Northern Arizona University

 

Linking Arizona's Sense of Place to a Sense of Taste: Marketing the Heritage Value of Arizona's Place-Based Foods

by Gary Nabhan, Patty West and Rich Pirog

The state of Arizona will celebrate its 100th birthday in 2012, but Arizona’s land, people and traditions give us a rich heritage far older than our century of statehood. Linking Arizona’s Sense of Place to a Sense of Taste celebrates this heritage and looks specifically at the traditional and native foods unique to Arizona. This book not only tells the historical story of Arizona’s heritage foods; it examines the role these foods can play in our modern state. Studies indicate that some of our heritage foods have the potential to prevent or reduce diseases, including diabetes. Others hold promise for sustainable food production, which will be a victory for state environments and state economies alike. This book provides a wonderful showcase for Arizona’s heritage foods and shares a piece of our state’s story with the world.

— Governor Janet Napolitano

“Just as the South has grits, the Northeast has lobsters and Philadelphia has Cheesesteaks, Arizona has a large number of local heritage foods—but they are virtually unknown! Of course you associate the saguaro cactus and the Grand Canyon with the state, but have you tasted saguaro fruit syrup or Grand Canyon sweet onions? What about blue piki bread, yellow-meated watermelon, double-horned churro sheep, or red lima beans—all are traditionally tied to some part of our state. This book—a call to action—describes the foods and recommends how they can be better marketed to the benefit of local farmers, our tourist industry, and the people whose traditions developed these regional delicacies. Anyone who eats in Arizona, or who has reason to think about eating here, should read this book.”

 —Kevin Dahl, Executive Director, Native Seeds/SEARCH

“The potential for marketing the heritage value of Arizona’s place-based foods is not only huge; it is also timely and needed for the preservation and revitalization of the state’s economy and regional foodways. Slow Food is enthusiastic in its support for this report and its recommendations, and we look forward to the opportunity to observe and aid their development.”

—Erika Lesser, Executive Director, Slow Food USA

This book is $14.95 from the Center for Sustainable Environments

For further information, contact:

Patty West or Gary Nabhan
Center for Sustainable Environments
Northern Arizona University
PO Box 5765
Flagstaff, AZ 86011
928-523-0637

Linking Arizona’s Sense of Place to a Sense of Taste is a joint project of the Center for Sustainable Environments at Northern Arizona University, and the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture of Iowa State University.

Copyright 2005 by the Center for Sustainable Environments at Northern Arizona University.    

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