Ideal Bite

Anyone else feel like shopping for dinner is about as easy as assembling an IKEA filing cabinet blindfolded?

Step one: Remember to bring reusable bags.

Step two: Root out what's produced locally. At Whole Foods, some produce is labeled according to where it's grown, and of course at the farmers market, you can just ask...but I've realized that while I can tell you that Mumbai is on the Western coast of India, or that Iceland is north of Scandinavia and I think they raise sheep there, I frankly have no idea how far away Thermal, CA, is from SF (it's a big state) or whether the dates I want were actually grown or just packaged there.  

Step three: Balance map of CA in one hand while keeping cart with errant wheel from careening into a canned pie-filling display and excuse self past person stopped mid-aisle trying to discern between Italian parsley and cilantro while chatting on her cell...

Step four: What was I supposed to buy again?

Step five: Use mnemonic device to recall meaning of numbers on produce labels.

Sheesh. All I can say is that step six, leaving the store knowing (at least approximately) where your food came from and how it was produced, is usually worth the effort.

-Jenifer Morgan...off to drink some grapes of Napa...

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