No small potatoes: Protest about government program to teach about food

So the US government has started an educational program to teach Americans about where their food comes from, entitled, "Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food" (the article in the Tri-City Herald) . Seems harmless. But 3 senators are arguing that it slights large farms & promotes small & organic farms that cater to the wealthy. To complicate this more, the budget for this program in $65 million (commodity producers have received $5 billion in the last two years). My question to you: should we (and if so, why) try to preserve a rural heritage in our country? What are the benefits & what are the costs?

"No, I don't have a children's menu"

When I was a waitress, I once waited on a table of 2 parents and a young girl, about the age of 4. When I took their order, the young girl proclaimed to me that she wanted the lamb chops (one of the more expensive entrees on the menu). Since she ordered like an adult, I decided to treat her as one and inquired directly to her, "and how would you like those cooked?" Without missing a beat, she replied, "medium rare." Sure enough, she cleaned her plate. That stays with me because I was so impressed by her knowledge and willingness to eat something that we would not equate with serving a child in a restaurant. In the NY Times food section, there is an article about childrens' menus and the impact of kids as the grow. What was your experience when you were a child? Did you order off the "regular" menu or kids' menu? How might this have impacted the kind of eater that you are?

Pay What you Want?

Former Intro2Gastro student, James Grill, sent me this link. Basically, Panera Bread is testing out a new concept: you order what you want & then pay what you want. The complete story is in USA Today. My question to you: how does this concept reflect one's philosophy on human nature? What is the larger question regarding necessities and commodities in our culture?

The Case of the GMO

The US Supreme Court, for the first time, has heard a case on GMO foods -- the question is not whether GMOs are safe to eat, but whether they ruin the environment, namely, the environment of organically grown alfalfa nearby. If you were on the Supreme Court, how might you rule?

What's Next in restaurants?

So, those of you who are familiar with Grant Achatz might have heard that he is opening a new restaurant, called Next. He plans a number of innovative ideas: changing the menu 4 times a year, each of which will be of a specific time and place; charging different prices for different days of the week and time; and having people pay a subscription ticket (pay ahead and he can distribute the proceeds anyway he wishes to his staff -- kitchen staff included). What do you think of his ideas? And if you could choose to eat a meal based on a place and era, what would it be and why?

Your family meal in six words

Prof. Lani Raider told me about the book  Not Quite what I was Planning which asks people to tell their memoir in exactly 6 words. My challenge to you: tell me about meals with your family, in exactly six words.

Does Cilantro remind you of Bedbugs?

Last week in class, the topic of cilantro (and why some people hate, hate, hate it) was raised. Well, the NY Times heard us pondering the question. Here is an article that might explain why it is beloved in some cultures and hated among some people in other cultures. Do you have any other ingredients that you despise because of what the smell reminds you of (for me, it is lavender in food as I feel like I'm eating perfume)?

Food and Politics: Italian city bans kebabs?

A right-wing political party in Italy (Lega Nord) endorsed a series of laws in the city of Lucca, Italy, which ban ethnic foods. Their slogan, "we want polenta, not cous cous" only allows the service of such ethnic foods (like kebab) if it is served with a "traditional" Tuscan dish, including polenta (that corn is not native to Northern Italy but was also once an "ethnic" food seems to not be of concern). American burgers, French crepes, and Japanese sushi, the article on i-Italy reports, are not included in this ban. 

While this seems to be a clear sign of racism, the article complicates the matter by asking how/where this might be seen as running parallel to some aspects of the Slow Food movement. So, my question to you: at what point does preservation of a food culture become racism?

Eating Grass makes Cows & Diners Happy?

James Grill sent me this article from NPR. It looks at the difference between feeding cows grass (their natural food) vs. corn. It looks at taste, cost and (surprising for me) nutrition. For you, what is the most important aspect of how your choose your protein (and why)?

Chef Dies from Overworking?

This article from UK's The Guardian, covers the death of 23 year-old chef, Nathan Laity. Working as senior sous chef, Mr. Laity was reported to have worked 13 hour days for 27 days in a row. The author suggests that this is rather typical in the kitchen culture and should be changed. What has been the experience in kitchens where you worked? What do you think of the French system that is mentioned in the article?

Department of Justice: Agribusiness is Badbusiness?

The Department of Justice has agreed with what a lot of students in Intro to Gastronomy seem to think: that the concentration of power among seed companies (who all use/promote GMOs) might be a problem.... As such, they've started a series of workshops that look into this issue. Here is their press release. Of course, the seed companies are only part of the issue. What are other factors that will need to change in order to change our food culture?

The Last Supper or, Eating Like it was your Last Meal?

A Professor of Consumer Behavior and a Professor of Religious Studies studied 52 paintings depicting The Last Supper. Of these painting, whose dates run from 1000 to 1800, the size of the plate and food both increased in more than 60%. How should we interpret this data?

School Lunch

Mrs. Q., an elementary school teacher in the Midwest, is eating the same lunch as her students in the year 2010 and keeping a blog. She has chosen to do this as a way to raise awareness of the quality of food that is served to students and to let people know that, beyond the taste and nutrition, students, when served this food, do not learn as well. What was your experience eating school lunches? How can it be solved?

Foie Gras, Trans-fats and Salt

A New York State Assemblyman has written a bill that would ban chefs from using salt in any restaurant (customers would add their own). Here is the bill, along with his reasoning. Thoughts? What is a chef's responsibility with regard to the health of his/her customer?

Chicken stock for the soul?

An article from 1901 about folks in St. Louis who ate a spoonful of dirt daily to stay healthy. What do you eat/drink to stay healthy? One hundred years later, what has replaced dirt? (And... might they have a point?)

Breastmilk Ice Cream: Preference, Aversion, Fear or Taboo?

Perhaps you remember me mentioning my professor who made cheese from his wife's breast milk. Apparently, a chef had the same idea. Here is the complete article. My question to you: why do we find milk from a cow acceptable (well, most of us do) but not from a human? And why does it seem that only male [professors and chefs] are the ones making these products and not women themselves?

McDonald's endorsed by Weight Watchers?

First Italians, now nutritionists! Read the article in Great Britain's The Guardian My question to you: a movement toward healthy food or just a marketing ploy?

What your food dollar buys

This graph shows where your food dollar goes. Do you see any problems with this?

McDonalds goes Italian

Recent article from ABC news -- McDonald's is introducing a new line line of "Italian" burgers. Where is the line in food that would make a food adopt a new identity? How does food become "ethnic"? What makes a food authentic?

What does your meal time look like?

Anthropologist Mary Douglas argues that we may share a drink (coffee, tea, or something at a bar) with acquaintances, but we share our meals with those with whom we share an intimacy. The "Unremarkable Dining Experience" documents a series of families during their evening meal. By using the photographs, we can glean a large amount of information -- from who is at the table (is there a table!), where they are eating it, the surroundings, and what they are eating. Which photograph best represents your dinner experience and why? If none of them do, how is yours different?

Nil by Mouth (by Roger Ebert)

After movie critic Roger Ebert had surgery for throat cancer, he lost the ability to speak, eat or drink. Once he lost these abilities, he found that he obsessed over food. (As you can read in his article, he realized that food memories accompanied these obsessions). You've written a food memory, but about what foods do YOU obsess? Why is this? (For me it was grape soda in India, I think because I loved it as a kid and it reminded me of home when I was in such a foreign culture).

When a Chef Can't Taste

Short piece by Chef Grant Achatz (Alinea) of what happened when he lost his sense of taste. Do YOU consciously smell your food before tasting it? Try it your next meal & report back to the blog how it informs you about food.

http://food.theatlantic.com/back-of-the-house/when-a-chef-cant-taste-his-food.php

What is your "third place"?

Sociologist Ray Oldenburg, in his book The Great Good Place, argues that in addition to our home (first place) or workplace (second place), is "the third place" -- a social space where community building can occur. While historically, a tavern or church might have been third places -- free or inexpensive, affordable food & drink, regular patrons -- today scholars look to the coffee shop (which have actually been around since the Enlightenment and encouraged the transfer of information [conversations and newspapers] and political thought). Starbucks has even been promoting itself as a third place in their marketing. Oldenburg argues that these social spaces are important for civil society and democracy.

Do you find your local coffee shop/cafe to be an important social space for you? Why/why not?

The Jungle

I'm currently re-reading Upton Sinclair's classic, The Jungle (1906), which follows the plight of the working class (new immigrants) who work in the Chicago stockyards. In addition to the horrible working conditions and questionable ethical issues of food production, what strikes me is how relevant many of the issues still are today. As well as the family purchasing a house without understanding the ramifications of interest payments (housing crisis), is the question of short-term vs. long-term efficiency of labor and land. There is also the topic of food adulteration, hubris (food moralists fear a future apocalypse due to the "unnatural" way that food is produced), and an alientation that we have from our food source as well as from community in general. SO... have you read the Jungle? What are your thoughts of the book and the issues that it raises?