Happy Monday everyone, I hope that all is fine and dandy.
So, I'm not sure if many of you noticed last week, but a bill passed congress that was a near overhaul of child nutrition as we currently know it. Personally, I am very pleased to see this as I feel that it has been long overdue. Here is a link to the New York Times article on the passage of the bill if you would like to read it.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/03/us/politics/03child.html
The bill, which was largely a Democratic effort, has essentially set required nutritional guidelines for school lunches while providing more funding in this area. This includes an increased focus on the prominence of fruits and vegetables in school lunches, aspects of the meals that have been seriously lacking. Also, outside vendors will be forced to comply with nutritional standards, further shielding our children from the draw of flashy advertisements and empty calories. Another wonderful aspect to this bill is increased access for children to free/reduced lunches. Finally, more money, which is imperative because we all know that nothing in politics gets accomplished without it.
While I know there are some who will see this as another piece of misguided legislation or a waste of government money, and there are those who are perplexed at the contradiction of cutting funding for SNAP to pay for school lunches, this bill is a good thing, despite all of its quirks and compromises. Child nutrition, especially in low budget public schools, has been in dire straits for decades. With lobbyists for agribusiness and the fast food industry molding policies in Washington that allow them access into the schools, it's no wonder that child obesity, and hunger, are prominent social issues in this country today. At the same time, and for the same reason, it is no wonder that these are two of the most overlooked issues in our country as well. Opponents of this legislation may see this as an encroachment on our children's freedom of choice, but the reality is that supermarkets and the food industry destroyed that freedom years ago. And with the absence of health food options in low income communities(which is another often overlooked issue), these children are fighting a losing battle for their health from birth. School is a place of learning, holistic learning, and this should include a teaching of food and the role it plays in a healthy lifestyle. Without these lessons learned, children are doomed to a lifestyle of malnutrition, obesity, and an overall lack of health while furthering the disconnect between consumers and their food, it's nutritional value, its effects, and its origins. You truly are what you eat. So, I commend the Senate, the House, and Michelle Obama, who championed this issue, for their efforts in improving child nutrition before it deteriorated even further at the expense of this and future generations.
Healthy Eating Everyone,
Jordan
Monday, December 6, 2010
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Go Vegan Or Die
Good morning my friends! Welcome to my first December blog...
"Go Vegan Or Die!" These words are scraped into the sidewalk at the corner of Gilman & San Pablo in Berkeley, CA. Seriously. Right in front of the Chinese place. Go check it out if you want. While I applaud the author's enthusiasm, it could be a bit frightening to those who are still in the dark on this issue. So, as your culinary tour guide, I figured that I may attempt to shed a little light on the subject.
Firstly, who are vegans? Well, vegans aren't fanatics in the wilderness sharing a lingering embrace with an oak tree. Vegans are much like you and I. They are individuals with a strong system of beliefs that have made life choices based on those beliefs. So what is veganism? Veganism is a sustainable lifestyle that is based on getting all that we, as people, need from the earth through plants and such. It's largely characterized by the absence of using animals or animal byproducts as a means for food, clothing, cosmetics, etc.
So then why all the animosity toward vegans? Most people view vegans as left-wing liberal, environmentalist, tree hugging fanatics on the fringe of society and, while this may be true of some, most aren't. In fact, they're regular people just like us who have decided not to consume animal products. And I support that notion, though I have tried and have miserably failed at a vegan lifestyle. However, at the root of most of the public distaste for veganism lies two things: ignorance and unease. This post should help with the misunderstanding of it, but the reason we are uncomfortable around vegans speaks to something deeper. It is not the intent of these individuals to make us feel guilty about what and how much we consume. Instead they choose this lifestyle out of a concerted effort to conserve and to save. Or because their favorite celebrity is vegan, but I digress. Veganism is fundamentally about sustainability, which is an end that we should all strive toward in any way that we can. Whether that be through veganism or through consuming only sustainably raised products, we should take steps toward being more concious of our consumption. And I mean a holistic awareness. Not just how it effects the earth but how we effect one another through what we consume. Veganism isn't for everyone, but sustainability is. And if we can make the effort to understand one another, then we could learn how to live and eat more responsibly.
Eating responsibly one day at a time,
Jordan
"Go Vegan Or Die!" These words are scraped into the sidewalk at the corner of Gilman & San Pablo in Berkeley, CA. Seriously. Right in front of the Chinese place. Go check it out if you want. While I applaud the author's enthusiasm, it could be a bit frightening to those who are still in the dark on this issue. So, as your culinary tour guide, I figured that I may attempt to shed a little light on the subject.
Firstly, who are vegans? Well, vegans aren't fanatics in the wilderness sharing a lingering embrace with an oak tree. Vegans are much like you and I. They are individuals with a strong system of beliefs that have made life choices based on those beliefs. So what is veganism? Veganism is a sustainable lifestyle that is based on getting all that we, as people, need from the earth through plants and such. It's largely characterized by the absence of using animals or animal byproducts as a means for food, clothing, cosmetics, etc.
So then why all the animosity toward vegans? Most people view vegans as left-wing liberal, environmentalist, tree hugging fanatics on the fringe of society and, while this may be true of some, most aren't. In fact, they're regular people just like us who have decided not to consume animal products. And I support that notion, though I have tried and have miserably failed at a vegan lifestyle. However, at the root of most of the public distaste for veganism lies two things: ignorance and unease. This post should help with the misunderstanding of it, but the reason we are uncomfortable around vegans speaks to something deeper. It is not the intent of these individuals to make us feel guilty about what and how much we consume. Instead they choose this lifestyle out of a concerted effort to conserve and to save. Or because their favorite celebrity is vegan, but I digress. Veganism is fundamentally about sustainability, which is an end that we should all strive toward in any way that we can. Whether that be through veganism or through consuming only sustainably raised products, we should take steps toward being more concious of our consumption. And I mean a holistic awareness. Not just how it effects the earth but how we effect one another through what we consume. Veganism isn't for everyone, but sustainability is. And if we can make the effort to understand one another, then we could learn how to live and eat more responsibly.
Eating responsibly one day at a time,
Jordan
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
In The News...
Hello again everyone. I hope that all is well.
I was checking my twitter this morning and I noticed a tweet from the NY Times Dining twitter people about the Senate putting together a revised bill concerning the FDA (Food & Drug Administration) and the food industry. It intrigued me enough, so I bit and read the article. Feel free to research the bill on your own but for the sake of brevity in my blog, I'll sum it up as best as I can. Basically, the bill will grant the FDA more power and will increase the frequency of inspections by said government agency. Also, food producers, processors, and suppliers will be hit with far more paperwork to ensure that they are complying with everything that the FDA deems necessary now that the agency will be overseeing farming. Oh yes, and the FDA is getting more cash flowing in their direction to make all of this possible. This bill has spawned in response to the influx of food borne illness outbreaks that seem to happen as regularly as national holidays now. Due to this bill, or so congress says, there will be fewer outbreaks and the outbreaks will more easily and more effectively contained. Forgive my cynicism, but I have to disagree.
Some small farmers have expressed concern over this bill, and rightfully so. This bill could do quite a bit of damage to small farms and organic farms that sell locally and at farmer's markets. Burried beneath a mountain of paperwork and constrained by a host of regulations, small farms will be under even more pressure than is already applied to these hard working individuals. But aside from that, the main fear is to be the increased power that the FDA will be granted as a result of this bill. Over the past three to four decades, the FDA, and the entire government for that matter, has been nothing more than a puppet for profit hungry agribusiness giants to pass laws that cater to their every desire and consolidate a shrinking agricultural marketplace until they have all but monopolized our food supply. So, small farms are going to bear the greater load of this burden as the FDA will continue to turn a blind eye to huge corporations that don't comply. That's the way it has always been and the way it will continue to be.
However, for the government and the FDA to place even more of an undue hardship on these small farms is morally corrupt and unjust. But let's face it, calling our representatives or protesting accomplishes nothing. They only way to get anyone's attention is to hit them in the wallet. So, I would like to encourage you to become more aware of your food, where you get it from, who's growing it and how. Shop at the Farmer's Markets, research some small farms in the area and find out where you can purchase their products. Not only will you be buying a better product, but you will be supporting individuals and families who actually need it instead of lining the pockets of agribusiness execs who make billions by exploiting the land and the people who farm it. Could this bill have some positive effects? Sure. But the negative impact that it could have on the food industry, as well as the agriculture industry would be insurmountable. Let's not let these small farmers disappear. We have to support them.
Happy eating my friends,
Jordan
I was checking my twitter this morning and I noticed a tweet from the NY Times Dining twitter people about the Senate putting together a revised bill concerning the FDA (Food & Drug Administration) and the food industry. It intrigued me enough, so I bit and read the article. Feel free to research the bill on your own but for the sake of brevity in my blog, I'll sum it up as best as I can. Basically, the bill will grant the FDA more power and will increase the frequency of inspections by said government agency. Also, food producers, processors, and suppliers will be hit with far more paperwork to ensure that they are complying with everything that the FDA deems necessary now that the agency will be overseeing farming. Oh yes, and the FDA is getting more cash flowing in their direction to make all of this possible. This bill has spawned in response to the influx of food borne illness outbreaks that seem to happen as regularly as national holidays now. Due to this bill, or so congress says, there will be fewer outbreaks and the outbreaks will more easily and more effectively contained. Forgive my cynicism, but I have to disagree.
Some small farmers have expressed concern over this bill, and rightfully so. This bill could do quite a bit of damage to small farms and organic farms that sell locally and at farmer's markets. Burried beneath a mountain of paperwork and constrained by a host of regulations, small farms will be under even more pressure than is already applied to these hard working individuals. But aside from that, the main fear is to be the increased power that the FDA will be granted as a result of this bill. Over the past three to four decades, the FDA, and the entire government for that matter, has been nothing more than a puppet for profit hungry agribusiness giants to pass laws that cater to their every desire and consolidate a shrinking agricultural marketplace until they have all but monopolized our food supply. So, small farms are going to bear the greater load of this burden as the FDA will continue to turn a blind eye to huge corporations that don't comply. That's the way it has always been and the way it will continue to be.
However, for the government and the FDA to place even more of an undue hardship on these small farms is morally corrupt and unjust. But let's face it, calling our representatives or protesting accomplishes nothing. They only way to get anyone's attention is to hit them in the wallet. So, I would like to encourage you to become more aware of your food, where you get it from, who's growing it and how. Shop at the Farmer's Markets, research some small farms in the area and find out where you can purchase their products. Not only will you be buying a better product, but you will be supporting individuals and families who actually need it instead of lining the pockets of agribusiness execs who make billions by exploiting the land and the people who farm it. Could this bill have some positive effects? Sure. But the negative impact that it could have on the food industry, as well as the agriculture industry would be insurmountable. Let's not let these small farmers disappear. We have to support them.
Happy eating my friends,
Jordan
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Cold Weather
Wow, so today is cold. And I don't mean slightly frigid, I mean "cold" in all caps and blue font. Whenever I encounter this type of weather, I immediately have a fundamental desire to devour a bowl of soup. And, given the inluence of the Asian culture in my life, mainly my gf & her family, I automatically think of either pho, ramen, or soba. And today my yearning for a steamy bowl of noodles drowning in a hot tub of flavored liquid was realized.
At lunch, eating my bowl of ramen, along with some dumplings that accompanied a very tastey sauce, I felt warm. And not just physically. It's amazing to me how food can touch us on an emotional level. A bowl of ramen can warm us entirely. A slab of ribs can remind us of family. Or a piece of watermelon can place us at a summer picnic. We forge such emotional connections to food and through this connection it feeds us, not only physically, but it satisfies an emotional or even spiritual appetite.
Throughout history cultures and civilizations tied a deeper connection to food. It was more than food, it was part of the person. Buddhist monks will chew each parcel of food 30 times or more to reflect on the what they are eating, what it is composed of, and to be thankful for having it. They think of the sacrifices made in order to obtain this food. They do it to establish mindfulness. Maybe we should take some time to learn something from these people. We should all be more mindful of what we eat and of those who have sacrificed to provide it for us. And slow down a bit, enjoy your meal. It's feeding more than your stomach, it's nouishing the whole of your being. So take the time to appreciate it.
Stay warm my friends,
Jordan
At lunch, eating my bowl of ramen, along with some dumplings that accompanied a very tastey sauce, I felt warm. And not just physically. It's amazing to me how food can touch us on an emotional level. A bowl of ramen can warm us entirely. A slab of ribs can remind us of family. Or a piece of watermelon can place us at a summer picnic. We forge such emotional connections to food and through this connection it feeds us, not only physically, but it satisfies an emotional or even spiritual appetite.
Throughout history cultures and civilizations tied a deeper connection to food. It was more than food, it was part of the person. Buddhist monks will chew each parcel of food 30 times or more to reflect on the what they are eating, what it is composed of, and to be thankful for having it. They think of the sacrifices made in order to obtain this food. They do it to establish mindfulness. Maybe we should take some time to learn something from these people. We should all be more mindful of what we eat and of those who have sacrificed to provide it for us. And slow down a bit, enjoy your meal. It's feeding more than your stomach, it's nouishing the whole of your being. So take the time to appreciate it.
Stay warm my friends,
Jordan
Friday, November 26, 2010
Post Thanksgiving Aftermath
Well my friends, yesterday was Thanksgiving. As we're led to believe, yesterday was about family and counting your blessings. It is also a celebration of the pre-masacre feast shared between the pilgrims and their Native American "friends". But the purpose of this blog is not to go into great detail of what happened or how it effects us today. My blog is about food and culinary related topics. So in the reality that is Thanksgiving Day and the commercial beast that it has become, my objective is to find some shred of sanity within the madness.
So, let's talk about Thanksgiving. While I support the notion of giving thanks everyday and spending time with loved ones on a more regular basis, I like the idea of having one particular day that we set aside to enjoy one another's company. Also, I like the food. What I don't like is the amount of waste and the fact that while we indulge in a feast with more food than we'll be able to eat before it spoils, there are 800 million people on this planet who are starving. While we buy into the hype of what the media tells us Thanksgiving is, there are people, even in this country who would be thankful for one meal. We view this holiday as an opportunity to indulge and be thankful for what we have, but in this mindset of blind selfishness we forget to be giving. In our thankfulness I want to encourage you to remember altruism. Hunger is a very real issue that people deal with on a serious level and if we have the means to eat ourselves into a food comma, then it shouldn't be beyond us to help those who need it most.
I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving and will enjoy their shopping today.
Peace,
- Jordan
So, let's talk about Thanksgiving. While I support the notion of giving thanks everyday and spending time with loved ones on a more regular basis, I like the idea of having one particular day that we set aside to enjoy one another's company. Also, I like the food. What I don't like is the amount of waste and the fact that while we indulge in a feast with more food than we'll be able to eat before it spoils, there are 800 million people on this planet who are starving. While we buy into the hype of what the media tells us Thanksgiving is, there are people, even in this country who would be thankful for one meal. We view this holiday as an opportunity to indulge and be thankful for what we have, but in this mindset of blind selfishness we forget to be giving. In our thankfulness I want to encourage you to remember altruism. Hunger is a very real issue that people deal with on a serious level and if we have the means to eat ourselves into a food comma, then it shouldn't be beyond us to help those who need it most.
I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving and will enjoy their shopping today.
Peace,
- Jordan
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Inroducing me... And my opinion
Hello world. Welcome to my blog. I needed some space to express my opinion and share it with the rest of the world, so I've created this blog. Thank you for taking the time to read it.
First things first, I am a chef. Cooking is what I do and I enjoy what I do. I live in The Bay Area, CA so there's plenty of work for those in this industry. As a cook and a writer I find that writing about food and things concerning the food industry comes naturally. However, I'm not here as some food chronicling critic whose word will make or break the blood sweat and tears that an individual has poured into running something as complex as a restaurant. That's not a cool thing to do. Nobody likes criticism and pessimism is depressing. That's why I avoid the Food section of most major newspapers such as the SF Chronicle and the NY Times. Furthermore, for the masses to blindly follow the word of some whimsically opinionated journalist who scrutinizes every minor detail of a dining experience is even more disappointing. We all have equally valuable opinions, let's trust our own. Besides, eating should be enjoyable. It should be a time of smiles and happy tastebuds. Being a snob is really uncool. Especially when throwing your weight around by giving a low rating to some hard working folks who are simply trying to make a living. Let's do better.
So let me part by encouraging all of you to trust your instincts, value your own opinion, and not rely on self entitled aristocrats of the food world to shape our likes and dislikes. What's my favorite food? BBQ. Am I going to give up on my favorite rib joint because some Chronicler decided to rate it one and a half stars. Absolutely not. Life's too short for that, let's be positive.
Welcome to my blog! It is my hope that this is a break from the bland food writing that has dulled our literary pallete and offers a flair of robust and flavorful commentary from an insider.
Your Friendly Neighborhood Culinarian,
Jordan
First things first, I am a chef. Cooking is what I do and I enjoy what I do. I live in The Bay Area, CA so there's plenty of work for those in this industry. As a cook and a writer I find that writing about food and things concerning the food industry comes naturally. However, I'm not here as some food chronicling critic whose word will make or break the blood sweat and tears that an individual has poured into running something as complex as a restaurant. That's not a cool thing to do. Nobody likes criticism and pessimism is depressing. That's why I avoid the Food section of most major newspapers such as the SF Chronicle and the NY Times. Furthermore, for the masses to blindly follow the word of some whimsically opinionated journalist who scrutinizes every minor detail of a dining experience is even more disappointing. We all have equally valuable opinions, let's trust our own. Besides, eating should be enjoyable. It should be a time of smiles and happy tastebuds. Being a snob is really uncool. Especially when throwing your weight around by giving a low rating to some hard working folks who are simply trying to make a living. Let's do better.
So let me part by encouraging all of you to trust your instincts, value your own opinion, and not rely on self entitled aristocrats of the food world to shape our likes and dislikes. What's my favorite food? BBQ. Am I going to give up on my favorite rib joint because some Chronicler decided to rate it one and a half stars. Absolutely not. Life's too short for that, let's be positive.
Welcome to my blog! It is my hope that this is a break from the bland food writing that has dulled our literary pallete and offers a flair of robust and flavorful commentary from an insider.
Your Friendly Neighborhood Culinarian,
Jordan
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