Eat Local: Rosemary Potato Wheat Bread

---

---

I walked into the Oberlin market this afternoon to buy my daily serving of "local" fruit, since I'm taking the Eat Local Challenge seriously. I found the little pears and apples easily, but I can't just run in and out of a store efficiently. I like to meander and rifle through the product, making myself want more things than I need. This time it wasn't just product that kept me looking; no, the most gorgeous, earthy, pizza-like, bread-y aroma filled the room. I stepped into the little bakery next to the cash register and was pointed toward lovely, freshly-baked loaves of rosemary potato bread.

It was still warm and, thankfully, the flavor matched the promising aroma. My roommate and I walked around Oberlin finishing our errands while eating large chunks of the loaf. Half of it was gone twenty minutes after buying it. Do you see those weird muffins under the rich loaves? Those are garam masala muffins. The bread was so good that I'm willing to try the garam masala muffins next time I'm there.

Next up: a review of old school milk. You know, the kind that was taken from a cow just down the road and presented in a glass jar. Wish me luck!

Eat Local: Ohio Challenge

---

---

I recently wrote a post for Technorati about The Eat Local Challenge, which was kicked off by Local Matters on October first. This is their noble, and tempting, movement to motivate citizens to eat locally-grown food, based on the idea that it's healthier for you than the alternatives and will help the local economy. I agree with both points, and I totally wanted to take part in the challenge (I've failed at doing it by myself earlier this year), but I live in northern Ohio, and they're based out of central Ohio. I wasn't able to sign up for the challenge (or prizes) in person, but I decided to follow the challenge's guidelines on my own up here.

The challenge is simple: select three or more ways to eat local this month. Some are obvious (try an Ohio-grown food), but you can visit a farmers market, eat at a "locally-minded restaurant", cook a full meal with only local ingredients, host a local food potluck, etc...

I went the easy route and bought those locally-grown apples and pears up there. Needless to say, they're gone. They tasted like typical apples, delicious and mild, but honestly, there wasn't a noticeable flavor improvement. I was expecting something orgasmic, based on the way local food proponents talk about local produce. Not so much this time, but it won't deter me from following through with the challenge. The point to eating locally isn't just flavor, but additional nutrition (and, if you read that link to the Harvard site above, you'll know I'm right) and community support.

There are some pretty neat food items on the shelves of Oberlin's local market. I'm looking forward to experimenting with them this month, so you're going to be seeing them, as well!

Re:visiting Peru | Kanguro Saltado

---

Say wut?
Via Portage_tide_new

---

That's a weird title for a post, but it's a weird thing I'm about to share: the Peruvian government has recently approved the importation of kangaroo meat raised for human consumption from Australia.

The thought of Peruvians eating kangaroos doesn't actually faze me. Peruvians roast little guinea pigs very often and very well. One could say they specialize in "exotic" meats.

I do find it odd that Australians kill off their own national symbol. Shouldn't there be laws against that? We don't BBQ bald eagles here because, well, they're the majestic symbol of the United States of America, and because we would get in Big Trouble.

I guess there aren't laws like that down under:

"Despite being Australia's national symbol, millions of kangaroos are slaughtered in the wild each year to control their numbers and much of that meat is used for pet food.

The idea of farming them for human consumption is controversial, but many health-conscious Australians already eat kangaroo meat."

(Read the AFP article here.)

Australians, in what I hear is typical Aussie fashion, couldn't care less about what anyone thinks of them. But why?

I guess kangaroos seem to be Australia's version of annoying deer. They destroy gardens and prized crops and leap in front of cars instead of away from them. Deer don't participate in hilarious, one-sided boxing matches, though, or carry cute joeys in nifty pouches, or save farmers' lives. Clearly, the kangaroo pros outweigh the cons, and kangaroos prove to be way cooler than pesky deer.

I propose we institute a kangaroo/deer exchange: bring the kangaroos to the States and let Australia have our deer. We can incorporate kangaroos into American life humanely: a kangaroo in every classroom, kangaroo walking backpacks, kangaroo living baby carriages, attack kangaroos, kangaroo drinking buddies, and so on.

Who's with me?