 August 25th, 2010
02:30 PM ET
Every so often, we're highlighting a local or regional blogger we think you ought to know about. We can’t be everywhere at once, so we look to these passionate eaters, cooks and writers to keep us tapped into every facet of the food world. Consider this a way to get to know a blog’s taste buds, because, well, you should. Meet today's featured blogger and blog: Someone once described what I do on Let There Be Bite as “your own personal expert shopper.” That’s partly true: I can help you pick out a bottle of olive oil when you’re staring at 20 of them on a store shelf; I can tell you why you want to eat fresh tomatoes in summer and canned tomatoes in winter, buy pasta that has been slow-dried at low temperatures and why sea salt is better than table salt. I can also point you toward small-scale vendors who are doing everything right, and whose products meet the LTBB criteria for high quality (because, believe me, truth in labeling is questionable). I have visited warehouses where these hard-working folks are stocking shelves with great food and barely eking out a profit. But they do it for the same reason I do: they’re excited about what they’ve discovered and they want to share it. I also launched Let There Be Bite for another reason - which may not be as “sexy” as artisanal food products and their romantic back stories-and that is the health crisis that is descending upon us. This is partially thanks to the cheap and often unhealthy food that we have decided not only to accept as normal but in fact claim as our right. People buy a BMW or an expensive handbag but want a bargain on the food that goes in their children’s mouths? I understand we’re watching every penny these days, and I’m not advocating spending five dollars on heirloom beans at the market, but even a brand of potato chips can have better ingredients than another. The most basic thing you can do is to start reading labels, and throw back the ones with the ingredients you can’t pronounce. That said, I certainly don’t want you to think I’m not having any fun on Let There Be Bite! I’m visiting great restaurants, attending farm dinners, and traveling to fun spots like New York City, Italy, Napa, and - coming up this week - Portland and Oregon wine country (I heart Pinot Noir). I also encourage people to get in that kitchen and get dirty! Many of our parents didn’t teach us the culinary basics (*hand raise*), but that doesn’t mean we have to survive on onion rings and turkey wraps alone. Maybe it was living in Italy for three years and learning to cook there, but it started to make a lot of sense to me that food should be made from good, fresh ingredients that - I promise - don’t need that much preparation or “culinary skill” to be impressive. It can be as simple as putting good extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, and a little lemon on a summer tomato and tearing some fresh basil into it. In short, if you’re starting with good ingredients, you’re halfway there in terms of a good meal. Food can be serious and food can be fun, but one thing’s for sure: life is too short for it to be bad! I hope you’ll come along for the ride on Let There Be Bite: learn a little, laugh a little, and hopefully cook a lot more. Cheers! Do you read a local blog that you'd like to see featured? Send 'em our way for a chance in the spotlight. |
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I agree with JCDWEBFFFK, it seems that her friends are the only people who post comments.
If you have been living in a box for the past decade, this is a great website. Jane will provide you with oodles and oodles of information that has been out there and available for years. She does a great job of taking information from other websites, current news reports, the new york times and copying it onto her own site, which is great because I don't have time to do research on my own. Additionally, Jane does a great job of hitting topics in the news that have been beaten to death. HFCS, Michael Pollan, etc. If you are fat and lazy, Jane's site is great.
Jane is a true renaissance woman. She organized a food writers group a few months back in San Diego and shared her passion for food. Looking forward to contributing her wealth of information to others. Stacy Poynter @ herbalgourmet.wordpress.com
The previous comments say it all...LTBB is a great source of good info on buying, preparing and eating well.
Been a follower of LTBB since it's inception and have nothing but good things to say about Jane and her website.
Chip
Very helpful website, the info is excellent, lets hope for more of the same as often as possible.
Congratulations Jane !
I am so happy that someone nowadays has the courage to speak the truth about food. Thank you LTBB for being a sane voice in an insane country bent on destroying themselves through fast-food meals and other dangers. I know I can trust LTBB to provide valuable information that is unique. My family loves LTBB too as the advice and recipes are transferred on to them! Thank you for all that you do!
LTBB is a wonderful resource for those of us who love a tasty, healthy meal, but don't necessarily have oodles of free hours to log in behind the stove. Fresh, fast, easy and delicious recipes that are timeless and true. No gimmicks here!! Thanks Jane for making the rest of us look good in the kitchen!
I run a cooking school in Sicily and startered following her blog to understand more about my guests' food culture and what ingredients they have access to at home. I came across LTBB after finding out that one of my guests had never seen an orange juicer as she only ever bought ready pressed juice. So thanks a lot Jane from Sicily too and for teaching everyone that eating fresh food does not require effort or too much money.
I agree that ingredient is very important and surely the products on LTBB are very special selection.
I experienced once the strawberry from one of her special food stores; I had never tasted that delicious strawberry before...I strongly recommend you to follow (my favorite) colorful LTBB...
Thanks for all your sharing Jane!!!
I like the colorful pictures :) Mangia Mangia
The world needs more people like Jane...those who care about not only the food that goes into our mouths, but the way all our food is produced. Where it came from and how we got it is just as important as why we need the good stuff. Keep it up Jane!
The recipes that Jane provides on LTBB are fantastic! They show me how to use simple, in-season ingredients to make absolutely delicious meals! It's great for a quick snack for myself or for a dinner party to impress friends. All that with a sense of humor...couldn't ask for more!
I'm a huge fan of LTBB. There are great instructions about the ingredients, as well as many wonderful recipes! Every time I make dishes from her receipes, people ask me about my cooking secrets. Thank you, Jane!
I'm Jane's mother. I always thought her interest in food was because I took too long staring at the cupboards in the morning, and she quickly determined she would be late for school if she didn't take charge of the situation. That interest has evolved into a passion and a website. While I no longer attempt recipes that call for me "to fold" something in or turn the page, LTBB has become an invaluable resource to help me buy good and simple and clean food products. Thanks, Jane. And yes, she is really cute.
Ha! I just knew there had to be someone else out there like me! Congrats Jane! Great website, great concept. There is a need for this information- I have attempted to shop the perimeter of the grocery stores (even organic, oy!) but find myself at a loss as to what to do with the mound of produce littering my kitchen. I suspect that I am not alone.
Thanks for the kind words, everyone!
In celebration, Let There Be Bite is offering FREE SHIPPING for FOUR DAYS ONLY on all Gustiamo products!
Details here: http://lettherebebite.com/in-the-news/
Happy eating! - Jane
Proof of the power of internet socializing. Thanks, Jane!
I love this woman's culinary tips. She has genuine passion and love for what she does. Pay attention folks, Let There Be Bite is the real deal. Keep it up Jane!
I have used Let There Be Bite several times since I heard about it from a friend. As a single guy who tries to maintain a somewhat healthy diet, this site is awesome. Without it, I think I'd still be standing slack-jawed in the produce section of my local market. I also forwarded it to some women in my office who were impressed. LTTB is pretty cool. Thanks Jane! Nice pic – she's kinda hot .
Their "In-Store Guide" is an excellent resource for us the "untrained grocery shoppers" (yes you, the 95% of people). I just spent an hour going through it and loved it. I also suscribed to their RSS Feed in my blog reader – food is suddenly fun... and my wife will love me for this!
Does she not love you yet? X) Yeah, my girlfriend will need to hear about this site. She's a pretty good cook.
I have used this site many times... it's extremely helpful when shopping for the right ingredient. I didn't have a clue of how to pick the right olive oil before visiting LTBB, now I consistently enjoy the right ingredient for the appropriate meal. Keep up the great work LTBB!