For a while I have been thinking about food. I guess we all think about food, but I have been thinking about the global food system, how we get the food we eat, the policies related to food production and distribution, and other related issues. I decided to start this blog about my thinking and also my actions. My goal is to have more meals and food that come from local sources. So, this blog will be devoted to meals that I eat and the origins of the food in those meals.
For some background, I was a vegetarian for several years. When my wife and I met, I became more relaxed and ate more meat. Over the last 10 years we have been omnivorous, but slowly moving toward a more healthy diet. Recently, in conjunction with my wife’s yoga practice, she expressed interest in completing a 66 day challenge while also eating vegetarian. Since February, we started eating more vegetarian and probably completely vegetarian since April 2012. We both feel healthier, leaner, and less bloated. We both don’t miss meat, and now my wife is looking at vegan meals as well. The point isn’t about vegetarianism, the point is this does make knowing where my food comes from a very different story; its only a matter of a trip to our excellent Farmer’s Market and we’re set.
Over time I will add a bibliography and also maps of the food sources. But for now, I am just getting started. Here’s the rule:
- I will list all the ingredients in a meal.
- I will do my best to trace the origins of the ingredients.
- I may leave out items that are small relatively (e.g. salt).
- My goal is to have most foods come from local sources. Things like oils, spices, and staples are exempt from this goal.
- I will post a meal a week.
Finally, the banner image is original, but not local. This was taken at a spice market in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
How my dinner got on my plate 