It starts like a French grammar lesson: Les Exceptions.

For the month of August 2012 I will endeavour to eat a 100% local diet. After much research I have managed to find everything I need within a 200km radius of my house. I use the term ‘everything’ loosely as I am immediately brought back to grade 5 French grammar class when the teacher plainly told us that all verbs fit into categories and follow their respective rules.  Except when they don’t.

So in the spirit of growing up in the 613, let me restart.

I will be eating a 100% local diet. Except when I don’t. 

The chief offenders

Alcohol- I’m not in rehab. It is my belief that the entire success of this project hinges on me consuming enough liquid courage to put my cheeky thoughts out there for you to read. I will keep it to Ontario wines with the occasional locally brewed beer. 

Coffee- Did I mention I get up at 4:30 am for work? There actually is a coffee tree, the Kentucky coffee tree that is native, albeit rare, to Ontario that grows in the 613. My dad actually ‘has 2 planted at home’ he says beaming with pride.  However, Dad’s copy of “Trees of Ontario” by Linda Kershaw also says that if the beans are not roasted perfectly the coffee is toxic. Kershaw states that cattle get sick from raw beans contaminating the water. Soooo I’ll be getting my beans from a local roastery. To anyone who wants to make some truly local coffee- my dad is your guy.

I also have some sea salt a friend brought me from France. My justification here is that it was local when she bought it and she was travelling the distance anyways. Ditto for an herb seasoning mix grown in southern Ontario by the relatives of a close friend of mine. The story goes - they were visiting her in Sudbury, gave her lots of seasoning mix and she shared the wealth.

Day 1

No honey or sugar for my morning coffee- a realization that hits me like a brick wall. I still managed to have a delicious omelette with onions and hot peppers from my hosts garden and Sudbury local garlic and eggs. Then it was a long construction delayed drive home to Ottawa. I had some veggies to snack on but ended up back in Ottawa behind schedule without enough time to make a proper meal. I was reduced to eating raw corn at my ultimate frisbee game just to keep up my energy.  Not all was lost though because I had my Ontario wine night cap and sweet dreams of tomorrows meals.