Tropophilia - Latest Comments in Sunday Cooking…With the Internet

Re: Sunday Cooking…With the Internet

Ashish — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 10:07:12 -0000

I suppose I would be remiss if I didn't post this while we're on the subject of factory farming and technology.

http://www.themeatrix.com/

Re: Sunday Cooking…With the Internet

Ashish — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 21:10:58 -0000

It occurred to me that I would be remiss if I didn't give a nod to The Meatrix in this thread.

http://www.themeatrix.com/

Re: Sunday Cooking…With the Internet

Taylor — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 10:59:12 -0000

I completely agree with your assessment of the ways technology makes food production and distribution much more convenient for consumers while creating a host of ethics and sustainability issues.

But I also think it's important to think about the ways technology may also represent ways out of the industrial farming and livestock rearing mess we're in. Right now, it's through willful ignorance alone that folks can't uncover local farmers' markets (http://www.localharvest.org/), and the barriers to market entry for small, local producers of fruits, vegetables, and meat are lower than they've been since industrial farming became the norm. The internet opens up a wealth of niche markets that were previously isolated to the point of economic inviability.

Sure, the situation is still dire in many ways...but the local food movement is growing and is aided in large part by the internet.

Re: Sunday Cooking…With the Internet

Ashish — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 10:49:57 -0000

Taylor--
I'm glad you try to buy humanely raised meat. While I do think the case against eating meat is strong, I think the case against factory farming is simply overwhelming.

By the way, since this blog is largely devoted to the incredible opportunities technological advances afford us, it is worth pointing out that factory farming is one of the best examples of the ways in which technology can actually make our lives more convenient while simultaneously making our society unambiguously worse off as a moral entity.

Joel--
Check out Kucinich's appearance on The Colbert Report from a few months back. It's probably one of the best comedic performances by a vegan in TV history (okay, so maybe "comedic performance by a vegan" won't be an Emmy category any time soon, but still...)

http://onegoodmove.org/1gm/...

Re: Sunday Cooking…With the Internet

Taylor — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 22:34:55 -0000

Ashish, I hear what you're saying. But I'm not likely to become a vegan any time soon. I believe in healthy moderation: I eat meat about 8-10 times a week (out of a typical 21-meal week); when I do eat meat I try to make informed choices and seek out items like organic lamb, pasture-raised beef and free-range poultry; I buy local fruits and vegetables whenever possible; I bake my own bread and take care to eat well while being conscious of my choices.

I understand that you and others view eating meat as unconscionable, and I respect that. But I try to do it in as thoughtfully as possible. I'm in no way perfect, and I'm a product of a broken food system that rewards institutional farms and industrial meat production. I acknowledge that, but I've made the choice to eat meat and I'm trying to use my dollars to support local, natural food whenever possible.

Re: Sunday Cooking…With the Internet

Ashish — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 20:33:07 -0000

Dude, did you not see Kucinich on Colbert a while back? Vegans have mad comedic skillz.

Re: Sunday Cooking…With the Internet

Joel — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 14:28:13 -0000

Also, wasn't Gandhi, it was Obama.

Re: Sunday Cooking…With the Internet

Joel — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 14:27:19 -0000

Ashish, I quote Nellie McKay to you:

"Feminists don't have a sense of humor / Feminists and / Vegetarians...."

Re: Sunday Cooking…With the Internet

Ashish — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 12:21:55 -0000

Taylor, you should try some vegetarian or vegan cooking. I can assure you that you don't have to sacrifice flavor or taste when you make cruelty-free choices at grocery stores and restaurants!

http://www.vegcooking.com/

As the unsustainability and cruelty of factory farming becomes more and more immediate--see, for example, the recent beef recall, which was the largest in U.S. history--isn't it incumbent on those of us who regard ourselves as conscientious consumers to, as Gandhi put it, be the change we want to see in the world? You always come across as sensitive and well-informed, so I hope you'll make the compassionate choice in the future.

Re: Sunday Cooking…With the Internet

Jarred Taylor — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 09:20:48 -0000

I hear cactus goes good with deserts.

Re: Sunday Cooking…With the Internet

Rachel — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 08:46:15 -0000

Oh great! I love the cooking podcasts--have you seen Jamie Oliver's? http://www.jamieoliver.com/...

He's one of my favorites--I possibly watch too much of the Food Network. Thanks for the links!

Re: Sunday Cooking…With the Internet

Taylor — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 00:21:00 -0000

It's a deal. If you make the trip, I'll cook anything you want to accompany your desert.

Re: Sunday Cooking…With the Internet

Jarred Taylor — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 00:19:20 -0000

Hmmm, the galette sounds tasty and doable. So let it be written, so let it be done. I'll have to come see you and Kat down in NC this summer and make it there.

Re: Sunday Cooking…With the Internet

Katherine — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 23:39:34 -0000

You are definitely one of the best cook's that I know, but I wonder what you served with this soup? fresh bread?