When is local not local? I know when, and this sign I saw in a local supermarket produce department today said it all for me:
So, exactly where does "local" begin?
(Incidentally, I am not getting reimbursed in any way for blogging about these products - just to get THAT out of the way.)
In a local supermarket (chain headquartered in upstate New York) back in 2013, someone was sampling Pastabilities Spicy Hot Tomato Oil. From a co worker who lives near Syracuse, I know that this has been around for many years, and is produced by a Syracuse restaurant. So today, I got to try it and... it's yummy. And spicy, but not in a bad way.
But...it isn't made in Syracuse. Not any more. It's made in Massachusetts, which is even further away than Syracuse. Sigh.
My co-worker told me to try a different product, something called Cheeky Monkey. (This product is a tomato/garlic dipping oil-apparently, a competitor of the oil I sampled today.) Now THAT, she assured me, is locally made. It is also sold in the year round CNY Regional Market in Syracuse, which she assures me is well worth the drive. Of course that, was then, and this is now (2018)...
While I was mulling over the dueling tomato oil dips, I ran across a NY made pasta. Flour City Pasta looks to be a high quality product, and is made using heirloom grain varieties. New York is a large state. The problem? It is made near Rochester, a good two and a half hour drive away from us. I must admit I passed on it - it was not cheap. [Since 2013, I've been to Rochester and have bought it there].
Do you have any thoughts on what defines "truly local" food?
Love it. I remember working with some New Yorkers down here in Oklahoma and they said they only see New York Cheesecake described as such outside of New York.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great question. I don't have an answer. I'd like to think California-grown is all local, but California is big. Most of the farmland is in central CA, and that's at least two hours away.
ReplyDeleteI have this conversation with others. Around holidays there plenty of push by local and there selling items made in china
ReplyDeleteCoffee is on
I'm so much more concerned with glyphosate-free, I hardly care about local these days...but eating locally is relative. People consider how far different foods came to get to where they are. If onions are available from my garden, Vidalias are imports. If the choice is between Vidalia and Walla Walla, then Vidalias are "local."
ReplyDelete