Welcome to Austin Farm to Table

I love to cook. I am happiest in the kitchen - chopping, sauteing, braising - you name it. It makes me hum with joy and I don't want to stop. I also love to go to the farmer's market. One of my favorite parts of each week is wandering through the stalls at the market trying to figure out what I might cook. It is truly one of the highlights of my week.

Recently, I had noticed that I wasn't cooking as much as I'd used to and I was skipping the farmer's market. I now have a very small kitchen and I travel on average 2-3 days each week for work. But, despite having a busy schedule, I really missed cooking and the market.

For the last two years, I've compiled recipes for my friends and family for their Christmas present. This year, I decided that I needed to push myself a little bit and get cooking and the market back in to my routine. So, here's the challenge and the purpose for the blog: For a year, I will shop at one of the Austin area farmer's market each week and create/find recipes to highlight what's fresh and local. I will try as much as possible for the main ingredients to come from the market.

I started going to the farmer's market because I have become more aware of what I'm eating and where it comes from. My friend Mel called me a local-vore and I really liked that idea. I try as much as possible to buy local and I'm aware of it when I don't. Admittedly, I love bananas, avocados and lots of other things that I can't get at the farmer's market, but I'm trying to minimize those and buy more local, seasonal and fresh. Not perfect, but trying. At least I'm thinking about where it came from and whether it's worth that "cost" to buy it.

I usually frequent the Downtown Austin Farmer's Market on Saturdays. If I'm in town on Wednesdays (I'm usually traveling for work), I also like to go to the market at the Triangle in the evening. In the interest of research, I will venture to some other markets as well, like Sunset Valley and the Manor Farmer's Market. If you know of another local market, please share so I can have new places to explore.

I hope the blog inspires you to try some new things, come to the farmer's market and enjoy the beautiful food of Austin.