This week was the Buy Local Challenge. The challenge was to eat at least one locally grown food item each day during the week of July 18-26, 2009, which sounds deceptively simple... until you try it.
As a CSA member, I already had plenty of locally grown vegetables on-hand. Here's what we got from Summer Creek Farm in week 9. (I love that Farmer Rick includes educational materials, like copies of Edible Chesapeake magazine!) Those cherry tomatoes made great snacks for work.
The challenge was the weekend, when we generally eat lunch out at least one day. Of course there are restaurants in Frederick that feature local food, and thankfully they are growing in number. However, taking a 3-year-old to say, Volt... it's just not something I am prepared to do. (I haven't been there yet, as I am waiting for the chance to eat at Table 21.)
Grocery shopping was also more challenging this week than usual, as I was determined to buy as much locally as I could. I try to do this every week, but this week I was really thinking about it. It's mind-boggling to think how far some food travels before we eat it. (I could go on a Michael Pollan-inspired rant here, but I'll save that for another day.)
The Common Market, which has been my salvation on more than one occasion, came through nicely with some local peaches and blackberries (woo hoo! see earlier post about my blackberry addiction). I even splurged on some fresh goat cheese from the Cherry Glen Goat Cheese Co. in Boyds, Md. (It's worth the $12.99/lb.)
I kept it simple this week, mostly from necessity, as my husband was on a business trip all week, and I have a picky preschooler to feed. So we ate lots of pasta, with various vegetables thrown in. I made this pasta again, with several CSA veggies: yellow squash, zucchini, garlic, basil and uncooked tomatoes. (Trying to work on my photography skills...)
After a 3-year-old's birthday party on Saturday, where the menu was pizza, cake and sodas, I made simple caprese salad for the grown-ups in my house. (The not-so-grown-up one insisted on having a second piece of cake at the party... she was the only child of about 30 still eating cake come time to go home.)
I probably don't do this the proper way, if there is such a thing, but I just take Farmer Rick's slicing tomatoes, fresh mozzarella slices and big basil leaves, stack 'em, drizzle with good olive oil and a little sea salt and fresh cracked pepper.
Currently, I am making plans for that lovely goat cheese (oh yes, I have plans for you my precious) and eating the rest of this basil bread. (Mine didn't turn out that pretty, but it was good. Made some open-faced pulled pork sandwiches today with this bread. It's a keeper!)
Glad you're enjoying the basil bread recipe! I haven't made any yet this summer ... Definitely need to do that this weekend. :-)
Posted by: Jess | July 17, 2010 at 09:13 AM