Tacomaness

Food is an intimate connection to place.

Sometimes in the hectic craziness of this globalized, technologic, information age, we forget that we were at one time a people of our hometowns for life. Place, in this case, takes on a very different and more permanent meaning.

Many of us have journeyed from far and wide to get to where we are now and have brought with us an abundance of traditions, recipes, and pastimes descended from our parochial past. And here in the Pacific Northwest, while we may lack the palms and tropical surf, we are blessed with a long growing season and mild winter that can provide us with an abundance of vegetables at most times of the year.

For some of us, this is why we have elected to leave our families and places of childhood and for others this is the reason why we will never leave this place.

And ok, for a lot of us it may even be a bit of an inconvenience.

But still it does leave us a lot of options when it comes to supporting our small farmers in the area and buying their produce.

There are many reasons why it is a smart decision to eat locally. One of them I have experienced much of but read less about is that in choosing to eat locally we are truly experiencing the essence of a place. Cuisine is intimately bound with local climate, so when we are traveling one of the best places to go is a farmers market to get that "authentic" experience.

And for much of the world, this is simply how people shop, and there they may not be so much of an "event" type atmosphere (although for foodies and geeks like me they inherently are).

Even in Tacoma you can get a real taste for the local culture by visiting one of the three markets put on by the Tacoma Farmers Market. Each of the markets is located in the heart the neighborhood it serves, providing an intimate meeting location for the urban and rural, as well as for neighbors and friends.

Experience the freshest produce you can buy, smell the artisan bakers and hot food vendors, and peruse the locally made crafts for gifts and souvenirs. As well, listen to Tacoma bands do what they do best and watch local dance companies transform the market into not just a shopping destination, but a showcase of the community.

And the season starts this week! Our sister market at Broadway is opening this Thursday, May 20th from 8:30 am until 2:00 pm.