The Kale Vacuum

Last night I taught the thirteenth class of my last ‘food literacy and cooking skills’ series. By the end of May I will have completed 2 sessions – 4 series – 16 weeks of classes. Each group of families has taught me as much as I may have taught them. And last night’s group was no exception.
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Interview with Mark Bittman

For all you Bittman fans, here is a great interview to watch. The topics range from his views on basic cooking techniques to standard pantry items to the local food movement to dining with Adolf Hitler. Like his recipes, I think his matter-of-fact demeanor is rather charming and appreciated, especially when you think about the pretentiousness of foodies. Definitely a nice break from the sensationalism of the Food Network.

Enjoy!

A Tax on Soda = Illogical Food Policy

Yesterday Mark Bittman published an article on the soda tax. In “Soda: A Sin We Sip Instead of Smoke?“, Bittman explores the controversy of taxing sugar-sweetened beverages. The impetus for such concern are the rising rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes, both modern epidemics for children and adults in America. This is clearly a serious issue. And yet, the cure for this problem could not seem more ridiculous!
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A Fresh Perspective (weekly menu 20)

For those of us who cook at home, one’s library of recipes is both a treasure and a burden. Like an old babushka from communist Europe, the ripped pages, dog-eared cookbooks and scraps of scribbled meal ideas are piled away in the ever-growing corner or dusty cabinet. Each night we peruse the pages looking for a new idea, a fresh perspective. But every time we open the same books, a looming sense of doubt fills our hungry bellies. There’s only so many pot roasts, stir-fries and creamy soups to find in one’s hoarded collection. Thank goodness an outside world exists. If it weren’t for libraries, magazine aisles, Bravo TV, the food channel and other consumer-friendly sources of food ideas, we’d still be standing over the stove stirring at the same old pot of stew.
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The Pains of Eliminating (weekly menu 19)

Today signals the 5th week of my epic elimination diet. For the past 36 days I have avoided 19 different food items, including: citrus fruits, beans, vinegar, tofu, tomatoes, eggs and mushrooms. Suffice to say, this is not easy. In fact, I don’t wish this upon anyone. It’s one thing to be gluten-free 0r dairy-free or nut-free, let alone all three at once. But it’s a whole other beast to ignore a dozen or so common random food items. In both cases there are plenty of options; but in the latter lifestyle there is much more difficulty when interacting with the outside culinary world. If anything, the elimination diet makes you feel like a weirdo, alientaed from the “normal world.” A world I once proudly inhabited.
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