Happy Friday!

Would you believe me if I said that this week’s Farm Fresh Friday came out of a box?  Indeed, it is true.

Philly Homegrown, a food movement that focuses on fresh, local, and delicious food sent me a box filled with a wide variety of goodies.  And while these products didn’t exactly come from a vine, the ingredients used to make them are as fresh as it gets.

This may come as a surprise to some. That Philadelphia, a city known for cheese steaks and soft pretzels is actually filled with restaurants that cook with local foods, markets that carry what is grown close to home, and people that are passionate about eating “real local flavor”.

Some interesting facts about the local Philadelphia food scene:

•Philadelphia has 500 community gardens and 226 are food-producing.

•Reading Terminal Market is one of America’s oldest farmers’ markets.

•The area where the food is grown, produced and shared is spread over 100 miles from “Amish Country to the Atlantic Ocean”!

•There is even local beer in Philly!

What can you do to get more involved?:

•Eat at restaurants that use local products such as Garces Trading Company, Fork, and Talula’s Garden.  To find more visit Food Finder.

•Pick your own produce!

•Check out a farmers market.

•Go on a food tour!

When my farm in a box arrived at my front door I immediately tore it open and delicious smells wafted through the kitchen.

Garces Trading Company Coffee, Gilda’s Biscotti, Metropolitan Bakery Granola, and Mind Your Own Beeswax Honey.

Stepped-In-What Tomato  Sauce, Greensgrow House-Made Pickles and Tait Farm Jam.

The Mushroom Cap Dried Mushrooms and Snack N Shrooms Mushroom Chips.

North/South Meatery & Canning Co. Pancetta and PA Noble Cheese, Cave Aged Cheddar.

Victory Brewing Company’s Summer Love Ale.

As you can guess, this box was pure foodie heaven.  Even better that I knew exactly where each product came from and their exact ingredients.  And then the obvious happened and I started thinking about what I could do with the products.  Aside from just digging in and eating them individually of course.

On Monday I am going to share what I created using these fantastic ingredients and I promise it is a great recipe.  How could it not be?!  And better yet, I want to give you some of the products.

It wouldn’t be fair if I flaunted all of this great information and then kept everything for myself!  Although I am serious, it was a really tough decision to share!

To win a product all you have to do is:

Like my page on Facebook (All I Eat Food) and leave a comment saying which of the following products you would enjoy most:

Garces Trading Company Coffee

Gilda’s Biscotti

Metropolitan Bakery Granola

The Mushroom Cap Dried Mushrooms

Mind Your Own Beeswax Honey

You have  until Sunday night, at 11:59 EST.  I will pick 5 random winners out of a hat and announce it on Monday’s post!

I hope that everyone can get excited about Philly Homegrown and enjoy all that the area has to offer whether you are a local or come for a visit.

Dear Fresh Veggies,

Never knew grass existed in the city. Thanks for sharing your goods.

With Love,

Allieatfood

XoXo