http://www.heatheranneleavitt.com/Site/Art_Cakes.html As I fumble through the vast expanse of food that adorns the shelves of my local supermarket, I can’t help but feel like I’m judging the contestants of a Miss Food USA Pageant. The packaged food section is the evening gown competition, as contestants clad in flashy packages proclaim their virtues of health, taste, and naturalness. I scrutinize the packages. Are any of them worthy of becoming my next meal? One box boasts that it is 100% natural, and contains significant portions of nine essential vitamins and minerals. Even in its glitzy gown however, I can’t quite bring myself to believe that this gussied up concoction can be better for me then its more identifiable counterparts in the produce department. How can it claim that it is “all natural” when its cardboard-like flakes resemble nothing that I have ever encountered emerging from the fertile soil? Although its laundry list of ingredients may all be derived from nature, the end result leaves no traces as to where they were born, who brought them into the world, or what they have been through since reaching maturity. As I stare down the attractive package with its lofty claims, I can’t quite bring myself to deem it worthy of the crown. Perhaps I am a bit more scrutinizing after studying abroad in Italy. During my four-month stint as a Florentine, I never had to pore through packages to figure out what I was eating. Though I did suffer a short-lived bout of separation anxiety when I failed to find the familiar mild, sharp, and extra sharp cheddar, I grew to love my trips to the market. As I marveled at my favorite vendor’s cheese selection, a smile would settle on his face as he urged me to try his favorites, none of which were processed, packaged, or dyed yellow. Their names, like Parmigianno Reggiano and Pecorino Toscano, proudly proclaimed their origin and style, and the vendor was more than happy to slice me a sample of anything that caught my fancy. I learned that food was not a subject to be taken lightly, and unless it was fresh, in season, and from a reliable source, it wasn’t worth my while. When I struggled to maneuver my two overstuffed suitcases through the cobblestones to catch my train to the airport, I took one last fleeting glance at the market and thought, “I’ll always have Florence.” I realize now that it was silly of me to think that Europeans have a monopoly on good food. Even in America, where processed food aisles tower over puny produce departments, it is possible to maintain an intimate connection with our food. Since I’ve been back in the States, I’ve made it my mission to seek out local food producers and artisans near my home in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The seven cakes in Home Made are my personal tributes to the unique and wonderful people that I found. The best part is, this is only a sampling of what the area has to offer. http://www.heatheranneleavitt.com/Site/Art_Cakes.html#0 2a70d688-feb8-460c-b0a4-2201045c8fa1 http://www.heatheranneleavitt.com/Site/Art_Cakes_files/Media/Anatolian%20Bakery/thumb.jpg http://www.heatheranneleavitt.com/Site/Art_Cakes_files/Media/Anatolian%20Bakery/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_165_32"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Edible Monument to Anatolian Bakery</p></div></div> http://www.heatheranneleavitt.com/Site/Art_Cakes.html#1 fdb58f42-f3d6-4271-9d96-e4b9cc4c703f http://www.heatheranneleavitt.com/Site/Art_Cakes_files/Media/Calder%20New/thumb.jpg http://www.heatheranneleavitt.com/Site/Art_Cakes_files/Media/Calder%20New/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_165_32"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Edible Monument to Calder Dairy</p></div></div> http://www.heatheranneleavitt.com/Site/Art_Cakes.html#2 770b92c7-286d-41e2-b36d-4e82f0ffd43c http://www.heatheranneleavitt.com/Site/Art_Cakes_files/Media/Durhams%20Tracklements/thumb.jpg http://www.heatheranneleavitt.com/Site/Art_Cakes_files/Media/Durhams%20Tracklements/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_165_32"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Edible Monument to Durham&#x2019;s Tracklements</p></div></div> http://www.heatheranneleavitt.com/Site/Art_Cakes.html#3 600ae7fe-4f6e-4e21-bebd-a56b995fe43a http://www.heatheranneleavitt.com/Site/Art_Cakes_files/Media/John%20Harnois/thumb.jpg http://www.heatheranneleavitt.com/Site/Art_Cakes_files/Media/John%20Harnois/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_165_32"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Edible Monument to <br/></p><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; " class="Caption">John Harnois</p></div></div> http://www.heatheranneleavitt.com/Site/Art_Cakes.html#4 843a8c1e-92e2-4de6-ba5b-49a8ceac2644 http://www.heatheranneleavitt.com/Site/Art_Cakes_files/Media/Tantre%20Farm/thumb.jpg http://www.heatheranneleavitt.com/Site/Art_Cakes_files/Media/Tantre%20Farm/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_165_32"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Edible Monument to Tantre Farm</p></div></div> http://www.heatheranneleavitt.com/Site/Art_Cakes.html#5 a5ac6683-aa21-4cd1-be05-3f85e1c7e067 http://www.heatheranneleavitt.com/Site/Art_Cakes_files/Media/John%20Roos/thumb.jpg http://www.heatheranneleavitt.com/Site/Art_Cakes_files/Media/John%20Roos/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_165_32"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Edible Monument to&#xA0;&#xA0; Roos Roast Coffee</p></div></div> http://www.heatheranneleavitt.com/Site/Art_Cakes.html#6 baf7594e-0b99-4c83-b7a9-e84b1e8238f4 http://www.heatheranneleavitt.com/Site/Art_Cakes_files/Media/John%20Loomis/thumb.jpg http://www.heatheranneleavitt.com/Site/Art_Cakes_files/Media/John%20Loomis/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_165_32"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Edible Monument to Zingerman&#x2019;s Creamery</p></div></div>