Responsible Food

Michael Pollan for Secretary of Agriculture

Dan M. — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 10:23:38 -0600

Click here to sign a petition for Michael Pollan to be named Secretary of Agriculture. He has proven that he is a visionary who understands our agricultural needs in ways that are vital to the future of America.

Bottomfeeder: How to Eat Ethically in a World of Vanishing Seafood

Dan M. — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 19:09:26 -0600

A review of Taras Grescoe's new book:

My desire to consume seafood and fish as my primary source of animal
protein was initially a "green" decision that was supported by my
growing fondness for seafood. Despite the fact that seafood and fish
are widely perceived to be affordable "green" foods, I learned this is
not the case. Further, I learned that consuming most seafood is in
direct conflict with my desire to live as lightly as possible on this
earth (well, "lightly" for an American), and that I was contributing to
the extinction of many species of marine fishes.

But unlike other food items, making ethical and healthy seafood
choices were impossible because of the veil of secrecy enshrouding it.
I could rarely learn the method used to "harvest" the seafood I was
contemplating purchasing, nor where the animals were captured, and
sometimes, I could not even learn which species of fish or shellfish I
was eating. In short, the more that I learned about the commercial
fisheries and fish farming industries, the less I wanted to support
either of them. In the end, I gave up eating seafood -- all animal
protein, in fact, except for occasional dairy products -- for many
years. According to what I read, I am not alone.

Food Miles Farce?

Dan M. — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 23:23:47 -0600

Ronald Bailey makes a case against the concept of food miles:

Food miles advocates fail to grasp the simple idea that food should be grown where it is most economically advantageous to do so. Relevant advantages consist of various combinations of soil, climate, labor, capital, and other factors. It is possible to grow bananas in Iceland, but Costa Rica really has the better climate for that activity. Transporting food is just one relatively small cost of providing modern consumers with their daily bread, meat, cheese, and veggies. Desrochers and Shimizu argue that concentrating agricultural production in the most favorable regions is the best way to minimize human impacts on the environment.

Local Feast

Bones — Sat, 31 May 2008 23:22:40 -0500

Had the parents over for dinner tonight, and we cooked local. Lu went to the farmer's market this morning and then to the shop around the corner this evening to get everything we needed. So it was interesting to read this article in the NYTimes just now talking about doing exactly that, but in Wine Country.

The best part of all of this is that Lu and I are going to San Francisco in just a few days and we will have a chance to visit some of the great places mentioned in that article. However, one thing the article didn't mention was how important it is to finish the meal with a cup of fresh roasted coffee.