A Slow Year: Local Spinach

I know, I know...three posts in one day but let's just go with the flow here. I happen to have some time on my hands and I am managing my time well. I love being on top of things.

I also love eating locally. For the past year and half we have been getting our weekly baskets from Le Campanier. It has been great. Really interesting and delicious organic fruits and vegetables. But one thing has been bothering me - the distance. Bananas from the Dominican Republic? Not exactly local. Not that we can find bananas locally but if I truly want to reduce my use of fossil fuels (which is one of my goals for A Slow Year) then being conscious of the distance my food travels is important.

This whole locavore thing is really trendy right now and I think that it is just great. These are the kinds of trends I like to see. But it ain't easy and I am not sure that I can actually commit to a 100-mile-diet. I am up for slowly but surely getting closer and closer to that but no exotic fruit makes for a long winter of apples and pears in France. (Luckily we have a ton of frozen cherries and raspberries from our backyard in our freezer.)

Tibo is really attached to Le Campanier but I want to propose that we give our stand of local vegetable producers a try for awhile. Are they organic? No, but I am leaning towards local over organic since there isn't another option for us unless we want to drive. Yesterday, I popped down there without a plan and just picked up whatever vegetables looked yummy. Green beans, leeks, and spinach. Lots of yummy shades of green. (This combined with the tomatoes, zucchinis, and swiss chard from our garden makes for some healthy eatin'.)

So, while I ponder local vs. organic and how far I am willing to go with that, here is the recipe for what I am going to make tonight.

spinach provencale
found in the Vegetarian Epicureby anna thomas

2 lb. fresh spinach
1 large onion
1 clove garlic
olive oil
butter
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup fresh-grated Parmesan cheese
salt and fresh-ground black pepper

Wash the spinach leaves carefully and the hard work is over. Chop the onion and mince the garlic. Heat the olive oil in a very large kettle and saute the onion and garlic in it for a few minutes. When the onion is transparent, add the spinach and cover tightly. In about 2 minutes the spinach leaves will be reduced to a fraction of their former bulk, and you can stir them in with the oil and onions. Cook a few minutes longer and remove from the heat.

Butter a medium-size baking dish. When the spinach has cooled slightly, stir in 2 beaten eggs and 1/2 cup of the grated Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and pour the mixture into the baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan over the top and dot with butter.

Bake the spinach in a 375-degree oven for about 10 to 15 minutes and serve steaming hot.

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Tags: locavore, local spinach, eat locally!, 100-mile diet, france, market, yum, recipe, vegetarian, doodah

Comments

[andie]

What is Swiss Chard in French? Is is Blette, or bette? I have been wondering this...

[Sarah]

Blette is right.

[Riana]

Blette is good like that too and good for you. I have a problem with the miles (or kilometers since we are in Europe)did you read that article in the NYTs about how some things from far away make less of a global footprint than say raising Lambs in England were it is much more effort? I'll go find it for you. It would be great to have a little of the two worlds. Definitely go for local vs organic, because buying that organic apple that sat in a CO2 locker room for 6 months is not doing any of us any good.

Happy eating!!

[Sarah]

I would love to check out that article. One thing I really like about Le Campanier is that it is direct from the producer. There is no middle man so in that sense I could see how it might have less of a global footprint. Hopefully, the same goes for the local producers at our market.

Meat has got to be a hard one. I would actually love to be vegetarian again but it is hard to get good meat alternatives in France - especially refried beans. Although I could do those myself...right now, we basically do not eat red meat at home and almost only eat meat when we go to other people's homes.

[Sarah]

Could this be the article?

http://www.economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm?story_id=8380592

It has a lot of great points many of which I agree with. There is no one answer and like you said a mix of the two is the ultimate goal but I am more interested in increasing my awareness of my local area as well. I, mean, what can be grown in France right now? Do we really know?

[Leigh]

Ohhhh, that recipes sounds so yummy. Thank you for sharing!
And thanks for posting the links to these very interesting sites. It is so good to connect to other folks who are thinking consciously, even if we are taking small steps. They all count!

[andie]

Excellent article. Etienne reads the Economist religiously, I'm surprised he hasn't come across this one yet. What I like is that it brings up points on both sides of the argument.

[laptitelili]

A Lyon, il existe une association, alter-conso, qui est basée sur le même concept que celui du Campanier, à savoir une rémunération directe des producteurs et un panier "surprise" de saison, à ceci près que tous les produits proviennent au maximum des 80km alentours. Alors évidemment, pas de banane:-) Tout n'est pas bio, mais les agriculteurs pratiquent au moins une agriculture raisonnée, ce qui me parait être un bon compromis.