Uh, Yeah...

Everything is cool, everything has always been cool, there has never been any problems. Why are you shouting?

As it Begins, So Too Does It End...or does it?

Do words mean anything?

Did CFIA put a halt on wine beef?

Or does the CFIA "salute" wine beef?

Was wine beef fun while it lasted, or is wine beef a new and exciting local product?

I suppose you could always ask--or simply share your feelings.

Well, here we go. Blogging may be a small step for mankind these days. However, for me it is a gigantic leap into a world which makes me feel rather ignorant. Cooking I can do, typing and spelling and uploading and such is an entirely different matter altogether.

This summer is a summer of fun and play for me. Turning down several sous chef positions in favor of lunch cook. Something which I have never been. Going to work and then leaving *hrs later is also something that hasn't been in my life since I completed cooking school in 2001.

Why did I make this decision? Simple, freedom. I just want to spend a summer cooking. That's all. My playground is the daily lunch special. My goal, to make the lunch specials so god damn over the top that people look at the rest of the menu and realize that what they are getting actually is "special". Not that I'm knocking the food that we a serving on the menu, but I really don't want to be giving people something that was thrown together last minute in order to take some heat of the regular mise en place.

I am rather proud to be finally working for the most part with a group of men and woman that are, for the first time in my career, making everything in house. Bread, charcuterie, cheese,sauces, etc. The only thing that we aren't making is butter, and I have a feeling that that isn't far off.

We, my wife and I, moved to this valley because of it's limitless bounty of all things food. Slowly, there are more and more of us like minded individuals coming to join in. There is plenty to go around. Much like blogging is new to me, creating a food revolution is new to all of us. The revolution that we are trying to accomplish is not an easy task. We have a very seasonal window in which to operate. Our local governments are, much like all governments, not easy to convince that change is necessary. We need to push hard for things like abattoirs and other things that can truly make "local". Egos must be put on the back burners. Co-operation makes it happen. Co-operation, working together.

So with all that out of the way, lets get down to some fun and freedom.

Settle In, Because We're Going To Be Talking About This A Lot

First of all, everyone does realise there is a feed lot in the South Okanagan, right? You know, a place where they grow beef?

You also probably know that for a while, there was an abattoir in the South Okanagan as well...not to far from the feed lot. And by abattoir, I mean a place where people--anyone--who grew beef (or pork or lamb or hogget or mutton or chevon or cabrito) could have it processed and packaged.

Due to government regulations, about which much will be said in the coming posts, that slaughter facility no longer exists. The feed lot (the place where the beef is grown) is now without an abattoir (the place where the beef is harvested and packaged for consumption.) What should (and could) be an entirely functional system, providing economic opportunity to farmers and a competitive edge to the restaurant industry in the Okanagan, is now broken. I don't know for sure where the nearest slaughter facility is, but I'm pretty sure it isn't between Osoyoos and Vernon.

We'll get deeper into that as time goes on. For now, here's an article about a mobile slaughter facility.

Once you've read that, here's an article about the demand for local beef, to the tune of $8 a pound for brisket. While I think that's as much a reflection of the lunacy of what New Yorkers are willing to pay for things as it is a deep seated biological desire for artisan beef, it's probably safe to say that no matter what, the sale of local beef at the farmers market would generate a lot more income for the farmers growing it than, say, zucca melons or knitted polyester yarn pot holders. It's probably also safe to say that if the restaurant economy of the Okanagan became known for their local, sustainable, inventive beef (pork, lamb, hogget, mutton, chevon, cabrito) offerings, it might attract even more attention than it does now.

Everyone knows "in house" is the way to go. "Local" too. Besides, shouldn't we be rehearsing for when the trucks stop running?

Some questions:

1. Would you go to your local farmers market more or less often if you knew you could get artisan beef that was grown and processed in Oliver?

2. Why isn't there a co-op meat locker in the Okanagan, where meat can be hung for as long as desired?

3. Why isn't there a co-op slaughter facility in the Okanagan?

4. Would a co-op slaughter facility/meat locker be an asset or liability to the farmers and restaurant economy in the Okanagan?

5. Would a thriving artisan beef economy married to a thriving local, independent restaurant economy be an asset or liability to the economy of the greater Okanagan valley?

So many questions! And I really am asking. Let's tease this out and return functionality to the system!