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I was recently asked to pick the best organic restaurants in Atlantic Canada for a writing assignment. There aren't many; in fact it's hard to find 100 per cent organic restaurants. Most of the cool places, like Calactus in Moncton, feature organic dishes, as well as vegetarian and vegan. They do their best, but it isn't always easy to source organic. Others, like the Algonquin in St. Andrews, Shadow Lawn Inn in Rothesay and the Saint John Ale House, with Chef Jesse Vergen, also an organic farmer, feature organic dishes alongside standard fare, and use local and organic when possible. Apparently there's a 100 per cent organic place opening soon in Saint John, the city where an organic cafe opened and closed just two years ago.

"The problem with 100 per cent organic," explains Vergen, "is that we don't live in an area that has produce all year round, other than ordering it from, say, Mexico, so to claim 100 per cent organic 100 per cent of the time would be a lie for most places. I buy in season, organic, and local, but there are times when it's not available, or it might be organic, but was trucked from Mexico, compared to grown in a green house in Quebec, "naturally." If you're any kind of foodie, then you're familiar with, if not sick of, the organic versus local argument. To boil it down to a few hard issues, it's a really nice sentiment to want organically grown and raised food, but it's often impractical, since you have to pay so much to bring this stuff in from around the world when there's nothing organic available locally.

Secondly, there's often a fine ethical line, perhaps even no line at all, when comparing naturally farmed food to "certified organic." Some farmers may do everything naturally, but either don't bother going through the certification process, or there's an element of their practice that disqualifies them from being organic. And biodynamic is a whole different issue, going beyond organic to lunar cycles and the like.

Local farmer's markets, including the Kingston Farmer's Market that just opened for the season, generally have a good range of organic and natural products. Check them out, and ask a lot of questions of the producers about organic versus local and natural.

Some folks would say that "organic is out, local is in." The "100 mile diet" is an example, where you try to eat only food that comes from within 100 miles of your house. That means it was grown or raised in that circle, by the way, not purchased in bulk from the closest Costco. Maybe you think a 20 mile diet, or even tighter, is possible. This is all well and good if you either have a big freezer and don't mind eating frozen vegetables, cool climate fruit, and meats for much of the year, or if you don't mind eschewing fresh tropical fruit altogether and eating a lot of root vegetables. "Turnip surprise again? Yea!"

We need vitamin C to live. Unless there's a local greenhouse, or you have your own indoor trees, it's difficult to eat local oranges here, organic or otherwise. Those little ones on my miniature orange tree would need an awful lot of locally produced, organic beet sugar to make them palatable. Are vitamin supplements local and organic? I doubt it.

I think it's honourable to do your best; eat as much local produce as possible, organic or natural, and supplement your diet from outside your chosen radius in as responsible a manner as is practically and fiscally possible.

The same thinking exists in the wine, beer and spirits world. It gives you a nice feeling to buy organic wines, and the selection is increasing. I encountered lots of organic vineyards in Argentina, including Las Moras, and I was at a recent tasting of Perrin & Fils wines from the Rhone, all farmed organically. To be certified organic all the way through the winery, though, is a different matter.

Most wineries featuring "organically grown grapes" on their labels in North America don't bother trying to get fully certified, as it's practically impossible under the existing guidelines. Some are working to make the rules realistic, including Bruce Ewert at the soon to be opened and organically farmed L'Acadie Vineyards in the Gaspereau Valley, Nova Scotia. One key hurdle has been sulphur levels. Sulfur is used in winemaking at various stages and in various forms, and it ends up in the final product at a level designed to keep the wine stable. It prevents oxidation. Organic rules look for low or no sulphur, depending on the country and certifying body. Perrin, for example, strives for minimum sulfur in the bottle for most of their wines. They don't add sulfites.

I am personally more interested in buying locally made wines than organic, although I heartily support the concept of local organic wine and beer, whether it's within 100 miles of me or not. Last Thursday there were several New Brunswick wineries at the Savour Food and Wine event in Moncton pouring wine made from locally grown fruit, including the Magnetic Hill Winery, Waterside Farms (from near Alma), and Le Cave au Vins Boudreau from Memramcook. It's a great pleasure to taste well-made local wines. Are they organically farmed? I don't know. It really isn't that big a concern to me.

Beer can be organic too, as proved by Sean Dunbar at Fredericton's Northampton Brewery, with several of his Picaroons brands. Both his Dooryard Organic Wheat and Dark and Stormy Night are made from certified organic malt and hops.

Drinking organic and local makes you feel good in more ways than one.

Cheers!

Craig Pinhey wishes more people drank local. And that doesn't include American beer brewed in the Maritimes. Visit him at www.frogspad.ca.