Buy Fresh, Buy Local, Buy Small

In the culinary world we are always on the hunt for the freshest and most local produce, because it has the freshest taste and is denser in nutrients. The Cape and surrounding areas are no different, as natives to the area we are often more apt to prefer the flavors of the products that are grown in our area; for example apples that we get from the grocery store in the summer are not as good as the ones that we get from the orchard in the fall. The reason has to with the way we receive food in the United States, it is picked before ripeness and ripened while shipping; this degrades the flavor and nutrients.

I am always looking for the best seafood, one of the cooler things that has come from the current situation is the ability to get fresh fish and seafood from the docks. This was not a legal option before April. Now I love to head to Rock Harbor and get some scallops, or local caught fish. Go to the Cape Cod Shellfish company in Chatham and get the freshest and most decadent tasting oysters and clams. You can often find me at Farmer’s Markets, I love the Orleans Farmer’s market on Saturday, the Osterville Farmer’s Market on Thursday Mornings, and the Brewster Historical Farmer’s market new curbside baskets on Wednesday. When I need something in the in between, I am often found using Cape Disabilities in Dennis, CBI Farms in Brewster, or any farm stand that I drive buy and see an amazing looking produce. So much so, I need a bumper sticker that says, “I break for fresh produce.”

The Cape and surrounding areas even have fresh, poultry, beef, pork, lamb, duck, honey, and salami. Pleasant Lake farms has a finocetta salami that is so good I dream about it. They also sell pork, beef and produce. Hillside Poultry in Truro raises humane chicken and you can taste the difference. Bee Well in Sagamore is one of the many honey farmers on the Cape and local honey is truly the cure all for what ails you, if you have a little local honey all year it will help with your allergies, and honey has proven antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.

If you can thing of a product, you will most likely find someone who sells it locally, lavender, Sea Salt, coffee, environmentally no plastic products, clothes, furniture, art, appliances. We have Wineries, Breweries, Distilleries. The Cape is a great environment for small, local, environmental, and family run businesses.

I love fresh, local and small business products, because the benefit is not only to taste buds, and healthy for my body, it also enriches my community and introduces me to the people who live and work here. The more I wrote this article the more I realized how many people I knew in my community; I could name someone who sold something in each category and had a hard time picking just a few to tell you about. Go explore the abundance our community has to offer, tell them Chef Brandi sent you, and send me pictures of your favorite finds.

Enjoy,

Chef Brandi