Do You Know Where Your Food Comes From?
Is It Locally Grown?

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There’s a lot of chatter in the news about buying from local farmers. This is a growing national trend among consumers who want to know the origin of the food they eat and feed their families. And now hotels, restaurants and produce markets are purchasing from local sources. The Orlando Business Journal ran an article about this trend where hotels and restaurants are buying Florida grown products such as tomatoes, herbs, greens, and chicken. The Orlando Renaissance Resort at Sea World is a leader with this trend.

I had the opportunity to interview Executive Chef Steven Haughie on my Internet Show ( http://580wdbo.com/healthcenter/ ). A graduate of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, Chef Haughie has been featured in Spa Finders Magazine and In Style magazine as one of three leading Spa Chefs in the Nation. He is currently the Executive Chef for the Orlando Renaissance Resort at Sea World.

Chef Haughie started buying locally grown products for his restaurants over a year ago because he could get the best products of the season from local farmers. Buying locally is good for the environment as well as keeps costs down because you’re not paying as much for transportation. He also sees buying locally grown food as a way to support both local farmers and the local economy. Plus you may have a chance to meet the farmer and know more about how the food is grown in terms of the chemicals used.

Chef Haughie shared one of his most popular recipes, Living Organic Gazpacho, which uses Florida tomatoes. You can find the recipe on the WDBO website at http://580wdbo.com/healthcenter/recipes.html and make it at home.