I love food and cooking. And I love community.
My parents taught me to cook when I was 3 or 4, beginning with simple things. They encouraged creativity, though in retrospect, the “Animal Cracker Soup” I made for breakfast one morning, probably wasn’t high on their top 10 list, but hey, I was probably 4 or 5. Years later, I had a couple of food places, and at 63, I still love to cook. (My kids even joke, about my leftover creations as well as my regular cooking.)
Food is something that brings people together. (Let’s be real…life without food…would not be life!)
My home community of Keene is no different. We have some great restaurants, some amazing food and a culture that embraces it. We have a broad selection of restaurants and cooking styles. Add in some great breweries in the area, and you are developing the perfect climate for the person wanting to experience amazing foods!
Our publication has a couple of categories of food and drink represented. We have Luca Paris and What Is The Best Thing I Have Eaten Today, Erik Willis and Taste And See, as well as Beer News Brewed For You! Luca is a local restaurant owner, while Erik tracks down the restaurants.
A few months ago, our community began to see Food Trucks in the news and on the streets. I noticed we were picking up some momentum. Salt & Lime, Street & Savory, Hot Hogs, and The Pit Stop. Food was being talked about, more and more. The recent opening of Machina Kitchen and Art Bar, created more buzz, as did the opening of Pho Keene Great.
My friend Luca, is always promoting food in our community, supporting the new endeavors, and giving help where he can. (He has a weekly radio program and invites many to the microphone.) He started a group some time ago on Facebook, called What Is The Best Thing You Ate Today? For a long time it has showcased videos and pictures about great foods, but recently Erik made some challenges, a la Chopped. 10 ingredients, and make a meal. This was the ingredient list for the most recent challenge. Scallops, Kale, Walnuts, Dark Chocolate, Chicken Livers, Sweet Potatoes, Strawberries, Basil, Roasted Garlic, Radishes. It is getting pretty exciting!
I am not sure what the future holds for Keene’s food culture, but I can only imagine better and better. Stores, caterers and more are getting in on this community of food. Just this morning, I saw that La Machina’s Jordan Scott was cooking for the Walldog volunteers, as they paint murals about the city.
Positive News For You, loves the events and the culture that brings people together. I hope we see and hear more about communities of this type, as we grow.
Keene, in the words of The Carpenters, We’ve only just begun!
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