Voting in good taste

I have been known to get fairly passionate about food. When presented with the opportunity, I am positively incapable of not launching into an explanation of how to know whether or not a certain fish is sustainable and why you and you and you should care. I give the grocery store tomatoes a large berth in winter so no one has to listen to me mutter under my breath. And it’s very difficult for me to eat a good meal quietly—part of savoring the good stuff is making that mmm-mmm-mmm noise.

I just put my opinions to good use by voting for those I think are the most deserving Eastern Iowa chef, farmer, food artisan, drink artisan, and food-related non-profit. The Local Heroes Awards are open for voting right now through Edible Iowa River Valley’s web site, and from now through December 15, everyone is invited to get as mouthy as me about the local food people and organizations they love.

These awards are designed to honor people who have a vision and a commitment to building Iowa’s local and artisanal food scene. In other words, this is your opportunity to honor folks who make the world a better place to eat and drink. That’s a platform I can get behind.

Don’t live in Iowa? Don’t despair. Edible Iowa River Valley is just one of the 24 Edible magazines opening voting for the Local Heroes Awards. Whether you live in Memphis, the Twin Cities, on the Hawaiian Islands, or Cape Cod, it’s time to give some thought to the food you eat and the people who make that possible.

This year’s winners will be announced in January 2008 at the Edible Communities annual publisher’s dinner in Charleston, SC, and then will be announced to the local community in the spring 2008 issues.

As for who I voted for? Well, that’s between me and the ballot screen. But if you’re ever in Iowa City for a visit, I’d be happy to provide you some off-blog tips.