Food: Edible Austin's "Eat Local Week" Kicks Off December 4

The "organic" craze has been around long enough that every industrial food producer in America has figured out a way to call its products organic, or at least put them in a box with a green logo and pass them off as "natural." On the flip side of the coin, the "local food" movement has been gaining momentum among environmentalists who argue that seasonal, locally produced food is even more beneficial than organic. It's also a lot harder to fake.

Austin is fortunate to have an abundance of local farmers, ranchers, growers and other food producers who provide sustainable, healthful options for our community and help beef up the local economy. To celebrate our bounty and to educate Austinites about where our food comes from, Edible Austin presents Eat Local Week from December 4 - 11.

Eat Local Week is a fundraiser for Urban Roots, a youth development program that teaches young people sustainable farming and business skills, as well as how to maintain a healthy diet. But it's also an excuse to get out and eat some really great food.

Dozens of Austin restaurants from Blue Dahlia Bistro to Uchi will offer dishes featuring local ingredients during the upcoming week -- go here for the full list.

The Eat Local Week calendar is also packed full of events with something for everyone -- bicyclists, coffee lovers, chocoholics, cocktail aficionados, arty types, beer drinkers and your everyday food nerd. The week officially kicks off Saturday morning, December 4 at the Sustainable Food Center Farmer's Market downtown at 10am with a 24-carrot salute. Spend the rest of the day on the family-friendly Urban Farm Bicycle Tour visiting farms and gardens around town and sampling chef-prepared goodies.

No self-respecting food nerd would miss one of Eat Local Week's final events, An Evening with Michael Pollan next Friday, December 10 at Bass Concert Hall. When it comes to the world of sustainable food, bestselling author, journalist and food activist Michael Pollan is the big cheese. His books The Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food as well as his simple mantra "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." have had a profound influence on the national dialogue about what we eat.

Of course there's lots of good stuff sandwiched in between. Check out the rest of the week's incredibly tasty events here.

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