My personal food philosophy is that healthy, delicious food, preferably produced locally and in a sustainable manner, should be available to everyone. To that end, I strive to use as much locally and sustainably-produced food as possible when preparing the recipes available on Rhubarb and Honey.

Why local and sustainable? Well, eating both locally and sustainably has many benefits, just one of which is better taste. For more benefits, please check out my post about taking responsibility for what you eat, which also provides a good view into the reasons I choose to eat as I do.

Now, it’s important to note that I live in the Midwest, and there are some foods that just aren’t available locally. In those cases, I try seek out food that is either organic or artisanally-produced.

Organic farming uses age-old techniques such as crop rotation, green manure, composting, and biological pest control (ie, not mass-produced, synthetic pesticides), and it also excludes or limits the use of growth hormones, antibiotics in livestock, food additives, and genetically modified organisms, thereby producing food that is healthier for both our bodies and the environment.

Supporting artisanal food producers—true artisanal food producers, ie, craftsmen that make small-batch products such as the cheeses, beers, chocolates, breads, cured meats, pickles, and jams nominated each year for Good Food Awards—is another way to ensure you’re eating high-quality food products that were made with care and love.

(A word of caution about “organic” and “artisanal” though … with the increased demand for organic foods, large agribusiness corporations have jumped on the “organic bandwagon” with the intention to profit from this growing trend so it’s important to do your homework to find out which organic brands are both organic and sustainable. Additionally, foods labeled as artisanal these days probably aren’t. Case in point: Dominos “Artisan” pizzas and mass-produced Tostitos “Artisan” tortilla chips. Again, it’s important to do your homework. Need a place to start? Check out my recommended reading list.)

Finally, I do on occasion like to make recipes that completely go against everything I said above. Why? Well, while my diet and the majority of the recipes I make mostly consist of fresh, healthy ingredients, there is a part of me that just can’t give up eating the foods I grew up on, such as my mom’s Jell-O salad and my “In a Jiffy” (ie, from a box) corn casserole, both long-time family favorites that will always have a special place in my heart … and my tummy. Hey, everything in moderation, right?

So, where do I source my ingredients from?

Grocery Stores

Local Harvest Grocery – An independently-operated St. Louis grocery store that specializes in locally-produced foods that are organic and sustainably-produced. From grass-fed beef, pastured chickens, and hogs to fresh produce and baked goods and gourmet dry goods, Local Harvest scours the region to find producers of quality, unique products. In addition, they also carry an extensive line of organic and sustainably-produced groceries, including dry goods, a small bulk section, perishables, frozen, and non-food items.

Maude’s Market – Located in the South St. Louis neighborhood of Dutchtown, Maude’s Market builds relationships with regional farmers to bring in local produce, Missouri-made house wares, and vintage kitchen items.

Sappington Farmers’ Market – A Missouri farmer-owned grocery store, the Sappington Farmers’ Market mission is to help local farmers realize a fair profit, so they can produce the amounts of organic and natural foods needed to provide affordable, safe and healthy foods for the families of St. Louis.

Whole Foods Market – As the world’s largest retailer of natural and organic foods, Whole Foods proves big business does not always mean bad business as they strive locally to supplement their national stock with the best products available to them regionally, such as Goatsbeard Farm cheese and American Grass Fed Beef.

Farmers’ Markets

Maplewood Farmers’ Market – Located in the parking lot of Schlafly Bottleworks, the Maplewood Farmers’ Market offers a variety of local, farm-fresh eggs, pork, lamb, beef, herbs, mushrooms, artisanal breads, flowers, pasta, chocolate, and more straight from the source. The market runs every Wednesday afternoon April through October and runs monthly in the winter months.

Tower Grove Farmers’ Market – With over 40 vendors, the Tower Grove Farmers’ Market is a non-profit farmers’ market that offers a wide variety of local produce, meats, and other local food products. The market runs every Saturday morning May through October and runs monthly in the winter months.

A market tip: In the spring and summer, buy more fruits, vegetables, and herbs than you think you’ll use and then set aside some time to freeze or can them for the winter. It’s a great way to extend the bounty of each season.
For a list of farmers’ markets in your region, check out Local Harvest.org.

Community-Supported Agriculture

Community-supported agriculture (CSA) is “a socio-economic model of agriculture and food distribution. A CSA consists of a community of individuals who pledge support to a farming operation where the growers and consumers share the risks and benefits of food production. CSAs usually consist of a system of weekly delivery or pick-up of vegetables and fruit, in a vegetable box scheme, and sometimes includes dairy products and meat.”

The Chef and I are have been proud participants in two local CSA’s, Fair Shares, a combined community-supported agriculture venture, and YellowTree Farm, a family-owned, biointensive, urban homestead located in St. Louis. In the spirit of “spreading the wealth,” we are currently investigating options for our 2012 CSA.

For a list CSAs in your region, check out Local Harvest.org.

Our Backyard

Growing your own food is as local as it gets, and I’m excited that The Chef and I finally have a space where this can happen for us.

We left our loft in the city earlier this year and moved to the suburbs (gasp!), but I can’t be happier as I now have a place to garden. I’ve ordered a number of seed catalogs that have begun rolling in, and the thoughts of fresh herbs, tomatoes, and peppers—grown in my own backyard—has me giddy as a school girl … and I’m sure you’ll read all about it here at Rhubarb and Honey!