For Andrea Bemis, eating locally is a way of life. Her and her husband own and operate an organic vegetable farm in the Pacific Northwest, and the produce they grow is at the heart of the meals they eat at their dinner table. They supplement their harvest with food produced by their neighbors. Andrea has always identified as a sustainable eater—until one day, when she opened a can of coconut milk and realized she had no idea where it came from. This propelled her to look more closely at her pantry, taking stock of the other ingredients that may have traveled some distance. Considering the energy used to transport the avocados, olive oil, and lemons to her Northern Oregon kitchen, she came up with an idea—a 30-day challenge to cook and eat only local food grown from local dirt, using ingredients produced within 200 miles of her home.
In Local Dirt, Andrea shares her journey through stories, photographs, and more than 80 recipes, re-creating a not-so-distant world when the ingredients cooked and eaten were produced within local communities. Organized by season, the delicious and creative dishes in this truly sustainable cookbook includes Fennel Gratin, Kohlrabi Yogurt Salad with Smoked Salmon, Winter Squash Toast with Honey & Hazelnuts, and Zucchini Swiss Chard & Chickpea Stew. Best of all, the recipes can be adapted to utilize any local fare. Ultimately, Andrea found that the “challenge” she set out for herself wasn’t a challenge at all, but an opportunity to go back to basics, slow down, and connect even more deeply with her community.
Andrea BemisAndrea Bemis is the writer, recipe developer, and photographer behind DishingUptheDirt.com. Her recipes and Tumbleweed Farm have been featured in print and online publications, including the New York Times, The Kitchn, Well and Good NYC, EatingWell, and Epicurious. She lives in Oregon.
Tender Loving Empire accepts all fully packaged, unused and undamaged merchandise for returns or exchanges from purchases between 11/20/23 - 12/31/23.
An itemized receipt is required for all returns and exchanges. Any returns without receipt will be subject to manager approval. All sale items are final sale.
Online Returns
For online purchases, we accept fully packaged, unused and undamaged merchandise for returns within 30 days from the date of purchase.