I’ve always found freshly baked bread is comfort food of the highest order. There is something reassuring about the aroma of baking bread as it fills my kitchen and floats through the rest of my home. If I make a loaf early in the morning, I can almost guarantee that it will be devoured before the end of the day (with a little help from some little mouths in my house). And because I think about these thins, I began to wonder if I could find local flour to for my bread baking. After all I can find vegetables, fruits, eggs, dairy, and honey, could I do the same for flour? As it turns out the answer is, yes.

I fell in love with Seattle the first time I visited in the summer of 1993. I was 25 and it was my first non-business trip by myself. When I plotted out my trip, I foolishly allotted an hour for exploring Pike Place Market. I ended up spending the entire day in this foodie paradise and dropped by each day for the remainder of the trip. When I returned 10 years later, I was equally charmed.

I’ve been visiting Denver since I was a little kid and I always remember fondly the friendly people, the gorgeous weather and the beautiful mountains. However, until recently I did not equate Denver with great food.

Little did I know that my not quite annual trip to Denver to see dear friends would yield some of the most interesting food I’d had all year. Their food scene is happening and sustainable, local food is front and center.

Most people visit New York City and want to see the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building or other tourist points of interest. Not me. I wanted to see what New Yorkers eat when they eat local.

Santa Fe is a soulful place for me. I’ve traveled here often since I was a kid and, upon arriving, my pulse slows down a bit and my breath deepens. It is one of the few places where I don’t feel like I have to have a plan and a busy day usually means I have a spa appointment or dinner reservations.

When I think of New York City, I think of abundance. You can find anything – any cuisine, any spice, any ingredient. It’s no surprise that you can also find a farmers market any day of the week.

When I visited New York in August, I skipped the morning session of my conference so that I could explore the crown jewel of the cities farmers markets – Union Square Greenmarket. I was there on a Friday so there weren’t quite as many vendors as a Saturday, but there were still sufficient treasures to find.

On Thursday, July 29th, Farm to Table dining takes a distinctly urban direction when Great Performances brings fresh-picked bounty to its Hudson Square back door. The renowned caterer will collaborate with neighbor City Winery to create an outdoor dining experience highlighted by local food and wines.

Hands-down, my favorite place to spend a Sunday (or any day in between) is at a farmer’s market. I love the smells, sights and energy that one can find wandering between the stands. They aren’t flashy or pretentious- just simple tables studded with seasonal bounty and old fashioned cash registers. Everyone seems to be wearing a smile, even in the cold temperatures of the winter.

Part 2 of my video interview with Steve Jenkins of Fairway Market is below. Produced and directed by Stacey Szewczyk, the second half of our interview finds Steve and I discussing the search for authenticity within the food movement, the viability of a Fairway in Williamsburg and the evolution of Brooklyn as an eating destination.

Part 1 of my video interview with Steve Jenkins of Fairway Market is below. Produced and directed by Stacy Szewczyk, this interview covers some important ground about where the food movement is, how we got here as well as the role of the grocer in today’s world.