One Local Summer Challenge

This spring I checked out the book Plenty from my local library and I loved following the journey of a couple from the Pacific NW (Vancouver BC) dedicated to eating completely from a 100 radius for an entire year. Between their story, reading past blog entries from a flickr contact who did something similar, and knowing that I live in the middle of one of those most furtile farming valleys in the country I thought it would be fun to join the One Local Summer Challenge starting June 1st!

So far about 80 people are on the challenge to eat one meal a week with all ingredients except oil, salt, pepper, and spices being local from 100 miles of our homes or from wherever we are located that week. My main objectives for this challenge is to use my garden produce first, support local farmers for the remaining ingredients I need, adapt my meal planning to make conscience choices of what is in season and most readily available (products not creating a large carbon footprint to get to my kitchen), and try fresh recipes I have never had before! That last reason is why I planted eggplant in my garden. I've never tasted it but for some reason think I don't like it...that will change this summer as I'm determined to make eggplant a main ingredients for a few of my One Local Summer Meals!

It's not too late if you want to JOIN the challenge! And Mom, I fully expect you to participate in this challenge with me when we find ourselves on vacation to Savannah/Charleston in mid June! Maybe Paula Dean or her boys will make us a delicious local meal :)