bglosten

I am fortunate to live in an area where one can be somewhat of a locavore all year - the Pacific Northwest. And I have a great local grocery (PCC) just down the street that identifies where produce comes from. I do my best to source fruits (easy - apples and pears from Eastern Washington, bananas? well, that is a different story, as are lemons....) and vegetables from local farmers. Gets tough as the winter progresses. I need to tap into veggies from California from time to time. I try very hard not to purchase fragile vegetables and fruits from the Southern Hemisphere - just can't stomach (pardon the pun) the fossil fuels for shipping and the lack of quality - said produce is bred for durability, not flavor! I am also fortunate to have a chest freezer and access to grass-fed beef, pork, and poultry all within WA state, some just a couple of miles away from my home. Eggs come from my own chickens most of the year, and herbs from my garden. Milk is usually local. As is seafood. Grains and pasta - not local - but I'm less concerned about shipping these durable foods that have a long shelf life. I make wine from pinot noir and chardonnay grapes from Oregon, but have been known to enjoy bottles from overseas. Same with cheese. There are some food items for which quality justifies the travel miles!

I also would have to include Joy of Cooking - I have a battered copy given to me by my parents in 1975...Living in the Pacific Northwest, I've gotten inspiration from Jerry Traunfeld's The Herbfarm Cookbook. But, I, like others, find myself searching for recipes from the web more often than in books these days.

I need inspiration for Thanksgiving 2009. I have lots of help cooking for 8, have my pasture-raised turkey ordered, but am I the only one tired of the bland color palate of turkey, dressing, gravy, mashed potatoes? I want some zing in this year's meal with interesting vegetables and spices. Any inspirations out there? So far I've come up with anise-flavored butternut squash soup, roasted chanterelles with thyme, and perhaps a root vegetable gratin (to replace the mashed potatoes).