Roommate Respect

When I first submitted my housing application, I noticed the application included personal traits such as sleep preference, "night visitor" preference, and noise preference and did not think too much of it. I mean, as far as getting along with others, that's really the only criteria one needs, right? So wrong. I did not think that my vegetarianism would inspire as much opposition from others (ie: my roommate) as it did last night.

First of all, I am an extremely respectful person and rarely judge others based on personal beliefs or preferences - it's their business, not mine. Needless to say, I was a little shocked when I was eating tofu for dinner last night and my roommate verbally assaulted me with accusations about how eating tofu is lame, how it's not "real" protein and how I should just eat meat. I don't think I should felt compulsive enough in the situation to have to defend my own beliefs about killing animals or justify whatever it was I felt like eating. No one should criticize people for how they choose to eat. Unlike the article on Punk Food, I am not a strict vegetarian to separate myself from others and stick it to the man, I am passionate about animal rights and I feel every life has value. This argument caused my roommate to bring up an off-topic point about keeping people on life-support or not based on the right to live and whether I thought that was right or wrong, but I was just like 'Well, I'm definitely not about to eat comatose people either..." The whole situation was pretty unbelievable. I mean, I don't hold people accountable for their dietary choices - it's up to them. I don't enforce my view points on others and I definitely don't think I should have to justify my own just because they're not necessarily the same as everyone else's.

Anyway, when I read the article about Punk Food, I was really struck by raw foodist beliefs of keeping everything organic, uncooked, unprocessed. As cool of an ideal (and not to mention extremely healthful) as that would be to uphold, I doubt I could stick to the rigidity it would require. Also, I wouldn't want to view my food choices as a means of pure protest. My vegetarian decisions are, I guess, protesting animal cruelty, but to base my life around the way I eat would really make me crazy.

Shrimp Aquaculture and Too Convenient

Today's guest speaker in The Anthropology of Food was Yu Huang. Her presentation on the development of shrimp aquaculture in South China struck me on several deeper levels which related to points both Michael Pollan and Ruth Ozeki address in their books. The usage of antibiotics which aren't good for people and have unproven effects on health, genetic alterations and mutations, and environmental degradation. The point the really stuck with me was the altered DNA. Since the farmed shrimp are living in such highly manipulated and controlled environments which are so different from nature it's no wonder the shrimp's bodies are forced to adapt, thus altering their DNA and affecting future generations. It's scary to think that we are willing to change so much for momentary efficiency in terms of quantity, that we don't think twice about the repercussions of altering genetics, such as the fact that once their true DNA is extinct, the only way they will be able to survive is in these unnatural, man-made environments which aren't environmentally sustainable.

I also liked the palpable connection between Mr. Chen's original farm in Yu Huang's presentation and the Polyface Farm discussed in Michael Pollan's book "The Omnivore's Dilemma." While it originally supported symbiotic relationships which nature is conducive to, the sad transition into modern industrialization forced him to sell out to mass producing a monoculture of Pacific Tiger Shrimp. While the transition increased his yields over five fold, the susceptibility to diseases threatened his yields too frequently and too drastically. However, you can hardly blame Chen for making the decision he did, to change to "standardized production" or be put out of business by the next industrial beast.

It was also news to me to find out about the seemingly non-existent Global Food Safety Control regarding the registration of food facilities in the U.S. which are not required to mark the origin of the exported fish.

While I was put off by that bit of news, I was rather excited to begin work on our Symposium presentation. I chose to become involved with the investigation of campus convenience stores. We decided to emphasize the fact that we are being sold bad food for a high cost and low nutrition. Our exploration will involve delving into the shelves of instant/canned foods, frozen/baked goods, and the laughable section of "produce". While most of the people in Anthropology of Food recognize the poor nutrition catered to students around campus, I found that people I asked for their opinions respected the options that were available to them. They found it to be a reasonable selection for the size of stores, but did agree on the lack of fresh vegetables and fruit available. Fruit is not naturally canned in "light syrup" with high fructose corn sugar...

I look forward to seeing what other groups have to present tomorrow!

Matzo

(Traditional cracker-like matzo)

As a reformed Jew, I find myself genuinely intrigued by the numerous traditions and practices of Judaism. Since I personally identify myself with this religion, I am taking this opportunity to explore the cultural significance Matzo ( or Matza, Matzoh, Matzah, Matzot, or מַצָּה in Hebrew) has with Jews.

Even though my family is reformed (which means we do observe the main holidays), the only times in which I have had Matzo are during our Passover Seder (in which there are five prohibited grains - wheat, barley, spelt, rye, oats), the morning after our Seder in a Matzo-brei, or whenever my mom makes her infamous Matzo-ball Soup - usually this soup is made when a member of our family is ill.

Matzo bears the same consistency of crackers but is made from flour and water. The dough is punctured and has no time to rise before baking; reminiscent of the Jewish exodus from Egypt. The Jews left so abruptly that they had no time to wait for their bread to rise and fully bake, thereby producing the flat-bread which came to be known as Matzo. Matzo is eaten as both an homage and reminder. It is also known as 'lechem-oni' (poor man's bread) and "bread of affliction"; it reminds us to be humble, appreciative of our freedom, and to remember the pain of servitude.

There are two varieties of Matzo. Ashkenazic and a majority of Sephardic communities prefer the hard, cracker-like form, while Mizrahi, Yemenite, Ethiopian and Hispanic Jews make a softer form which is more like pita or tortilla, and is only hand-made.

As for the nutrition of matzo, one ounce or 28g serving contains 111 calories, which is comparable to rye bread with 109 calories per the same serving size.

To make Matzo-ball Soup, matzo is ground into crumbs called matzo meal, which is used to make the balls. The traditional recipe calls for eggs, fat, liquid, salt and pepper, but there are numerous substitions. The fat is generally "schmaltz" (chicken fat), but we replace the flavor with vegetable oil. The balls are worked by hand and dropped into a pot of boiling salty water (chicken soup works as well). The balls expand within 20 minutes and are usually the size of tennis balls. My family usually incorporates the Matzo balls into vegetable broth.

(typical bowl of Matzo Ball Soup)

Luckily, this is a dish that is not reserved for holidays or special occasions. I have grown so used to being treated to it when I am sick that the aroma actually elevates my mood, regardless of the circumstance. It is definitely a wellness food. Since there are plenty of commercial varieties of Matzo (such as Manischewitz, which makes a good brand of plain, unsalted matzo) available in pretty much any supermarket. Egg matzo or any flavored variety is difficult to cook with, so you'll be hard-pressed to find too many of those. Ironically, egg matzo is not even made with eggs - the misnomer refers to the fact that it is made with a liquid other than water, such as fruit juice - not to be confused with my family's Matzo-brei which is essentially an omelet with sugar, eggs, and matzo.

My family only makes Matzo-brei the morning following our Passover Seder, but it is a fairly common Jewish dish, especially popularized as a Passover brunch dish. Hasidic Jews (European influenced) do not eat this dish for the first seven days of Passover since the Matza will inevitably come in contact with water while making this dish, causing mild-leavening, which is forbidden during the holiday.

(As unappetizing as this may seem, it's actually very good - mine is made with an Egg-Replacer since I'm a vegetarian, but the consistency is the same. Mmm, so good!)

This is a basic Matzo-brei recipe from www.allrecipe.com:

INGREDIENTS

• 1 matzo cracker
• 1 egg
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS

1. Take the matzo and break into small pieces into a bowl. Cover with hot water for a minute. Then squeeze out the water.
2. In a small bowl, beat one egg with salt and pepper to taste and add to matzo. Mix well.
3. Heat frying pan with a little oil. Pour mixture into the pan. Brown one side and turn over.

The only other tradition my family keeps in regards to Matza is hiding the "afikoman" - a piece of matzot that is the final food eaten at a Passover Seder. It is hidden for the children of the family (or if it's part of a synagogue ceremony, all the children attending are encouraged to part-take in the hunt for the afikoman) to find. In turn, the finder is rewarded with money ora prize, but usually it's just gelt - which are chocolate imitations of gold-coins. This part of the ceremony usually makes the night long and entertaining as families are encouraged to help their children, creating an engaging and memorable experience each year.

Personal Reflection

After reading Adam Gopnik's article "The New York Local", I found myself incensed at the harsh generalizations teamed against middle class American diets and the oblivious nature by which he obviously wrote this article. Local eating is about more than convenience; it's eating with conscience. It's recognizing the unnecessary impact outsourcing food makes. I find it absolutely ridiculous how second-natured all of these foreign luxuries - chocolate, coffee, and year-round fruits and veggies - have become. How we EXPECT to see a fully stocked produce section in supermarkets year-round and Starbucks' establishments lining every other city block. With such expectations, I'm not sure we could ever fully change as a society, yet the effort from all social classes is felt; not just middle class. It's unfair to judge or criticize classes in general as everything is circumstantial. If you live near a local and organic supermarket, ofcourse that is where you shop. If there is a Safeway literally down the street and the nearest, oh, say, Whole Foods, is 40 miles away, you choose Safeway. It's convenience. Convenience is commonplace for all of America. However, I feel like there is a new wave of conscientious eating slowly ebbing into the main stream. An awareness of our environment and impact we have made with our flagrant disregard for the health of this planet.

Planetary health aside, personal health is also affected by local consumerism. Deciding between an imported kiwifruit in the winter which has traveled a considerable distance in a freezer truck, only to be unloaded and restacked at numerous docking locations throughout its life-journey to reach you - or - choosing a perfect winter squash, maybe even harvested from your own yard.

The chapter in Michael Pollan's book, The Omnivore's Dilemma, about supermarket pastoral labels (section 1 of chapter 9) bothered me tremendously.. mainly because I notice it is entirely true; quasi-romantic portrayals of average, inorganic farms operating under misleading contradictions to their very own claims. The fact that there is such a severe lack of clarity between what is or is not truly organic makes me feel that it's not necessarily better to shop for organic; therefore, my efforts to shop locally are only reinforced - organic or not (since I do not have near enough extra time to commit to decipher the accuracy of product labels).

Community Gardens

As I spent a good deal of my summer vacation creating a community green house garden outside the local middle school in my town, I was very struck by the P-Patches we visited in class. I enjoyed talking to Teresa about my experience and struggles with certain plants. Apparently, I should not feel about the carrot massacre I felt directly responsible for; they are extremely difficult to grow, regardless of the green house conditions. Since they need full sunlight, the green house wasn't exactly an ideal habitat, nor was the raised bed I had them planted in.

Anyway, I drew a lot from this experience, including this quote: "We have lost the connection with food and the grounds from which it grows."

Even organic supermarkets such as Whole Foods manufacture a new league of what I like to think of as hyper-organic or "industrialized organic", I feel it is so sad that their system focuses on the impracticality of supporting local farms while attempting to commercially support them to create a larger consumer basis. For me, this realization did little but confuse the struggle between organic vs. industrial farming, as Whole Foods has seemed to merge the two. Where I used to have a sort of confidence in the aisles at Whole Foods, I now find stark criticism.

It is so evident that our petroleum-based economy is in no way sustainable, and our environment is surely not hospitable to our constant abuse of outsourcing. I was surprised to hear that P-Patches actually started in the 1970's, as it seems like our environmental crisis is only just being recognized. I'm glad to be in a city that is as self-conscious as Seattle, though. It's great to feel like I'm part of a place trying to make a difference; self-food production through garden plots, flex-cars, and endless recycling options... just to name a few efforts I've noticed in the two weeks I've been living here.

Collard Greens

Pre-Activity Research:
Collard Greens are the oldest members belonging to the cabbage family and are also linked to kale. They are readily available year-round, but their prime months are between January and April.

They have been dated to prehistoric times; grown by ancient Greeks ( indistinctly with their kale crops ), the Romans produced a variety ( large and leafy, mildly flavored, and even ones with curled leaves ). It is unclear whether the Romans or the Celts introduced the plant to Britain and France, but they are known to have appeared in the British Isles during the 4th century.

The traditional southern style of cooking the greens hailed from the African slaves inhabiting the southern colonies. Their primary purpose was to satisfy hunger. Although they are not African by any means, the means in which they are cooked are; cooked into a gravy to create vitamin-concentrate juices called "pot likker" for drinking. As the slaves were given the leftovers from their respective plantation kitchens, it was commonplace to use turnips, ham hocks and pigs' feet, as that was all they had to use for flavor. They are usually served with freshly baked corn to dip in the pot likker juice.

The term 'mess o greens' originated based on the large quantity of greens required to serve a family. "Mess" is a term relative to the family size, of course.

As folklore has it, collards coupled with black eyed peas and hog jowl on New Year's Day will bring good luck and financial fortune. Additionally, hanging a leaf above a doorway will keep evil spirits at bay and a fresh leaf pressed to a fore head will relieve a headache.

When it came time to venture to the Husky Den, I was unsure as to how successful or ...unsuccessful our kitchen endeavors would shape up. Although I actually participated in very little of the actual cooking (as I was a member of Team Pesto), the energy in the kitchen was fabulous in the organized chaos of mass collaboration.

In the midst of this activity I found myself struggling to peel individual cloves of garlic for the Pesto recipe, which slightly piqued my interest in the area of efficient-garlic-clove-peeling-technique. This arousal led me directly to www.ochef.com's archived article:
"Facing up to the Onerous Task of Peeling Garlic"
" If the garlic clove will be chopped, place it on a cutting board under the flat side of a broad knife and give the knife a sharp whack with your free hand. You will be able to remove the peel easily, probably in one piece. If the cloves are going to be used whole, drop them in boiling water for a minute or two and they will peel easily.Another option that came by way of a reader, is to drop unpeeled garlic cloves into a glass of cold water and let them sit for 1/2 hour or more. Our reader starts cooking by dropping a half to a whole head of garlic (separated into cloves) into the water. By the time she needs them, they "pop out of their skins almost as easily as blanched almonds." Slicing the top off the cloves works even quicker. She refrigerates unused garlic in the water for use the next day."

I love how readily available the internet makes every piece of information.

I was so pleased with how our Pesto turned out, with surprisingly few ingredients. Salt, garlic, basil leaves, olive oil, pine nuts, parmesan - it's hard to imagine pesto without any of these - even more so without the food processing appliance which is a far cry away from the mortar and pestle this sauce was originally prepared with.
I also had such an appreciation for the huge bag of basil which came directly from the University of Washington campus -- further stressing the importance of increasing the value of local consumerism, which is also heavily promoted in Ruth Ozeki's "All Over Creation." To know that this food had no pesticides and left absolutely carbon foot-print produced an entirely guilt-free sauce which I was proud of.
Thank you, Italy, for sharing your divine recipes!

Group Dynamic Response Exercise

After today's project reading discussion (my group's discussion regarded "Borderless Cuisine" The Diet of Neoliberalism." of The Red Critique) my head felt a little heavier with all these new thoughts which I would like to arrange; what better place than on my very own blog?

I think the video about the International Seed Bank that prefaced this daily activity was noteworthy. The video definitely strengthened my motivation to cultivate available land to produce sustenance free of carbon footprints. I was also finding myself drawing an immediate mental parallel between Guerilla farming and the activist Seeds of Resistance from Ruth Ozeki's book "All over Creation." I like the rebellious spirit generated by modern-day activism; especially since it benefits all of us in one way or another.

This spirit seems to be escalating as new research is only affirming claims stating the sad fact of self-destruction the human race is facing. Although it is "sad, but true" the unification accompanied by working together and solving the problem collectively is refreshing. In a world of road rage and short-fused patience, I am amazed that there is a palpable effort. Although the video featuring a GMO Trilogy clip was slightly disheartening with the fact that something like 95% of scientists are working primarily with the ulterior corporate motive rather than to explore the genetic boundaries of crop diversity based on the need for self-preservation. However, "progress is progress." Right? The selfishness of humanity is a double edged sword; fueling both the desire of occupation and self-preservation simultaneously.

I also found it interesting to attempt to define a nation. As there was no concrete basis, at first I was a little overwhelmed with the challenge. However, the more I thought about it, the more ridiculous the concept felt. What is a nation other than an excuse to divide people from other people. To separate, discriminate, and compete against. And for what?