As you may know Ben quit college and started an organic dairy business. After 5 years, he sold his cows and we started Gatski Metal. He kept one cow, Rene. He has milked her and her progeny ever since [for our family]. The milk is good. It changes; a reflection of what the cows are eating.
There seems to be a lack of words to describe how a locale effects food. The one that comes closest seems to be terroir. It’s most commonly used with wines and has French origins. We like the idea of broadening our understanding of terroir. Maybe we need a new word?
According to an article called Talk Dirt to Me in the New York Times they say, “If you ask a hundred people about the meaning of terroir, they’ll give you a hundred definitions, which can be as literal as tasting limestone or as metaphorical as a feeling. Terroir flavors are generally characterized as earthiness and minerality.”
We do know that flavors are powerful; and they are a reflection of so many things. We look forward to getting a little closer to terroir here at The Steel Fork.