Dear Vegan Blogosphere...

EAT LOCAL! Yes, I know I'm "different" and this isn't one of my usual topics because I just assume that most vegans are paying attention to the same things that the greenies are tracking - you know, carbon footprint, eating locally and such.

Sadly, it is not true. I am reading a lot of vegan blog posts lately - esp starting around Valentine's Day - that rely on produce from far, far away. Seriously folks - we do NOT eat strawberries in March in North America. They aren't in season. OK, there are a few in my garden but by the time they ripen, the slugs have already had their way with them and that's fine - just hope they are propagating the seeds for me.

Did you folks ever notice that I don't post recipes with bananas? For one thing, they just don't taste as good here in Northern California as they do in places like Mexico (or even New Orleans) where they can be picked from a tree. I just don't bother buying them because I know what tree-ripened bananas taste like and eating bananas that were picked hard and green and ripened with their own esters (or "rotted") is not the same thing at all. The farthest away I'll buy produce is from Mexico -- and that's a rare thing for me.

Now, I'm not one to issue "challenges" to blog readers but I'm starting to feel like I need to throw down the gauntlet with vegan bloggers.

Here are some resources for eating locally - and yes, this means you don't get to eat all kinds of ridiculous fruit all winter long that is not in season unless you froze or preserved it yourself. If you want to save the planet by cutting out consumption of animals - think about how you are damaging the planet by buying crap from thousands of miles away.

• 10 Reasons to Eat Local Food
• Eat Local Challenge
• Kale for Sale has lots of "eat local" info, esp eating locally during the winter
• Stay Local! (more good reasons for buying local produce & food)

PS: One more thing, vegan bloggers, if I see ANOTHER recipe for applesauce, I will scream! Seriously - there's like a ZERO difficulty level to peeling, cutting up apples and cooking them down. That's about as difficult as boiling water.

PPS: I am NOT ever writing a cookbook. Seriously. Never.