is a campaign McDonalds will be lovin’ for a long time.

-Jess

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As Local Food Movement Trickles Down, Spirits Raise in Salutation

Thursday, August 5th, 2010

When NBC declares the local food movement as having been born, you know that it’s been alive for years.

There comes a point in every movement, trend, or general fascination when what was once new becomes—almost suddenly—either quite commonplace or altogether old.  Now, I’m not saying that the local food movement is “old.”  No, that’s not what I mean to begin writing about at all; I wholeheartedly believe that the “trend” should become so streamlined that buying and eating locally is more of a subconscious ritual rather than a thought.  But, it does suddenly seem as if the concept has begun to trickle down to the masses— a fantastic and interesting thing.  Whereas once, ads for local or organic foods seemed elite, now it comes across as if anyone and everyone who produces or sells the items could put an ad in the paper and achieve immediate success.  Gone are the days when only the most well crafted of advertisements could entice the upper classes to the aforementioned establishments.  And, now it also seems as if every halfway decent media organization could publish an article about locally grown foods and have it circulate widely— no super-special research or real news to give needed.
On one hand, the general disbursement of something that once seemed special makes the idea feel a bit lackluster.  (I have to admit, I liked seeing the beautifully made ads drawing me to gourmet stores in the papers, and I enjoyed reading the well written New York Times articles on the subject quite a bit.)  But, on the bigger other hand, good food is for everyone.  And perhaps, when the aesthetics and superficial aspects of serving that food to the masses finally fades away, that’s when we’re finally getting to where we need to be as a society.  So, yes.  It’s decided.  Let’s bring that reality on.
-Serena

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