I don’t do it because I’m pretending to be altruistic.

Famously, creativity comes from constraints. I cook creatively and emphasizing local produce is one of the best inspirations I’ve found. In the winter, the minimal selection forces me to find new uses for mundane ingredients. For example, European recipies used parsnips until potatoes were introduced from Peru in the 1500s. In the summer, a brief flood of local delicacies creates a related problem: most innovations in human food are actually preservation techniques.

I want to know what can be grown locally in each season to be more in touch with my region. I think restaurants should favour local ingredients in order to establish regional cuisines (having close contact with your suppliers also raises quality). I’m not sure I believe in terroir for vegetables, but just in case…

By sometimes selecting specialty food, I am more mindful of where all my food comes from and how it is grown. Mindful consumerism is critical when consumption constructs your identity. (Contemporary class distinction is between those who consume mindfully and those who consume economically.) By consciously choosing when I buy factory food, I elevate all my purchasing.

Buying a restricted set of food symbolizes a willingness to make sacrifices. I will change my lifestyle to save the environment, whether it means eating specific food or doing something else. I do some things to make the world a better place, but not enough.

And just because I preach against our society’s cult of authenticity doesn’t mean I’m immune to it: hopefully the cute check-out girl will notice my 100-mile heritage biodynamic shade-grown fair-trade açaí berries.