I, Gexx, cook with a Knoxville bent for a few reasons. They all tend to fall under economical/political, environmental, and culinary categories with few in exclusively one.
Economically/Politically (they really can’t be separated), I would rather my money be recycled into the local economy rather than be fed into a national conglomerate and leave the area, as a greater proportion of a dollar spent locally remains local than does a dollar spent in a large corporation. In economic times like now, I think the plan to economic stability is to focus on local economic systems. Additionally, I would rather support farmers whose main source of income is not government subsidies.
Environmentally, locally produced food travels shorter distances with fewer legs, so it has a much smaller carbon-footprint. That organic asparagus from Chile really isn’t that good for the environment. Additionally, food production methods with local foods are more transparent so I can pick environmental practices that I wish to support.
Culinarily, locally produced food is fresher! Also, local producers may provide varieties of foods to which I would not previously been exposed. And, because local producers aren’t pressured to produce under a conglomerate’s schedule, produce can be left until it is ripe.
Cooking with a focus on local production just makes sense, and this blog will hopefully show just how accessible it can be.
Gexx Cooks: Knoxville Style 