FoodieLink and Fall Recipe Contest

Recently, I became involved in a newish website project called FoodieLink.   The aim is to promote sustainable, healthy eating and to bring together the local food communities.  At the moment, much of the material is New York-based as that's where the founder lives (as well as many of the contributors, such as me).  If you have any suggestions for content you'd like to see or things you'd like us to check out, we're open for ideas.  


Yesterday, we launched a Fall Seasonal Recipe Contest!  Do you have a favorite fall/autumn recipe using seasonal ingredients?  Would you like to see how it stands up to the competition?  One of the judges for the contest will be FoodieLink friend and Bravo Top Chef Andrea Beaman.  See the website for more contest details and how to enter.  We're hoping to get some great new recipes to try!


I don't really talk about it all that much, as I try not to be soapbox-y, but, especially with the food scares of the past few years, this has become an issue near and dear to my heart and stomach (and other vital organs).  First of all, seasonal eating, as I discovered when I lived overseas, just tastes better.  The quality is higher, the food fresher, and the prices much, much lower.  Does it mean I sort of overdose on asparagus in the spring or can't stand to see another batch of apples once berries start to hit?  Yes, definitely.  


On the other hand, I noticed a long time ago that I didn't seem to be hit by as many digestive issues as I'd had at one time once I started eating local products and organic items.  My body reacted better to the food that I was eating, and I really enjoyed getting to know the people from whom I buy my produce by going to the local markets.  It has also made me more adventurous in terms of recipes.  Do I stick to this 100%?  No, I'll be the first one to admit it, I do buy things that are not local, such as avocados and mangos, but I do try to stick to this philosophy most of the time.  


So, I'm excited to get to know the others in and around the area in which I live who are working with locally-sourced foods to create all kinds of wonderful eats.  It's also a chance to reach a new audience with some of my recipes and food-finds as well.  The bottom line is that we all love really great, delicious food.  Some of the best of it can be find right in my backyard (or at least up river in the Hudson Valley), and I'm glad to join a community of folks who are also exploring this foodscape to preserve our resources and make people more aware of the bounty around them.


Buon appetito!