Comments on: Digest this! http://4loveofood.wordpress.com/2008/02/06/hello-world/ Traditions of Cultivating, Eating, and Enjoying Food Sun, 30 Aug 2009 19:28:51 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: 4loveofood http://4loveofood.wordpress.com/2008/02/06/hello-world/#comment-8 4loveofood Wed, 13 Feb 2008 16:19:40 +0000 #comment-8 I'm not sure about the ice/mayo sandwich, but I'm in complete agreement about Chino's corn. There is really nothing more memorable than corn, just off the stalk, lightly boiled, and lightly coated with fresh butter. Mmmmm. The pleasures of food. I’m not sure about the ice/mayo sandwich, but I’m in complete agreement about Chino’s corn. There is really nothing more memorable than corn, just off the stalk, lightly boiled, and lightly coated with fresh butter. Mmmmm. The pleasures of food.

]]> By: Hedge http://4loveofood.wordpress.com/2008/02/06/hello-world/#comment-7 Hedge Mon, 11 Feb 2008 03:06:18 +0000 #comment-7 When you're in La Jolla again, maybe you can interview the folks at Chinos...Ruth's tomatoes are coming up. We ate one this morning...sweet...filled with flavor all by itself...perfect. Can't wait for Chinos corn. When you’re in La Jolla again, maybe you can interview the folks at Chinos…Ruth’s tomatoes are coming up. We ate one this morning…sweet…filled with flavor all by itself…perfect.

Can’t wait for Chinos corn.

]]> By: Hedge http://4loveofood.wordpress.com/2008/02/06/hello-world/#comment-6 Hedge Mon, 11 Feb 2008 03:02:35 +0000 #comment-6 I do think there are parts of this country where you can find food presented differently in the markets. I remember in the late 1960s I was playing in a club in Boston and staying in a town called Allston. At that time, it really was a ghetto. I went into a market and saw cuts of meat that I had never heard of before. And produce that would have been thrown out in any market in Santa Monica, Manhattan Beach, or La Jolla. Maybe worst of all, the prices were 3 or 4 times higher than what I was used to in Hollywood. It may well be your sorrow regarding importation and its impact is once again driven by dollars. Poverty quite likely produces some of the most creative cooks and some of the most accepting palates. When I was 6 and living in Pennsylvania with my grandfather and mother, I discovered a sandwich. Actually, two versions. One was white bread and mayonnaise. It's perfect. In the summertime, I made a special edition. It will sound unusual but you should try it sometimes. It's white bread, mayonnaise and crushed ice. 6 year-old dreams....I can still taste it today. I do think there are parts of this country where you can find food presented differently in the markets. I remember in the late 1960s I was playing in a club in Boston and staying in a town called Allston. At that time, it really was a ghetto. I went into a market and saw cuts of meat that I had never heard of before. And produce that would have been thrown out in any market in Santa Monica, Manhattan Beach, or La Jolla. Maybe worst of all, the prices were 3 or 4 times higher than what I was used to in Hollywood. It may well be your sorrow regarding importation and its impact is once again driven by dollars.

Poverty quite likely produces some of the most creative cooks and some of the most accepting palates. When I was 6 and living in Pennsylvania with my grandfather and mother, I discovered a sandwich. Actually, two versions. One was white bread and mayonnaise. It’s perfect. In the summertime, I made a special edition. It will sound unusual but you should try it sometimes. It’s white bread, mayonnaise and crushed ice. 6 year-old dreams….I can still taste it today.

]]> By: 4loveofood http://4loveofood.wordpress.com/2008/02/06/hello-world/#comment-5 4loveofood Mon, 11 Feb 2008 01:22:25 +0000 #comment-5 I think it's interesting that you say "fortunate" regarding our international produce selection. I think that although it is a luxury, I would prefer to see California grown products in California markets. It is ridiculous to see all these foreign foods considering almost everything (except perhaps bananas and mangoes, which need tropical environments) grows in California. We don't need to be spending extra fuel shipping blood oranges from Spain, when they thrive in the favorable California climate. Anyway, that is a matter for another post, which I will certainly get to I'm sure. As far as how the meat is prepared, it is true, I've never seen an un-skinned or un-plucked anything in a US grocery store. It would be unheard of! And for the seafood, although occasionally full fish are on display, the buyer doesn't get very personal with it. They ask instead to the fishmonger, "Could you filet that for me?" before buying. The other night, for example, I went to Milos, a delicious traditional Greek restaurant, in uptown Manhattan. I split the black bass cooked in sea salt with olive oil and lemon sauce, with my friend. The fish was the catch of the day and for this reason it was brought to the table, displayed in full form before the waiter served it. I was excited to see the fish, after living in Spain and coming to appreciate the clarity in the eyes of a fresh catch. My friend, however, was not. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly, demanding that the waiter take it away. Her response is typically American. Unaware, or uninterested, or unprepared, for the reality that eating is part of life's cycle. I don't mean to sound overly judgmental, because I don't think her reaction is completely hers. Rather, it stems from an unconnected, if not somehow disturbed, American food culture. I think it’s interesting that you say “fortunate” regarding our international produce selection. I think that although it is a luxury, I would prefer to see California grown products in California markets. It is ridiculous to see all these foreign foods considering almost everything (except perhaps bananas and mangoes, which need tropical environments) grows in California. We don’t need to be spending extra fuel shipping blood oranges from Spain, when they thrive in the favorable California climate. Anyway, that is a matter for another post, which I will certainly get to I’m sure. As far as how the meat is prepared, it is true, I’ve never seen an un-skinned or un-plucked anything in a US grocery store. It would be unheard of! And for the seafood, although occasionally full fish are on display, the buyer doesn’t get very personal with it. They ask instead to the fishmonger, “Could you filet that for me?” before buying. The other night, for example, I went to Milos, a delicious traditional Greek restaurant, in uptown Manhattan. I split the black bass cooked in sea salt with olive oil and lemon sauce, with my friend. The fish was the catch of the day and for this reason it was brought to the table, displayed in full form before the waiter served it. I was excited to see the fish, after living in Spain and coming to appreciate the clarity in the eyes of a fresh catch. My friend, however, was not. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly, demanding that the waiter take it away. Her response is typically American. Unaware, or uninterested, or unprepared, for the reality that eating is part of life’s cycle. I don’t mean to sound overly judgmental, because I don’t think her reaction is completely hers. Rather, it stems from an unconnected, if not somehow disturbed, American food culture.

]]> By: Hedge http://4loveofood.wordpress.com/2008/02/06/hello-world/#comment-4 Hedge Fri, 08 Feb 2008 22:20:23 +0000 #comment-4 As you describe the display of color in the mercado I was transported to the Von's in La Jolla. We are so fortunate to see everything. Produce from New Zealand, Chile, blood oranges from Spain. On any given day you can see 6-10 different kinds of apples, but our meat and poltry is always prepared, 'skinned and boneless breasts', or wrapped in sanitary displays, only the fish sometimes show their face. You will never know the seasons by shopping in the upscale wealthy sections of this country. We are spoiled by or with a feast of bounty, choice and entitlement. in a country where it has become politically correct to ignore, or dismiss, or surprss our awareness of gender and ethnicity, we also have found a way to imagine that we are somehow not 'primative hunters', the only difference being our choice of weapon. Today we seem to prefer the credit card to the club, stone. or arrow. I saw an interesting article saying that the incentive to ethanol production in this country is and will lead to more deforrestatiion to make up for the loss of food staples for 3rd world countries... it said that this shift has far more damaging environmental and warming impacts. Could it be a possibilitiy that 'food' the very thing wich sustains life be the planets demise?....ooooh bad thought...bad thought keep writng, ...I like what it invites in my own mind Thanks As you describe the display of color in the mercado I was transported to the Von’s in La Jolla. We are so fortunate to see everything. Produce from New Zealand, Chile, blood oranges from Spain. On any given day you can see 6-10 different kinds of apples, but our meat and poltry is always prepared, ’skinned and boneless breasts’, or wrapped in sanitary displays, only the fish sometimes show their face.
You will never know the seasons by shopping in the upscale wealthy sections of this country.
We are spoiled by or with a feast of bounty, choice and entitlement.
in a country where it has become politically correct to ignore, or dismiss, or surprss our awareness of gender and ethnicity, we also have found a way to imagine that we are somehow not ‘primative hunters’, the only difference being our choice of weapon. Today we seem to prefer the credit card to the club, stone. or arrow.

I saw an interesting article saying that the incentive to ethanol production in this country is and will lead to more deforrestatiion to make up for the loss of food staples for 3rd world countries… it said that this shift has far more damaging environmental and warming impacts. Could it be a possibilitiy that ‘food’ the very thing wich sustains life be the planets demise?….ooooh bad thought…bad thought
keep writng, …I like what it invites in my own mind
Thanks

]]> By: 4loveofood http://4loveofood.wordpress.com/2008/02/06/hello-world/#comment-3 4loveofood Fri, 08 Feb 2008 15:30:19 +0000 #comment-3 I wouldn't be surprised that taste preferences are a combination of genetic, evolutionary, and cultural factors. I'm not sure of this specific situation with brussel sprouts, but when in Spain, I noticed that Spaniards have an aversion to spicy flavors. They use mainly garlic, parsley, olive oil, and salt for spices. If any dish had even a hint of spice (or arguably none at all) the waiter informed the customer of this so as to not mislead their dining choices. I am unaware of exactly how this type of cultural preference occurs. I imagine it has to do with the land on which a people evolved, as well as survival mechanisms protecting against poisons. I think it is worth some research. I’ll be sure to look this up and post when I find something relevant. I wouldn’t be surprised that taste preferences are a combination of genetic, evolutionary, and cultural factors. I’m not sure of this specific situation with brussel sprouts, but when in Spain, I noticed that Spaniards have an aversion to spicy flavors. They use mainly garlic, parsley, olive oil, and salt for spices. If any dish had even a hint of spice (or arguably none at all) the waiter informed the customer of this so as to not mislead their dining choices. I am unaware of exactly how this type of cultural preference occurs. I imagine it has to do with the land on which a people evolved, as well as survival mechanisms protecting against poisons. I think it is worth some research. I’ll be sure to look this up and post when I find something relevant.

]]> By: Hedge http://4loveofood.wordpress.com/2008/02/06/hello-world/#comment-2 Hedge Thu, 07 Feb 2008 01:59:11 +0000 #comment-2 I am excited to have this as a forum to see/hear/taste and feel your journey. Nancy was reading something on human genome research and they had identified the marker to prove what I had always known.... I hate brussel sprouts they are yucky..... Well it turns out some people have the gene that likes brussel sprouts and to some they are bitter and as I said YUCKY. Does it mean we came from different clans? With different traditions? Other foods have similar effects. How does one expand their own cultural pallet? In some areas, with some foods , is it even possible? enjoy the "feast of life" I am excited to have this as a forum to see/hear/taste and feel your journey. Nancy was reading something on human genome research and they had identified the marker to prove what I had always known…. I hate brussel sprouts they are yucky….. Well it turns out some people have the gene that likes brussel sprouts and to some they are bitter and as I said YUCKY. Does it mean we came from different clans? With different traditions? Other foods have similar effects. How does one expand their own cultural pallet?
In some areas, with some foods , is it even possible?

enjoy the “feast of life”

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