Watch the Nobel Lectures December 10

The nobel lectures, held in Oslo, will be shown on the Peace Prize website on December 10, and available "on demand" thereafter.

(Prepare your media player.)

Let's Ask Mainstream Companies to Make Healthier Products!

At our favorite intersection of food and politics, the Times published an article today on how charities such as the American Diabetes Association are rethinking what they expect of the food companies that help raise funds and awareness, while selling products work against healthful aims and "core matters of conscience." For instance, in exchange for using charity logos, some companies achieve endorsing high-calorie foods that may be low in sugar, but high in calories; clearly these products may raise monies for the cause and simultaneously undermine efforts to expose the correlative relationship between diabetes and obesity.

As an increasing number of companies use awareness products to support charity fundraising campaigns, we hope that this will result in education for the companies, too. Perhaps we should be emboldened by these developments and raise our expectations for mainstream corporations: We want genuinely healthier foods, sweets, and consumer products that do no harm to consumers, workers, community economies, and the environment!
Click here to check out the rest of the article.

Giving: Green, Awareness & Thanks

As I read my favorite blogs this morning, I observed a prevailing desire to emphasize the positive aspects of the holiday. Today most people in the USA will gather and eat, celebrating family and togetherness, with perhaps a nod to the "discovery" of a gracious Grandmother Earth offering plenty, enough for all. If contemporary wisdom holds, tomorrow most USAmericans with means will shop. Whether one regards this day as the beginning of the Winter Season of Lights or more simply as the celebration of the autumnal harvest, the easy slide from one holiday season to another, literally, pivots on giving.

My meditation on the positive side of this holiday nexus notes that the culture of giving seems to be on the rise. Charities, foundations, even businesses returning profits to causes, everyone wants to harness the spirit of giving. As we become increasingly aware of our global interconnectedness, we have myriad opportunities, then, to consider how what we produce and consume, I mean give, impacts other communities, the environment, and our collective psyche. The general feeling that giving is a social good challenges us to recuperate the relationships implied in the act, by truly giving Thanks, and consciously giving gifts that reflect the Native North American principles of harmony and balance.

The Periodically Popular "Lemon-Aid Cleanse"

8 oz water
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp maple syrup (Grade B is best!)
pinch of cayenne
----------------------
As we shopped this weekend for the ingredients, everyone here in San Diego ascertained what we were up to, which led to various commentaries and inquiries. I thought perhaps blogging about it, would encourage me to make a record of how it really feels.

Preparation. This week we got the box and proceeded to devour everything within it, in two days. We were very hungry and felt slightly underprepared. (Avocadoes provided the most calorific comfort!)

The worst thing about yesterday was the lack of coffee. I've drunk white tea since Sunday, and today we're on solely the mixture. We made three gallons of the stuff last night. We were up late, squeezin'. (We had our minds made up, so when we found out organic lemons were out of season, we decided to go ahead with conventional. . .bummer.)

Tastes pretty good. They say you should be full sail by the second day. (If so I'll add it to my PMS remedies, since very little seems to brighten the second day of my dark moon, which happens to coincide.)

At noon, I received a chat from my counterpart, who seemed to be pretty perky, especially when compared to me, but he mentioned being 'a little tired'. . .He reported having consumed half of the gallon in the last three and one-half hours.

Good, looks like he'll be sure to leave work on time!

Setting Your "Sites" on Organic

With Indian Summer on us full force in San Diego and all of the fruits at their peak, we've been craving mostly simple fare these days. When salad takes center stage with perfect tomatoes and scrummy avocado, we like to add a grain, like soba noodles, cracked bulgar wheat, or quinoa. We also enjoy a simple stirfry with tofu and onion, celebrating the sprig of kale that made it's fall debut in this week's box.

If, however, there's cooking weather brewing in your kitchen, here are two sites that wax organic and might just inspire a culinary storm:

A Slow Food Journey via "101 Cookbooks"

Power to the Conscious Cook: "Mighty Foods"

Is Bird-Friendly Coffee Fair to Latin American Farmers?

With so many of our favorite stores and big-name coffee-houses offering Fair Trade Coffees that signal living wages and safe working conditions, and even some with additional environmental certifications, you'd think these coffees would amount to more than 2% of what's out there. Guess not. A lot of farmers are struggling to hold onto the ideal, while everyone else catches up.

Here's a link to an article that lays out some of the issues confronted by the families who belong to a growing cooperative in Chanmagua, Guatemala.

"Farmers Question Value of Responsible Coffee" (Reuters)

Let's All Sing "Ratatouille"!

Adding to the peace of mind one attains when subscribing to a CSA, the weekly box of local organic produce has an especial virtue: Seasonal dishes that sing the harmonies of veggies peaking simultaneously. As the summer heightens to its crescendo, the tomatoes are plentiful and di-vine; the squashes twinkle like bursting stars; and the respelendent, young eggplants (aubergine = berenjena = brinjal = garden egg = egg apple = patlican = melongene = melanzane = Guinea squash) are regal, not bitter.

What dish most vibrates life and produce at summer's denouement? Why RATATOUILLE, of course! The name draws on the French alteration of toillier (or touiller), which means to stir, or to mix. Also related to "toil," what finer way to celebrate the labor of our local farmers, who have tilled the earth for us!

The following recipe is inspired variously, dating back beyond memory, but I hope to impart a wisdom here drawn from The Voluptuous Vegan-- a cookbook so coveted that it vanished with some so-called friend of food, give it back!!! -- that is, a respect for each ingredient's singular properties, which refines the vegan palate and elevates the vegan plate.

Ingredients
As is my way, I allow you to choose your quantities. (Mine are usually dictated by what's in the box!)

Onion
Eggplant
Tomato
Squash
Fresh Basil
Olive oil
Polenta
Music and conversation

Proceedings:
I suggest music, so you remember that this process is about each loving minute you spend ratatouill-ing these beautiful veggies. Reliable helpers are always welcome to skip ahead and start cutting!

1. Boil the polenta right away, with cracked pepper and a little salt. Let it stand as you proceed with everything else.
2. Peel long stripes off your eggplant, and then cube it small-ish-ly. Salt these cubes, somewhat liberally, and put them in a colander over a bowl of water. Watch them sweat for an half-hour, while you attend to other things.
3. Put enough oil in your castiron skillet to slow cook your onion/s until they glow pellucid (translucent). Transfer the cooked onion to a side dish, and wipe out your skillet with a paper towel or its dry equivalent. (I know, paper towels are precious, but wiping removes little bits of things that create grease-fire and smoke, while allowing you to build flavor in your skillet.)
4. Cube your squash.
5. Cube your tomatoes.
6. Mince your basil. I like to wash it, pick off the leaves, stack them, roll them , and then cut them into fine long slices with scissors. (My clumsy modification of the chiffonade française.)
7. Put your skillet back on medium low heat and return the onions to the fire. (If you intend to add any spices that you might be addicted to, such as herbs provencal, go ahead, since this dish harks from that region, now is the time, if any. Wait to the end to add salt, though.) Now, add your basil.
8. Add your squash cubes. Cook, stirring gently until slightly underdone. (Retain its firmness and your mouth will be happy!) Transfer. Wipe.
9. Add your tomatoes and turn up the heat for a brief ten seconds, if your tomatoes are super juicy. Return to medium/low heat.
10. Transfer everyone to the side dish again, and prepare your skillet appropriately to receive the eggplant. Cook it until it is done, not soggy.
11. Return all ingredients to the skillet and mix everything gently. Add salt and pepper, if needed "To taste" is your operative phrase here, since the eggplant might have enought salt, and the polenta might have enough pepper.
12. On the side or on top of your polenta, your ratatouille should incite a symphony among your most critical taste buds!

Just listen, you'll hear a sweet "Bon appétit! Buen provecho! Buon Appetito!"

The Politics of Flavor: Stick to Real Butter (or Go Vegan)!

The Sacramento Bee reported the "recent discovery of a life-threatening disease among former workers of flavoring factories, including two in Southern California, and a backdrop of dozens of similarly disabled workers who inhaled the buttery vapors at microwave popcorn plants in the Midwest." Bronchiolitis obliterans is a :rare condition that literally obliterates the bronchioles." (The crucial airways branching like twigs at the ends of the respiratory tree, where oxygen enters the blood.)

Diacetyl, a naturally occurring chemical in butter that is synthesized and highly concentrated to be used as butter flavoring has caused at least three deaths among (mostly un-unionized) flavoring plant workers and two others are candidates for double lung transplants.

See the rest of the article. . .

Look for:
Food plant safety faulted
Worker lung disease linked to additive.
By Chris Bowman -- Bee Staff Writer

Published 12:01 am PDT Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Story appeared on Page A1 of The Bee

25 Ways to Get (and Give) What You Want Without Money

(Reprinted from www.coopamerica.org)

NOURISHMENT
1 Hold a home-baked bread or dessert swap.
2 Grow your own fruits and vegetables to give away.
3 Share seeds, plants and clippings from your garden.
4 Buy food or supplies in bulk and share with friends.
5 Start a dinner co-op.
6 Arrange a cooking day among friends to prepare food like next weeks' dinners, pasta sauces or granola in bulk.
7 Start a dinner program in your neighborhood. When something momentous happens to a family (having a baby, losing a loved one, illness, etc.) form a neighborhood team to provide dinners on a rotating basis until the family is back on its feet.

CARE
8 Start a babysitting or childcare co-op.
9 Start a pet-sitting co-op.
10 Arrange to look after a sick friend with neighbors.

HOME HELP
11 Form a home-repair team. Give and get services from painting to putting up a fence or fixing the roof.
12 Share infrequently used tools and garden supplies.
13 Collect partially used or unused cans of paint to share and exchange. It saves money and cuts down

GOODS
14 Hold a clothes swap at work, church or in your neighborhood. Have a fashion show and clothes swap with friends.
15 Hold toy or sporting goods swaps/exchanges for kids so they can learn new sports and games.

KNOWLEDGE
16 Exchange lessons, like oil painting for guitar playing.
17 Ask a 12-year-old how to get onto the Internet.

SERVICES
18 Start a skills exchange in your community.
19 Start a carpool in your neighborhood or office.
20 Swap your skills for accommodation. Provide accounting, housework, nursing care, childcare or other skills in return for a room in a house. Alternatively, provide accommodations in your house to get the services you need and help a student or young person get started.

CURRENCY
21 Make your own money.

COMMUNITY
22 Adopt a stream or a highway to restore or improve it.
23 Give a traveler a place to stay.
24 Set up an area at a community center, apartment building, church/synagogue where people can leave items they no longer need for others. Give what's left to a charity.
25 Volunteer your time and energy, in your neighborhood, city, town or region.


Also Consider bartering...

* If you're interested in saving money
* If you'd like to get to know others in your community
* If you'd like to learn a new talent or skill
* If you're not interested in performing certain tasks yourself
* If you'd like to feel good about helping others

Are You Pulling My Legume? Ginger Cashew Pottage

A request was made for the following "recipe" all the way from NYC, reminding me of the fun that can be had making and eating this simple, delicious, AND vegan meal. The entire process takes at least an hour and can be fun for a chattering group, and might possibly (seem) quicker if everyone gets into it.

Don't mind me if the methodology seems a pinch more colloquial than scientific!

Ginger Cashew Pottage

Equipment:

good knife, skillet, saucepan, blender (pref. with glass pitcher), steamer/large stockpot, rice cooker

Ingredients:

* a quantity (perhaps a pound) of cashews
* fresh ginger root, peeled and minced
* several jalapenos or serrano peppers, minced
* a bulb of garlic (if you like)
* 3 white onions, chopped
* salt, to taste at the end

vegetables (your favorites for steaming, err on the side of colorful diversity with three or more--such as carrots, broccoli, and purple cabbage)

grain (brown rice, quinoa are best in my experience)

1. Dry roast the cashews in a cast iron skillet, or improvise carefully with the toaster oven. Don't burn them or your sauce will take on an unwelcome bitterness. Let them cool. (Easy since the other steps take a bit.)

2. Peel and mince the ginger root. Put it in a small saucepan with a few cups of pure drinking water and set it to boiling, while you prepare the onions, peppers, and garlic.

Use your own intuition about your "family" palate to decide on quantities of the last two. The onions are crucial and add sweetness, the peppers enhance the ginger, and the garlic adds depth, but this last can be omitted for the adamantly anti-GBO (garlic-breath/body-odor) types.

Boil these together gently for a good fifteen minutes or more, but make sure the water--which is now your broth--doesn't boil down too far. (Add water if necessary to maintain at least a cup or two of liquid.)

Let stand for as long as you have. (Again: this broth is EVERYTHING, so flavor-melding lends added complexity.)

3. Begin preparing your grain. Then chop and steam your veggies lightly, if you are approaching the dining hour. (Otherwise you can make the sauce in advance.)

4. Now back to the sauce. (Know your blender/food processor's most intimate qualities: Does it need small quantities to effectively pulverize? Does it abide hot liquids? Does it leak? Leaking won't do.) Assess your pacing by placing a handful of cashews in the blender with a bit of the broth, and go at it. Continue alternating nuts, broth (including all its spicy solids).

The end result should be a creamy, total integration of all elements. Add salt and cream some more. (I often avoid salt in cooking, but not here. Use at least a half teaspoon, in pinches.)

5. Arrange plates with grain then veggies and sauce on top. Have more ready on the side, because your guests will clamour for it.

ENJOY!!

This sauce keeps incredibly well and can be slathered on toast or consumed for the entire week as a creatively employed 'left-over' with fresh, different veggies and grains.

(Remember, peanut allergies are on the rise, so consider the cashew alternative!)

Why Eating Organic Makes Even More Sense Now

Recently, I read that agriculturalists were facing yet another indirect effect of the war on everybody-slash-petroleum crisis, here in California. For conventional growers, spring means time to spray. Thus, cropdusters are passing on what is nearly a doubling of their costs to farmers, and I would assume that means the price of conventional food is also increasing.

Life simplifies itself. These are 10 MORE reasons collected by the Soil Association in the UK.


1 It's healthy. On average, organic food contains higher levels of vitamin C and essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron and chromium as well as cancer-fighting antioxidants.

2 No nasty additives. Organic food doesn't contain food additives which can cause health problems such as heart disease, osteoporosis, migraines and hyperactivity. Amongst the additives banned by the Soil Association are hydrogenated fat, aspartame (artificial sweetener) and monosodium glutamate.

3 Avoids pesticides. Over 400 chemical pesticides are routinely used in conventional farming and residues are often present in non-organic food. The UK government has recently found high levels of pesticide residues in baby food, spinach, dried fruit, bread, apples, celery, and chips.

4 No GM. Genetically modified (GM) crops and ingredients are not allowed under organic standards.

5 Reliance on drugs removed. There is growing concern about the high use of antibiotics on farm animals and the possible effects on human health. Soil Association standards prohibit the routine use of antibiotics.

6 No hidden costs. Compare this with the £120m that tax payers fork out to pay for chemicals to be removed from drinking water, mainly as a result of the pesticides used in farming.

7 High standards. Organic food comes from trusted sources. All organic farms and food companies are inspected at least once a year. The standards for organic food are laid down in European law.


8 Care for animals. Animal welfare is taken very seriously under organic standards. The benefits of the organic approach are acknowledged by animal welfare organisations such as Compassion in World Farming as well as the UK government.


9 Good for wildlife and the environment. The UK government has said that it is better for wildlife, causes lower pollution from sprays, produces less carbon dioxide - the main global warming gas - and less dangerous wastes.

10 Top for taste. Many people prefer organic food because they say it tastes better. A number of top chefs choose organic, and every year many are involved in the Soil Association's Organic Food Awards.


for more information on the impacts of eating and cosuming mindfully check out:
http://www.mindfully.org/Food/FAO-Progress-For-Some.htm
http://www.ncfh.org/
http://www.mindfully.org/Farm/Small-Farms-USDA-ReportJan98.htm
http://www.corpwatch.org/index.php

Guilt-Free Gfilte

So far my recipes have been vegan-ish, and that's really the easiest way I found to eat in a manner that coalesces all of the commitments I aspire to live. (Also my eating buddy, doesn't like fish, so in a Zen kind of way, life simplifies itself.)

Nevertheless, the NYT published the following guide on guilt-free fish. (Published: May 31, 2006) The standards seem to reflect levels of contaminants, rather than a measure of food-for-all/ecological impact, but here is the list, and an accompanying article that seems to reveal more about the standard.

A Guide to Guilt-Free Fish

A Guide to Guilt-Free Fish
Published: May 31, 2006
These fish can be eaten once a week by adults, according to an assessment of contaminant levels by Environmental Defense. Those marked with an asterisk can be eaten more than once a week.
WILD
*ANCHOVIES
ARCTIC CHAR, color added
*ATLANTIC BUTTERFISH
*BLACK COD (Sable, Butterfish on West Coast)
*BLACK SEA BASS Younger children no more than four times a month
*HADDOCK
*HAKE (white, silver and red)
HAKE (Chilean, Cape and Argentine)
*HALIBUT (Pacific only) Older children 3 times a month, younger children twice
*HERRING
*MACKEREL (Atlantic or Boston only)
MAHI-MAHI Younger children 3 times a month
*PACIFIC COD
*PACIFIC SAND DAB (yellowtail flounder)
*PACIFIC WHITING
*PLAICE
PORGIES
*SALMON (Pacific)
*SARDINES
*SHAD
SMELT
*SOLE (gray, petrale, rex, yellowfin)
SOLE (Dover; English or lemon, older children 3 times a month, younger children twice)
WHITEFISH
FARMED
CARP
CATFISH (domestic)
STRIPED BASS (rockfish)
*TILAPIA
*TROUT (rainbow); TROUT (steelhead)
SHELLFISH
*CLAMS (northern quahogs)
CLAMS (Atlantic surf, butter, Manila, ocean quahog, Pacific geoduck, Pacific littleneck and soft-shell)
*CRAB (Dungeness, snow) Dungeness: younger children once a week
CRAB (Florida stone, Jonah, king)
*CRAYFISH (United States)
*LOBSTER (American) Children 2 to 4 times a month
*MUSSELS (farmed blue; wild blue, children 2 to 3 times a month)
MUSSELS (New Zealand green, Mediterranean)
OYSTERS (farmed Eastern and Pacific)
*SCALLOPS (bay; Northeast, Canadian sea)
*SHRIMP (wild American pink, white, brown)
SHRIMP (spot prawns and northern shrimp)
*SQUID
*SPINY LOBSTER (Caribbean, United States, and Australia
------------------------------------
Holy Mackerel and Other Guilt-Free Fish
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times

The information put out by food safety and environmental organizations paints a discouraging and sometimes confusing picture about which seafood to eat. They list dozens of species whose well-being is threatened by overfishing; fish whose harvesting threatens species that are accidentally caught and discarded; and fish that contain dangerous levels of mercury, PCB's and pesticides. Some people simply ignore the warnings.

But what of the fish you can eat without worrying?

Like the shy kid at the dance whose charms are not readily apparent, unpopularity has kept some species in circulation, waiting to be discovered. Atlantic mackerel wears its reputation like a pocket protector and horn-rimmed glasses, but a little attention reveals its sweet side. When a vegan I know returned to eating fish, then extolled the marvels of mackerel, I knew it was time to give it a whirl.
Chilean sea bass may be everyone's delight, but it is being loved to death and needs a break from its fans. Pacific halibut, black cod and mahi-mahi are excellent substitutes for Chilean sea bass, which, if it went by its real name — Patagonian toothfish — might not be so popular.

Sardines have become the worthy darlings of Italian restaurants, and with a quick pan-frying the smelts of my youth taste just as good today.

The alternatives to depleted wild fish stocks are often farmed versions. But some of them raise troubling environmental and health concerns (salmon) or are just not very tasty (tilapia). On the other hand, farmed rainbow trout and catfish are delicious, even just pan-fried with a dusting of cornmeal. And for those who love shellfish and mollusks, there are few restrictions.

Among these choices, there are some that are high in the omega-3 fatty acids that can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease: wild salmon, including canned; Atlantic mackerel; herring; sardines; black cod; anchovies; and farmed oysters.

Our list is made up of fish with no environmental issues: they can be eaten once a week or more. It is drawn from Oceans Alive, a Web site of Environmental Defense, an advocacy group. The list focuses on concerns about hazards to humans from contaminants and harm to fish from industrial harvesting.
Environmental Defense provided additional information to The New York Times about fish available in New York City markets that are not on its official list. The Monterey Bay Aquarium, which has a Web site that focuses on environmental concerns (mbayaq.org/cr/seafoodwatch.asp), works closely with Environmental Defense.
The Oceans Alive Web site (oceansalive.org/eat.cfm) has information on almost 200 species of finfish, shellfish and mollusks. Many carry an eco-best or an eco-worst stamp, judgments based on the impact fishing will have on species' populations. Others have a health concern stamp, and the site suggests how many times a month those fish can be safely eaten by men, women, children up to age 6 and children ages 6 to 12. Serving sizes are eight ounces for men, six for women, four and a half for older children and three for young children.

If Oceans Alive cannot find enough data on contaminants in a species, it recommends eating it no more than once a week.

In compiling our list, seafood considered an eco-worst, like Chilean sea bass, was not included, whether or not a health concern exists. At the same time, some species, like wild striped bass, are considered an eco-best because of stringent fishing regulations, but Oceans Alive said they should not be consumed because of high levels of contaminants. So they were not included. (Farmed striped bass can be eaten once a week, according to the organization, but the taste is not as appealing.)
Not everyone agrees that those contaminants create a hazard. The tuna industry, for example, believes the levels of mercury in their species are low enough that the benefits of eating tuna outweigh the risks. Others say the levels of PCB's and pesticides have dropped considerably in the last 20 years and are not dangerous.
Buying fish on the no-problems list can be tricky. Fish counters are stingy with information, and their signs can be deceiving. Last year The Times found that much of the salmon labeled as wild in New York City stores in the off-season was farmed. By law, fish must be labeled with country of origin, but stores seldom provide specifics.

Good luck finding out whether the halibut in the case is from the Pacific or the Atlantic. The former is highly recommended, the latter is overfished and can be contaminated with mercury. But the more customers annoy fish store managers with questions, the more likely they are to receive answers. Fishmongers should know whether fish is farmed or wild at least.

Not everyone is going to like all of the no-problems fish. But the sole and the halibut, the sardines and the mahi-mahi, not to mention all of the shellfish, would be high on most lists. Then there's wild salmon, my splurge in season and a favorite even in winter. When it has been properly frozen, it is delicious, much better than fresh-farmed.

Black Eye Peas & Rice

"Eat some quick for a prosperous new year."

This was the full extent of the instructions I received from my grandmother on new year's day, so I begin cooking them today, a bit late as usual, and will offer them around to see what comes of it.

For those who might hesitate, I assure you, sometimes you don't need to research the ethnological origins of a tradition to participate. As with dancing, cooking and eating are often most fun and most revealing when you simply follow along.

If you need a recipe, here is what I am in the midst of doing.

Ingredients (vegan):

• 1 onion
• 1 1/2 cups fresh tomatoes or 1 big can, peeled
  
• 2 cups of Black Eye Peas, soaked 5 hours & cooked
  
• 2 cups cooked rice
  
• Salt, pepper, garlic, your favorite spices for seasoning
• strips of dried kelp are chewy and salty (FYI, if you miss bacon/lardon)

Directions:

Chop the onion and saute it in a good size frying pan with vegan broth, or bean or tomato juice. If you are using fresh tomatoes, add them and cook until they are soft. Stir everything together. Heat & taste it!

Good luck and happy new year. Feliz y prospero año nuevo!