Food & “Farm” Update – Summer 2009

This summer has been very interesting and busy! Here’s what I’ve been up to:

Garden:

• Two tomatoes plants (out of the original 4 varieties that I planted in March) have produced fruit – the Tomatoberry and the yellow Marvel Stripe heirloom – those most are still green.  I have one (color TBD) bell pepper still growing, a row of too-tiny-to-mention purple carrots and a handful of fava bean plants that may or may not be unhappy. All but two of the other plants that I bought as seedlings have survived in pots for months and are now happily residing in a big pile of soil enriched with the compost I’ve been preparing for months: oregano, sage, mint, strawberries and two kinds of lavender. The 3rd kind of lavender was trampled by a construction worker and the basil – well, so far I cannot get basil to work in the clay and debris filled soil back there. See garden photos here.

Events:

• Eat Real Fest – held on the weekend before labor day in Oakland, CA. It was hot. No, I mean HOT – like nearly 100 degrees and for the Bay Area… that is HOT.  But it was much more interesting that the Slow Food Nation event in San Francisco last year. Eat Real Fest was all about food for the masses – not just the people who could afford to spend hundreds of dollars for exclusive tasting events.  The food was great – local, organic and inexpensive. Street food vendors and taco trucks filled Jack London square and sold a variety of dishes – all $5 or less. The also had a large indoor farmers’ market. I’d definitely go again.  See pictures here.
• Ghost Town Farm tour – This was held on the same weekend as the East Real Fest as both were in Oakland. Novella Carpenter and her partner Bill are essentially squatting on a lot next to the apartment in which they live and have turned it in to a little urban farm. Novella has since written a book, Farm City, about her experiences with developing the farm and raising plants and animals in such an urban environment. It’s a great read and a great inspiration. I think what I love most is how they put something together pretty much out of nothing and created not only a garden, but a community as well. Her blog is here and my pictures are here.
• A reading from the book, Cooking Beyond Measure,  by cultural historian, hippie, cook and writer Jean Johnson.  The reading was a joint venture between the Culinary Historians of Northern California and Omnivore Books in San Francisco. I have been to a few CHoNC events now and usually feel a bit out of place since most of the other members are professional chefs, food writers and culinary historians and even though Jean is a bit of all of those, I feel like she could make anyone feel at ease. She came of age in the 60’s, lived for a decade on Native American reservations in the Southwest and is just a genuinely nice person. When the reading was over I went up to her and said “You’ve just written the book I was planning on writing in a few years after I got my act together.” Somehow, I’d love to grow up to be the combination of Novella Carpenter and Jean Johnson! Jean’s blog is here.

Classes:

• UrbanKitchenSF is my new best friend! With one-off, 2-3 hour classes that are fun, informative and inexpensive. They are all about slow food and cooking styles for the urban dweller. My first podcast was about their first pickling class and I plan on doing an interview with the founders of UrbanKitchenSF in a future podcast. I’ve taken all but two of the classes – one I had already taken and one I missed – including kombucha, pickling, butchery, cheesemaking and bread baking. I have pictures of most of the classes here. My kombucha and homemade pickles have turned out quite well!

Books:

• Occassionally, I lament the fact that I never got my undergrad degree. While the study of food history and culinary anthrolopogy are becoming more well known and wide spread, it is a challenge to find classes for the beginner or hobbyist. So, instead of allowing myself to pine, I finally got myself a Library card. Seems a bit sad since I’ve been living in San Francisco for 7 years now. My first two books are Food in the USA and The History of Taste – both a relatively large collection of essays and heavier than most of the school and college books I’ve had over the years. It does make me happy to know that there are others like me – who are fascinated by the evolution of food and its impact on human development, society and culture and who can explain it a heck of a lot better than I can.
• Wild Fermentation – not only a cookbook but a really good read as well. As the title states, this book is about fermentation and not only provides many, very approachable recipes, but talks about the health benefits, taste and history of the craft.  I have successfully made a bright pink sauerkraut and am now trying a batch of kvass which seems like a lovely way to use up stale bread!

Food:

• Ah, well, I am always trying new experiments and recipes. Lately, it has been all about sourdough and some of my favorites of late I have found online and am happy to share them!
  • Sourdough Crackers: http://www.cuesa.org/seasonality/recipes/appetizers/app_sp3.php
  • Sourdough Pancakes: http://whatscookingamerica.net/Bread/SourdoughPancakes.htm
• I have also just tried my hand at sprouting grains and as I type, they are slowly toasting in the oven. Studies suggest that sprouts are one of the most nutritious foods on the planet and the act of sprouting (as well as fermenting) breaks down the harmful but natural enzime inhibitors present in seeds. My first try was with some local red wheat berries which, when sprouted, kinda tasted a bit like grass.  But since wheat is a grass, this makes perfect sense.
  • http://www.sproutpeople.com/cookery.html

Ok, well that’s all for now!

Good food & friends!

MindfulCast #1 – Fermentation: The Final Frontier

After years of thinking about it, I have finally created a podcast call “MindfulCast”. The goal of this podcast series is to discuss the rewards and challenges of living a balanced life in these modern, urban times. The first episode, Fermentation: The Final Frontier, focuses on a recent Pickling Party workshop hosted by UrbanKitchenSF and Happy Girl Kitchen Co. To subscribe to the podcast feed, check the box at the top of the sidebar!

The workshop was held on a pier under the Bay Bridge…

From left to Right: Todd Gonzales and Todd Champange from Happy Girl Kitchen

Chopping and filling jars

and adding salt water…

Pickled Cherries, Lemons and Spicy Carrots

mmm.. Pretty Pickles…

Kitchen Garden at the White House

“First lady Michelle Obama is scheduled to break ground Friday on a new garden near the fountain on the South Lawn that will supply the White House kitchen.”

Great news! I am still working on my own kitchen garden and it is good to see such a high profile garden!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090319/ap_on_go_pr_wh/white_house_garden

Feeding a World in Crisis

NPR Weekend Edition Saturday, December 6, 2008 · For the United Nations’ World Food Program, it’s never easy trying to feed the world’s hungry. But in times of soaring prices and global financial crisis, the business of getting food to those who need it most becomes an even more daunting task.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97905044

Reporter’s Notes: Food Safety

Reporter’s Notes: Food Safety

“Here’s another item for President-Elect Barack Obama’s to-do list when he takes office in January: food safety. Especially imported foods. Recent scares over melamine-laced cookies from China and salmonella-tainted Mexican jalapenos have raised stark questions: Who’s monitoring the safety of imported food? And does the system work?”

http://www.kqed.org/quest/radio/food-safety

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Eaten by the Chronophage

It’s been months since I’ve written anything of any interest, and much has happened: Slow Food Nation, an unexpected move, the presidential election and the Green Fest. All of which I will touch on at some point in this post. It’s been a tumultuous 3 months and I now feel that I am finally settling down a bit and after some periods of stress and worry, disappointment and disillusionment, I am now feeling hopeful and more inspired. Thank goodness.

Health, Food and Human History: The All-American Banana?

As part of my move toward eating locally produced food, I have cut out certain fruits and vegetables from my diet. In an attempt to have some sort of balance, and in cases where they are available, I will purchase organic and fairly traded varieties of coffee, chocolate, tea and coconut products but have nearly cut out the consumption of all fruit that cannot be grown within California. This includes pineapple, papaya, mango, and of course: bananas.

I’ve recently become somewhat fascinated with the banana. I often wonder why it is so popular. Perhaps it is because the banana is so easy to carry and eat. But the banana is not a local fruit. Not unless you live in South America, Hawaii, or parts of Asia. How did it get here and when? And how have banana prices remained so low, even though the fruit travels thousands of miles to reach our markets and tables?

Not just Organic, but Fair Trade!

Most of us have seen organic produce varieties popping up in supermarkets across the United States. Though knowing how food is grown is extremely important, so too is knowing how the farmers and workers are paid and treated in the process. Finding Fair Trade coffee, tea and chocolate is becoming easier and easier and I find it interesting that there doesn’t seem to be as much of a movement to engage fresh fruit producers and distributors. I have no doubt there are many challenges with storage, shipping and USDA guidelines though I have not found any specific information as yet. Fair Trade fruit is available now, though can be difficult to find and I have not seen any form of labelling system to indicate that the fruit is in fact Fair Trade.

Below are some resources about the Banana and Fair Trade Fruit:

Banana: The Fate of the Fruit that Changed the World

Yes, We Will Have No Bananas

The Banana

Banana.com

Fair Trade Banana Cooperative

Fair Trade: Fresh Fruit Program

The State of Food in San Francisco

As many people know, San Francisco is one of the wonders of the foodie world. With it’s melting pot population, coastal location, climate that offers year-round produce and upwards of 10,000 restaurants, foodies are spoiled for choice.

San Francisco Magazine‘s recent issue focuses on food in the Bay Area. Though it’s not my favorite magazine it did definitely have some very good articles this month.

To eat local, kill local With just one slaughterhouse remaining within 80 miles of San Francisco, we stand to lose not only our local beef industry, but our grazing lands as well. Now a thick-skinned herd of ranchers and environmentalists are determined to keep the cows close to home.

The State of the Plate When it comes to dining out, is San Francisco becoming a Valhalla or a Vegas with hills? Josh Sens looks back on a confounding 12 months of meals and takes the measure of a region and its restaurants.

Moth Class What the light brown apple moth—and the pesticide shower it nearly unleashed—taught us about the future of our fruits and vegetables.

Weapons of Moth Destruction How the Bay Area maneuvered to beat back an impending pesticide assault.

Health, Food and Human History: Grains and Beans

One thing that fascinates me to no end is the history of food and human civilization. Throughout history, humans have been developing ways to cultivate and prepare food, sometimes for flavor but more often than not, it seems, for nutrition, digestion and preservation. What I find difficult to get my head around, is the idea that thousands of years ago, humans figured out food combinations that had the most nutritional value. Beans and grains, for example, often form a complete protein when paired together. In the Americas, beans and corn has been a popular combination for thousands of years. Beans, containing all of the amino acids but the one contained in corn: methionine.

Below are some interesting links containing information about the history of these foods as well as recipes:

Mother Earth News: Pinto Beans and Corn
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/1972-01-01/Pinto-Beans-and-Corn.aspx

Food Reference: Beans
http://www.foodreference.com/html/artbeans.html

Veg Paradise: Corn, The A-Maize-Ing Grain
http://www.vegparadise.com/highestperch9.html

I’ve also put together a recipe of my own. Sausage and Mushroom Succotash.

Downtown Garden

SF’s Civic Center Welcomes Fresh Veggie Garden

“For the first time since 1943, the first edible garden was planted Saturday at San Francisco’s Civic Center, with the hopes of encouraging residents to eat healthy food.”

http://www.kcbs.com/pages/2588388.php?

California and Water

I’ve been thinking about water a lot lately with the drought and all of the fires that are still burning around the state as I type. I am not the only one thinking about this, of course, and there’s a great, locally produced 30 minute program about the future of water in California:
State of Thirst: California’s Water Future
“Are we in danger of running out of water? California’s population is growing by 600,000 people a year, but much of the state receives as much annual rainfall as Morocco. With fish populations crashing, global warming, and the demands of the country’s largest agricultural industry, the pressures on our water supply are increasing.”

Discussing Transgender Rights at the UN

“An Indian eunuch Laxmi Narayan Tripathi is fighting for the rights and respect of the global transgender community during the ongoing United Nations high level meeting on AIDS.

After meeting a large number of ambassadors, diplomats, world leaders and social activists who from all over the world have gathered at the United Nations headquarters in New York for the HIV/ AIDS meet, Tripathi told NDTV.Com in an interview that she is here to fight for transgender community, who have been deprived of their basic rights and are not being treated as human being.”

Read More: http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080052777

Is “green” a religion?

By my good friend over at the Lighting Fires blog:

“Is green a religion? Umm, well, not totally. Actually, no, not at all. It’s what a religion SHOULD be.  Let me explain. ”

http://ecadvocate.blogspot.com/2008/05/is-green-religion.html

The Case for Reducing Soy Consumption

As mentioned in my first post on this blog “You are what you eat.. a Vegan Food Activist” I discuss the fact that I stay away from processed food as much as possible. Frankly, this has become even more important to me since then with the top reasons being health: knowing what’s in the food and that is it fresh and full of nutrients, social and economic justice: knowing that everyone involved is getting paid a decent wage and being treated fairly as well as putting money into the local economy, and environmental justice: knowing where the food came from and knowing its impact on the environment.

With this in mind, it can make life difficult when not eating meat. Most people automatically assume that eating soy-based meat substitute products is par for the course and when I tell them that I generally don’t eat those products, they have trouble imagining what I could possibly be eating for a protein. First, I tell them that there are many wonderful proteins available in beans, nuts and grains. Second, though I do occasionally eat organic tofu and soy sauce, I tend to avoid soy products as a rule.

As someone who, first and foremost, avoids processed food, this automatically cuts out soy that is somehow made to look and taste like sausage. I used to be quite impressed with how the companies were doing this. How could you possibly make soy look and taste like sausage? Well.. exactly! The more ingredients on the list, the more manufacturers involved, the more people involved in the process, the more likely it is that the ingredients came from a large variety of sources and locations, and the less information we have available to us for an informed decision.

When walking through a grocery store, take a look at the ingredients of the products you pick up. Especially with foods like crackers and breads; how many of them have some sort of soy product listed? Sure, soy has proven to be one of the most versatile and nutritious plants on the planet and because of this the demand has skyrocketed. We are vegetarians and vegans (or trying to have a more healthful diet), but we still want our meat and dairy. And our soap, cosmetics, plastics, inks, solvents, clothing, alcohol, oil, biodiesel, flour, livestock feed and many other products.

Our desire for soy and beef and exotic woods are the primary causes for the depletion of one of the world’s greatest sources of biodiversity and oxygen: The Amazon Rainforest. Yes, people are cutting down the amazon for soy production.

Keep that in mind the next time you reach for that soyburger.

More information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soy

http://www.ajc.com/news…amazon_rainforest_shrinking.html

Salmonella in the Tomatoes

Another reason to buy from trusted and known sources!

Also see: http://www.bizjournals.com/eastbay/stories/2008/06/02/daily69.html

http://www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/redtomatoes060508.html

UPDATE: 6/12/08 – FDA says California Tomatoes are safe – read more here.

Video: Mark Bittman: What’s wrong with what we eat

http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/263

A 20 minute video from the chef who wrote “How to Cook Everything”.

3 interesting events in 3 days…

1) Earth Hour. No doubt many of you have already heard about the move to turn off all lights from 8-9pm today, March 29th 2008. We’ll be taking part tonight – lighting some candles and spending time with friends. More info at http://www.earthhourus.org/

2) meatpaper,  a new magazine with ideas about and art inspired by meat.  It does sound a bit strange – but they are celebrating their 3rd issue  in San Francisco tomorrow night on March 30th 2008. More details at http://www.meatpaper.com/news/index.html

3) Environmentally Conscious Food Choices – a discussion with panelists from Bon Apetit, UC Davis, the Ethicurian and more. March 31st 2008 in San Francisco. More info here: http://tinyurl.com/2s4vxu

Farmers’ Markets and Affordability

Today I came across an interesting article in Edible San Francisco about the affordability and accessibility of farmers’ markets in San Francisco. My favorite market is highlighted in this piece!

http://tinyurl.com/2tohcb

Soda: A Touchy Subject…

The other day I overheard some of my coworkers discussing the various types of water available to everyone and how we, as a company, should consider other options. Right now we have two kinds of bottled water, as well as a few water coolers scattered around the building. One girl said that she doesn’t trust tap water and only drinks water from bottles and wouldn’t be happy with a filter option and would be rather upset ( “pissed off” were her exact words ) if bottled water was no longer available.

This made me think about a couple of things: first, that we should have a little perspective and remember that not every company provides such a large variety of drinks and snacks as ours does and bickering over it seems a little silly and selfish. Although I am fully in agreement with the idea that we indeed should consider having filters for our tap water. The second thing that popped into my head was that really we should also consider getting rid of the many sodas as well. The social, environmental, political and health consequences are many and when I brought this up to one person in the discussion (who started the conversation about the water and considers himself an environmentalist) he hesitated, got a concerned look on his face and said “We should start with something we can actually change. Soda is much harder to replace.”. Indeed it is. Although there are smaller companies using natural ingredients available.. but that does involve more work. Soda and ‘carbonated beverages’ are also extremely ingrained in our culture and have been for around a century.

It’s difficult. I understand that. And at this point I feel the need to reiterate a quote I have on my “About” page, as it really conveys what I feel about the subject.

“The question we must ask ourselves as a culture is whether we want to embrace the change that must come, or resist it. Are we so attached to the dietary fallacies with which we were raised, so afraid to counter the arbitrary laws of eating taught to us in childhood by our misinformed parents, that we cannot alter the course they set us on, even if it leads to our own ruin? Does the prospect of standing apart or encountering ridicule scare us even from saving ourselves?” – Howard Lyman

 See the “Packaged Foods Exposed” series @ Deconstructing Dinner for more information.

So much for being mindful…

The morning of November 7th was one of the foggiest that I have ever encountered. I went to work, as usual, and later that day heard that a cargo ship had struck one of the support towers of the Bay Bridge. And, even worse, it had a 70-90 foot gash in the side that had caused a fuel spill. The captain was able to eventually stop the spill by routing the ship’s oil to another compartment. For some reason, after hearing this, I didn’t really expect the spill to be very large or something very difficult to deal with. There are many ways to contain oil but of course those things require quick action, preparedness, good information and without a doubt – less fog. I didn’t really pay much attention to the whole thing for a few days. But information was slowly reaching me. Videos, stories and discussions were continuing. Oil on Ocean Beach? Point Reyes? Animals covered in oil?

I decided to look into volunteering for the clean-up effort. Naturally, the only training session was happening on a night that I was unavailable. Though I’m happy to know that so many people were volunteering that many had to be turned away.

This leads me to think about that cargo ship and what might have been on it. We are now so dependent on not only oil, but the products that are manufactured overseas for our pleasure and our convenience. I wonder if we will get to a point when we stop to think about how our own lives and habits feed the fire before we look for someone else to blame.

Video of oil on Ocean Beach

NPR: San Francisco Bay Oil Spill Investigated

Sessions offer oil cleanup volunteers the scoop about goop

Senators blast Coast Guard response to bay oil spill