Cooks have total control over what goes into the food they prepare. In my opinion, nothing compares to using locally sourced seasonal produce. The trend at the moment in cooking has people rediscovering the benefits of purchasing local organic foods. Here is one trend I can wholly get behind. The advantages of buying local are countless: fresher, tastier, more nutritious, and many times cheaper.
Putting aside our shambolic performance in the 2000 presidential election, I am a proud Florida resident. At the very least I am particularly fond of the produce we produce. Florida has 43,000 farms, utilizing more than ten million acres to generate a variety of foodstuffs. Florida leads the country in sales of snap beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, squash, watermelons, oranges, tangerines, grapefruit, and sugar cane. In addition, Florida is the largest producer of strawberries during the winter months. Supporting our local farmers is of paramount importance. This simple act helps our local economy while keeping small farmers in business. Everybody wins.
The advent of modern refrigeration transportation has distorted the seasonal boundaries. Why should we use out-of-season ingredients from another hemisphere? As Floridians we are fortunate to live in a state that turns out the widest variety of produce imaginable, like potatoes, avocados, sweet corn, mangoes, white mushrooms, eggplants, and tropical fruits. For every out-of-season item there is another at its yummiest peak. We should challenge ourselves to use all varieties of ingredients in our cooking. It is said that absence makes the heart grow fonder and that is precisely my feeling on seasonal food. The Florida blueberry season, for example, only runs from April through June. So when those babies hit my kitchen at their juicy, antioxidant best, I value them that much more.
When looking for a restaurant to eat out, reward chefs that make seasonality a staple of their menus. It makes no difference whether you are a family-run business or a gourmet restaurant; you can support local seasonal ingredients. Gordon Ramsay is a gregarious television personality. He generates wide-ranging visceral personal responses for his television behavior. But it should be noted that he is a Michelin starred chef; one of the best in the world. Chef Ramsay is a fervent proponent of using local seasonal produce in his kitchens. I would strongly recommend reading his educational book, A Chef for All Seasons.
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Article comments
1 - Nancy Batts
Wow, another great article! We are definitely taking you up on the suggestion about taking the family to a local farm to teach future generations about food and where it comes from.
I'm also going to look into the CSA ... I used to buy a box of seasonal organic produce and had it delivered straight from the farm each week, but when I moved away, I didn't keep up with it ... I should look into it again.
Luckily, here in Northern Cali, we have tons of local farmer's market, sometimes several times per week in the spring/summer, and even have a brick and mortar farmer's market that is open 7 days a week! We're beyond lucky over here in Cali. Anyhoo, thanks for the wonderful article once again. To seasonality!!!
2 - LazaroCooks!
Nancy...You are amazingly lucky to live in such a organic food hotbed like Northern California.
Give visiting a local farm a go. What an awsesome way to educate the little one, while having a fun day in the sun. Cheers!
3 - SecondActLady
When I was growing up Near Buffalo, New York we always shopped the farmer's markets whenever possible. It definitely tasted better than what was shipped and stacked into stores.
I think we always new the produce was better for us! Nice article, thanks
4 - LazaroCooks!
SecondActLady...Thank you for reading the article and commenting. Local seasonal produce will never be beat when it comes to freshness and taste. Supporting local growers is of paramount importance.
5 - Olithia Rose
Reading this article makes me excited to know that there are chefs out there spreading the message. I think that chefs have the greatest influence when it comes to changing the public's way of thinking about their food. Another great article!
6 - LazaroCooks!
Olithia, thank you for the support. I am trying to spread the word. Whether it is about the conditions of our oceans or fish habitat destruction. I agree with you, chefs do carry the responsbility of using local, seasonal, organic produce.