Psyching up for the Highland Food Challenge
Posted by Catriona Ross - 18:42 on 05 August 2010
A change is as good as a rest they say, and it's high time my food habits got a kick up the backside. Today at the Black Isle Show, I signed up for the Highland Food Challenge, Transition Black Isle's campaign to get people discovering the delights of local food. Hoovering some local produce from the stalls at the Show's food fair seemed a good place to start - particularly delicious were the Connage cheeses and Really Garlicky Chutney - yum - although other members of my household may beg to differ on that one!
Loads of people stopped off at the TBI stand to have a chat and guess the food miles of a basket of shopping. The vast majority underestimated by miles; who would have thought that these bog-standard looking onions would have been imported from New Zealand? More perplexing is trying to fathom out WHY they've been imported from New Zealand? How can that make any sense when we can grow much better ones in our own fine Black Isle soil?
I've borrowed a copy of Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable Mineral, which traces a year of seasonal eating by the author. This book is being loaned out to anyone who signs up for the Challenge and seems a good place to start.
So where am I starting from? Well, I'd kinda thought of myself as being fairly clued up about where my food comes from, but my attempt at guessing the mileage of the items in my shopping basket was way off the mark!
This summer hasn't been the healthiest; I've a sneaking suspicion that getting a grip and eating in a healthier, more organised fashion would make me feel better. I'm a wee bit plumper than I'm happy with, and although the Highland Food Challenge isn't about losing weight, I'm harbouring some hopes that a pound or two might go along the way…
So, I'm going to read the book then delve into my Highland Food Challenge pack and get on the case. With harvest ripening and loads of tasty, fresh stuff ripening by the minute it seems a good time to get cracking.
Off to the Belladrum Festival for a couple of days, the food there is usually great and this time I'll be checking out where the stallholders source their ingredients. Tasty Black Isle beer means partying's not off the menu - when the beer's organic and brewed along the road I reckon revellers can slake their thirst with an easy conscience. So I'll update you on how healthy I feel after the festival!
In the meantime it'd be great to get some of your comments on this blog and if you fancy taking the Challenge yourself e-mail food@transitionblackisle.org to find out more.
Anne