Welcome

As with many areas in the country, the Coachella Valley Slow Food scene is gaining momentum. It is exciting to see that:

Every year, participation in our local Farmers Markets is growing from farmers and attendees alike.

More restaurants are buying local and using ingredients that are seasonal to our area and some restaurants are even growing their own herbs and produce.

More schools are creating gardens to get children involved in gardening to" plant the seeds" for future generations of gardeners and food-educated people.

As I became more aware of what is, or isn't in the foods I consume, I became more interested in focusing my cooking and baking with local ingredients. I have been “green” with envy of some of the communities I have visited that provide an abundance of fresh, healthy foods and resources available to their local communities. 

These visits piqued my interest in pursuing my passion for food with what the Coachella Valley has to offer and I became interested in contributing to my community as well. Our extreme summers and shorter growing seasons make for interesting challenges of growing in this area, especially for a novice gardener like me. But I'm intrigued and want to persevere.

One way for me to commit to get involved more in what I enjoy and do it in my local community. So I thought this blog would be a way to explore and share the abundance of the Coachella Valley together.  Who knows what I will find as I explore, but we will all benefit. This is definitely a work in progress and, as we as a Slow Food community explore and grow, so, I hope, will the interest in this blog.

As part of this exploration, I will share recipes using local seasonal ingredients for seasonal cooking and baking, provide resources for buying and eating locally and make people aware of the restaurants that are supporting local farms so we, in turn, can support them.
I feel the old adage "You are what you eat" has never been more true.  

Beware, Be aware, and enjoy!

Mark