As mentioned in an earlier post, author and local food maven Amy Cotler got in touch with us via the magic of Twitter a few weeks ago about her new book, The Locavore Way: Discover and Enjoy the Pleasures of Locally Grown Food. This lady has some serious food cred, having worn the hat of chef, caterer, cooking instructor, cookbook author (she even contributed to the revised Joy of Cooking!) and founding director of the local food advocacy group Berkshire Grown, so you can imagine how thrilled we were when the adorably illustrated (yes, that's a cow in the bag on the cover) little manual showed up in our mailbox this week. Well, we're happy to say that after having spent the past few days getting cozy with Cotler's wisdom and advice, we're even more thrilled to have The Locavore Way as a permanent fixture on our "all things food" shelf. Let's get to it:
The book begins at the beginning (always a good sign), by answering that very popular question at the forefront of any locavore discussion: Why bother? Eating locally can seem like a hassle, a Sisyphean task or something only Vermonters can realistically enjoy, and Cotler knows it. She assumes nothing and doles out a pretty impenetrable argument for the cause, giving equal treatment to the economic, health and community benefits eating locally can afford her readers. We like where this is going.
Once she's got the "Why?" out of the way, Cotler wastes no time getting right to the "How" -- more specifically, "How the heck am I going to do this?" Here's the thing. What typically ends up turning us off of these kinds of local living manuals is that they tend to be more manifesto than helping hand. That's a bummer. Choosing to live local is a lifestyle change for a lot of folks, and it can be frustrating, confusing and a little alienating at times. People don't need someone telling them that if they buy an apple in March, they're part of the problem. Cotler gets that, and The Locavore Way never approaches the kind of foodie-righteousness that so frequently fills the pages of other local food guides. In fact, the three sentiments that seem to come up most frequently in Cotler's book are more akin to what our moms probably told us on our very first day of school:
1. Don't be nervous: This stuff is easier than you think.
2. Ask questions: There's no such thing as a stupid one.
3. Have fun.
There's a little bit of "It's OK to make mistakes, I'll still love you," in there, too, particularly when Cotler grants her readers the understanding that they probably won't be able to stop shopping at larger markets completely and gives them fifteen pages of the tools and advice they need (talk to the food buyer, read labels like a maniac, don't assume and if at first you can't find local milk, look, look again) to do the best they can as "smart shoppers" outside the realm of farmer's markets and CSA's.
Speaking of Community-Supported Agriculture, The Locavore Way has the skinny on that whole chestnut as well and deftly answers all the big CSA questions: What is it? Is it for me? How do I find one? Now that I have a share, what am I supposed to do with all this kale? Farmer's markets and buying clubs get equally explanatory treatment, and these sections are filled with great anecdotes from farms and locavores alike, factoids that remind you why you care (20% of industrial food dollars go to farmers; 80% to... not farmers), and the kind of checklists and timelines us scatterbrained urban folk need to keep us on tra -- wait, is that Ben Affleck?
False alarm. Anyway, once all that shopping's done and you've got a full pantry, it's time to eat. This is our favorite part, and something a lot of local food advocates forget -- that supporting local agriculture is important, of course, but people aren't going to do it unless it tastes good. We're human beings and we're a little tied up in that whole sensory experience thing. The Locavore Way comes through here as well and flaunts its prowess as a champion of taste buds everywhere. Need a flexible recipe to get you through the root veggie months? Found it. What else could you possibly do with cabbage? Page 152. Not really sure how to cook a Jerusalem artichoke? No problem. There are pickling tips, canning tips, drying tips, roasting tips and cold storage tips to help you get the most out of your harvest. An entire section devoted to herbs ensures your grass-fed beef (page 171!) will be maxed out with flavor. Don't feel like cooking? Turn to the section that gives advice on local eating outside your kitchen and support the restaurants that support your farmers. Want a little wine with your dinner? Yup, you can get tipsy locally, too. We wish there were a few more recipes here, but then again, The Locavore Way isn't a cookbook (unlike Cotler's previous publications, which can be found on her website).
Should you end up falling in love with the land, farms and food around you (like we have) and decide you want to spread the word (you will), The Locavore Way has you covered with an easy-to-follow overview of all the different ways in which you can either fund, volunteer for, or start a community organization to support your local food movement. Once again, we love the decidedly non-preachy vibe of this section, which basically encourages readers to do what they can, when they can. There's great info here for families and lone rangers (like yours truly) alike, and should you stumble upon some agri-jargon you're unfamiliar with in the cabbage patch of your community garden (monoculture is what, now?) you can flip to the book's glossary, which offers up quick definitions of all that farm-speak. You'll be throwing around terms like "foodshed" and "terrior" at your local Slow Food dinner in no time, glass of biodynamic wine in hand.
So. Do we have any qualms with Cotler's most recent foray into local learning? Honestly, not really. The Locavore Way is comprehensive, phenomenally organized, and fun without the fluff. It's an invaluable roadmap to all things local food for starry-eyed newbies and reusable tote-toting veterans alike, and though it's ever-so-slightly focused on the New England food scene, there's more than enough helpful stuff in here to rock any region's world.
Consensus: Ms. Cotler, we're pretty impressed. We might have to invent a Greenologist Woman of the Year award just for you.
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