Posts Tagged ‘food’

Shake, Rattle And Roll

4 Comments
Posted 21 Apr 2010 — by FV
Category As I see it.

Some ideas have been long standing accepted standards, enduring the test of time and testing. Take for instance, gravity. It almost seems cliche. No one doubts it, we all feel it, it is inescapable. Other ideas have had their problems over the years. For example, the shape of the world. As I am sure you know, people used to think that the world was flat, a huge disc floating around the sun. Oh, wait, we used to think that the sun and all the other bodies in space floated around the earth! Humankind advanced, instruments of observation improved, some dude took a boat ride over the “edge” and from that point on our world got round, spun around the sun and started to shrink. This wasn’t an idea that rattled just a few cages, this was a shift in societal beliefs that led to a period of chaos, disregard and even deaths! Not many changes have caused such a worldwide gasp since then, except, of course, for the recent adulterous ways of Tiger Woods.

There have been other generally accepted truths disproved over the years.

The advertisement on this building is as precarious as the deteriorating brick on which it’s painted. Even smokers know, today, that there are just no health benefits to smoking. But there was a day…

Where am I going with this? Well, I am interested in many things food related. Food at the store, food in schools, whole food, processed food, organic food, there are a myriad of questions to be answered. Well, since you are all generally busy stuffing your faces, I (with great love and affection for all of you) struggle with these issues day in and day out. With this in mind I would like to challenge some long time and basic beliefs. I want to shake the foundation of what “is” by examining what “was”, what “has become” and what is “going to be”.

Today the Duchess and I had our gardening day (pictures and progress report soon). Early in the day, the Duchess was seized by a quick sneeze. I responded by saying “bless you”. She retorted “thank you”. All was well. As I thought about this, I recalled times when people have sneezed and no one happened to say “bless you”. This omission of a well wish after a sneeze is most often regarded as rude, inconsiderate and downright mean. Often the sneezer even becomes a little or a lot annoyed. You have seen this happen, and maybe have been one of the parties involved. The point is that this exchange only occurs because that is what we have all been taught to believe is right and proper. Should a person really feel jilted by silence after a sneeze, no not really. It does feel good, however, to hear a “bless you”. This is my point, it feels good. It seems right. It is what we have alwaysknown. (Disclaimer: I do not recommend omitting “bless you’s” after sneezes, the world is not ready for such change)

What I am about to say might come as a surprise. I am concerned with the consumption of milk, sugar and flour. I know, I can hear the screams, the keyboards being slammed and the Hollywood-like gasps! I know, with high-fructose-corn-syrup and hydrogenated oils out there, what the hell am I doing messing with our beloved “big three”? Let me explain. I still consume milk, sugar and flour. I am not ready to sail into the abyss just yet to see if I’ll fall off into oblivion. You know I feel odd about drinking from a cow, although milk tastes so good, and cheese, oh, don’t get me started! Sugar consumption is out of control! Lastly, flour. I am just not convinced that flour is the best vehicle for the nutrients that found in wheat. I’m sure the Barilla Pasta company is taking their advertising proposal off the table as we speak.

I go into this with an open mind. There are so many things wrong with the food provided for us these days that it even seems to me a bit frivolous to spend time on these feel good, comfortable and long used foods. But, they don’t call me FV for nothin’. I have mentioned before that I feel this blog has been like a gift of three ships. So I will sail and see if I can find new ground, new ideas and maybe rattle the foundations of what we believe is the truth.

Milk could be a flat Earth. Sugar could be smooth, throat cleansing cigarettes. Flour could be an unneccesary, but feel good “bless you”. We’ll see.

Wish me luck, if not, well, bless you.

FV

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Stop Or I’ll Shoots! (or) Shoots And Ladders (or) Shoots And Giggles

3 Comments
Posted 14 Apr 2010 — by FV
Category As I see it., garden

Yippee Ki Yay!!!!! We have done it! We have turned the once Barren Land into productive Earth. My family shall dine on the glory of what has been planted and generations will thrive. We tore in to the Crust and turned the soil, we toiled, planted, we watered, we waited. Then the magic of Mother Earth took over and today as I peered long and carefully into the garden, I saw this…

Through the rocks and rough soil, as you can see, life has found a way.

These shoots are radishes. I searched through the rest of the garden and did find one more tiny shoot. It is lettuce, a bit blurry, but it’s there.

 

This was a most welcome and encouraging surprise. I can’t wait for The Duchess to see our creation, she was tied up at an appointment and missed our gardening day. It did rain most of the day, so not much work would have gotten done anyway. Little NB and I took advantage of a short bout of sunshine and spent some time in the garden. Over the next week we plan to dig some more space or maybe create some planting boxes. We have so much more in store. The yard is beginning to look like spring.

I’ll, of course, keep you posted on all of our progress. I also ask again for you to send me pictures of any gardening projects you are working on, whether it be a sprawling field of vegetables or some herbs on your window sill. Send the pictures to foodvigilante@gmail.com . I can’t wait to share all of your progress as well.

Green thumbs up,

FV

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Sugar Coated Salvation

1 Comment
Posted 01 Apr 2010 — by FV
Category As I see it.

Easter is approaching. Spring has sprung, resurrections are on the horizon, bunnies are busy laying chocolate eggs! In fact, nearly 71 million pounds of chocolate candy is purchased and given at Easter time. That’s over 4 pounds of chocolate for every man, woman and child in the United States. That’s a close second to Halloween’s 90 million pounds. (a thorn in the side of every Christian, I’m sure)

   How do I feel about all this candy?? I think it’s great!

I imagine you’re surprised, but candy is where sugar belongs. Do I think that we should eat 4 pounds of chocolate on Easter Sunday? Hecks no! But still, the candy’s not the problem. Easter dinner (or any other dinner), on the other hand, IS.

Honey baked ham, Maple ham, any ham, there’s sugar added. Read your labels. Candied yams, carrots, sugar added. Coleslaw, sugar added. Salad dressings, sugar added. Easter breads, more sugar. Sodas, juices, teas, sugar-sugar-sugar. We haven’t even gotten to dessert yet!

This problem isn’t exclusive to holidays. Everyday we are consuming massive amounts of sugar, both obvious and hidden. Unless you buy it fresh and unprocessed it probably has sugar added. Food corporations add sugar for a multitude of reasons ranging from appearance to taste to hiding less than favorable ingredients. Sugar is in our meats, cereals, canned goods, dressings, sauces, beverages, soups, peanut butter,  jellies, jams and so much more! Even ‘organic’ foods add ‘organic sugar’ to a ton of products. Often low fat or no fat products substitute sugar to improve taste.

Sugar in sub-par food is like lip-stick on a pig.

Humans are the only animals on the planet that eat processed sugar. There’s plenty of natural sugar in fruits and vegetables. We just don’t need to add it to everything we eat. I’ll concede a dessert now and then, but it is no wonder that we are the fattest nation on the Earth. Listen….

Enjoy your chocolate bunny. Keep your chin clean when you bite into that cadbury egg. But, for salvation’s sake, try to remove some sugar from the dinner or breakfast or lunch table.

I’ve said this before, our bodies transform almost all that we eat into sugar. We do not need to add more sugar to our diets! In just over a hundred years, we have increased sugar consumption form 5 pounds a year to a staggering 135 pounds per year!!! That’s a third of a pound of sugar EVERY DAY! I get sick just writing about it.

Obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, stroke, birth defects, mental illness and many other health problems have increased at the same rate. Just because our medical technology is keeping up with and beating some of these disorders doesn’t mean they’re not a problem. We can continue to take pills to solve problems that we create by what we eat or we can eat better and avoid problems altogether.

Happy Easter.

FV

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