With the economy in a downturn and food and restaurant prices staying status quo and even rising, what’s a foodie to do?

Collective buying seems to be on the tip of everyone’s tongue lately. But move aside discount dental plans and warehouse clubs, consumer buying power for restaurants and other eateries is all the rage.

Groupon, a collective buying group that began in late 2008, offers daily deals to eateries, spas, sporting venues and various activities in most major cities.

“We started Groupon to make it easier for people to enjoy the great things in their community. We do it by offering daily deals at unbeatable prices through the power of group buying,” said the site. “We also use Groupon’s consumer collective to lift each community we touch, by featuring local charities and organizing support for community causes.”

Groupon deals in Washington, D.C., have included 40 percent to 60 percent off gift certificates to fine restaurants, cafes and lounges. For example, one of Washington’s most notable restaurants recently offered a $25 gift certificate for $10. In New York City, Groupon recently offered its members a half-off historic pizza walking tour for $15 (pie included) and in Chicago, members got to partake in an $80 cooking class for only $45.

Restaurant.com is another venue consumers can go to for discounted prices for restaurants in their communities. Typically consumers can choose from thousands of restaurants on the site and purchase a $25 gift certificate for $10.

But, Restaurant.com also partners with such stores as Borders books and other retailers to offer extra perks to their members, such as a $25 gift certificate for as low as $2.

“Restaurant.com serves as the community matchmaker, introducing great restaurants to great people,” said the site. “From appetizers to dessert, from wine to dinner, Restaurant.com helps restaurant owners promote the new and unique aspects of their restaurants while providing diners with great value in a fun, new and cost-effective way.”

All in all, collective buying power connects consumers to food in a fun and discounted approach that’s a win-win for everyone.

The new film "Julie and Julia" is receiving a lot of good attention, from both movie critics and food critics. The movie, about a blogger who cooks Julia Child’s recipes and then blogs about the results, not only showcases the legendary chef and the mark she left on the culinary world, but it shows that cooking really is hip and fun. Food and Wine magazine recently published an article on how to throw a "Julie and Julia" cooking party, while restaurant and market venues around the country are hosting screening parties and cooking lessons.

Naperville Sun article

Are you going to see the movie? If you have seen it, what did you think?

There’s been a lot of buzz about social media sites on the Web like Facebook, MySpace, You Tube and Twitter. Like so many engaged in food production or operating a small business, at Jowler Creek Vineyard and Winery, we were concerned about diving in. Would we have enough time? What would we talk about? And who would really be interested in seeing and reading updates on what we’re doing?

But after getting a camcorder for Christmas, we decided to post a few videos of us pruning grape vines on YouTube for our family to see. Surprisingly, those two little amateur videos have been viewed more than 10,000 times by individuals.

This, of course, begs the question, “So what?” We can honestly say we’ve seen benefits for Jowler Creek. Case in point: Last year, a gentleman viewed our pruning video and sent an e-mail to see if he could come and learn more firsthand. That initial contact via YouTube has evolved into an invaluable friendship and a source of volunteer labor. Our retired, urban neighbor now works in the vineyard 5- to 10- hours a week—therapy for him, free help and a trusted business adviser for us!

Since there was such an interest in our videos, we’ve now posted additional videos on harvesting, our use of miniature Babydoll sheep to “mow” the vineyard, and how we bottle and package our product. The feedback and questions we get from viewers gives us insight into what people think and gives people a chance to interact with us virtually.

We then decided to create a Facebook page and start a Twitter account. So far we have 775 friends on Facebook and more than 100 people following us on Twitter. We regularly post 140 character updates to let our “friends” know what we are up to in the vineyard or winery. We are finding that there is genuine interest in how our product is produced.

If you’re new to the social networking playground, don’t be intimidated. You don’t have to figure it all out at once. Start by using one of the most common social-networking platforms. Once you’re comfortable, then broaden your net.

Keep in mind that there is synergy in effectively sharing and gathering information from several platforms at once. We show people our operation via video on YouTube, we quickly update and inform people with Twitter and we can develop effective two-way interaction with friends on FaceBook.

Recently, blog author Jenny Vergara talked about our farm and winery in her blog, “The Making of a Foodie.” Having never met us, she saw our YouTube video, tried our product, commented via Twitter about a problem she had with our product, received feedback from us almost immediately to solve the problem and ultimately recommended to others visit our Web site and to try our wine.

The resulting blog post provided us with all the validation we need that time spent in social media is worth it.

Editor's Note: Jason and Colleen Gerke, Farm Bureau members in Missouri, own and operate Jowler Creek Vineyard and Winery. This post was published as a guest column written by the Gerkes in the August 2009 issue of Foodie News.

One of the biggest drivers in the locavore trend is the desire of many consumers to “re-connect” with the food they eat. Farmers’ markets have never been more popular due in part to consumers wanting to know specifically where their food comes from and the need to make a personal, one-on-one connection with the farmer who produces the bounty they enjoy.

Dawn Thilmany McFadden, a professor of agribusiness and agribusiness Extension economist with Colorado State University in Fort Collins, has done extensive research on locavores. On a recent trip to Washington, D.C., she provided policymakers on Capitol Hill with an overview of her research on the locavore trend that continues to gain momentum.

McFadden said many factors are driving the locavore trend. The desire for fresh, nutritious produce is on the top of the list. But also critical is the need for one-on-one assurance, where a consumer can make the personal connection with the farmer.

“That personal connection is vital. In an age when consumers are so detached from the production of their food, locavores depend on the personal touch. They want to know the farmer who produces their food,” McFadden said.

When consumers have that personal connection with the farmer, they also gain a greater assurance regarding the safety of the food they buy, she pointed out. “They feel secure that they are doing the right thing for their family,” she explained.

Organic food is important to many locavores. But by and large, the desire for locally grown produce far outpaces the desire for organic produce. The initial results of Colorado State’s fall 2008 local food survey shows that 80 percent of consumers surveyed place a high importance on local food. The survey shows that just over 50 percent rank organic produce as important.

“It is clear that organically grown seems to be generally less important to consumers than locally grown,” McFadden said.

A large portion of the respondents in the Colorado State survey placed high importance on maintaining local farmland in their fresh produce buying decisions. “As one might expect, consumers, whose primary produce source is direct from farmers, place the greatest importance on maintaining farmland,” McFadden said.

Another key driver in the locavore trend is supporting the local economy. “Consumers like to know that the money they spend on produce stays in the community.”

National Farmers' Market Week is Aug. 2-8. Learn more about it here.

The never-ending trend of Americans searching out unusual gastronomic experiences is not limited to diners at high-end, white tablecloth restaurants. Every summer, from coast to coast, countless Americans who would not consider themselves to be foodies take a leap of faith and try new and out-the-ordinary foods while strolling the grounds of their favorite fair or festival.

It remains true that corn dogs, funnel cakes, elephant ears, candy apples and cotton candy still shine as staple treats enjoyed by summer fairgoers. But these dependable delights frequently take a backseat when competing against new, more exotic food offerings.

Below are snapshots of five relatively new-to-the-scene fair foods that are generating buzz this summer.

Chicken Fried Bacon
What’s in it: Bacon
What’s cool about it: The “candy of meats,” breaded and deep-fried. Winner of the “best taste” award at the 2008 State Fair of Texas food contest.
Where to find it: Texas (bigtex.com)

Hot Beef Sundae
What’s in it: Slow-roasted beef, gravy, buttery mashed potatoes, Cheddar cheese and a cherry tomato.
What’s cool about it: Promoted as “comfort food at its finest,” it really does resemble an ice cream sundae.
Where to find it: Iowa (iowastatefair.com)

Spaghetti and Meatball on a Stick
What’s in it: Deep-fried meatball mix and cooked spaghetti dipped in garlic batter accompanied by marinara sauce.
What’s cool about it: Walk, talk and enjoy an Italian classic.
Where to find it: Minnesota (mnstatefair.com)

Pizza Cones
What’s in it: Cone-shaped crust loaded with cheese, pepperoni, sausage and tomato sauce.
What’s cool about it: Portable, easy-to-eat pizza, at last.
Where to find it: Indiana (in.gov/statefair)

Fried Avocado Bites
What’s in it: Avocado spears coated in corn dog batter and deep-fried.
What’s cool about it: Vitamin-rich, on-the-go snacking.
Where to find it: California (bigfun.org)

What's your favorite food to eat at a summer fair or festival?