FOLLOW ME FOODIE: What is the definition of ‘local’?
Do Vancouver diners care what a restaurant’s definition of ‘local’ is? What role does exporting play in the security of BC farmers? Mijune Pak explains…
Updated: July 26, 2013 1:35 PM
Where is the bacon from? Gelderman Farms in Abbotsford. And the beef? AAA from Alberta. How about the cheese? Les Fromagiers de la Table Ronde in Quebec. The lobster? Nova Scotia.
We are “farm to table”. We are “local”. We are Canadian… local. Huh?
Everyone is jumping on the “eat local” bandwagon, but at the same time many do not even know what it really is. “Local” is being tossed around and marketed to the point of losing authenticity. It is sad that the definition of “eat local” has been stripped away and it is often followed by “as local as possible” or “mostly local”. It gives us that bit of room to source East Coast oysters, French cheeses, use Asian ingredients, or serve Alberta beef without diners making a fuss.
There is nothing governing the marketing of a menu, but at last there is a formal definition of “local”.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is adopting an interim policy which defines “local” as:
- food produced in the province or territory in which it is sold, or
- food sold across provincial borders within 50 km of the originating province or territory
It is not the greatest definition, considering the various sizes of every province and territory, but it is a start.
On the other hand, do diners really care? Some do, for sure, but does it prevent them from eating it?
I am very proud of our local products and will promote our farmers and growers who do a good job, but will I eat maple syrup from Quebec? Or strawberries in the winter? Read the full article.
See more Follow Me Foodie stories from Mijune in the WE Vancouver:
- FOLLOW ME FOODIE: The “Forget-Me-Nots” of Vancouver’s restaurant scene
- FOLLOW ME FOODIE: Wild BC spot prawn season begins
- FOLLOW ME FOODIE: The best thing I ever ate…
- FOLLOW ME FOODIE: Gentrification and Vancouver’s DTES
- FOLLOW ME FOODIE: Cooking up a career
- FOLLOW ME FOODIE: Father’s Day for Vancouver foodies
- FOLLOW ME FOODIE: Sushi 101: Part 2 – Try the nigiri
- FOLLOW ME FOODIE: Sushi 101: Part 2 – How to use comdiments
- FOLLOW ME FOODIE: Sushi 101: Part 3 – How to eat it
- FOLLOW ME FOODIE: Vancouver Food Cart Fest
- FOLLOW ME FOODIE: Vancouver’s High on Pie
Hey Mijune, a friend shared this article on Facebook a while back. It’s an interesting read regarding food miles, eating local and sustainability. It takes a point of view that certain products may be more sustainable based on where items were grown and raised.
http://m.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2013/may/26/worrying-about-food-miles-missing-point
Yea! for local. It’s a concept that extends beyond food. We buy almost everything we can from local food producers, artisans, manufactureres, credit unions…..etc. Supporting small producers, retailers, service industries is so important to a neighbourhood’s sense of uniqueness and community. I love seeing so many farmer’s markets in our province… and so many people frequenting and supporting them. At the White Rock farmer’s market today we found a producer who has started to grow heritage mini apricots which were amazingly flavourful. As the demand for local, ethically produced food is increased, more and more we are seeing a return to the roots of food production leading to a more sustainable and healthy lifestyle and community.
(PS… I don’t find buying from smaller retailers to be much more expensive than the larger stores….especially since the quality and service are usually superior. And who wants to live in a community of big box stores and standardized service? Boring!).
I can’t agree with you more. They are throwing local around in the same manner they tossed (and still do) the word organic.
I think Jayda nailed it from all angles !
To me, the whole “locavore” concept can be visualized, for lack of a better imagery, by way of a futuristic biodome. So imagine if the “local” economy (whether it’s food, commerce, etc) of a town/city is fully encapsulated in a dome or bubble:
http://www.memories-restored.net/FutureCity/KKofoed-NewCityLG72.jpg
Of course while that’s not entirely possible in today’s global economy. But it’s a direction the locavore proponents (along with other disciplines in urban planning, environmental/ecological preservation, social sciences, public health/epidemiology) have come to recognize, appreciate and advocate for much more in recent years.
LotusRapper is very wise. I like the concept of the community as a biodome….. a healthy community should be, for the most part, self-sufficient. I wish we had more urban planners, politicians, residents…. who thought this way.
Time to run for office LR!
Haha Jayda 😀