Taking pride in what's local

YOU have probably heard it all before. What a contrast there is between a typical English meal, eaten in front of the TV, and the continent where they sit down to traditional family meals at a table.

In this country children - and too often adults - eat textureless reformed chicken or bought-in frozen pizza, flabby oven chips and beans. Our continental neighbours, meanwhile, eat freshly-prepared meals, balanced in content, the ingredients bought fresh from the market and prepared to traditional regional recipes.

The truth is, thankfully, a little more complex. Italians and other Europeans do eat fast food, and equally we as a nation do not exclusively eat microwave meals in front of the TV. However, we are too happy to let the increase of mass-produced processed food pass unnoticed.

In 1989 the Italians, horrified when a branch of McDonalds opened at the bottom of the Spanish Steps in Rome, formed the Slow Food movement to protect traditional and specialist producers, and promote a style of consumption which values the old ways. Traditionally, this sort of thing has never been a subject of public concern in Britain.

Are we ready to change and take pride in local production or traditional recipes? Public opinion now seems to favour using more local produce and supporting local farmers. With the backing of organisations such as the Evening Press, perhaps the tide is about to turn.

Unfortunately there is a gap between what people say they want and what they do. Most products that claim to be local, specialist, traditional, organic, or quality are in fact more expensive than the basic alternatives and most shoppers and restaurant-goers still choose on price.

Not surprisingly, most shops and restaurants offer the product the customer will buy. At best you will find that restaurants like my own, Melton's, as well as the better supermarkets will draw attention to the local produce they sell, but without a more substantial uptake there is little else we can do.

Supermarkets should and could do more to offer a local food option. They have now largely redefined how food is distributed in this country. Without a serious rethink the public, and caterers, will continue to have problems buying local produce.

While the supermarkets continue to procrastinate, what options do we have?

You can visit farm shops, but for most of us this sort of activity is more a form of recreation rather than a way to feed ourselves every day.

One of the best developments in recent years has been the farmers' market. I believe farmers now need to take advantage of public interest - and post-foot and mouth sympathy - and set up markets in the heart of our major cities, or at out-of-town shopping centres. It may be simpler to stay at agricultural shows and the like or in market towns - but this is simply not where the customers are to be found.

The position in York is particularly worrying. The existing Newgate market, which also sells local produce, seems to be a declining institution. However, it is not clear that City Of York Council is developing or enhancing York's markets as a priority.

York also has a range of temporary markets visiting Parliament Street, of which farmers' markets are just one example. Often, quite correctly, they are seen as a part of York's tourism product.

But farmers' markets, as well as Newgate market, should be part of a public service delivered for and promoted to local shoppers.

Stall-holders often complain that they give away copious free samples but do not make many sales, which suggests to me that the right audience is not getting to them. When on holiday abroad I love to visit markets. They make a great tourist attraction, but also sell their goods to the local population. We seem to have missed that point in York.

If farmers' markets are to appeal to York shoppers, they should be held at a time when everyone knows they will be on. The obvious solution would be to hold a farmers' market on the first Tuesday of every month - or some similar arrangement. Why not use the big notice board at the end of 'Splash Palace' to tell shoppers when the next one is coming? Such simple steps are what York needs to take, nothing more.

At a regional level, matters are looking up for local food. The Government's regional development agency Yorkshire Forward is committed to promoting Yorkshire's food economy, and is working with bodies such as Yorkshire Pantry to enhance co-operation between different players in the food industry. I am working with the York Festival of Food and Drink to try and reflect these developments next September.

Perhaps the Continental view of food has now reached the area - the Slow Food movement certainly has, as there is a new branch for York and North Yorkshire. If you are passionate about local food, this is an organisation you can join.

Of course, the most local of local foods is that we grow ourselves. And if you don't have a garden, how about an allotment? There are lots of vacant sites. Oddly perhaps, growing your own has a fringe benefit to farm shops and farmers' markets. You will rapidly gain an understanding of why the sort of year-round availability of supply we expect from supermarkets is so artificial.

With that understanding we may just start to remember why the best strawberries are the local ones in June and why you might be better off eating Yorkshire rhubarb in March.

Michael Hjort's tips for eating local food:

- Buy local products when you can

- Join Slow Food call 01653 629029

- If you live in York lobby your councillors to improve the market.

- Grow your own and perhaps take an allotment

- Lastly if you are part of the farming community, remember that the public does want to buy more of your produce, but you need to sell it closer to where they live and shop

Updated: 11:14 Wednesday, November 20, 2002