Author Archives: rachelocal

Foraging for Blackberries

July 31, 2012 by rachelocal

Given my local sensibilities, foraging the wild for edibles is near and dear to my heart. But seeing as I live in the middle of suburbia, the opportunities for foraging are few and far between. That’s why when I spied blackberry bushes starting to flower along the walking path in my neighborhood, I vowed to keep a close eye on them. In June, the blackberries were faring nicely. Red berries in need of some rain and sun in order to […]

Categories: Gardening • Tags: blackberries, food, foraging, local, nature, plants, yogurt

Local Food in an Unexpected Place

July 29, 2012 by rachelocal

I’m currently headed to Philly and made a pit stop at the Delaware travel plaza. Much to my delight, I discovered local produce for sale right inside the main entrance. Who needs fast food when fresh cherries and cut-up cantaloupe are available? Well done, Delaware! If you live off of 95 in Newark or are making your way home from the mall, head over to the travel plaza to buy some of Filasky’s (Middletown) best produce. Their sweet corn is […]

Categories: Local Farms, Local Stores, Restaurant • Tags: corn, farmer's market, food, local, travel

Brewerytown Food Truck Roundup

July 27, 2012 by rachelocal

What could be better than buying a delicious lunch from an innovative food truck? How about eating dinner and dessert at 18 of them at once? If you’re in the Philly area, head to the Brewerytown Food Truck Roundup tonight (27th and Girard)! Philadelphia Mobile Food Association is partnering with Fair Food, Slow Food Philly, and Farm to City (among others) to pull this event together. Local food, lots of choices, and live music should make for an awesome Friday […]

Categories: Local Stores, Restaurant • Tags: events, food, food truck, life, local, philadelphia

Blogapalooza

July 26, 2012 by rachelocal

Tuesday I admitted to you, dear readers, my blog identity crisis brought on by my blog envy. (Is there a blog therapist out there? I need to lie down on your virtual couch.) In the aforementioned post, I mentioned four of my favorite funny bloggers, so you can imagine my delight when I turned the computer on this morning only to see my mug on not one but TWO of these favorite blogs. It’s like my wildest blogging dreams are […]

Categories: Random • Tags: 80s nostalgia, blogging, blogs, humor, life, slap bracelets, vacation

Blog Identity Crisis

July 24, 2012 by rachelocal

I think I have blog envy. I write a food blog. I love writing about food, especially from my perspective as a locavore. I’m passionate about my subject matter, so why, when I read other blogs, do I feel envious and dissatisfied? To clarify, I don’t feel envious when I read another food or recipe blog (well, maybe jealous that I’m not eating the food depicted in the beautiful photos on say, Darla Cooks). I only feel this gnawing sense […]

Categories: Random • Tags: blogging, blogs, food, freshly pressed, humor, identity, wordpress

Peach Blueberry Cobbler Even Darth Vader Would Love

July 23, 2012 by rachelocal

The morning after partying with Darth Vader, Chewbacca, Yoda, Princess Leia and a variety of Ewoks, breakfast needs to be simple and involve mostly coffee. You can imagine why. So I put a pot on and decided to whip up a local-ingredient dessert for breakfast. This recipe is adapted from my favorite cobbler recipe on Saveur.com. I say adapted because I didn’t have some of the ingredients (mainly milk and cherries) and didn’t want to use corn starch or vegetable […]

Categories: Local Farms, Recipes, Summer Recipes • Tags: breakfast, darth vader, dessert, food, life, local, star wars, vegetarian

Aviators, Granny Glasses, and 30 Years

July 20, 2012 by rachelocal

I hesitate to use my blog as a vehicle for personal stuff… Who am I kidding? I LOVE to use it as a vehicle for personal stuff, especially when that personal stuff relates to my darling husband. Today he turns 30! Tonight we celebrate his 30 years on this earth at a local spot with local food (see, I’m relating it to the blog!). I’m celebrating in earnest for two reasons. The first reason is a bit selfish. Thanks to […]

Categories: Random, Restaurant • Tags: 80s nostalgia, birthdays, emily blunt, food, humor, john krasinski, life

Seven Thoughts About This Ketchup Bottle

July 18, 2012 by rachelocal

1. I can’t believe I bought this. It’s not local. (Condiments don’t count, right?) 2. High Fructose Corn Syrup (a Genetically Engineered – GE – food) is as recognizable and common to the average American as good old ketchup. 3. If Hunt’s can make ketchup without High Fructose Corn Syrup, why don’t the other guys? 4. I should make my own ketchup, then I won’t have to worry about GEs. 5. Is this a small victory over GEs or just […]

Categories: Random • Tags: food, Genetically Engineered, GMOs, high fructose corn syrup, ketchup, local

Cherry Tomato Bruschetta Pasta (Without an Italian Accent)

July 16, 2012 by rachelocal

I have a pet peeve. I get peeved when people, regular American people, speaking English, say Italian food words with an Italian accent. You know what I’m talking about if you’ve ever seen Food Network star Giada de Laurentiis in action on her show. Now I understand that Giada is very Italian. I’m sure she even speaks the language fluently (she was born in Rome after all). But let’s be real here, Giada is basically a California girl; she speaks […]

Categories: Recipes, Summer Recipes • Tags: Celebrity Chefs, food, Food Network, Giada de Laurentiis, Italian, Italy, local, recipe, vegetarian

What’s Good in the Garden this Summer?

July 15, 2012 by rachelocal

After two weeks away and finally catching up on work stuff, I paid John a visit to see what’s good in the garden. When I arrived, John was in the watermelon patch trying to untangle a soaking hose. I helped him out a bit and we transferred the hose to a different part of the patch. In the process I spied at least eight good-sized watermelons on their way to emodying summertime goodness. Because the garden changed so much in […]

Categories: Gardening • Tags: food, gardening, life, local, nature, photos, summer, tomatoes

I’m a Food Renegade

July 13, 2012 by rachelocal

Having Breakfast with Steinbeck the other day got me thinking about all the questions I have regarding our food choices in this country. I don’t usually like to cause a ruckus, but nothing gets under my skin more than the way our food is produced, packaged, and promoted. So I’m fighting back. In my way. I’m fighting back by buying local and knowing how my food is grown or raised. Countless people I know have the same questions about genetically […]

Categories: Documentaries, Random • Tags: blogging, food, food renegade, local, locavore, revolution

Breakfast with Steinbeck

July 10, 2012 by rachelocal

Seeing as I have been a traveler (of sorts) as of late and just returned from vacation, I thought this email I received from my brother was fitting: Ra, Attached is a passage from John Steinbeck’s book Travels with Charley: In Search of America. In 1960, Steinbeck took a 3-month long road trip to discover what it is to be American, get a feel for the essence of the country–something like that. The part attached is pertinent to your current endeavors, […]

Categories: Farmer's Markets, Random • Tags: bacon, books, breakfast, food, John Steinbeck, literature, local, travel

The Downsides to Coming Home from Vacation

July 8, 2012 by rachelocal

1. A temperature of 102 degrees with humidity. No more 80 degree weather with cool ocean breezes. When I got out of the car at a New Jersey rest stop my sunglasses fogged up and I felt like I needed an inhaler (I don’t even have asthma). 2. The social repercussions of drinking alcoholic beverages (even if they are local) in the middle of the day. If I had a cooler filled with blueberry wine at my work desk, everyone […]

Categories: Farmer's Markets, Restaurant • Tags: beach, Cape Cod, farmer's market, food, life, local, photography, seafood, vacation

Happy Hellos and Glad Goodbyes

July 7, 2012 by rachelocal

Goodbye, Vacation, and all your fresh local seafood, wonderment, and joy. Hello, Delaware, it’s nice to see you (and my own bed). I’m looking forward to some amazing local discoveries this summer.

Categories: Random • Tags: cat, food, life, local, Massachusetts, Plymouth, vacation, Willow