I’m inspired every day by the local food that grows in the North Fork Valley. In my daily rush, I have to admit that I don’t often slow down to really appreciate where the food I eat comes from.  Today I’m taking time to test if the local stuff is better than store-bought food imported from afar.

What does this have to do with cultivating creativity?

I have to remind myself that making pointed observations and experiencing food helps me first to appreciate it, and second to think about how to cook (i.e. create with food) and combine it with other flavors instead of shoving it in my face, which is my modus operandi.

Play Date: Taste Test

Remember that time we made cute labels for our food? Well, its time to play with your food again!

The harvest season in Western Colorado is still going strong right now, with apples, pumpkins, and other tasty treats in abundance. Your task this week is to choose a locally-grown apple (or some other yummy thing that grows near you) and an equivalent food item that was imported from some distance and taste test them. Use these criteria to judge any differences:

• Texture – is one more crisp or mushy than the other?
• Taste – explore sweet, sour, salty,
• Look – color of the skin and the flesh, blemishes or bruises
• Smell – this is a tough one, but close your eyes and use your sniffer

Use my worksheet for any food you want to test:

In the summer and fall months I’m lucky enough to enjoy food that comes from within a few miles of where I live. This makes me a little biased; less transportation and pollution and my money staying here to support local agriculture wins out on all the criteria listed above.

Better Together

Sometimes bias necessitates a blindfold and a buddy, so you’re really rating the food and not just a preference (for local, in my case). I’m so proud of our local Western Colorado food that I even made some watercolor paintings of food-related animals and items. Check them out in the Shoppe.

Don’t be afraid to taste test for other attributes! Here are some ideas:

• Organic vs non-organic
• Fresh vs frozen
• Home-cooked vs processed
• A flight of beer – dark, light, amber, etc.

I can’t wait to see your results! Please share them with us all in the comments below.

1. Its still ok to play with your food.
2. Feel good about buying local, and taste test the difference yourself.
3. Sometimes taking a creative break is better with a buddy. Grab Susie from the next cubicle and take a break together.