Living in Bethesda, Maryland

The new roomies: Catherine and Audrey exploring the
Bethesda Farmers Markets.

As I begin my new adventure in Washington, D.C., I have been reflecting on what it means for me to "eat locally". Does this mean I care about how far my food has traveled, whether it's organic, or whether I know the source of this food? After stepping away from our routine in Somerville, Massachusetts and trying to stock my pantry here in Bethesda, Maryland, I have realized that I care most about my food's origins. My produce may or may not be certified organic, depending on a farm's abilities to pay for this certification; the food I buy may or may not come from within a certain distance from my home; however, I do care that I understand where and how this food was produced. If I know by whom, then all the better!

The biggest sweet potatoes I have ever seen - at the Bethesda Farmers Market!

For instance, as I embark on a traditional 9-to-5 job and spend many weekends commuting between Boston and D.C., I realize that I will have dramatically less time to spend in the kitchen. So, on my first trip to Trader Joe's here in Bethesda, I just bought what I wanted: boxed soup, sliced bread, jarred tomato sauce, and (yippeee!) lemons. I found myself questioning each of these purchases in the context of our commitment to local food, but not in the face of convenience. Then it came to the question of origins: should I spend $10 to buy a small log of goat cheese at the farmer's market here in Bethesda, or continue to support the Vermont Butter and Cheese Creamery that makes the goat cheese I can get at Trader Joe's? (Being more frugal, I'll be going with the Vermont goat cheese I can get at Trader Joe's, but it's also a cheese I know I love and want to support.)

The Bethesda Central Farmers Market - I like the contrast between this new and fast-growing city's buildings and the quaint tents and slow pace of the farmers market.

To my great joy, Bethesda has 3 weekly farmers markets near the Metro stop (the Bethesda Central Farmers Market and the Bethesda Farmers Market), and Andrew has been willing to bring me meat and veggies from our CSA shares - if he's going to fly anyway, why not make it worth our tummies' while? Thanks to my new roommate, Audrey, I have started reading Flavor magazine, which addresses sustainable eating in the Capital "foodshed," and provides much interesting information about the very popular local movement here in D.C., Virginia, and Maryland. For now, I'm taking it slowly, but am enjoying exploring all the exciting food options! This weekend I managed West Virginia scrambled eggs and Appalachian cheese for lunch...

Going away party

Susan's flatbreads - warm, chewy, and delicious.

This local eater recently moved to Washington, D.C. to start a post-doctoral fellowship at the Smithsonian. This is a truly thrilling job to have, but it means that I have to leave my husband, family, and comfortable life in Somerville to make a pretty dramatic change. Before I left on this adventure, we had a family going away dinner, and local ingredients were the centerpiece! Susan whipped up a batch of her amazing flatbreads using our home-ground wheat, which we ate with grilled Chestnut Farm steak, Andrew's Waltham Fields salsas, and Tim's homegrown tomatoes. Ole!

The meal's flavors: tomatillo, husk cherry, hot pepper,
and tomato warm from the garden.

To make her flatbreads, Susan makes a pita bread recipe and eliminates the
second rise. Instead, she forms them into flatbreads and cooks them on a hot
griddle until they puff. These aren't traditional pita breads (they don't have a
pocket), but they make an amazing tortilla substitute and dinner treat. The
home-ground wheat gave them a fantastic flavor.

Winter Farmers Market - in Somerville!

The Davis Square Farmers Market

We subscribe to the Somerville Journal, which keeps us up-to-date on all our local news. This week, the paper's front cover featured an article on the success of farmers markets here in Somerville and the push to create a winter market! The author writes, "[t]here is incredible interest in Somerville for local food...[f]armers say that it's the most profitable market they participate in." Given the love for our Davis and Union Square markets, it looks like the Center for Arts at the Armory may be the home of a newly formed winter market and there are several farms already interested in participating. This is wonderful news for people who frequent the Davis Market (more than 2000 people per week!) because the Armory is just up Highland Avenue outside the square. Now, those of you from California or other warm climes may wonder why this is a big deal, and I invite you to visit here in January! Fresh food is hard to come by. Sure, our grocery stores provide us with produce from around the world, but we are hungry for foods that we can source and those that are in season.

Happy Somervillians buy fresh produce at the market.

The best part of this article was the quote from Mimi Graney, who said that "[b]efore the June opening day [of the Union Square Farmers Market], people are literally shaking with anticipation, they're so excited." I hope Somerville can keep this feelin' all year round!