This is the end.

Well everything leads up to this. We have eaten and prepared all semester and it is time to give these final presentations. After formulating creative ways to shorten and elongate presentations and incorporating unique forms of media, it's time to present. The industrial food complex will be covered from numerous different perspectives. Perhaps we will see what makes the farmer sweat or how can we incorporate star fruit into a healthy balanced diet. Regardless, this has been a wild ride through the super market and I think we have all gained insight on how to live in this industrialized nation.

Feeling The Leftovers

Thanksgiving is over but that does not mean that I no longer feel the holiday. This one has a way of sticking around for many days after the big event. I ate so much food while I was home and I could probably not eat for a week. The meal was nothing short of a feast and i was a little more glutinous than I should have been. Our first meal was at 1:15 and was with all of the family and close friends. There were 35 of us and there was easily enough good for each of us to have three dishes apiece. After that meal I told myself that there was no way tht I could eat any more. I was lying to myself. Later that night at around 8:00 we sat down to our family meal. This was just the four of us around my dining room table with a much small selection. Fortunately, there was corn pudding, which is a huge tradition in my family. It is a sweet dish made with different types of corn and no actual pudding. Definitely one of my favorite parts of the holiday. After I slipped into a good coma I came to with the realization that I would be eating leftovers for the next two days. My initial thought was one of panic big as soon as late afternoon lunch hit the next day, I was singing a different tune. I love thanksgiving and the time that it provides with family. However, the food definitely dominates the holiday and the 2-10 days following the event. Sadly, it is over but Christmas is just around the corner and there is a plethora of new foods waiting.

Fat Today Fat Tomorrow Fat Forever

Fat, fat and more fat. This section was interesting for me because I am left unsure as to how I should really feel. When mentioned that we have no receptors for fat and we could just continue to eat it until the cows come home is slightly terrifying. This combined with the less-restrictve measures on fat content in food makes for an interesting mind set. I don't know that much about fats and I can honestly say that I have fallen for those times when the new diet craze mentions not eating a certain kind of fat. I am still unable to explain why those fats were bad or why I needed to eat less of them at that time. This is a topic that I need to educate myself further on so that I can truly understand all of the different facets of fats. What about you? Do you feel like you are as educated about fats as you should be or as you would like to think you are?

The Promised Pictures

My first Creme Brulee!

Pork in a delicious sauce!

Muffaletta from the famous Central Grocery!

This man made bread fresh every day and would see it at the French Market.

Beignets from the famous Cafe du Monde!

Quite the Dilemma

In the forest there are many different smells, sights and sounds to entice ones senses. Where do you go first? Is it okay to touch that? Can I eat this mushroom or not? I feel like the forest is an excellent representation of the lack of food culture in the United States. There are far too many "what ifs" and many people are too afraid to try anything that hasn't been processed and presented to them in a five cent paper bag. Polan makes a point in this section to create a meal that has been hunted and gathered, something that a large portion of our nation will never do. We are simply unable to attach to the roots of our nation and the ways in which the native people once lived. There truly is no food culture within this nation so we are always left wondering about the mushroom but are too scared to even nibble of a tiny bite. Now, there are a select few who swim against the current and fight for the food culture they believe in. I feel that it is possible for people in the United States to develop a food culture but it is a matter of how committed are we willing to be. Based on our nations history, I would say those chances are more slim than we are willing to admit at this time, but later down the road after some form of scandal we will come to terms with the truth that we have tried to hide. I think creating a meal that has been hunted and gathered would be a great activity for all families to try at least once. Perhaps our class could give it a shot?

Good ole' Creole Cajon Cooking

The food of New Orleans was amazing! I was shocked at how many different foods I was able to experience during my short time in the city. I was able to buy fresh bread at a local French Market and eat oysters for the fist time at a four star restaurant. There were too many delicious food for me to list them all here but it was a once in a lifetime experience. I was able to visit Central Grocery, a store that has been featured on the Food Network. Gumbo, Alligator, Jambalaya and Chicken and Waffles were just some of the amazing foods that I sampled. In a city with so much cajun flare, you can imagine that the food was equally as spicy. I will have several pictures posted soon so that you can see all of the foods that I had the pleasure of tasting while in New Orleans.

Salt, Sugar, Fat... Oh my!

Just when I thought that getting away from Pollan would bring a nice change in pace, I was mistaken when I began to flip the pages of Moss’ book. Cheese Wiz is the devil. Coke is the devil’s juice that is served best with a salty snack. Essentially, this is what I got from the book, so I am confused about the purpose of it all. I think we are all very aware of the negative effects of salt, sugar and fat when they are consumed at above average amounts. No matter what is being sold, whether it is food or not, the producer is going to do whatever it takes to make the consumer want their product. Food is not an exception. The chemists that are hired by the food giants know how to find the “pleasure point” and they are very aware that humans will never tire of fat. I think it is safe to say that we were all generally aware of this process. It’s practically old news for us, especially after all that we have talked about in class. Even still, those who aren’t in our class still know that food manufacturers are able to manipulate goods to make us want them more and more. There is nothing natural about an Oreo and we can all accept that fact and still crave them as we walk down the aisles of the supermarket. It is no secret that we have always been hooked to the artificial yumminess of processed goodies that give us that sticky feeling on the inside of our mouths. So, what was the real point? To learn that we consume 22 teaspoons of sugar a day or an over abundance of cheese in a year? Perhaps. But I still struggle to find the true purpose.