Grist.org recently posted an article about a new TV show in the works called Food Forward. As the show's website describes, "Food Forward is a series of thirteen, 30-minute episodes exploring new ideas of food in America as told by the people who are living them. Each episode will focus on a different theme--school lunch reform, urban agriculture, commercial fishing, grass-fed beef, soil science--and spotlight the real people who are creating viable alternatives to how we grow food and feed ourselves."
The show's producers, San Francisco-based food journalist Stett Holbrook and documentary filmmakers Todd Dayton and Greg Roden, are in the process of raising money to shoot the pilot episode of Food Forward, and will host a fundraising dinner in San Francisco to help support the production of the show.
See trailer below, which is quite beautiful at parts and features an urban farmer, a school-food reformer, a Santa Cruz fisherman, and a grass-fed beef rancher.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
NY Times Article - Europe Struggles With Question of Food From Cloned Animals
By James Kanter
July 29, 2010
"Many Europeans recoil at the very idea of cloning animals, but a handful of breeders in Switzerland, Britain and possibly other countries have imported semen and embryos from cloned animals or their progeny from the United States, seeking to create more consistently plump and productive livestock. And although no vendor has publicly acknowledged it, meat or dairy products originating from such techniques are believed to be already on supermarket shelves...."
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/30/business/global/30cloning.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&src=busln
July 29, 2010
"Many Europeans recoil at the very idea of cloning animals, but a handful of breeders in Switzerland, Britain and possibly other countries have imported semen and embryos from cloned animals or their progeny from the United States, seeking to create more consistently plump and productive livestock. And although no vendor has publicly acknowledged it, meat or dairy products originating from such techniques are believed to be already on supermarket shelves...."
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/30/business/global/30cloning.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&src=busln
TakePart Post - Majority of Americans Worry About Safety of Nation's Food Suppply
July 28, 2010
"According to a recent NPR survey, Americans are worried about food safety. Sixty-one percent of those surveyed said they were concerned about the contamination of food in the nation's supply chain, and 51 percent said they were most concerned about eating tainted meat. That compares with roughly a quarter of respondents who were most concerned about seafood, and 23 percent who were worried about bad produce. Only about 4 percent of the people surveyed for NPR were concerned about spoiled or tainted dairy products...."
http://www.takepart.com/news/2010/07/28/majority-of-americans-worry-about-safety-of-nations-food-supply
"According to a recent NPR survey, Americans are worried about food safety. Sixty-one percent of those surveyed said they were concerned about the contamination of food in the nation's supply chain, and 51 percent said they were most concerned about eating tainted meat. That compares with roughly a quarter of respondents who were most concerned about seafood, and 23 percent who were worried about bad produce. Only about 4 percent of the people surveyed for NPR were concerned about spoiled or tainted dairy products...."
http://www.takepart.com/news/2010/07/28/majority-of-americans-worry-about-safety-of-nations-food-supply
Take Part Post - 100 Days of Eating "Real Food": One Family's Story
July 27, 2010
"No Goldfish. No Froot Loops. No store-bought ketchup or Chick-fil-A runs. Those are some of the new rules that one North Carolina family has instituted as it goes cold turkey on a whole foods diet for 100 days. And despite the increased food bill and the major overhaul of their cooking habits, the Leake family seems pretty pleased with the results...."
See full post here, which includes links to the family's blog chronicling their 100-day challenge, a site which also features "10 Reasons to Cut Out Processed Food" and "Real Food Defined (AKA 'The Rules')."
"No Goldfish. No Froot Loops. No store-bought ketchup or Chick-fil-A runs. Those are some of the new rules that one North Carolina family has instituted as it goes cold turkey on a whole foods diet for 100 days. And despite the increased food bill and the major overhaul of their cooking habits, the Leake family seems pretty pleased with the results...."
See full post here, which includes links to the family's blog chronicling their 100-day challenge, a site which also features "10 Reasons to Cut Out Processed Food" and "Real Food Defined (AKA 'The Rules')."
Farm Sanctuary Campaign - Truth Behind Labels
"A growing number of meat, milk and egg product labels suggest that the animals they came from were treated “humanely.” Our Truth Behind Labels Campaign educates the public about what these labels really mean when it comes to animal welfare and exposes misleading marketing schemes that give people a false sense of compassion."
Click here to read report summary, which is extremely informative and hopefully influential in changing people's choices when shopping for meat and dairy.
Food Safety News Article - Food Posters on Display at National Ag Library
By Helena Bottemiller
July 27, 2010
"When Beans Were Bullets, an exhibit of food and agriculture posters from World Wars I and II is on display at USDA's National Agricultural Library in Beltsville, Maryland through August 30. The featured posters--which delve into a wide variety of issues, ranging from food rationing to food safety--examine the evolution of poster styles, propaganda messages, and advertising history during the two time periods...."
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2010/07/world-war-era-food-posters-on-display-at-national-ag-library/
July 27, 2010
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2010/07/world-war-era-food-posters-on-display-at-national-ag-library/
Sunday, July 25, 2010
NY Times Article - Unsafe at Any Meal
By Eric Schlosser
July 24, 2010
"Every day, about 200,000 Americans are sickened by contaminated food. Every year, about 325,000 are hospitalized by a food-borne illness. And the number who are killed annually by something they ate is roughly the same as the number of Americans who’ve been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2003. Those estimates, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suggest the scale of the problem. But they fail to convey the human toll. The elderly and people with compromised immune systems face an elevated risk from food-borne pathogens like listeria, campylobacter and salmonella. By far the most vulnerable group, however, are children under the age of 4. Our food will never be perfectly safe — and yet if the Senate fails to pass the food safety legislation now awaiting a vote, tens of thousands of American children will become needlessly and sometimes fatally ill...."
Click here to read Schlosser's full op-ed piece, which I highly recommend.
July 24, 2010
"Every day, about 200,000 Americans are sickened by contaminated food. Every year, about 325,000 are hospitalized by a food-borne illness. And the number who are killed annually by something they ate is roughly the same as the number of Americans who’ve been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2003. Those estimates, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suggest the scale of the problem. But they fail to convey the human toll. The elderly and people with compromised immune systems face an elevated risk from food-borne pathogens like listeria, campylobacter and salmonella. By far the most vulnerable group, however, are children under the age of 4. Our food will never be perfectly safe — and yet if the Senate fails to pass the food safety legislation now awaiting a vote, tens of thousands of American children will become needlessly and sometimes fatally ill...."
Click here to read Schlosser's full op-ed piece, which I highly recommend.
Cookbook - "The Conscious Cook"
In fact, Ronnen's introduction to his cookbook is addressed to "meat-eaters," inviting them to "experience (and love) food in a whole new way" and to "get away from the microwave and spend some time enjoying the creativity of putting together beautiful, flavorful, unexpected dishes." I can relate both to this approach to cooking and to his approach to vegetarianism: he doesn't like sprouts, and when he became a vegetarian he "didn't abandon his taste buds. [He] took them with [him]." That is clear from the two dishes I made. We'll see if I can tackle some of the others from this book.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Food Safety News Article - Survey Shows Consumer Attitudes Toward Food
By Laurel Curran
July 23, 2010
"In early July the International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation released its 2010 Food & Health Survey: Consumer Attitudes Toward Food Safety, Nutrition and Health (pdf). This is the foundation's fifth annual study gaining additional insight into the attitudes, opinions, and beliefs of American consumers. Looking at the results of this year's survey alongside those from past years makes for an interesting comparison when weighed with the current economic and consumer trends. This study asked Americans questions with regard to a number of different areas including health, weight, caffeine, food additives, food safety, food handling, purchasing influences, and food labeling...."
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2010/07/food-safety-health-survey-sheds-light-on-opinion-of-american-consumer/
July 23, 2010
"In early July the International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation released its 2010 Food & Health Survey: Consumer Attitudes Toward Food Safety, Nutrition and Health (pdf). This is the foundation's fifth annual study gaining additional insight into the attitudes, opinions, and beliefs of American consumers. Looking at the results of this year's survey alongside those from past years makes for an interesting comparison when weighed with the current economic and consumer trends. This study asked Americans questions with regard to a number of different areas including health, weight, caffeine, food additives, food safety, food handling, purchasing influences, and food labeling...."
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2010/07/food-safety-health-survey-sheds-light-on-opinion-of-american-consumer/
True Food Shoppers Guide Mobile App
For more information about this new app and to download a PDF version of the Shoppers Guide if you don't have a compatible mobile phone, go here.
Eatocracy Post - Clarified: Vegans, pescetarians, raw foodists, and other dietary tribes
July 22, 2010
"...Today, we're delving into the do-not-eat lists of all stripes of vegetarians as well as fruitarians, raw foodists and other groups who observe self-imposed culinary restrictions. Reasons for adherence vary wildly from person to person - some for religious reasons, others out of environmental and ethical concerns and others for reasons of health and well being...."
See full list of and descriptions for the above mentioned dietary tribes here.
"...Today, we're delving into the do-not-eat lists of all stripes of vegetarians as well as fruitarians, raw foodists and other groups who observe self-imposed culinary restrictions. Reasons for adherence vary wildly from person to person - some for religious reasons, others out of environmental and ethical concerns and others for reasons of health and well being...."
See full list of and descriptions for the above mentioned dietary tribes here.
Civil Eats Post - New Livestock Rules Cause House Ag Committee, Industry to Blow a Fuse
By Paula Crossfield
July 22, 2010
"On Tuesday, a House Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy and Poultry held a meeting in the lead up to the 2012 Farm Bill that descended into a contentious complaint session by Democrats and Republicans alike over the new rules proposed by the USDA’s Grain Inspection Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA). Many Ag Committee members take campaign donations from the industries that would be affected (in the 2010 cycle, House Agriculture Committee members have taken a combined $236,500 from the poultry and egg industry, and $281,611 from the livestock industry), and their reaction makes clear then that these rules could hold the potential for real reform...."
http://civileats.com/2010/07/22/new-livestock-rule-causes-house-ag-committee-industry-to-blow-a-fuse/
July 22, 2010
"On Tuesday, a House Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy and Poultry held a meeting in the lead up to the 2012 Farm Bill that descended into a contentious complaint session by Democrats and Republicans alike over the new rules proposed by the USDA’s Grain Inspection Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA). Many Ag Committee members take campaign donations from the industries that would be affected (in the 2010 cycle, House Agriculture Committee members have taken a combined $236,500 from the poultry and egg industry, and $281,611 from the livestock industry), and their reaction makes clear then that these rules could hold the potential for real reform...."
http://civileats.com/2010/07/22/new-livestock-rule-causes-house-ag-committee-industry-to-blow-a-fuse/
Food Politics Post - Be green and healthy: eat less meat?
July 21, 2010
"How can food producers become more sustainable? Use less meat in their products. Rita Jane Gabbett writes today on Meatingplace.com, a meat industry site, about a talk given by Cheryl Baldwin of Green Seal at a recent meeting of the Institute for Food Technologists. She told Meatingplace that meat producers should better understand 'the production methods used to feed and raise animals, making sure they are treated humanely and looking for ways to reduce the carbon footprint of processing methods.' She also said that 'grass-fed animals created a lower carbon footprint than those that were grain fed.' One can only imagine the reaction of meat producers to her comments...."
"How can food producers become more sustainable? Use less meat in their products. Rita Jane Gabbett writes today on Meatingplace.com, a meat industry site, about a talk given by Cheryl Baldwin of Green Seal at a recent meeting of the Institute for Food Technologists. She told Meatingplace that meat producers should better understand 'the production methods used to feed and raise animals, making sure they are treated humanely and looking for ways to reduce the carbon footprint of processing methods.' She also said that 'grass-fed animals created a lower carbon footprint than those that were grain fed.' One can only imagine the reaction of meat producers to her comments...."
Slate Article - 10 Tips to Reduce Your Food Waste
By Nina Shen Rastogi
July 6, 2010
"A few weeks ago, after serving up some sobering statistics about food waste in America, the Lantern put out a call for your best tips on how to avoid refrigerator rot. Nearly 200 of you responded, with some big suggestions (move to a place within walking distance of a grocery store) and small ones (grow your own herbs). Here are 10 key lessons that emerged from your letters and comments...."
July 6, 2010
"A few weeks ago, after serving up some sobering statistics about food waste in America, the Lantern put out a call for your best tips on how to avoid refrigerator rot. Nearly 200 of you responded, with some big suggestions (move to a place within walking distance of a grocery store) and small ones (grow your own herbs). Here are 10 key lessons that emerged from your letters and comments...."
Ethicurean Article - Cook outside your comfort zone in honor of National Farmers Market Week
By Bonnie Azab Powell
July 22, 2010
"It's the height of summer, and the tables of farmers markets around the country are overflowing with firm-fleshed, scarlet tomatoes; bunches of fragrant basil; and -- depending on where you live -- juicy stone fruits, avocados, and more. Such bounty makes it easy to celebrate National Farmers Market Week August 1-7 by visiting a market near you (you can find one via the Eat Well Guide, LocalHarvest, or USDA). And there almost definitely is one near you, as there are now more than 5,000 around the country, up an astonishing 13% from the previous year...."
http://www.ethicurean.com/2010/07/22/natl-farmers-market-week/
July 22, 2010
"It's the height of summer, and the tables of farmers markets around the country are overflowing with firm-fleshed, scarlet tomatoes; bunches of fragrant basil; and -- depending on where you live -- juicy stone fruits, avocados, and more. Such bounty makes it easy to celebrate National Farmers Market Week August 1-7 by visiting a market near you (you can find one via the Eat Well Guide, LocalHarvest, or USDA). And there almost definitely is one near you, as there are now more than 5,000 around the country, up an astonishing 13% from the previous year...."
http://www.ethicurean.com/2010/07/22/natl-farmers-market-week/
NPR Story - Going Whole Hog: Foodies Learn The Art Of Butchery
July 21, 2010
By The Associated Press
"Get out your knives and prepare to get blood on your clothes: more Americans are learning how to butcher their own meat. Cooking enthusiasts and eco-conscious food lovers are signing up for classes where they learn how to carve up whole hogs, lambs and other farm animals, the latest trend among foodies who want a closer connection to the meaty morsels on their forks...."
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128662625
By The Associated Press
"Get out your knives and prepare to get blood on your clothes: more Americans are learning how to butcher their own meat. Cooking enthusiasts and eco-conscious food lovers are signing up for classes where they learn how to carve up whole hogs, lambs and other farm animals, the latest trend among foodies who want a closer connection to the meaty morsels on their forks...."
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128662625
Sunday, July 18, 2010
LA Times Article - U.S. dietary guidelines hard to swallow
By Steven Malanga
July 18, 2010
"Every five years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services revised their dietary guidelines for Americans, which are intended to set the direction for federal nutrition education programs. The next set of guidelines, published later this year, could prove more controversial than usual, because increasing scientific evidence suggests that some current federal recommendations have simply been wrong. Will a public health establishment that has been slow to admit its mistakes over the years acknowledge the new research and shift direction? Or will it stubbornly stick to its obsolete guidelines?..."
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-malanga-dietary-guidelines-20100718,0,2205200.story
July 18, 2010
"Every five years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services revised their dietary guidelines for Americans, which are intended to set the direction for federal nutrition education programs. The next set of guidelines, published later this year, could prove more controversial than usual, because increasing scientific evidence suggests that some current federal recommendations have simply been wrong. Will a public health establishment that has been slow to admit its mistakes over the years acknowledge the new research and shift direction? Or will it stubbornly stick to its obsolete guidelines?..."
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-malanga-dietary-guidelines-20100718,0,2205200.story
Saturday, July 17, 2010
New Film - "The Food and Climate Connection: From Heating the Planet to Healing It"
The new online film from WhyHunger (embedded below) highlights the impact of today's global food system on the climate and how a community-based food movement around the world is bringing to life a way of farming and eating that's better for our bodies and the planet. Featuring interviews with farmers, community leaders, and sustainability advocates, the film describes how the industrial food system is among the greatest contributors to global warming and how sustainable farming practices can pose a powerful solution to the crisis.
Much of what the film discusses is well-known by now because of how much media attention these issues have been receiving lately, but the 9-minute film is still worth watching if only because of the visual component - simply seeing video clips and images of the problems we read about always seems to have an extra impact.
The Food and Climate Connection from WhyHunger on Vimeo.
Much of what the film discusses is well-known by now because of how much media attention these issues have been receiving lately, but the 9-minute film is still worth watching if only because of the visual component - simply seeing video clips and images of the problems we read about always seems to have an extra impact.
The Food and Climate Connection from WhyHunger on Vimeo.
Friday, July 16, 2010
New Book - The Cafo Reader: The Tragedy of Industrial Animal Factories edited by Daniel Imhoff
Taken from Civil Eats post that includes an interview with the book's editor, Daniel Imhoff, in which he discusses recent positive changes to the food industry, what changes still remain to be made, and how we can accomplish those changes. The interview also mentions a forthcoming photo book to accompany the essays (due out in September), which could very well have a larger impact than the essays themselves.
New USDA Website - Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack launched a new feature on the Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food website, which he started last year "in order to create new economic opportunities, promote local and regional food systems that assist in keeping the local economy in business in rural communities, and to encourage a national conversation about what Americans eat and where it comes from in order to benefit consumers and producers of all sizes."
The website's new section, Ideas and Stories, "will provide real-world examples of people who work in the agricultural industry every day across the country."
See full article about the new site posted by Food Safety News here.
This new resource is important because it represents the government responding to the growing interest among consumers in knowing where our food comes from and in promoting local and regional food production. This is a good sign of more progress to come! You can receive updates about the site through Facebook, Twitter, or RSS feed.
2010 Walk for Farm Animals
The 2010 Walk for Farm Animals is "an annual event that helps spread the word about the treatment of animals on factory farms and raises vital funds for our rescue, education and advocacy work....If you are interested in participating in a Farm Sanctuary Walk for Farm Animals, please check out the Find a 2010 Walk page to see if there is an event in your community...."
For more information, visit the Farm Sanctuary's Walk for Farm Animals home page here.
Huffington Post Article - The Fight Over Food Deserts -- Corporate America Smacks Its Way Down
By Eric Holt Gimenez
July 14, 2010
"This June the City of Chicago approved Walmart's bid to open up dozens of new facilities, beginning with grocery stores in the city's chronically underserved South side. Just a month earlier the company committed $2 billion dollars to fight hunger in the U.S. But behind the high profile donations is a decidedly less charitable story repeating itself throughout corporate America...."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eric-holt-gimenez/the-fight-over-food-deser_b_646849.html
July 14, 2010
"This June the City of Chicago approved Walmart's bid to open up dozens of new facilities, beginning with grocery stores in the city's chronically underserved South side. Just a month earlier the company committed $2 billion dollars to fight hunger in the U.S. But behind the high profile donations is a decidedly less charitable story repeating itself throughout corporate America...."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eric-holt-gimenez/the-fight-over-food-deser_b_646849.html
Guardian Article - Vegetarian recipe special: the celebrities
July 16, 2010
"From Gwyneth Paltrow's artichokes [pictured below] to Pink's nutty berry tart, fabulous meat-free recipes from a host of celebrities."
Check out the full list of recipes here. (Unfortunately, they're all in metric measurements, but they shouldn't be difficult to convert.)
NY Times Article - Field Report: A Michigan Teen Farms Her Backyard
By Christine Muhlke
July 12, 2010
"Lawn mowing and baby-sitting are standard summer jobs for the enterprising teenager. Alexandra Reau, who is 14, combines a little bit of each: last year, she asked her dad to dig up a half acre of their lawn in rural Petersburg, Mich., so she could farm. Now in its second season, her Garden to Go C.S.A. (community-supported agriculture) grows for 14 members, who pay $100 to $175 for two months of just-picked vegetables and herbs. While her peers are hanging out at Molly’s Mystic Freeze and working out the moves to that Miley Cyrus video, she’s flicking potato-beetle larvae off of leaves in her V-neck T-shirt and denim capris, a barrette keeping her hair out of her demurely made-up eyes. Who says the face of American farming is a 57-year-old man with a John Deere cap?..."
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/18/magazine/18food-t.html?ref=magazine
July 12, 2010
"Lawn mowing and baby-sitting are standard summer jobs for the enterprising teenager. Alexandra Reau, who is 14, combines a little bit of each: last year, she asked her dad to dig up a half acre of their lawn in rural Petersburg, Mich., so she could farm. Now in its second season, her Garden to Go C.S.A. (community-supported agriculture) grows for 14 members, who pay $100 to $175 for two months of just-picked vegetables and herbs. While her peers are hanging out at Molly’s Mystic Freeze and working out the moves to that Miley Cyrus video, she’s flicking potato-beetle larvae off of leaves in her V-neck T-shirt and denim capris, a barrette keeping her hair out of her demurely made-up eyes. Who says the face of American farming is a 57-year-old man with a John Deere cap?..."
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/18/magazine/18food-t.html?ref=magazine
Thursday, July 15, 2010
NY Times Article - Nestlé Will Drop Claims of Health Benefit in Drink
By William Neuman
July 14, 2010
"According to a recent Nestlé ad campaign aimed at parents, a drink called Boost Kid Essentials was so good for children that it could keep them from getting colds and missing school. But on Wednesday, the Federal Trade Commission said the ads were deceptive and announced that Nestlé had agreed to stop making the claims. The move was the second in two months aimed at deceptive advertising by a major food manufacturer for products meant for children. A commission official said that the agency was taking a close look at the proliferating number of health claims made for all types of products on supermarket shelves...."
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/15/business/15food.html?_r=1&emc=tnt&tntemail1=y
July 14, 2010
"According to a recent Nestlé ad campaign aimed at parents, a drink called Boost Kid Essentials was so good for children that it could keep them from getting colds and missing school. But on Wednesday, the Federal Trade Commission said the ads were deceptive and announced that Nestlé had agreed to stop making the claims. The move was the second in two months aimed at deceptive advertising by a major food manufacturer for products meant for children. A commission official said that the agency was taking a close look at the proliferating number of health claims made for all types of products on supermarket shelves...."
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/15/business/15food.html?_r=1&emc=tnt&tntemail1=y
The PETA Files - Top 10 Most Veg-Friendly Cities in North America
Here's the brief list of cities, but go here for full descriptions and restaurant picks for each city, along with a second Top 10 list of the most veg-friendly smaller cities.
1. Washington, DC
2. Portland, Oregon
3. Albuquerque, New Mexico
4. Atlanta, Georgia
5. Seattle, Washington
6. Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
7. San Francisco, CA
8. Los Angeles, CA
9. New York, NY
10. Toronto, Ontario, Canada
1. Washington, DC
2. Portland, Oregon
3. Albuquerque, New Mexico
4. Atlanta, Georgia
5. Seattle, Washington
6. Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
7. San Francisco, CA
8. Los Angeles, CA
9. New York, NY
10. Toronto, Ontario, Canada
New Book - A Taste for Civilization by Janet Flammang
Check out this Civil Eats review of the book by Sara Franklin (an independent food systems consultant and freelance writer focusing on community development and health, rural-urban links, social justice and urban agriculture). Despite being somewhat critical of the author's efforts, Franklin's review, along with the book's subtitle, definitely make me inclined to read this book.
TakePart Post - Why Subway's Hydroponic Veggie Gardens in Japan Are a Good Sign for Americans
By Megan Bedard
July 14, 2010
"Food activist Michael Pollan has said again and again that we have the opportunity to "vote with our forks." Not familiar with the phrase? Pollan means that three times a day, when you decide what to eat, you're sending a message to companies about what you want—and what you don't want—to consume.
Pollan insists that enough consumer demand will sway food companies to respond (if only because profit is their primary concern). This week offers a case in point: Wendy's adjusted its salad line in response to customer demand for "real food." Despite Wendy's baby step, Pollan might be waiting a while for large-scale proof that paying eaters can improve the food chain here in America. We're a massive country, and not exactly known for seeing eye-to-eye on food. But overseas, in Japan, the proof is in the pudding...."
http://www.takepart.com/news/2010/07/14/why-subways-hydroponic-veggie-gardens-in-japan-are-a-good-sign-for-americans
July 14, 2010
"Food activist Michael Pollan has said again and again that we have the opportunity to "vote with our forks." Not familiar with the phrase? Pollan means that three times a day, when you decide what to eat, you're sending a message to companies about what you want—and what you don't want—to consume.
Pollan insists that enough consumer demand will sway food companies to respond (if only because profit is their primary concern). This week offers a case in point: Wendy's adjusted its salad line in response to customer demand for "real food." Despite Wendy's baby step, Pollan might be waiting a while for large-scale proof that paying eaters can improve the food chain here in America. We're a massive country, and not exactly known for seeing eye-to-eye on food. But overseas, in Japan, the proof is in the pudding...."
http://www.takepart.com/news/2010/07/14/why-subways-hydroponic-veggie-gardens-in-japan-are-a-good-sign-for-americans
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
NY Times Recipe - Quinoa, Corn and Edamame Salad
By Martha Rose Shulman
July 12, 2010
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/14/health/nutrition/14recipehealth.html?_r=1&emc=tnt&tntemail1=y
July 12, 2010
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/14/health/nutrition/14recipehealth.html?_r=1&emc=tnt&tntemail1=y
NY Times Article - Trying to Stop Cattle Burps From Heating Up Planet
By Norimitsu Onishi
July 13, 2010
"To hear Athol Klieve tell it, a key to reducing Australia’s enormous carbon emissions is to make a cow more like this country’s iconic animal — the kangaroo. Both animals are herbivores, and both eat grass that is fermented before entering their main stomachs. But while cattle belch enormous amounts of methane to digest the food, kangaroos release virtually none — they burp only harmless acids that can be turned into vinegar...."
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/14/science/earth/14australia.html?_r=1
July 13, 2010
"To hear Athol Klieve tell it, a key to reducing Australia’s enormous carbon emissions is to make a cow more like this country’s iconic animal — the kangaroo. Both animals are herbivores, and both eat grass that is fermented before entering their main stomachs. But while cattle belch enormous amounts of methane to digest the food, kangaroos release virtually none — they burp only harmless acids that can be turned into vinegar...."
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/14/science/earth/14australia.html?_r=1
Monday, July 12, 2010
NRDC's Simple Steps - Eat Local
Like the idea of eating seasonal produce grown on regional farms but wonder what's in season near you this week? Use this website's easy search tools to find out. One map shows which produce is in season throughout the U.S., while the other one allows you to search for Farmers' Markets near you. For example, when I clicked on North Carolina from the U.S. map, this led me to a month-by-month list of produce that I could find locally.
Other links allow you to click on individual produce items, where you can learn more about them and find great recipes with which to prepare them.
This is a great online resource that was recently passed along to me (thanks, Austin!), and I highly recommend checking it out.
Other links allow you to click on individual produce items, where you can learn more about them and find great recipes with which to prepare them.
This is a great online resource that was recently passed along to me (thanks, Austin!), and I highly recommend checking it out.
Civil Eats Post - Eat This Film! A Monthly Helping of Consuming Cinema in NYC
By Sabine Hrechdakian
July 12, 2010
"If film–and documentaries in particular–reflect trends in general and popular culture, then it’s no surprise that a growing crop of films have emerged in recent years that mirror our growing awareness about how and where our food comes from. On the other end of the spectrum are movies that in their attempt to consciously avoid any political or social message, might best be described as food porn. So why, given the obvious merits of the first and culinary indulgence of the latter, do most of these films still leave me hungry?..."
Read full post here, which includes more information about Eat This Film!, a monthly summer screening and discussion series at 92YTribeca.
July 12, 2010
"If film–and documentaries in particular–reflect trends in general and popular culture, then it’s no surprise that a growing crop of films have emerged in recent years that mirror our growing awareness about how and where our food comes from. On the other end of the spectrum are movies that in their attempt to consciously avoid any political or social message, might best be described as food porn. So why, given the obvious merits of the first and culinary indulgence of the latter, do most of these films still leave me hungry?..."
Read full post here, which includes more information about Eat This Film!, a monthly summer screening and discussion series at 92YTribeca.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Civil Eats Post - Eating with Your Senses, a Conversation with Deborah Madison
By Naomi Starkman
July 8, 2010
"Deborah Madison’s books — including The Greens Cookbook, Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, and her latest, Seasonal Fruit Desserts — have inspired multi generations in the art of preparing delicious, seasonal food. Now a chef and bestselling cookbook author, Madison was the founding chef of Greens Restaurant and has received the M.F.K. Fisher Award, the International Association of Culinary Professional’s Julia Child Cookbook of the Year award, and three James Beard awards. In addition to writing on food and farming, she has long been active in Slow Food and other groups involved in local food issues. [Naomi Starkman] just had the pleasure of sharing a potluck meal prepared for her, hosted by 18 Reasons at Omnivore Books, and featuring dishes from her recipe collection...."
Read full interview with Deborah Madison here.
July 8, 2010
"Deborah Madison’s books — including The Greens Cookbook, Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, and her latest, Seasonal Fruit Desserts — have inspired multi generations in the art of preparing delicious, seasonal food. Now a chef and bestselling cookbook author, Madison was the founding chef of Greens Restaurant and has received the M.F.K. Fisher Award, the International Association of Culinary Professional’s Julia Child Cookbook of the Year award, and three James Beard awards. In addition to writing on food and farming, she has long been active in Slow Food and other groups involved in local food issues. [Naomi Starkman] just had the pleasure of sharing a potluck meal prepared for her, hosted by 18 Reasons at Omnivore Books, and featuring dishes from her recipe collection...."
Read full interview with Deborah Madison here.
TakePart Post - California Eggs Will Be Cage Free by 2015
By Megan Bedard
July 7, 2010
"By 2015, all eggs sold in the state of California will come from hens that were able to stand up, lie down, turn around, and fully extend their limbs without touching other hens or the sides of a cage. The hens' right to do the Hokey Pokey is all thanks to bill A.B.1437, signed into law Tuesday by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger...."
http://www.takepart.com/news/2010/07/07/california-will-become-a-cage-free-state-by-2015
July 7, 2010
"By 2015, all eggs sold in the state of California will come from hens that were able to stand up, lie down, turn around, and fully extend their limbs without touching other hens or the sides of a cage. The hens' right to do the Hokey Pokey is all thanks to bill A.B.1437, signed into law Tuesday by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger...."
http://www.takepart.com/news/2010/07/07/california-will-become-a-cage-free-state-by-2015
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Food Safety News Article - Bison Products Recalled for E. coli Contamination
By Suzanne Schreck
July 5, 2010
"Henderson, Colorado-based Rocky Mountain Natural Meats recalled approximately 66,000 pounds of ground and tenderized steak bison products for potential E. coli O157:H7 contamination late Friday. The recall was initiated after the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) became aware of an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak associated with the products. A joint E. coli outbreak investigation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, and the New York Department of Health revealed that at least 6 people became ill with E. coli O157:H7 infections after consuming the bison products produced by Rocky Mountain Natural Meats...."
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2010/07/bison-products-recalled-for-e-coli-contamination/
July 5, 2010
"Henderson, Colorado-based Rocky Mountain Natural Meats recalled approximately 66,000 pounds of ground and tenderized steak bison products for potential E. coli O157:H7 contamination late Friday. The recall was initiated after the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) became aware of an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak associated with the products. A joint E. coli outbreak investigation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, and the New York Department of Health revealed that at least 6 people became ill with E. coli O157:H7 infections after consuming the bison products produced by Rocky Mountain Natural Meats...."
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2010/07/bison-products-recalled-for-e-coli-contamination/
Monday, July 5, 2010
Happy Cow - Vegetarian restaurants guide and directory of natural health food stores
As described on its website, "Happy Cow's Compassionate Eating Guide to Restaurants and Health Food Stores is a free worldwide guide created to assist travelers and people everywhere find vegetarian and healthy food options."
Check out Happy Cow.net when you're planning a trip, traveling, or looking to try a new local vegetarian restaurant. (As an example, I entered my zip code in Durham, North Carolina, and it came up with the following results: 3 "Vegetarian" restaurants, 13 "Veg-Friendly" restaurants, and 7 "Stores n' More."
Grist Article - Why eaters alone can’t transform the food system
By Tom Philpott
June 29, 2010
"In the cover piece of the newest American Prospect, Heather Rogers [author of the new book Green Gone Wrong: How Our economy Is Undermining the Environmental Revolution] skillfully makes a point I've been flogging for years: that public policy, not consumer choice, is the villain propping up the industrial food system and constraining the growth of organic farming...."
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Economist Article - Competition in American agriculture: Slaughterhouse rules
June 24, 2010
"On June 18th the Department of Agriculture proposed new regulations for big meatpackers and poultry processors. The agriculture and justice departments had already said they would study antitrust issues in agriculture—they have held two “workshops” so far, with a third, on dairy, scheduled for June 25th in Wisconsin. But the packer proposals show that regulators are prepared to do more than talk. Fred Stokes, a cattle rancher and leader of the Organisation for Competitive Markets, an advocacy group, is thrilled. Joaquin Contente, a dairy farmer due to speak at the Wisconsin hearing, hopes that dairy may see changes, too. The meat and poultry lobbies are horrified..."
http://www.economist.com/node/16436481?story_id=16436481
"On June 18th the Department of Agriculture proposed new regulations for big meatpackers and poultry processors. The agriculture and justice departments had already said they would study antitrust issues in agriculture—they have held two “workshops” so far, with a third, on dairy, scheduled for June 25th in Wisconsin. But the packer proposals show that regulators are prepared to do more than talk. Fred Stokes, a cattle rancher and leader of the Organisation for Competitive Markets, an advocacy group, is thrilled. Joaquin Contente, a dairy farmer due to speak at the Wisconsin hearing, hopes that dairy may see changes, too. The meat and poultry lobbies are horrified..."
http://www.economist.com/node/16436481?story_id=16436481
Ethicurean Article - Chicken expert Gail Damerow answers newbie questions
By Bonnie Azab Powell
June 30, 2010
"If [chickens] are the Boston terriers of their decade, then Gail Damerow is poultry's Cesar Millan. In the last 40 years, she's raised dozens of different breeds and written Barnyard in Your Backyard
and several other animal-care handbooks. But she's best known for Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens, 3rd Edition, now in its third edition. It's the primer for all things chicken: from training your birds (yes, you can, although they probably won't fetch for you) to keeping predators at bay to designing and building your own backyard coop. Gail graciously consented to answer my poultry-newbie questions by phone and email from her farm in Tennessee's Upper Cumberland...."
http://www.ethicurean.com/2010/06/30/gail-damerow/
June 30, 2010
"If [chickens] are the Boston terriers of their decade, then Gail Damerow is poultry's Cesar Millan. In the last 40 years, she's raised dozens of different breeds and written Barnyard in Your Backyard
and several other animal-care handbooks. But she's best known for Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens, 3rd Edition, now in its third edition. It's the primer for all things chicken: from training your birds (yes, you can, although they probably won't fetch for you) to keeping predators at bay to designing and building your own backyard coop. Gail graciously consented to answer my poultry-newbie questions by phone and email from her farm in Tennessee's Upper Cumberland...."
http://www.ethicurean.com/2010/06/30/gail-damerow/
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