Leather Storrs: Learning to Recognize & Celebrate Regional Specialties

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Thursday, June 11, 2015

Leather Storrs, GolocalPDX Contributor

When there’s a story about urban farming, or sustainable eating, local news people come see me. With our rooftop garden and commitment to local foods, we have a feel good Portland-y angle that’s a short drive for reporters on a deadline. Last week we were visited by a reporter who was expanding on a University of California (Merced) study by Elliott Campbell. In the study, Mr. Campbell suggests that many American cities could provide enough food for their inhabitants within a fifty mile radius. On the surface this might seem to be locavoriffic validation for the farm to table movement. Unfortunately, it ignores three significant aspects critical to economic sustainability and culinary diversity: comparative advantage, regional specialization and a comprehensive shipping network.

Comparative advantage is the notion that every region has a unique set of circumstances which give it the ability to produce something better and/or at a lower cost than any other region. Consider the tobacco of the Carolinas or maple syrup from Vermont or hazelnuts from Oregon’s Willamette Valley.

Can we grow citrus in the Northwest? How about avocados or Pecans? The answer is maybe, but why? Just to be spiteful? The pride in your ability to drink Northwest grapefruit juice would be quickly extinguished by its low quality and exorbitant price. Besides, planting less than high performing crops bears the opportunity cost of planting outside of your regional advantage. Why commit to a crop that can be sourced from a state that produces it better and at a lower cost? Shall we add smugness to subsidies as critical problems for modern American farming?

Additionally, ignoring comparative advantage robs chefs and consumers of the ability to experience geographic specialties. Pancakes without real syrup? Thanksgiving without cranberry sauce?  Anything without Sriracha? Sacrilege! Our country is years behind most in terms of recognizing and celebrating regional specialties. In Italy, the ham of Parma is king. The tomatoes of San Marzano are nationally regarded as superior. Buffalo mozzarella comes from low on the boot and nowhere else is it made better. In fact, its quality and the region in which it is made are defined and sanctioned by the government.

Are we prepared to undo the strides we’ve made in enriching and defining our national cuisine? If Americans shun regional delicacies from other parts of the country, the economic ramifications could be disastrous. Further, we doom ourselves to shrunken larders and months of root vegetables.

Finally, closing the culinary circle in any region disregards the fact that we have an efficient and inexpensive system for distributing goods throughout the nation. That train is going to run from Virginia to California whether or not there are 6 additional cars of majestic Smithfield ham. How is Virginia supposed to eat all that ham? How are we not? Geez, get some nice olive oil and eight cars of avocados in return.

Same goes for planes. In case you didn’t notice the doubling of UPS and FedEx trucks, maybe you noticed that Amazon package on your porch. Ship happens and a grip of lobsters on ice from New England certainly won’t mind sharing a flight with all those Zappos boxes. It’s a hell of a country if we’re willing to give up on stone crab and key limes but not cheap loafers.

Leather Storrs is an Oregon native who has served 20 years in professional kitchens. He owns a piece of two area restaurants: Noble Rot and Nobleoni at Oregon College of Art and Craft, where he yells and waves arms. He quietly admits to having been a newspaper critic in Austin, Texas and Portland.

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