Thursday, June 28, 2007

Drink Locally

Saturday is my favorite day. Not only because it's the weekend, but also because it's Farmers Market Day—where chatting with the growers who hand-picked the berries I buy is almost as sweet as the fruit itself. The economic and environmental benefits of eating locally from family-run farms are endless, but have you ever given much thought to whether you're drinking locally?

My husband Ben and I recently made a day of imbibing in Hood River, 65 miles outside of Portland. We started at a picturesque winery, then enjoyed some local brews (made with locally grown hops), then stopped by a cozy neighborhood coffee shop for a latte made from coffee roasted in Portland. (Unless you live in a coffee-growing region, coffee travels a long way to our cups, but small roasters and retailers are big on paying fair prices that offer opportunity to coffee growers around the world.)

Chances are, wherever you live, you're within an hour of a brewer, winery, distiller or coffee roaster who'd love to share their stories and drinks with you. Get out there and see what's in your neck of the woods—it's a great way to discover and support local food and drink artisans. Then share your favorite locally-inspired sips & stories! — Siobhan Crosby
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4 comments:

  1. Anonymous6/30/2007 9:34 AM

    Thanks for mentioning Dog River. It's one of my favorite places to stop when I go through Hood River.

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  2. Shoshanna7/02/2007 5:30 PM

    Drinking locally builds community, too. When you frequent cafes and bars near your house, you end up meeting other people who live in your neighborhood, who don't feel like trekking across town to get a latte/make the scene. It's like visiting the village tavern in the "Old Country" or something.

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  3. Anonymous7/16/2007 8:04 AM

    I love this idea! Perhaps we will need to start thinking about the Good Food and Drink Movement rather then just the Good Food Movement. We're currently planning for Farm Aid 2007: A HOMEGROWN Festival this year in New York City and are considering various local drinks, including NYC tap water, NY wines and brews, and of course, organic milk, alongside all family-farmed food.
    -- Jeni Cram, Farm Aid

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  4. lwilly7/16/2007 2:03 PM

    Thanks for your mention of Cathedral Ridge Winery, it is a lovely spot with amazing wines (voted Oregon Winery of the Year by WinePress NW). Would also like to invite you to take a look at our new blog Barrel Room Buzz

    Would you or anyone at Imbibe be interested in doing a taste test with us? We are getting ready to launch some new reds and would love to ship a couple bottles and get your very honest, uncensored opinion to post on our new blog.

    (Excited to hear our friends in Portland consider Hood River local community;)

    Thanks!
    Lisa Williams (on behalf of Cathedral Ridge Winery)
    lisa@mediafortemarketing.com

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