Challenging yourself to eat entirely locally can seem pretty intimidating. But, as world renowned chef Michael Chiarello explains on Supper Club with Tom Bergeron, making your diet totally local is really a lifestyle change. On the show, Chiarello puts together a simple meal made from ingredients found within a 100 mile radius of his home in Napa Valley. As his meal comes together, the proposition of being able to create your own local menu seems a little more realistic.
While there's little difficulty getting your hands on local wines in Napa Valley, Chiarello goes a step further by serving up fantastic wines from his own all organic vineyard,Chiarello Family Vineyards. The historic 95 year old vines make for a rich and earthy Cabernet Sauvignon, Old Vine Petite Sirah, and Old Vine Zinfandel.
His simple antipasti consists of locally grown fennel, tomato, zucchini, and mozzarella. Even self-proclaimed fast food addict Doug McIntyre enjoyed the broccoli rabe and penne pasta cooked in Chiarello's own Zinfandel. The wheat in the pasta was grown locally and the pasta maker came from just outside the 100 mile radius. It's a labor of love for Chiarello, who ended the meal with an olive oil cake made with organic olive oil grown right on the property.
Chiarello reduces his carbon footprint by eating less processed local cuisine. He also presses that message in his other venture, Napa Style, a lifestyle company devoted to all things Napa. The company emphasizes high quality vinegars, olive oils, kitchen goods, and furniture made with repurposed materials. The sustainable furniture is made from items like barn wood and discarded wine barrels.
