Eat, Give, Love

An Inspiration from Amber Waves Farm 👩‍🌾

My parents grew up in the countryside, and when I was I child they would identify the tree specimens we passed by, name the birds chirping above us, and pointed to flowers I’d never seen before while we walked the bustling streets of São Paulo. I’d laugh and call them "country folk”. As I grew up, life in the city felt limitless and exhilarating. Nature was in the background, but college, career, and a vibrant social life was all I thought about. Food was just something I ate, never pausing to consider its journey to my parent’s kitchen. Then I moved to the US, and my twenties were a blur of Diet Coke and the good ol’ corporate desk meals, with after-work drinks dedicated to venting about our bosses. Come to think about it, my thirties weren’t much different. Living in a small apartment in NYC wasn't condusive to cooking. My fridge was still empty, but I had at least upgraded the diet sodas to champagne. 😅

Fast forward to today: with two kids to feed and a body less forgiving of my youthful indiscretions, I’ve finally come to appreciate the importance of connecting with nature and understanding where our food comes from. I’ve recently visited the beloved Amber Waves Farm in Amagansett, and had a chat with their Co-Founder Katie Baldwin. Katie is a gem — kind, sharp, knowledgeable, and my inspiration to write about food this week.

Amber Waves is a woman-owned, ocean-side farm that offers educational opportunities in agriculture for future farmers, cooks, and curious eaters of all ages. Their children's programs are particularly enchanting, from baby socials to cooking classes and farming crafts, hopefully igniting a lifelong passion for food, cooking, and health early on. They are a non-profit, and their annual Hoedown fundraiser will be on August 16th, please go see Katie and support her amazing farm (I will be there too). Great food is not only nourishment, health and sensory exploration, but also community, family, love, and connection to nature. Let's keep gathering around the table, learning about what we put in our bodies, how our food sources affect our planet, and the people who inhabit it. 💚

Scroll down for some favorite products for cooking and savoring a delicious, healthy meal. Katie showed us her favorite things from the market, see it on Instagram here. I took her basket home, roasted those huge garlic, and ate it with the Il Bucco crusty bread made with Amber Waves whole wheat that she selected, and wow – that was a treat. And her flowers are still thriving in my living room.

MATRIARK UPCOMING EVENTS

SATURDAY JULY 13th FROM 1 to 5PM:

Pop-Up on the Porch: LEAFY COUTURE will bring their unique hand-made pieces to our porch. Come meet Leafy's Founder Silvia and try her beautiful collection.

SATURDAY, JULY 20th:

Save the Date for a Philanthropic Shopping Day benefiting the Hamtpons Community Outreach.

See you next week for more good stuff (and see you at the shop!).

Love,

Patricia

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