What does food mean to you?
To me food is a celebration of friends and family who worked hard to not only cook the food but the rugged hands that grew the ingredients too. When I go to bed at night I usually fall asleep to a foodie website or a stack of food magazines that I am reading to get ideas, mark recipes and learn about new techniques I want to try. I have food on the brain all the time. I am constantly thinking of new ways to make food better or new ways that will be fun and healthful for my family and customers. I love to cook and eat! Someone asked me if I ever get tired of cooking. My answer was, "Not really." Cooking is the one area that I can go full force and experiment try new things without any worries. Have a tough day...I go home and bake away! The worse case is that the chickens will eat one of my inventions if it turns out terrible (not that this happens often but it does happen occasionally).
There was one time when I made this beautiful pumpkin roll and sent into Matt's office. I nearly poisoned Bart Johnson publisher of Ohio's Country Journal and Ohio Ag Net with fermented pumpkin roll...turned out not to be such a good recipe, or I just didn't follow it correctly!
I have had many food conversations with friends and total strangers and I am always learning something new. Some have the passion for food much like I do, but have no connection to where their food comes from other than the grocery. Others hate the thought of food because food costs money and that can be the cause of stress. There are so many options, cost differences and confusion over what is best and safe for their diets or families. I happen to have the great privilege of being to my rural roots and our farming community. Over my journey, I have had the opportunity to meet some pretty amazing farmers from across the country and world. I have never met a farmer who does not love their job of growing a safe healthy food product. We raise crops and livestock because we value our food system and where our crops end up which is on our very own tables.
I want to say that no matter what food choices you make for you or your family, whether it is Local, Vegetarian, GMO Free, Free Range or just normal food from your grocery, you can feel confident in the safety of our food system and the care of farmer who had a hand in raising it. We are blessed to have SO many food options. There are countries where children are starving, food and water are no where to be found, yet we find it so easy to condemn a certain production practice or personal preference when we are so fortunate to even have food. When I think of all the choices we have it makes me very proud to be part of the farming community that can provide ample safe affordable food supply.
No one should ever be ashamed or guilted into a food lifestyle. Respect people and the decisions that they make. While your opinion may differ, at least we have food and choices.
This is a recipe that has had many requests. For all you Bacon Lovers out there this recipe is for you!
http://www.localflavorfoods.com/2013/03/20/carmalized-bacon/
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