Straining for Humor

Here's a headline from today's Nola.com board that garnered an immediate perverse reaction from me:

" Strain: Eat local Louisiana food "

Yeah, that's usually what happens whenever I do eat local Louisiana food -- especially when there's Cayenne pepper involved!

*rimshot*

Alright, alright... that's my joke. Kind of cheap, but what the hell.

Naturally, the use of the word "Strain" in this headline does not refer to the verb whose definitions include: "To pull, draw, or stretch tight", "To stretch or exert one's muscles or nerves to the utmost", or "To pass (gravy, for example) through a filtering agent such as a strainer". Rather, "Strain" refers to Mike Strain, Louisiana's agriculture secretary.

Well, that certainly makes the headline read a lot less disgusting than originally processed.

Anyway, the point of the blurb concerns Strain's challenge for Louisiana residents, including Gov. Bobby Jindal, to spend National Farmers Market Week, August 2nd-8th, eating only food that is grown or produced locally within Louisiana. Strain cites as examples: "peaches from Ruston, watermelons from Franklinton, blueberries from the Felicianas, crawfish from the Atchafalaya and pork and beef from local meat markets."

Not a bad idea, but does it count if I cancel my dinner reservation at The Buffet at Harrah's in New Orleans and dine instead at the Treasure Island Buffet in Kenner?