The cool breeze sweeping my cheeks was overdue and gladly welcomed as my car skirted the edge of a cornfield, where the corn was so tall it cast a shadow over the dusty lane on which I was sailing southbound. It was the first relief from the baking sun and steaming dampness of a long summer's day. To my right, the dying orange sun was sinking below the deep green of a shadow cast mountain, and soon a chilly August night would be falling and settling like dew over the corn, the hills, and my contented self.
The beauty that can be found in the living breathing things of Morgan County, Ohio would surely surprise even the most skeptical traveler. While hundreds of thousands of people who live East of the Mississippi in this country flock to America's most popular National Park, just a few hours away, I'd gladly stay here, soaking in small town America crowned by small Appalachian mountains and severed by a small but mighty river. The corners of this part of the country are not dotted by Starbucks, but rather anchored in the centuries old foundations of churches. The hours are not marked by electronic flashing numbers on the signs of banks, but rather the numbered ringing of bells that hang in skyward stretching steeples. Wal-Mart is at least thirty miles away in any direction, but they have almost anything you'd ever need at Miller's Hardware, where the hammered tin ceiling echoes the very beginnings of the Main Street store in 1845. You simply cannot buy or create the charm and character that defines McConnelsville, Ohio.
Living in this place where all things are local, where your hard earned dollar usually stays here in the community, it truly shocked me that many of the people I've met here do not take advantage of one of this region's greatest resources-its abundant produce and locally produced food. In places like Morgan County where the summer is annually marked by long, hot days and a humid and lengthy growing season, produce is not only abundant and fresh, but sitting right on the back porch, just steps away from the kitchen. On Friday I walked past the ten or so booths at the local Farmer's Market, surprised by the noticeable lack of customers. I know from personal experience that you don't have to go to Georgia to find the best peach you'll ever eat in your life. In fact, I ate the best peach I've ever tasted in my entire life on Friday afternoon, on a sticky, sweet drive home from an orchard in Washington County. The tomatoes here are the deepest red I've ever seen, the corn pops white and yellow, and the fact that this is a region where lima beans actually grow is in itself a virtue.
In case anyone needs more convincing evidence as to why they ought to buy fresh, local produce and other local food products, other than supporting local farms and keeping your money where your mouth is, here are a few more fun facts for you...
The longer the trip from the farm to your table, the more nutrition your produce loses. You could buy peaches grown in California at the IGA, or you could go to the Farmer's Market and buy a peach that was grown less than ten miles away. Its going to taste better, and its better for you.
The variety of foods you can find at the Farmer's Market will always out number what is sold in the grocery store. At the McConnelsville farmer's market there are at least five different varieties of tomato sold, six varieties of squash, three varieties of watermelon, and fresh vegetables like okra and lima beans which you wouldn't ever spot on the shelf at Kroger.
As far as meat products go, one of my favorite authors, Michael Pollan says, "Eat animals that have themselves eaten well." At the McConnelsville Farmer's Market, Witten Farms was selling all natural, locally raised grass-fed rib eye steaks for $6.50/lb. If you have ever lived in the big city, your jaw just hit the floor at how cheap that really is. Buying local, natural, grass-fed meat ensures that you're getting the best nutrients from the meat, without the anti-biotics and chemical food additives that you yourself end up ingesting.
The last thing I want to add, and this is important for so many people, you CAN use your food stamps at the farmer's market. Look for the tent at the end of the market where you can exchange them for a certificate you can use like cash.
It is early August, and that means it is probably the most plentiful part of the growing season in that there is so much variety in what is available now. For my Morgan County folks, and my dears in Cleveland, here's a recipe for you from your Italian-American, city-fied import. You can buy every vegetable you need for this recipe at the Farmer's Market, and I have to tell you that if you make this and shop at the grocery store, my heart will probably be broken. Please seek out and take advantage of local foods: they're not expensive, they're abundant, and they're not only good for your body, but good for your community. Enjoy.
Eggplant Caponata
Serve warm or cold, with toasted bread slices (whole grain, of course)
2 medium eggplants, cut lengthwise into 1/2 inch slices
1 TBSP olive oil, plus extra for brushing
1 small onion, chopped
1 medium red, yellow or orange bell pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
5 roma tomatoes, peeled and seeded
1/4 cup green olives, chopped
1 TBSP drained capers (optional)
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1. Preheat the broiler to high heat. Brush the eggplant slices with the extra olive oil. On a large baking sheet, broil the eggplant slices until they are tender and slightly charred, about 5 minutes per side. Set aside to cool.
2. In a large skillet, heat 1 TBSP olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for thirty seconds. Add the tomatoes, olives and capers. Cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up the tomatoes with a spoon until everything is tender and warmed, about 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, roughly chop the eggplant. Add the eggplant to the tomato mixture and cook, stirring occasionally to heat through, about 1 minute. Stir in the vinegar and sugar and cook, stirring occasionally until the liquid has evaporated and the mixture is thick. Remove from the heat and stir in the red pepper flakes and basil.
Serve warm or chill.
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