Social consciousness meets the dinner table

Thinking back, I have always wanted to be socially conscious. As a child, I was a dedicated recycler, the incentive initially being a monetary one as they would give us cash for what used to be just garbage. As a teenager I decided to give up drinking soda and became a driving force in encouraging our family to eat even healthier. (note: I said even healthier, because my Mom was always good about serving us healthy foods) Now, as an adult being green and environmentally conscious has not only become the center for great debate, but has a huge impact on my role as an interior designer. Clients are constantly inquiring about ways to become more "green" whether that be using a rapidly renewable resource like bamboo for flooring, installing solar panels or using fluorescent lights.

One way in which you can reduce your footprint that I have never really given much thought to until now, is by eating locally. While out on our day of being a tourist I came across this cookbook called Pure Flavor, it featured 129 recipes from the Northwest. Being on the current cooking kick that I am, I really felt that I "needed" this cookbook…. oh wait, it is signed by the author and a first edition, a must have on all levels now.

Happily I took my new book home and began to read it like it was a great novel. I have learned all sorts of useful information like the difference between farmed, organic, and fresh, the pros and cons to all farming methods and what current FDA regulations are required for receiving such indications. There is a lot of information to sort through as a consumer, but by having your diet reflect the rhythm of the seasons you are quickly on the right path. So now I am going to make a concerted effort to buy what is in season, buy from the local farms and enjoy the abundance of food we have around us.

One such interesting fact I learned is although Idaho has staked claim on being the potato state, Washington is in fact the largest producer of potatoes in the country.

Here is the first of many meals from my new cookbook: Parsley and Dill Pesto on Steelhead.