you are where you eat

illustration by todd stewart, www.breeree.com

It strikes me as peculiar that we choose to spend so much time on other aspects of our daily life, such as our health, education, children, homes and money, but seldom do we pay this much attention to our food and the people who produce our food. As a result, we are at a significant remove from what and who nourishes us. Have we allowed the processes of globalization to obscure a certain basic knowledge about where our food comes from, or even how to feed ourselves? Does the fact that the food on our plates is produced by anyone, anywhere in the world, impede the deeper connection we could, or should, have with our dinner?

People followed James’ and Alisa’s (creators of the 100-mile diet) experience and reveled in it, yearning to taste it for themselves. The 100-mile diet has gained many converts, even if people only choose to incorporate local foods into part of their diet, or for short periods of time, even as short as one meal.

“There is a real disconnect between us and our food today,” Alisa observes. “There is a disconnect from our food, our families, ourselves…. We sit down to three meals a day and it can be such an impersonal experience. People are tired of that disconnect. They want a more intimate experience.” …
A Nova Scotia native, Catherine Macpherson is a freelance food writer, independent researcher, occasional caterer and all-around bonne vivante. She holds a Master’s of Gastronomy degree from Boston University, and is certified in the Knowledge of Cheese. She strives to eat as locally as possible.