Collaboration 2.5 Preparing Meals with Locally Sourced Foods
I usually cook for dinner, so preparing the meal was not a unique experience. However, thinking of and searching specifically for local foods was a new experience. I was reminded of how our local Hy-Vee occasionally labels their produce with little signs proclaiming the town nearby where the food was grown. The fact that it was the first day of spring precluded vast amounts of local produce being sold from local farms. A store manager at Hy-Vee directed me to the herbs in the produce department, and they were definitely from local farms. I couldn’t help but think of what a different experience this project would be in the summer. The farmers’ market offers so many different varieties of food, that every single item on a menu could be bought at the market!
I prepared and served tortellini with chicken, cheese, and basil; salad with feta, onions, and chopped toasted almonds; and garlic toast. My local ingredients were white New York cheddar cheese from Jisa’s in Brainard, NE and fresh basil from Fresh Green in Waterloo, NE. I bought these at our local Hy-Vee. I also used toasted almonds for the garden salad from RU Nuts, which is based in Lincoln, NE; these I bought at Russ’s. I realize the almonds were not grown here, but they are a wholesale company based in Lincoln. I have made a version of this main dish before, but the local ingredients really made it a different and much tastier dish.
My family sometimes eats together and sometimes does not. With four different schedules in the house, we get together-time when our schedules allow. Last year I was so busy that I remember eating standing up while I ate. This year has allowed us to return to more normal meals. It is definitely more relaxing to sit while eating! We were able to have some family time for this particular meal.
While eating, I shared some of what I have learned in this class. I mentioned the discrepant pay for coffee growers compared to the vast amount coffee costs by the pound in the States (.25/pound for coffee growers for a product that is sold for $8 in the states). My daughter wisely asked, “Who is getting cheated?” I was surprised at first, thinking she was not taking seriously the fact that farmers are paid so very little for the coffee beans they grow. Then I realized she was pointing out that we also are getting cheated by paying so much compared to the wholesale prices. In chapter five of Hope’s Edge, the author mentions that fair trade is trying to ensure that farmers are getting paid at least $1.26 instead of the 25 cents a pound they had been getting paid. Even at that increase, we are still paying quite an elevated price, and it seems the farmer is not getting the money he deserves! We also discussed how chemicals, fertilizer, and pesticides bring unique risks to the consumer. I also think that this is affecting my family’s lung health, since we have cornfields nearby. I never had these health issues when we lived further into Lincoln. Sadly, my kids are also struggling with lung and sinus issues; my daughter has a lot of allergies. After reading this book, I cannot help but wonder if these issues are brought on by what is added to the local fields.
We had a marvelous time discussing what I have learned. I know they greatly enjoyed the contrast in flavor that my local ingredients brought to my pasta dish. I love to prepare food, visit, and communicate, so I greatly enjoyed this project.