I’m in the middle of downloading the approximately 1400 photos that I took in Italy - thank goodness for digital, I can’t imagine what it would cost me to process that much 35mm film… I don’t have a specific meal to report, but suffice it to say that we ate some of the most fabulous in season pastas, fruits and meats that I’ve had in a long time. Oranges with the leaves still on the stem, fish caught that morning, tomatoes fresh off the vine and pasta made with local chestnut flour.

It was an amazing culinary journey. Of course we also saw beautiful countryside, historic chapels and cathedrals, medieval alleys and rugged coastlines. But what really struck me was the food and the wine. And more on that later.

Now for a look at what everyone else has been cooking up around here for the challenge.

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The West

 Anita (Married with Dinner) explored the locavore dining scene in San Francisco with specific reviews of three options and links to many more. In addition to two dinners out, they managed three dinners at home including pan chicken with mushroom sauce, steak and potatoes and pasta. Can I come eat at your house Anita?

Taking flattery to the highest level, Donna (Chocolate Crayons & More) copied Kim’s week 1 menu of burgers and fries. It all sounds so good that I may have to follow suit and make my own version next week. Her adorable son Andrew made his own local meal to share with the family. 

Eating local sounds like a great idea, but how can the average American family possibly make it work? Katherine (Dirt to Dish) explores these questions and more, along with inviting comments on your key challenges and ideas.

Laura (Hello, Sunshine) had a busy week, but local meals included squash, zucchini, apples, pears and more. She also mentions that she feels better when she’s eating mostly fresh local ingredients, and that the connection between food and health becomes even more obvious when she’s eating out more - good point, Laura.

Honey baked lentils with a side of tutsoi were a delicious local meal for Ellen (Daily Grind) and her family. She also found a source for local popcorn kernels during a visit to the pumpkin patch. Now she’s battling the flu - hope you feel better soon, Ellen!

Melinda (Elements in Time) continues to impress me with her commitment to home grown foods. Her photos from this week are amazing, as are the details of where the food is coming from and the sheer variety of things they’ve been growing. Although Melinda, if you get yourself a couple of backyard hens, you can add fresh eggs to your 0 mile ingredients. They’re funny, friendly and pay they’re rent in eggy goodness…

With a busy week, Halloween and a new magazine to devour, Katrina (Kale for Sale) counted a simple potato dinner as her local meal of the week. As a die hard potato lover, I see absolutely nothing wrong with that. She also posted a reminder to contact your state representatives about the still not so impressive farm bill before it comes up for vote - thanks Katrina, I sent off another round of emails this morning.

Sarah (Skagit Foodshed) inspires me with her lunches and dinners full of local ingredients and links to their sources. I think I just found 3 or 4 new sources that I wasn’t aware of before - so glad that she’s so close by. And for the record, I’m pretty sure that your Kirkland ham isn’t the worst thing ever - after all, you put it to such good use that it went further than they ever expected.

Thanks to her husband and son’s fishing adventure, Jennye’s (Wool Fairy) fish stew is a SoCal feature. And the beautiful handmade bowls? So jealous. Sorry to hear about the tomatoes. I had to throw out a jar of apples just before I left because I kept hearing this metallic ping every five minutes or so - turns out it was the jar lid popping…

Marcia in Wyoming made Grilled Chicken Pizza, noting that it has become a ”staple” in their household. Toppings include - homegrown/homemade pesto, homegrown red onions, re-hydrated dried homegrown green peppers, solar dried homegrown tomatoes, homegrown grilled chicken breast,  mozzarella and Parmesan cheese (darn - not homegrown).  She tried a new crust this time using mostly home-ground wheat. She used her new grain mill attachment for the Kitchenaid mixer and bought some Prairie Gold hard white winter wheat from Wheat Montana - at Walmart of all places!  She’s also planning to grind corn from the “excess” sweet corn she dried.

*****

The Middle:

Chessa (Maybe Local) made portabello stroganoff with a side of roasted roots. And doesn’t it look divine? The week also included ratatouille and apple crisp. Glad to hear that the end of your CSA hasn’t created too much of a crisis.

With brunch, fresh pasta with marinara, roasted chicken breasts, chicken and noodles, cottage ham and butternut squash soup, Anne (Green Leanings) had a busy week of eating local! I look forward to hearing what squash soup version you like best - I’m partial to my recipe for curried butternut myself. And yes, the broccoli worms are creepy!

It’s one of the biggest carrots I’ve ever seen, and yellow to boot! Farm Mom (Children in the Corn) cleaned out the last of her garden and made an amazing veggie stew using the carrots and the last of the summer squashes. She added skillet corn bread on the side to round it out.

Penny (Penelopedia) made Butternut Tostadas for her meal this week. They sound, and look, amazing. Definitely something to try if you’re hoarding squash in every spare corner right now…

Culinary students - they just make me jealous because they’re meals are so much prettier than mine (and I’m sure better tasting!). Daniela (Culinary Student) made an impressive Roasted Tomato and Eggplant Soup this week using all ingredients from the local Farmer’s Market. With the start of her weekly produce delivery, she’s looking forward to making “real” meals in the coming weeks. I’m looking forward to more drooling.

Taco potatoes with a side of steamed broccoli brought a smile to Valeree’s (Cincinnati Locavore) face this week. It was apparently so good that it disappeared before the camera could be found.

*****

The East:

Though she’s out of onions, Kim (Yankee Food) isn’t panicking yet. She’s got plans for finding more on her trip to Concord this week. She’s found a local source for brick oven bread, and put her first loaf to good use. Her raisin bread french toast sounds so good that I’m trying to figure out if there’s a morning I can make it this week!

Caroline (A Rowhouse Kitchen) shared her local meal with friends this week. Their menu included roast chicken, beets, acorn squash and local cupcakes. The friendship that started with a common interest in local foods, continues to grow. She also froze pumpkin, making me certain that I need to get on this so we can have pumpkin pie for turkey day!

Christy (Farm Dreams) made pork and fiesta cabbage en escabeche wraps for her meal this week, they look delicious. She also shared her thoughts on the summer and fall CSA that they participated in.

While his plans for a fall menu of spit roasted chicken were thwarted, Ed (The Slow Cook) found everything he needed for a final summer menu. Roasted poussin, sweet potato salad, fresh okra… the sweet tastes of summer somehow visiting him in October. May every fall meal be so sweet. Also be sure to check out his stories of Butternut Squash Soup and homemade ketchup.

With the morning darkness upon her, Sarah (Cucina Bella) joins the challenge with two local meals this week. A quesadilla with caprese salad for dinner and a breakfast of scrambled eggs, local sausage and toast. Welcome Sarah!

With two whole days to spare, Wendy (Happily Home) made a 100% Maine meal of broccoli quiche, potato latkes and applesauce. She also made bread the day before, and comments that the Maine flour she used is probably from farther away than the Vermont flour that she usually uses. As she notes, sometimes it’s about regional local, not artificial border local.

Danielle (Touch the Earth Farm) had another crazy week, but even so managed to make an almost 0 miles dinner of spinach and herb frittata and salad. She also made mini pumpkin muffins (with her own pumpkins) and deviled eggs for a home school group Halloween Harvest Farm Day. She even managed to find time to make green tomato salsa, pickles and chutney with the last of her tomatoes.

Steak and hookers - now that’s a menu that grabs your attention. Nicole (Farm to Philly) discovered Hakurei turnips during her CSA shift this week and decided to try them out. She enjoyed her new discovery (reportedly quite good) with a rare steak and sauteed mushrooms.

After finally finding a local source of flour, Jasmine (40 Shades of Green) made a butternut squash and camelized onion galette this week. Not only does it sound good, it looks fantastic - I can certainly understand why it was hard to wait for it to cool.