Some thoughts on food

And so...if you know me, you probably know that food is important to me. I like to eat good tasting food. I like to eat good quality food. I like to eat weird food. I like to eat exotic food. I like normal food. I'll try anything at least once. I just figured I'd jot down some or all of my food philosophy. :)

On trying everything
I've had the privilege to travel to 15 other countries. I've had intestines in Chile (which I thought was spaghetti). I've had cheese-flavored ice cream in Mexico. I've had octopus (complete with the "suckers") in Spain.

When I go places and I find foods that I can't find here in Columbia, South Carolina, I immediately am drawn to them. Why? Because I can't find it in Columbia, South Carolina! Why would I go to the ice cream stand in Mexico and order vanilla? I mean, how cool is it to be able to say that you've tried cheese-flavored ice cream? As I tell people, it tasted exactly like cheese. Was it absolutely awesome? Nope! But I tried it. Once in Chile, my host mom made me a ham and peanut butter sandwich. Not your everyday combination, but I tried it. (Admittedly, I don't think I finished it.) When I go to restaurants anywhere, I try to make it a point to not ask them to leave anything off. I figure it's there for a reason. I may not think mashed avocado is the best condiment to put on a hamburger, but when in Rome (er, Chile)...

Basically, I'll try anything that anyone fixes me simply for the fact that in that person's culture, it's accepted as being good. If I simply go off of my own opinion of how the dish sounds or looks, then I may not get to experience the joy of trying this new food (or combination of foods). Is it always a joyful experience? Not always, but I can at least say that I tried it, and now I know. But more often than not, I have a pleasant experience and discover new ways of looking at food.

On eating local produce
Let's face it. The world is smaller than ever. One can get from point A to point B (wherever those two points may be) much more quickly than centuries ago. This means that foods can travel that same distance very quickly. You walk into a supermarket nowadays, whatever the season, and you'll always find apples, oranges, strawberries, and blueberries. Nevermind the fact that those four fruits belong to four different growing seasons.

The problem with supermarkets is that Americans love supermarkets. They love them because they provide any food, any time. If we want to do a grape salad in the middle of January, then we know where to go find the ingredients. But where did those grapes come from? Chile. What about the bananas? Honduras.

One thing I've started doing this year is trying to eat more seasonally. I think supermarkets, restaurants, and the frozen food industry have caused Americans to really become out of touch with the food that they eat. I forced myself to think about what South Carolina has to offer. Upon investigation (because I had to investigate as I was that far out of touch!), I found a wealth of knowledge. I learned when blueberries were in season. I learned what veggies grew in the winter. I learned that we have our own rice and tea plantation down near the coast!

Have you ever gone into the supermarket when the bananas were still green? They turn yellow eventually yes, but keep in mind how green/unripe they were upon arrival, then think about their condition when they picked them at the banana plantation in Central America!

This summer, I went to a blueberry farm (Berry Hill Farm) in Lexington, SC. I picked ripe blueberries straight from the bush. I can't tell you how good they were! So sweet! And I got to feel good about the food because I acquired it with my own hands.

I've also started going regularly to local farmer's markets. They bring in the freshest produce from their own farms around the Midlands. Here, you get to talk with the farmers and see where your money is going. You know that they're only going to give you their best. You'll find that farmers markets are often cheaper than in the grocery stores, too!

Many local farmers now have started growing organically as well. Fruits in the supermarkets have been given "medicine" to make the fruits bigger, and they've also waxed many of the fruits to make them "shinier." Bigger and better...that's what they're trying to promote. But through buying local, seasonal fruits and vegetables, you're supporting the local farmer and a better way of doing agriculture, building relationships, reducing your carbon footprint, getting in touch with the way food is supposed to be, and you'll usually save money!

Now, by doing this, you're giving up "fresh" peaches in March and apples in June...but you could also do what I did and make preserves! I have frozen blueberries that I picked to put in pancakes, and I have a jar of peach preserves in my fridge now! (I also did blueberry and blackberry preserves, hot pepper jelly, and apple butter.)

Now, I'm definitely not a complete "locavore." I still buy the occasional banana. And I have some lettuce and tomatoes now in the fridge that I bought at Publix. But it's a process... I'm looking into joining a CSA (community-supported agriculture) this summer where I can actually volunteer some hours and help grow my own food and get it fresh once it's ripe!

On meat
I mean, really. Have you seen those trucks filled with chickens going down the interstate? I've read and seen too many stories about inhumane treatments of animals. Cows that aren't allowed to move so that their meat is more tender. Chickens/turkeys whose breasts are so big that their own legs buckle under the weight. Fish that are taught to eat corn because it's less expensive. As is the case with supermarket produce, these producers are nothing but doing "good" business...getting the best product out there that costs them as little as possible. Americans love chicken breasts, so let's forget about the chicken itself and plump that breast up. Here, have some antibiotics. (Food, Inc. attempted to go inside of some chicken coops, but because of all the shady business going on, they were denied entry almost everywhere.)

What ever happened to cows grazing in the pasture? What about chickens eating chicken food and not chemicals? And fish not getting their recommended 3-4 servings of vegetables daily?

I'm trying (trying being the key word) to buy meat from local farms where I know the animals are treated well and are fed well. Again, I will be able to build relationships with the farmer himself, and I know that what I'm getting will be top quality.

The only catch is that locally-produced meat is usually much more expensive than in the store. But it should be. They're using food that the animals normally eat, not the cheap stuff. They need more land for the animals to graze instead of keeping them cooped up. And meat production is much more expensive than vegetable production! (I remember reading something stating that one good way to help the environment is to go vegetarian, as there's much less of a carbon footprint with gardening than with raising cattle.)

The farm from which I frequently buy meat (Wil-Moore Farms out of Lugoff, SC) sells ground beef at $4.75/lb, but that is comparable to the Publix Greenwise meats. I've never bought chicken breasts, though...too expensive at $8.79/lb! But when you're buying responsibly, you learn that such a prime cut of meat like that needs to be expensive!

I've also started buying local dairy products, such as eggs and milk. It's a little more expensive, but again, you know that the cows and chickens are given a good life, it's so much fresher, and it lasts much longer. (For example, I love it when they tell me exactly when the cow was milked...usually no more than three days prior. In supermarkets, it takes a couple of weeks for the milk to hit the shelves. Of course it's going to be cheaper...it's going to go bad soon!)

On treating yourself/not eating locally
So, what happens if a food you want isn't grown here? Does that mean we shouldn't have it? I mean, if we only ate locally, I'd have to give up chocolate, coffee, vanilla, and many spices. I'm not so sure I'm okay with that. But I think because of the highly industrialized nature of food today, we've lost the exotic qualities of certain ingredients, such as those I just mentioned. If saffron were readily available, would paella in Spain still taste just as quintessential? I mean, when I put on my leather jacket, I feel special, because I bought it in Argentina made from cows raised there. It's got that exotic state. But when's the last time you've felt that when measuring out a teaspoon of vanilla extract? (As an aside, there's a girl at the All-Local Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings who brought back with her a ton of vanilla pods from her time working in Tonga. I'm still debating whether or not to get a few as it seems expensive to pay $3 each, but then again, when you consider where it comes from, you understand. It also helps you understand why it's so expensive in stores anyway.) So, I don't see anything wrong with treating yourself with some things, but it's important to be conscious of where things are coming from and how the transportation of that product may be detrimental and/or the production of that product may not be humane/ethical. (i.e. Buy fair trade coffee/cocoa! But I haven't followed that advice, as I have plenty of coffee and chocolate in my cabinet about whose origin I have no idea.)

On vegetarianism
I've considered giving up meat. I could definitely do it. I used to be upset if I lacked meat with any meal, and now, I can go days without having it. You can get protein from other sources. I thought about how God had just told Adam and Eve that the plants were for eating, and it wasn't until Noah that God said meat was okay. And also in thinking that God created us with our cuspid teeth (the canine, pointy ones) to help in our tearing of meat. So, God is okay with it, so I can be, too. But as I said above, meat eating is costly to the wallet and to the earth, so I try to be intentional about choosing vegetarian options whenever possible.

On fake sugars, and any other questionable products
Gross! The minute you start to seriously read labels is the minute you appreciate good, basic foods. I mean, really. Do you want a chemical "food" that is marketed to sweeten your food (but actually tastes like butt)? First of all, Europe didn't have sugar until sometime in the Middle Ages, and during that time, it was viewed as a rarity. And yet we in America today can't live without it. Everything's gotta be sweet nowadays. Our coffee, tea, candy, soda...even our fruit juices have added sugar in them! And yet we wonder why our obesity levels or number of people with diabetes is so high! I think the answer to this is not for people to replace sugar with fake sugar, but just to have real sugar in lesser quantity! (I personally like to use honey as a sweetener whenever possible.) I've recently switched to unsweet tea, which is blasphemy as a Southerner, but now that I've taken the sugar out...I find I can actually taste the tea! Also, I'm keeping stuff out of my body that really shouldn't be there in that quantity.

And the other questionable products mentioned in the title refer to all the "fillers" in our foods. I'm thinking specifically now about peanut butter. The kind I buy has an ingredients list of peanuts and salt. Take a look at yours. My favorite is the reduced fat variety of peanut butter. I mean, really. How are you going to take the fat out of a peanut? This isn't bacon where you can just use a knife to cut around it. The trick is they use less peanuts and put in other ingredients to fill up the jar. The next few ingredients are corn syrup solids, sugar, and soy protein, followed by a host of chemicals and other oils. There may be 1/4 of the fat, but there's four times the sugar...not to mention the chemicals, and what the heck is soy protein or a corn syrup solid? (Peanut butter, jelly, and corn sandwich?) How about using regular peanut butter, but using less of it? If you want it sweeter, add some honey. (But why take it sweeter when you're just going to put jelly on the sandwich, too?)

On eating out
On the upside, you don't have to cook or clean up, or have time to do either of the former. On the downside, it's much more expensive than the food you can prepare in the house, and you have no idea what goes into your food! Sketchy hamburger patties at McDonald's. Questionable chicken parts in the nuggets at Wendy's. And what about hot dogs? :P Ok, admittedly I like hot dogs, don't mind the taste of nuggets, and I love a good burger...but the moment I sit down to think about where my food comes from, I want to not eat anymore and go home and cook.

On cooking
I love to cook! I love knowing where my food came from, as well as exactly what comes in it. Whenever possible, I start with the raw, basic ingredient (i.e. no frozen pie crusts, Bisquick, or jarred salsa). By doing this, you get rid of any chemicals/preservatives, and you can learn a little more about what biscuits, pies, salsas, etc. are actually made of if you're making them yourself. Now, I say all of this now with no kids and a job where I'm home by 4:00 and am off in the summers, and I know that I'm sure I'll cut corners here and there. (I already do, using graham crackers in my cheesecake crust. Hey, they cut corners occasionally on Top Chef, but they get scolded for it.)

I love having a relationship with my food. I love making it my own. I love enjoying it. I love discovering new things about food. My wife will confirm that I am a food elitist. But I want to know what's wrong with wanting to know 1) what's in my food/going into my body, 2) where that product came from, and 3) how that product came about?

I've learned a lot about why food is priced as it is. I've learned that while loaves of freshly-baked bread may seem expensive to buy considering how cheap the ingredients are, you realize as you've got your fingers in your own dough that producing high quality food takes time and effort. And I've learned that cheese is so expensive because it takes so much milk and time to make! Basically, if you want good food, you'll pay for it monetarily or with time, labor, and/or effort.

But if I've only got one body, I want to make sure I take good care of it. And yes, I'll die just like the guy that eats McDonald's every day, but I know I did what I could to care for the things with which God has entrusted me--myself, other people, and the earth.