Showing posts with label eat local. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Aquidneck Food Challenge

Rhode Island's Aquidneck Community Table launches their first ever eat local challenge this week, and whether you live on the island or across the country, shfting your food perspective to "eat like a local" opens up new patterns and new ways to connect to the energy of our bodies and our environment.

There's no better time than now--when local food is at its most abundant--to try your hand at a more-local diet. If you're looking for help eating locally in your area, please contact us at info@mindkey.me and we'll help you find your local resources.

Sign up to take the Aquidneck Food Challenge!

September 1-10, 2016

Friends,

We've been hearing a lot of questions about the inaugural Aquidneck Food Challenge – "Do I have to give up coffee?" (No!), "But I already eat a lot of island-grown food, so why should I sign up?" (To be part of a community effort to raise awareness of local food!)

The challenge is all about raising the stakes on your local eating, whatever that means to you. There are no strict rules – and no successes or failures!

It is simply this: however much island-grown food you're eating right now – raise YOUR stakes from September 1st-10th. Maybe you're already eating seasonal bounty like corn and tomatoes – why not try incorporating Aquidneck-raised protein sources like chicken and beef too? Maybe you've been promising yourself a fishing trip and grill-out all summer – get it on the calendar for early September! Or maybe you're ready to take the plunge and eat only island-grown and Bay-caught food for the duration. It's up to you!

By signing up for the Aquidneck Food Challenge, you'll be joining a community local food adventure. We'll be sharing recipes, photos, resources, and gathering data from participants – all in the interest of growing our island food system so it serves you better.

With love and solidarity,

Bevan, Liza, and Tara
Team AFC

Click Here to check out the challenge!

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Summertime is Seafood Time!

Eating locally sourced food is not only important for our economy, but it's also important for the environment. We all know that as the population of one animal grows, the season approaches when they will be culled. Seafood is always in season, however, and for folks who live on the coast, nothing says summertime like fresh seafood.

Summertime is Seafood Time!

As Aquidneck Growers Market customers know well, Rhode Island is a little state with a big supply of fresh, local seafood. Here's the lowdown on our summer market seafood vendors!

Local Catch

This Point Judith-based company puts customer service first at the markets! In addition to supplying the freshest local fish (none of their products are treated with chemicals or preservatives, and everything that isn't sold within two days is frozen to be smoked later on), Local Catch offers some unique benefits to market customers. By signing up for their newsletter, you can pre-order their latest catch and have it delivered to you at the next market. Also, to ensure that your purchase remains as fresh as possible, Local Catch will keep it on ice while you finish your rounds at the market and give you a tag to clip to your shopping bag so you don't forget to pick it up on your way out.

Bomster Scallops

Bomster uses cutting-edge technology to make sure that their premium scallops are as fresh as possible. After being hand-shucked and rinsed in seawater, they are flash-frozen and vacuum-sealed aboard the fishing boat within an hour of harvesting. They come frozen at the market, but you can still eat them for dinner the night you buy them if you run cold water over the package for about 20 minutes. Once thawed, use within seven days--no need to rinse, just drain the excess liquid and cook immediately. Amateur and professional chefs alike attest to the quality of Bomster Scallops. They also carry hard-to-find and delicious Red Rock shrimp.

Matunuck Oysters

Matunuck's market stall is a perfect one-stop shop for customers looking for produce and seafood. Perry Raso founded Matunuck Oyster Farm in 2002, and implemented a "pond to plate" strategy when he opened his restaurant Matunuck Oyster Bar in South Kingstown. The restaurant also uses produce from Matunuck Vegetable Farm, which received it organic certification in 2015. Try their delicious pea shoots for a sweet and crunchy salad or stir-fry topper!