I haven't written here in awhile, close to two years if the truth be told, and a lot of changed since then. I confess that the majority of what has happened in food news has passed me by as well. A new job, a new apartment in a new town, the simply act of getting out of the habit have left me feeling adrift in the world of sustainable agriculture. I could, I suppose, also tell you that I've taken a break from the blogging game to write my novel- which is totally almost done, I swear- but I wouldn't want to push the limits of your patience with me.
I guess the easiest touch point to get back in is to say something that I think, or at least hope, that most readers will be able to relate to: A new life routine has led to a new food routine, and in turn, a new relationship with eating in general. And that's what's maybe the most interesting thing to me about writing about food- the fact that are so many different ways to experience eating. Enough to make "food writing" a known term, with sub-genres even within it, a whole ecosystem as rich, when you really get under the hood, as any other fiction or non-fiction genre, and with as much blurring of lines regarding what qualifies.
I hope I will always come back to Corn-Free July as a way to remind myself to think about the way I choose to eat and why. I went to the farmers' market in Harvard Square, Cambridge, by the Charles Hotel yesterday. Have any of you been there yet this year? For a geographically small market it has a wealth of choices: bread, fish, meat, eggs, cheese, fruit, vegetables, flowers, plants. A high-end pasta and sauce artisan. A stand that makes lemonade while you wait. If you plan ahead and don't mind dropping some serious cash, you can do your grocery shopping for the whole week there.
The need to plan, and to budget judiciously, can be daunting. But in the end, when you really measure it, did that cost you more stress than walking through the endless maze of a supermarket? Holding your tongue against the road rage of other people carts? Constantly stopping yourself from grabbing impulse items? At least if you overspend at the farmers' market, you know you're always getting something healthy. And maybe you've put less white noise in your brain as well, leaving more room for meaningful thoughts.
As summer returns to the northern hemisphere bringing with it local food, often eaten outside, how do you shopping and eating habits change?
