(Photo: Ann Grummon, www.6acrestudio.com)
As life has gotten bigger and wilder in the last few weeks, my mind has become full of untamed beasts, all clamoring for my undivided attention. I have spent the last few days trying to wrestle each of these beasts into cages, to no avail. They will be wild. So, rather than a trip to the zoo, how about a little safari through life in its natural habitat? Here we go.
Posted by realfoodroad on May 18, 2013
http://realfoodroad.com/2013/05/18/quests/
The Perennial Plate | Adventures in Sustainable Eating has a new video up titled “Two Options”. It’s about farmers in India, their age-old practice of saving seeds, and two women reviving the practice, in response to the desperate choices farmers must make when they begin doing business with Monsanto. I’ll let the video speak for itself, but the Indian farmers, and farmers all over the world (including North America) who are being driven out of farming by Monsanto’s predatory business practices and high-stakes legal bullying need someone to speak for them. Contact your Congressmen and let them know what you think about Monsanto.
If you don’t know what you think of Monsanto, google Monsanto and seed-saving, and see what you think then. Google Monsanto and GMO. Google Monsanto and rGBH. But don’t just sit there and take for granted that Monsanto is some benevolent food giant that wants to feed the world, because that is not what they really want.
Eat Local, Eat GMO-free, and I’ll see you down the Road.
Posted by realfoodroad on February 24, 2013
http://realfoodroad.com/2013/02/24/two-options-perennialplate/
The Extraordinary Science of Junk Food, an excerpt from an upcoming book by Michael Moss, is a disturbing peek into the world of processed food engineering, and the lengths the food industry has gone to in order to keep people buying and eating foods they know they really shouldn’t be eating.
I first heard a bit about this years ago in a book I did not finish reading, “The End of Overeating”, by David Kessler. But Michael Moss seems to have something more exposé-like here, and I look forward to the release this month of “Sugar Salt Fat: How The Food Giants Hooked Us”
Meanwhile, I highly recommend the NYT Magazine article. You may not want to read it with a bag of chips or a soda at your side.
See you soon.
Posted by realfoodroad on February 21, 2013
http://realfoodroad.com/2013/02/21/must-read-article-in-the-nyt-magazine/
So, this week’s menu features meals designed to a) use up leftovers in the refrigerator; b) use up some of the ingredients that have been in my pantry for a while; c) Keep It Simple Sweetie, while we continue adjusting to our status as returning homeschoolers. On that note, let’s just say there can be too much of a good thing, and that not all children are built to handle the stress of a highly accelerated curriculum, even if they are intellectually capable of learning the material. Faster is not always better. The Boy will continue to study Biology, Chemistry, and Algebra, at a pace that is stimulating and enjoyable, not overwhelming and anxiety-inducing. In addition, he has asked to learn how the Stock Market works (!), how to create our own 3-D jigsaw puzzles, and has created a vocabulary study plan of his own design, beginning with the word “parkour”. Life is soon to become very interesting.
Back to the food.
Posted by realfoodroad on November 12, 2012
http://realfoodroad.com/2012/11/12/this-weeks-menu-aka-k-i-s-s/
Here’s a link to a great read from Chef Marcus Samuelsson:
He discusses the idea that the way we talk about food with our children can influence whether or not they will be interested in eating it. In a recent study by Cornell University, children were more enthusiastic about eating vegetables when they were given exciting names, such as “Silly Dilly Green Beans” and “X-Ray Vision Carrots”. Samuelsson has taken this idea further by suggesting we should stop making the distinction between “healthy” foods and “tasty” foods, because it somehow implies that “healthy” foods are not “tasty”. Any of you who have ever eaten just-picked fresh peas from the pod, or a sun-warmed tomato fresh off the vine know this is simply not true. But it’s the impression given when we tell our kids, “Eat it, it’s good for you,” rather than, “Have a bite of this, it’s delicious.”
Click the link, have a good read, and see if it doesn’t get you thinking about your own food choices, and how you make them. I’ll see you on down the Road.
Posted by realfoodroad on October 11, 2012
http://realfoodroad.com/2012/10/11/chef-marcus-samuelsson-talks-about-how-kids-view-healthy-foods/
Wow, that week went by quickly! There was a lot of cooking, but no photos to show for it. However, I do have some photos of what I have been gathering from local farmers and vendors this week.
Posted by realfoodroad on October 8, 2012
http://realfoodroad.com/2012/10/08/this-weeks-farm-finds/
In honor of Perennial Plate’s around-the-world tour, about local foods people eat in countries other than the US, and just because it sounded intriguing and the corn is so good right now, I present to you Daniel Klein’s recipe for Miso Corn Chowder. His photo is better than mine, so here’s the link to the recipe and photo at Perennial Plate. Follow Daniel and Mirra on Twitter (@perennialplate, @kaleandcola), and you’ll be treated to photos of their trip, plus links they like, blog posts, and other fun stuff. They are in Japan right now, eating and photographing the most amazing sushi and noodle dishes and other foods, and sharing it with their followers day by day.
Posted by realfoodroad on September 9, 2012
http://realfoodroad.com/2012/09/09/miso-corn-chowder-perennialplate/
Quick post, and a quick read. Couldn’t have said it better myself. Check it out:
Posted by realfoodroad on September 8, 2012
http://realfoodroad.com/2012/09/08/focusing-on-what-is-local-not-just-organic-nytimes-com/
It has been a little crazy here this week, with The Boy starting school, and his birthday coming up, and I have not been in the kitchen as much as I would like. But I did want to share a resource with you, that I stumbled upon last week. It is a guide published by the Environmental Working Group called “Good Food on a Tight Budget”. If you have ever wondered if you were really getting the most flavor, value, and nutrition bang for your buck, but found the task daunting, this is the guide for you. The EWG has done the legwork, data-gathering, and math for you, and has come up with an extensive list of whole, fresh foods that are packed with the most flavor and nutrition for the dollar. You can access the list on the website, print yourself a copy of the booklet, or even purchase a hardcover copy if you want. I thought the list was very complete, and the information provided about the foods listed helpful. I think it’s definitely worth a look.
More food soon, see you then.
Posted by realfoodroad on August 30, 2012
http://realfoodroad.com/2012/08/30/good-food-on-a-tight-budget-with-a-link/
Have you been to the site The Perennial Plate yet? You may have noticed it’s one of the links I recommend over there on the right of this page. They are just wrapping up their second year of blogging (and video blogging, although really, the micro-documentaries Daniel Klein and Mirra Fine make are sooooo much more than mere point-the-camera-at-something-and-put-it-online-blogging), and it was even better than the first year. In the first year, their focus was on local, seasonal eating in Minnesota (yes, even in the winter). The second year, they took a road trip around the country, to see what local food traditions they could discover. Their blog is great too (Mirra has her own unique take on this journey, and her relationship with Daniel, and she is damn funny), so I would strongly suggest you hole up this weekend with your computer, and do a marathon of The Perennial Plate.
Posted by realfoodroad on May 11, 2012
http://realfoodroad.com/2012/05/11/foraging-for-inspiration/
