At the State Farmers Market in Raleigh, nutritionist Freda Butner, who works with farmers, schools, nursing homes and others to promote N.C. food through healthy recipes and tips. She made the rounds through several different vendors’ booths to show us the importance of choosing a variety of colors when it comes to fruits and vegetables. She also dropped us a few food preparation and recipe tips.

In the High Plains Journal article “Keeping the shelves stocked” its noted that Rural America is largely responsible for a safe, wholesome and plentiful food supply for our country and many others. Yet, the people who feed, fuel and clothe the rest of us often live in what sociologists call “food deserts.”

I was saddened to receive a call from my brother that our aunt, Eulalia Cantley passed away on Wednesday. She was my father’s oldest sister and was part of the team that made the best BBQ I’ve ever eaten.

She was married to Maxie Cantley and with other members of the Cantley family ran Cantley’s Bar-B-Q restaurant of Nesmith, SC. I mentioned the restaurant in one of my first postings:

My uncle Maxie Cantley cooked the best pork I’ve ever eaten, pulling tender chunks of pork off and serving it with rice drenched with clear, hot spiced, red gravy from drippings, cole slaw, sweet potato souffle, a slice of bread and my aunt Eukie’s chocolate layer cake. The pork was spiced hot, so you needed lots of sweet, ice tea. Their restaurant was near Nesmith, SC.

The BBQ was similar to NC eastern style in the use of vinegar and pepper, but it was pulled off in chunks of meat and not chopped. The rice and sweet potato are part of the tradition for that part of SC. The closest to this style you will find is Browns BBQ, 809 N Williamsburg County Highway in Kingstree, SC.

I later found a recipe for one of Eukie’s cakes and made that available.

One of my favorite memories was asking her about my grandmother, a church pianist. As a girl, my grandmother had wanted to learn to play the piano. The family didn’t have enough money to buy a piano. She took lessons playing on a church piano and returned home to practice on a board on which her father had painted a keyboard. I loved the way my aunt told that story. She told it as evidence of the quiet determination of her mother.

Aunt Eukie was a kind and loving woman. She will be missed.

Southeast Farm Press writer Chris Bickers in the article “Roadside markets rev up in North Carolina” writes that a lot of good things are happening with fruit and vegetables and other local products.

The Fresh Market has ideas for holiday gift giving.

They offer baskets to bring as a hostess gift or send to an office. The range of baskets they offer are packed with items that can be set out and shared, and filled with good stuff.

They also have stocking stuffers in the Candy and Produce departments where you’ll find a huge assortment of treats and candies.

• Cocoa Cones – These cute stocking-sized cocoa cones resemble ice cream cones with their cone-shaped bag filled with rich cocoa mix and topped with mini marshmallows and chocolate chips.
• Marshmallow Fellows – Put a smile on someone’s face when they empty their stocking to find these cute chocolate dipped giant marshmallows on a stick. Each Marshmallow Fellow is hand-decorated and topped with a colorful felt cap.
• Winter Crispie Pops – These crispie treats are dipped in milk chocolate, hand decorated with seasonal designs and dusted with a sprinkle of sugar.
• Lindt Milk Chocolate Santa – If you love the luxuriously smooth and extra refined taste of Lindt chocolate, then this holiday favorite is a must-have. Pure milk chocolate shaped like Santa Claus and wrapped in a colorful foil will put a smile on everyone’s face this holiday season.
• Sunflower Christmas Seed Tube – For a nutritious snack anytime, treat someone to these sunflower seeds coated in red, green and white chocolate.
• California Clementine Gift Box – What’s not to love about a Clementine? Easy to peel and rich in tangy, sweet flavor, the Clementine is grown right here in the U.S.A. and is available in gift boxes so it’s easy to share the love!

If you loved Meryl Streep as Julia Child in Julie and Julia, you can buy the DVD that went on sale starting today.

New York Times reporter Tara Parker-Pope in the article “A Makeover for Food Labels” writes that nearly two decades ago, Congress passed the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act, requiring packaged foods to carry a detailed nutrition facts label.

Southeast Farm Press writer Paul Hollis in the article “Americans need to get to know the people who grow their food” writes that the primary reason there’s a disconnect between most Americans and agriculture is because the majority of people don’t know any farmers, and you can’t truly empathize with someone if you’ve never met them, and you have no idea how they live their lives

If you are thinking about gifts you can give during the holidays that say something about food, there are several movies and books to consider.

Food, Inc would be at the top of my list. My wife gave me the look, when I mentioned it for some of the family. I also like Chris Taylor’s documentary, Food Fight. It includes a lot of Alice Waters and a little Will Allen, in addition to Michael Pollan. Fresh is another good movie that features a lot of Joel Salatin and Will Allen, along with Michael Pollan.

There have been an interesting crop of books:

• The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite by David A. Kessler
• Wisdom of the Last Farmer: Harvesting Legacies from the Land by David Mas Masumoto
• The World is Fat: The Fads, Trends, Policies, and Products That Are Fattening the Human Race by Barry M. Popkin
• Scripture, Culture, and Agriculture: An Agrarian Reading of the Bible by Ellen F. Davis

And for younger readers, there’s:

• Heroes of the Environment: True Stories of People Who Are Helping to Protect Our Planet by Harriet Rohmer
• The Omnivore’s Dilemma for Kids: The Secrets Behind What You Eat by Michael Pollan

You can also consider cooking classes or gift certificates for folks to try out restaurants that you like. There are lots of options to help shape the way we look at food and eating.

Here’s hoping that you find ways to warmly nourish the hearts of those you share gifts with during this time time of celebration.

San Francsico Chronicle writer Dave Stockdale in the City Brights column “Does farmers market produce cost more?” notes that we are praised for the diversity and quality of produce and other market items.But often there is criticism of produce prices.