Green Cart Legislation

Today I spent the first 4 hours of my day at City Hall attending the public hearing regarding this new proposed legislation that, if passed, would add an additional 1,500 fruit and vegetable carts to the neighborhoods most in need (based on community health profiles and other relevant data) of access to fresh produce. I arrived to be surprised that each council member on the committee was opposed to the legislation. I had assumed that this was a slam-dunk. Who could oppose increasing the availability of fresh produce? To my dismay, I quickly realized that the real agenda in the room had more to do with protecting the rights of business owners (supermarkets and green grocers) than impacting the health of the public.

There were questions about competition among store owners and the cart vendors. That a street vendor could possibly put a supermarket out of business is ridiculous...not to mention the fact that these vendors would want to make money. They would go where consumers would buy their products. Isn't competition good for business? That is the notion I had, but it felt like city council members were forcing the issue of unfair competition as well as being anti-vendors, in general.

New York has it's vendor issues and they will always be present. New Yorkers also need more opportunity to buy on-the-go food that isn't processed junk. I know that I have been saved many times form the lows of plummeting blood sugar by the "fruit man" on the corner. Wouldn't it be nice to have more of them?

I left the hearing well before it ended feeling a need to spread the word. How many of us are aware of this proposal? It needs support! I urge you to get familiar with the proposal and call on your local council members to support this step in the right direction toward increasing access to fresh produce throughout NYC. Read more here.

NYT article: Mark Bittman discusses the problem of meat consumption

This article takes a closer look at the deeply unsustainable meat practices of industrial agriculture in the US. Again, a lot of this is not news to us, but I think its a significant move for Bittman (a much beloved food writer more known for his simple recipes than his politics) to shine the spotlight on this issue in such a mainstream media outlet.
Bottom line: the way the conventional meat industry grows meat is inhumane, and takes way more resources than we can environmentally afford or ethically justify. And we just don't need to eat so much of it.
The really scary part of the article was the brief mention of the possibility of growing and eating test tube meat not unlike what Joan Dye Gussow imagines in her book "Chicken Little, Tomato Sauce and Agriculture: Who Will Produce Tomorrow's Food?"
Check out the full article here.

NYT article: The rising cost of oil...cooking oil

This article explores the impact of the rising cost of cooking oil in both the developed and developing world. Concerns over costs have caused rationing in some communities and with the shift of cooking oil crops to bio-fuel crops, more land is being cleared to grow more crops with more people going hungry.
Take a look at the article here. And here is the blurb:

An Oil Quandary: Costly Fuel Means Costly Calories

By KEITH BRADSHER

Published: January 19, 2008

Across the globe, huge demand for biofuels has created tension between using land to produce fuel and using it for food.

NYT article: more fodder for the meat discussion

This is a very thought provoking article that contributes to the ongoing discussion of the role meat should play in our diets, and how these animals, if we choose to consume, should be treated by the farmers, and perhaps, too, by the cooks. I am especially impressed with the actions of chef Jamie Oliver, as discussed in the article, and would very much like to see this episode if anyone can DVR it for me (yes...I am but a poor grad student with no cable).
Also, see supermarket secrets (link is in Food in Film list) for more inside information on the British food system, which while shocking is still probably not as bad as ours.
Here is the link to the article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/16/dining/16anim.html?ex=1358226000&en=f880da868bb77508&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink
Here is the description:

Chefs’ New Goal: Looking Dinner in the Eye

By JULIA MOSKIN

Published: January 16, 2008

How far will chefs go to display their empathy and respect for the animals they cook? All the way, it seems, to the barnyard and the slaughterhouse.

Farmers markets and fruit & veggie consumption article from the NYT

This is a really interesting short posting in the New York Times discussing evidence that there is increased fruit and vegetable consumption among mothers using WIC, who shop at farms markets. This article looks at results of a study recently published in the American Journal of Public Health. I haven't read the full study yet, but am very interested in environmental aspects the experience of farmers markets as a "place" may have on this- I hope they have something to say about it... Here is the link to the full article:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/15/the-farmers-market-effect/
Here is the blurb:

Well: The Farmers’ Market Effect

By Tara Parker-Pope

Published: January 15, 2008

Low-income families eat better when given vouchers to farmers' markets.

The Ethical Gourmet

How to enjoy great food that is humanely raised, sustainable, nonendangered, and that replenishes the earth, by Jay Weinstein

This volume is a handy addition to the foodie’s library, especially for those with a growing concern over the impact food related activities have on the environment. Agriculture is one of the biggest contributors to green house gases, and standard (read industrialized) practices inflict many insults upon the planet.

These days, its pretty easy to get access to information on where food comes from and how its produced and processed, but it can be quite a maze to research and can be difficult to figure out what choices to make. Weinstein sheds light on many of these issues, including the practices involved in industrial agriculture, and how to negotiate the many choices a conscientious eater might make. While some of this might be old news with the rise of the locavore movement, Weinstein provides great resources on what to eat, for which reasons, and some resources on where to get it. He also does it with a great cheffy flair (see his description of abalone for instance).

Interesting article on sustainable fish from the NYT

Since one of the main goals of this blog is to promote sustainability and raise awareness of the impact food related practices have on the environment, we will point out interesting articles from time to time.
Here is the link to one: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/15/world/europe/15fishside.html?ex=1358053200&en=15b4266fe4dd0b3a&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

And here is the blurb:

International / Europe

A Favorite Meal, Now Offering a Side Order of Environmental Awareness

By ELISABETH ROSENTHAL

Published: January 15, 2008

A new London restaurant has worked hard to offer fish that is legally caught and not overexploited, but it does not come cheap.

Baby its cold outside...

It's been unseasonably warm lately here in NYC, but its finally cooling off, and I welcome the chill in the air. I don't like to ice skate in 6o + degree weather, it just gets too slushy, and I like the cozy evenings in with hot chocolates and treats. I also love to bake when it gets cold, so as the temperature began to drop I though right away of doing something very warming...something with ginger. I decided on ginger scones for a couple of reasons; first, I find it very difficult to find a good scone when I'm out and about, and secondly, I usually enjoy them when summer fruits are in season (I heart raspberry scones), so I thought it was time to give this recipe a try. I also find ginger a perfect compliment to the chilly weather with its nice spice and warming qualities.

Double Ginger Scones (from Fine Cooking, issue 61)

2c. a-p flour
1/3c. granulated cane sugar
1T baking powder
1/2t salt
1/2 ground ginger
3/4c. chopped crystallized ginger
6T butter, cubed
3/4c. heavy cream
2 lg egg yolks, lightly beaten

(for finishing)
1 lg egg, lightly beaten, with 1 T milk (for glaze)
1t sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Line heave baking sheet with a sil-pat.
In a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients with a whisk.
Stir in crystallized ginger, and toss to coat (so they don't stick together).
Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or two knives until they are about pea sized.

In a small bowl, egg yolks with cream and then stir into the flour mixture until just incorporated.
Continue to mix with your hands until the dough comes together into a ball.
Place on baking sheet and pat into a 7 inch disk, it should be about an inch thick.
Cut into 8 wedges with a bench scraper, brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake 18-22 minutes.
Let cool on a rack for about 10 minutes.

Whole wheat bread; a reliable old standby

We eat a lot of bread at my (2 person) home, so I bake bread just about every week. Over winter break I was hoping to be a bit more adventurous (does anyone have a sour dough starter they would like to share with me?) but found myself engrossed in other activities. Also, sometimes its comforting to make a recipe you know well, especially this whole wheat bread that is great for everything from eating plain with butter, to making panini and french toast. This recipe comes from one of the first cookbooks I ever received, "The New Doubleday Cookbook", which was a hand-me-down from my older sister. This book is a great "all-around" reference and I think it has reached classic status (at least at my house), and I reach for it as often as I do "Joy of Cooking".

Whole Wheat Bread:

1 c. milk
1 1/2 c. cold water
1/4 c. molasses
2 T. light brown sugar
1 T. butter
1 T. salt
1/2 c. warm water
2 T. active dry yeast
4 c. a-p flour
5 c. ww flour

Bring milk and cold water to just under a boil and remove from heat. Stir in molasses, brown sugar, butter and salt, and let cool to lukewarm.
Place warm water in bowl of a mixer and sprinkle in yeast.
Stir in cooled milk mixture.
Beat in a-p flour 1 cup at a time, then ww flour 1 cup at a time (it will start getting stiff at the end).
Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a cloth and let rise for about an hour (until it has doubled).
Punch down dough and kneed a couple of times, then divide this into 2.
Kneed into loaf shape and place each half into a well oiled loaf pan (9"x5"x3"), and again cover and let rise for about 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 375 and bake for another 45-50 minutes.
Let cool on a wire rack.

Book: This Organic Life, Confessions of a Suburban Homesteader, by Joan Gussow

This is yet another book that I borrowed from Food for Thought (thanks!), and I had read this book quite a while ago, but it is one that has really affected my thinking and relationship with food. I also saw Joan discuss it again recently at the Just Food Summit in December (which was a really exciting event). The premise of this book is a person who is a big supporter of local food putting her money where her mouth is, so to speak, and sets out to grow all of the produce she will consume through the course of the year in her own small garden in suburban New York. It turns out to be quite a journey, filled with both frustration and inspiration, and some really yummy recipes. Joan mentioned at the talk in December, that she is still growing all of her own produce and supplements her diet with dairy, eggs and meats from local farmers. She's my hero!

Hello there, and welcome...

i'm not entirely sure why i'm starting this blog, but it must have something to do with the fact that i'm on winter break and have free time for the first time in months. i do find myself cooking constantly no matter how busy i am, and now that my wonderful husband has given me a great camera i feel like all of the silly pictures i take of the food we make can at least be shared by anyone interested. i am also in the early stages of my graduate studies and would like to share thoughts and reflections about things i come across, my research interests, my readings (and reading list), and musings on life in general here. local food, and urban food landscapes are becoming particularly important to me and i find myself searching out these issues and how they relate to environmental sustainability, urban health and social justice, along with transcendent, delicious food experience that span sourcing, cooking and eating.
i look forward to feedback and inspiration on all of these topics and more.