First bite

The midpoint of 2009 is this week, which means it's high time something I've long resolved to do gets done. So, welcome to Belly Bulletin!

For a good while now, I've wanted a place to write about food and eating in Austin — but mostly about the people who make, eat and share food here. I wanted to tell the story of buddying up to enter an MLK-inspired pie contest that included a writing component (perfect for two bakers/word nerds) and to pass along the recipe from friends who founded a community garden and taught me how to pickle using cucumbers from the neighborhood's shared green space across the street. Or how about chronicling the process of another resolution it would be a shame not to keep — starting a baking business from scratch?

And beyond my own food adventures, plenty of folks are growing, sharing, delivering, harvesting, teaching and cooking all over town. I want to get a taste of food co-ops, community cooking, innovative eateries and school vegetable gardens — and in the process maybe even create a spot for all the Austin news that's fit to eat. You know, put my journalism degree and my taste buds to use all at once.