158 replies to this topic

[phlawless]

Good Morning, All...



It's me, phlawless, and I'm here in Durham NC. I haven't been much of a poster on the boards, so this blog is an exercise not only in recording my attempt to eat within 100 miles of my home (more about this in a minute), but also so I can get more comfortable with writing about and documenting my life as it pertains to food.

Now, when I say that, understand that the majority of my waking hours are spent thinking, planning, purchasing, organizing, handling, preparing, and yes, finally eating, food. I have been in the 'business' for a dozen years or more and have recently taken a bit of a sabbatical from restaurant life as I have a 15 month old daughter now, and am only doing a bit of work out of my home. I thought motherhood might distract me from my food obsession, but I find myself with a bit more time and energy to read, experiment and cook than I did before M came along. Plus, the added challenge of feeding a toddler is one that is surprisingly enjoyable.

As for the subject of this blog, a couple of years ago some kids from San Francisco got some press for this, and I thought I might give it a shot. If you go to the link read the details, the national challenge is supposed to happen in May. Well, I had a lot going on then, and also July here in the southeast is brimming with fantastic produce. So you all will witness the first week of feeding myself, my partner, and my daughter for the entire month eating local as possible.

I still am a bit green when it comes to posting photos, so I'll get those up in a bit from this morning.

[Pontormo]

So no bananas this week?

What a fantastic theme for your food blog! I am really looking forward to this, phlawless.

[Lori in PA]

What a terrific blog theme, phlawless! I can't wait to hear more. I pass on to you these virtual blogging necessities: a camera battery (fully charged) and an extra dose of energy. Have a great week!

[phlawless]

This should give you an idea of the area that I will be working with. I plan on getting all my proteins, dairy, and produce within this circle. Spices, and some dry goods will be the only totally non-local things that I'll be using with any regularity. There are some exceptions of course, and whether or not these are 'legal' within the rules of the challenge is debatable. Here is my list of deviations:

-seafood
the NC coast is just beyond the 100 mile radius, and though we don't eat lots of fish, I didn't want
to exclude it
-olive oil
This is that primary fat that I use, and though I love pork fat and butter, which I can get locally, I
have a waist that I'd like to keep
-citrus
no real replacement here, but I plan to buy organic
-coffee
I will be using local roasters for the coffee
-wine, liquor
though I've sampled a few of the local wines, they aren't really all that good...and I can't give up
Campari!

(map illustration courtesy of Chuck)

[phlawless]

What a terrific blog theme, phlawless!  I can't wait to hear more.  I pass on to you these virtual blogging necessities:  a camera battery (fully charged) and an extra dose of energy.  Have a great week!

thanks Lori...

I have to admit that I am not totally thrilled following such a fantastic blog!

the camera battery has already died...I might have to go pick up a spare

[phlawless]

when M wakes up, she needs to eat immediately... so she had some canteloupe first thing



while that kept her busy, Chuck and I started our day with this:



The beans come from Cup A Joe in Raleigh. When I was in college, I lived right behind the shop and have become addicted to their roasting style. A lot of folks think they take the beans a bit too far, but I love them that way.

The milk is from Maple View Dairy.

M went on to her real breakfast:



yellow grits from Lindley Mills in Graham, yogurt I made from Maple View milk, blackberries I picked from down the street, and sorghum syrup from Kentucky.



yummy!


Chuck and I then had our own:
(please excuse the fuzzy photo)



eggs from Latta's in Hillsborough, a tomato from a neighbor's garden, garlic and russian fingerling potatoes from the Durham Farmer's Market, and Neese's sausage. Neese's isn't a small producer, but they make really fantastic breakfast sausage, and they are based in Greensboro.



the pepper relish came from the Raleigh FM and Texas Pete is made in Winston Salem.


We were out of town this week end, and will post photos that are food related later today. But I have some serious errands to run today to track down ingredients for the week.

[phlawless]

So no bananas this week?

What a fantastic theme for your food blog!  I am really looking forward to this, phlawless.

tell me about it...there are crazy amounts of berries now, and this seems to work well as a snack. In terms of eating, M is pretty good. But I will need some other snack ideas. Basically whatever I can produce from local ingredients I will, i.e. crackers, chips, etc. But bananas and avocados have been a consistent fall back when we've had a busy day or I am too beat to prepare a 'meal' for her.

[Chufi]

Wow, what a wonderful idea for a blog. So is this the first time you are doing this 100-mile thing? I seem to remember reading something about it here on eGullet.

I am very interested how you will manage this week. I don't think I could do it!

Oh and .... very cute baby girl! (and cute blogger, too )

[Chris Amirault]

Phew. I'm relieved to see that you won't be giving up Campari. I cannot imagine summer in NC (or anywhere, for that matter) without regular, large, cold Campari and sodas.

Great start!

[MarketStEl]

Is Chuck your hubby?

He's a very good illustrator.

(Wilmington, NC, at the east end of I-40, sticks in my head because it figured in an historical essay I read once that argued that the reign of Jim Crow in the South was not inevitable, using Wilmington--whose main institutions and public facilities were thoroughly integrated throughout the post-Civil War 19th century--as a counterexample.)

What sort of seafood do North Carolina fishermen catch?

Good luck with your weeklong effort to eat "close to home."

[Milagai]

As a Chapel Hillian, I'm excited to read this blog and learn
more about eating locally.

Great pictures of your dd and her breakfast!

I love that map illustrating your 100 mi radius.
Who drew it?

Query: any soybean producers within the 100 mi radius?
What's a tofu lover to do?



Milagai

Edited by Milagai, 03 July 2006 - 09:09 AM.

[Pontormo]

M went on to her real breakfast:



yellow grits from Lindley Mills in Graham, yogurt I made from Maple View milk, blackberries I picked from down the street, and sorghum syrup from Kentucky.

We were out of town this week end, and will post photos that are food related later today. But I have some serious errands to run today to track down ingredients for the week.

Your cute avatar/daughter's breakfast really appeals to me, too! Never had sorghum syrup; it would be honey around here or maple syrup from afar.

Toddler snacks in the US tend to be Cheerios, toasted frozen waffles and bananas--I hadn't thought about this issue!

No rush at all, PLEASE don't try to answer or address these all at once, but here are a few things that your food blog inspires me to ask:

1) Have you had any time to read the thread about Whole Foods & Michael Pollan and think about the issues it raises? Given M's age, I kind of suspect that Pollan's new book is not something you've had time for. However, its subject is very much related to your quest this week. Given the demographics of Research Triangle, I just figure you must have several Whole Foods stores.

2) Was your interest in local foods peaked by your professional experience?

3) I see you were away for the weekend, so didn't have a chance to shop at your town's farmer's market. Are there other options during the week where you can buy food directly from farmers?

4) Given Durham's historical relationship to the tobacco industry, do you know if there are farmers in the area who have switched from tobacco crops to other forms of agriculture? I don't know how close those farms were to the industrial centers, though.

[johnnyd]

I have never heard of sorghum syrup. Through the magic of google I found this site. I had no idea!

[Malawry]

As a fellow North Carolinian, I am really looking forward to seeing what you are able to source locally. As a fellow mother of a little one, I am curious as to how you manage to get so much cooking done when your hands are so full--mine is far from walking age and I already have a hard time getting things done in the kitchen!

And here I was, about to suggest you get grits from the Old Guilford Mill, whn I see you got yours from Lindley Mills.

[Ling]

What a wonderful theme for a blog, phlawless! I love the picture of your daughter eating her healthy breakfast.

Question for the 100-mile theme--this means that you won't be able to use many of the processed products in the grocery store. Does this mean you'll be baking your own bread with locally-milled flour? Or buying from a local bakery? Just wondering how "strict" the rules are...I think the project is very interesting.

[phlawless]

Just got back from an afternoon of getting the local goods...I spent the better part of the afternoon shopping and I only got what I needed for a few days!

Phew. I'm relieved to see that you won't be giving up Campari. I cannot imagine summer in NC (or anywhere, for that matter) without regular, large, cold Campari and sodas.

I think I might start my holiday early with a negroni...

[Varmint]

What to go, Ph!!!! This should be a great blog, as phlawless is a great cook. I've had the pleasure of shopping, cooking and eating with her, and we're all in for a treat.

Why don't you come over with the family on Saturday, and I'll help you with this little endeavor?

[phlawless]

The FM in Raleigh is open 7 days a week, so that was our first stop of the day. They have a seafood restaurant on the grounds, pretty much straight up Calabash style, and we needed some lunch:



chuck and I shared a medium shrimp plate:



chuck double-dipping:



we then headed to the actual market:








I usually shop for food about 3 times a week, but attempting to get as much local goods as possible takes a lot of planning and running around. After the FM, I hit the Raleigh Whole Foods for dairy and cheese, and a couple of non-food items. (No pictures, but if you all insist I can get some at another time).

I wanted to get some butter made in Guilford County but only knew of one shop that carried it, by this time M had had enough errands, so I'll get that later in the week.

Here is a shot of all the local loot:



now to think about dinner.

I've got some purple hulled peas that I got on Saturday...not sure what else yet.
M will have some butter beans with scrambled eggs and fresh mozzarella from Chapel Hill Creamery that I got at the Durham FM.

Edited by phlawless, 03 July 2006 - 02:20 PM.

[Varmint]

I've got some purple hulled peas that I got on Saturday...not sure what else yet.

The purple hulled peas from these parts are awesome. We're in pea heaven right now, with butter beans, crowders, purple hulled peas, and others all available at the Raleigh Farmers Market.

[phlawless]

I appreciate all of your encouragement and enthusiasm! This is turning out to be more difficult than I originally thought...I'll get to your questions and discuss a bit more about the challenges after M goes to bed.

[cathrynapple]

what a lovely start! i'm already in love with your family. and the produce, too.

[Susan in FL]

This is really interesting. Welcome to eG foodblogging. It's not as easy at it may appear, so we all appreciate your time, especially with a little one. The photos are great. Thanks to you and Chuck!
I had never heard of purple peas before.

[phlawless]

Wow, what a wonderful idea for a blog. So is this the first time you are doing this 100-mile thing? I seem to remember reading something about it here on eGullet.

I am very interested how you will manage this week. I don't think I could do it!

Oh and .... very cute baby girl! (and cute blogger, too  )

thanks chufi...this is the first time I have tried to have the majority of my diet fall within the 100 mile 'radius'. When I was working I got a lot of exposure to local farmer's and producers, and it was much easier for me access those products: they all delivered to the restaurant! Now that I'm out of the commercial kitchen, I have to find these things myself...which is a lot more work.

Is Chuck your hubby?

He's a very good illustrator.

(Wilmington, NC, at the east end of I-40, sticks in my head because it figured in an historical essay I read once that argued that the reign of Jim Crow in the South was not inevitable, using Wilmington--whose main institutions and public facilities were thoroughly integrated throughout the post-Civil War 19th century--as a counterexample.)

What sort of seafood do North Carolina fishermen catch?

Good luck with your weeklong effort to eat "close to home."

Chuck used to draw maps for mountain bike guide books, so he jumped at the chance to help.

As a Chapel Hillian, I'm excited to read this blog and learn
more about eating locally. 

Great pictures of your dd and her breakfast! 

I love that map illustrating your 100 mi radius.
Who drew it?

Query:  any soybean producers within the 100 mi radius?
What's a tofu lover to do?




Milagai

this I don't know, Milagai...personally I'm not a fan of tofu or beancurd so I've never tried to source it.

Edited by phlawless, 03 July 2006 - 05:11 PM.

[bavila]

Probably too late for tonight's dinner, but I like field peas and aromatics as a bed for grilled fish, or cooked then served chilled with tomatoes, tangy cheese and herbs. YUMMY! Still waiting on our local crowders to show up in the FM here.

I think you might be putting an extra hatchmark in the plus column of our continual debate over leaving Maryland for RTP.

Edited by bavila, 03 July 2006 - 05:37 PM.

[Milagai]

this I don't know, Milagai...personally I'm not a fan of tofu or beancurd so I've never tried to source it.

that's too bad. i googled from curiosity and
soybeans aplenty grown in nc. not sure about
the journey from the bean to the curd....

any beans / lentils on yr local list?

milagai

[phlawless]

Dinner tonight was a bit frazzled...the guy manning the stall where I bought the field peas on Saturday assured me that they were a breeze to shell...not so:



chuck was shelling for a good hour! Needless to say from now on I'll pay the extra dollar per pound and buy them hulled.

Because the shelling took longer than anticipated, M ate before us. This happens most of the time, but lately I've really tried to get everything together earlier so that we can all sit down together. Her meals tend to be different from ours not because she is a picky eater, but only for the reason that Chuck is getting home late, I've haven't started early enough, etc... Regardless, she REALLY liked her supper tonight:



butter beans from the FM, Latta's scrambled eggs and mozz from Chapel Hill Creamery



she ended up having a second helping.


After a hectic afternoon, this was especially yummy:



I got this a week or so ago in anticipation of the challenge, though it is out of the 100 mile range:



to this I added:





I rendered the bacon till crispy, then sauteed tomatoes and onions with red pepper flake in the fat, then added the rice, s&p and water, covered and finished it in the oven. It came out really really good, and I don't dig rice.



this is some baby kale I picked up at the Durham market on Saturday. I did a quick sautee with lots of local garlic till it just wilted...it turned out great too.




Everything was great...except those darn peas! I double salted them, basically inedible, in my haste to get dinner ready. I ended up putting them back in their cooking liquid, adding more stock/water, and hopefully we can have them tomorrow for lunch. UGH!

[phlawless]

I thought a bit of background info on my cooking skills would be helpful.

Like I said in the first post, I have been cooking professionally for the past 12-14 years; honestly, I'm not really sure when it was that I got my first job with food. I started on the savory side, and stayed there for a good while. Then I had an opportunity to work at a pretty high profile/fine dining restaurant, and the position they had open was for an assistant baker. I thought I could start there and move over to cooking once I got in. Well, I ended up really digging baking. The hours were better, it was a smaller department so I was getting a lot more experience in a shorter amount of time, and the work was a lot of fun. I went on to work at a few other places in the area, then the high profile/fine dining place needed a pastry chef and they called me. I stayed in that position for a little over five years until my daughter was born. It was a fantastic experience: I got to travel, meet some pretty amazing people, go to the Beard awards...it was a really really great job. Plus I was able to keep my hand on the savory side a bit: I made all the pasta, anything special the chef needed for the dinner menu (flatbreads, crackers) I was able to experiment with.

I think that having extensive experience with baking has made me a much better cook, more so than the other way around. I don't love sugar like I love salt, maybe that has something to do with it. But don't ask me to choose which one I love more...I don't think I could just yet.

[purplewiz]

the camera battery has already died...I might have to go pick up a spare

Better the camera battery than the camera !

It is going to be fun to see all the wonderful products you have within a 100 mile radius!

Marcia.

[phlawless]

M went on to her real breakfast:



yellow grits from Lindley Mills in Graham, yogurt I made from Maple View milk, blackberries I picked from down the street, and sorghum syrup from Kentucky.

We were out of town this week end, and will post photos that are food related later today. But I have some serious errands to run today to track down ingredients for the week.

Your cute avatar/daughter's breakfast really appeals to me, too! Never had sorghum syrup; it would be honey around here or maple syrup from afar.

Toddler snacks in the US tend to be Cheerios, toasted frozen waffles and bananas--I hadn't thought about this issue!

No rush at all, PLEASE don't try to answer or address these all at once, but here are a few things that your food blog inspires me to ask:

1) Have you had any time to read the thread about Whole Foods & Michael Pollan and think about the issues it raises? Given M's age, I kind of suspect that Pollan's new book is not something you've had time for. However, its subject is very much related to your quest this week. Given the demographics of Research Triangle, I just figure you must have several Whole Foods stores.

2) Was your interest in local foods peaked by your professional experience?

3) I see you were away for the weekend, so didn't have a chance to shop at your town's farmer's market. Are there other options during the week where you can buy food directly from farmers?

4) Given Durham's historical relationship to the tobacco industry, do you know if there are farmers in the area who have switched from tobacco crops to other forms of agriculture? I don't know how close those farms were to the industrial centers, though.

1) I did read Michael Pollan's letter, and yes, I haven't had time to read the book, though I really want to! As a matter of fact, when I started preparing for this month I learned that Whole Food's was no longer going to carry bulk flours from Lindley Mills (Graham, NC). My mother would have been proud, cause I wrote a letter asking why they displayed banners announcing their commitment to local suppliers when they were going to switch to a regional purveyor for what I assume was a better price. A week or so later, I got a phone call from the Durham store saying that they were going to continue carrying Lindley Mills, and thank you so much for my support. I don't really suspect that I had all that much to do with the about face, I'm sure many others complained as well, but it was nice to feel like I made an impact.

2) Most definitely...

The people I worked for, as well as a good amount of the better restaurants in the area, have been making some pretty significant strides in the education of their diners to the source of their food, much more than the Whole Foods and the like. More than a handful feature entire menus based on a particular product or farm. The three larger FM's (Raleigh, Durham, Carrboro) have had a lot of growth in the past few years, and smaller towns in the area are starting their own since the Big Three have become really crowded.

[MarketStEl]

I got this a week or so ago in anticipation of the challenge, though it is out of the 100 mile range:

OK, but it is from the Carolinas, and for rice, that'll do, as I believe most domestic rice is now grown in Texas.

Which brings us to the subject of naming products based on associations or images, a subject I touched on in my own foodblog with the trivia question about Philadelphia cream cheese.

It seems that this practice is actually quite common.

In Philadelphia-area supermarkets (and I suspect elsewhere in the Northeast), one of the most widely available brands of rice is one called Carolina, which is made by a company in Texas called Riviana Foods.

Similarly, you sometimes see a product called West Virginia Brand bacon in the stores; the small type informs you that the product is actually produced somewhere in North Carolina--as are some packages of Jamestown Brand bacon from the Smithfield Packing Company of Virginia.

And then there was the sausage manufacturer in Brooklyn (NY) that I guess was forced to stop calling their smoked sausages Carolina Brand. They are now sold as Caroline Brand, but the "E" in "Caroline" on the packages is shaped so as to recall an "A".

As a member of the Class of 1979 said about his Harvard experience, "I don't know how widespread this deception is, but I imagine it will continue as long as there are Ohioans."

I assume that manufacturers choose these names because shoppers associate these locales with the foodstuffs in question. Which, I guess, is flattering to the locale, but somewhat misleading.

Oh, one more thing: I had asked upthread what sorts of fish and seafood local fishermen caught.

Edited by MarketStEl, 03 July 2006 - 09:17 PM.