At the Brooklyn Food Conference, I attended a workshop about how climate change affects the food system. What I got most out of it was learning how our casual, daily behavior here dramatically impacts smaller civilizations around the world and that that, in turn, impacts our own food and sustainability issues. It was enlightening, and inspiring to realize that those daily decisions we make - from conserving energy to voting with our wallets - do make a difference.

In a related light, The Nation has published this list of "Ten Things You Can Do to Fight World Hunger"

Not surprisingly, many items on this list - tailored to address world hunger, a very important issue in its own rite - also would directly impact our own cultural food issues. Suggestions like

"Write letters to the editor and op-ed articles in your local paper calling on the government to cut or end subsidies that encourage large agribusinesses to overproduce grains and dump their surpluses on the developing world at sub-market prices."

"Eat less meat"

It's a great list - I only wish it provided more actionable resources.

Posted by Michelle on May 20, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

On my neighborhood listserv, there was a vigorous discussion about the best 'green' cleaning products and brands - there are many out there. But among them was this link, full of common-sense and wallet-friendly advice about how to make your own non-toxic household cleaners, including window cleaner, soft scrub, oven cleaner and mold killer. They look so simple and sensible... check it out:
How to Make a Non-Toxic Cleaning Kit

Posted by Michelle on May 1, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I've been volunteering for an event I am very excited about: the Brooklyn Food Conference. If you live in or near Brooklyn, make room in your schedule this friday night/saturday and come join in the fun. I can tell you first hand that it is well-organized and will be a great event.

Some highlights:
Food issues hit home for all of Brooklyn–from school lunches, the rise in diabetes, and escalating food costs to immigration, farmers markets and local food challenges and delights, food touches us all. Come join us for a day of workshops, food demos, and a kids’ food fair. Lunch and dinner will be available for purchase. Dance following dinner. The conference will be FREE to all participants.

• See a roundtable of NYC chefs, moderated by WNYC’s Leonard Lopate, with Dan Barber, Peter Hoffman, Bill Telepan, and Brooklyn’s own David Shea of Applewood and John Tucker of Rosewater.

• Hear LaDonna Redmond on what people in Chicago have done to change their food system, learn about worldwide food rebellions from author Raj Patel, and find out how climate change can affect the world’s food supply from activist Anna Lappé, and discuss milk health risks and benefits with author Nina Planck–plus workshops with many other dedicated activists and professionals.

• Screen films about food issues, including Fresh, Life and Debt, Unnatural Selection, and Flow.

• Meet your local farmers!

• Learn how to start your own victory garden in Brooklyn, compost, and start a food coop.

• Join your children at a kids’ food fair with cooking demonstrations and other fun activities.

• Workshops by and for teens plus Teen Iron Chef!

• Enjoy lunch and dinner created by Brooklyn chefs using sustainable foods.

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Kicks off on Friday night with a screening of FRESH by Ana Joanes, followed by a day's full of activities, workshops, and more films on Saturday May 2.

Learn more, here: brooklynfoodconference.org

Posted by Michelle on April 27, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Yay - there truly is a ray of hope for sustainable and organic food advocates in the world of food politics after all. There was a bit of discouragement when Obama sent Iowa a thank you by nominating Tom Vilsak USDA Secretary - a big vote for agro-business-as-usual (some might even call him "Mr. Monsanto"), which is not what we need to turn things around. But he is [almost] making up for it today with his nomination for USDA Deputy, Kathleen Merrigan - a knowledgeable and staunch advocate for the sustainable and organic food movement. There might just be the 'change we need' in food, after all.

PS - I still get a little perk in my step every time I hear the phrase "President Obama" - it never grows old.

Posted by Michelle on February 25, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Happy 2009! In less than 9 days we get a new pres, what a great way to start the new year...

Check out what's going on over at Ideas for Change: Ideas for Change in America is a nationwide competition to identify the best ideas for change in America. The top 10 ideas will be presented to the Obama administration just before inauguration day and form the basis of a nationwide advocacy campaign to turn each idea into actual policy. It only takes a second to register and cast your vote for the ideas you think are most important.

One idea that's getting a lot of traction is Victory Garden 2.0:

thousands of Americans and people from the around the world are asking the Obamas to lead by example on climate change, health policy, economic self-reliance, food security, and energy independence by replanting an organic food garden at the White House with the produce going to the First Kitchen and to local food pantries.

The many successes of the first Victory Garden movement were the result of effective public policy, bold leadership at a time of national crisis, and the commitment of millions of citizens who were ready to roll up their sleeves for the greater good.

There's no better, more symbolic place for launching a new National Victory Garden Program than at the White House, "America's House". There's no better, more urgent time than now. And there's NOTHING that can beat the fresh taste of locally-grown, home-cooked foods.

The more I think about what a movement the Victory Garden was, the more I think Eleanor Roosevelt was seriously kickass. Wouldn't it be incredible if the Obama's followed suit. Let them know what you think: cast your vote here.

Posted by Michelle on January 11, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The past year brought stories about health scares from ecoli to toys made in China, pet food made in China, (...anything made in China...) and then there are some stories which linger, more troubling-ly, and return again and again with increasing concern. Two such stories are those of MRSA, the new antibiotic-resistant bacteria which is now killing more people than AIDS (in the US), and Colony Collapse Disorder - the troublesome problem of bees, necessary for pollination and therefore integral to food production, flying away and not returning.

In his always evocative and eloquent way, Michael Pollan (did I mention, I *heart* Michael Pollan?) discusses these issues and how they're related directly to modern food practices, and the exact definition of sustainability in a tightly wrapped piece in the NY Times magazine. Read it.

Posted by themindfuleater on January 4, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

One of the most pleasurable summer weekend activities is to visit your local farmer's market and ogle over the colorful array of fresh fruits, veggies, flowers and other artisan products - and then to go home and prepare something lovely. One thing I've been enjoying lately is asparagus soup - easy to make and very tasty:

Market Fresh "Cream" of Asparagus Soup
The creative addition of oatmeal to this soup gives it a creamy texture without adding any actual cream to the soup at all.

2 leeks, sliced small
2 lbs asparagus
1/4 cup oatmeal
1 cup veggie stock
1 tablespoon olive oil
5 cups water
salt + pepper
juice of 1/2 fresh lemon

1. Boil 2 cups cold water, and add some salt. Lop the tops off the asparagus and boil (blanch) them for 2 minutes, then remove, keeping the cooking water, and wash under cold water. Chop the rest of the asparagus in 1" pieces
2. Saute leeks in olive oil in your soup cooking pot, over medium heat, adding some salt, and allow them to sweat - getting soft but not brown, about 8 minutes.
3. Add all ingredients except the blanched asparagus tips to this pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and let it cook for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Blend the soup: transfer bits at a time to a blender - be sure not to fill the blender more than 1/3 - 1/2 full or it will explode everywhere. Blend bits at a time. This seems like a pain but it's really no big deal.
5. In the last batch, add 1/2 the asparagus tips, and don't blend fully, leave it slightly chunky. Add all the blended soup back to the pot, squirt in lemon juice and season to taste with salt + pepper.
6. Serve in bowls with some asparagus tips on top.

If you want to shop at your farmer's market but aren't sure where to go, let local harvest help you find one.

Posted by themindfuleater on June 14, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Christopher Shea, writing in the Columbia Journalism Review, encapsulates, quite brilliantly, the new face of food writing in his article New Grub Street.

In it, he identifies some of the loudest voices in the scene (i.e., everyone's current fav, Michael Pollan), discusses how all news outlets are starting to get a piece of the pie (i.e., the Wall Street Journal, the Economist, Vanity Fair, and the New York Times are all reporting regularly on the food debate), and he starts to tease out some of the issues floating to the surface, such as eating organic or eating local.

He asks important questions just begging to be answered, such as:

"So which is more energy-efficient... a few large farms supplying a network of well-positioned supermarkets, or a new localized network of small farms?"

and

"Are... these debates about the ethics and politics of food largely a pastime of a tiny elite–grist for editors’ dinner parties but of tiny relevance to most consumers, who rush to the nearest market and grab what they need? "

A very interesting read. Find it here.

Posted by themindfuleater on May 25, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Last week I began a series all about Organic and why it matters. This week I continue that discussion, folding in another potentially bewildering consideration about our food: Eating Local.

Continue reading "All About Organic, Part 2: Local vs Organic" »

Posted by themindfuleater on May 19, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Last week while working my checkout shift at the coop, I often overheard members comment on this or that organic food... rationalizing buying it or not according to its level of harmfulness to our bodies. "Bananas don't need to be organic because you can peel the skins back"... "you can wash grapes off pretty well, I'm not paying the extra cost."

While our own personal health is one of the most compelling reasons to purchase organic products (and therefore avoid pesticides, chemical fertilizers, herbicides and other toxins used to help non-organic food fight off pests and grow marketable qualities), there's a lot more about the "organic" issue to be considered than our personal health. Inspired by this experience, I've devised a multi-part series to clarify some of the issues we hear tossed around, and shed light on some important overlooked details.

This week I'll begin with what "organic" means, and some of the top reasons you should consider buying it. Next week I'll discuss the contention between buying "local" and buying "organic".

Continue reading "All About Organic, Part 1: Why We Should Care" »

Posted by themindfuleater on May 11, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)