What's for dinner?
So, the other night-- Thursday night-- I did something I thought I would never do. I bought tofu. Extra firm. With a mind to eat it.
It all kind of kicked off with reading The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan. This fantastic writer and journalist out of Berkeley chronicles his journeys through the major food chains in America (industrial, industrial organic, local organic, and hunter/gatherer) and gives details and personal experiences. A large part of the book focuses on farm practices, both animal and vegetable. But, what with the farmer’s market available this time of year, my dilemma lays in the meat.
I mean, most everybody knows that ordinary meats that are available at the supermarket were once animals who were raised in awful conditions. Or at least if not awful then certainly not in the way that God intended. But reading about it in the context of this whole book, and then thinking about the idea of Christian stewardship, studying (in shallow depth so far) the practices of farmers such as Joel Salatin, all pretty much put you off the idea of supermarket meat.
So, there I was, needing something for dinner, having everything for Pad Thai, and since the recipe does call for it, and since the East Asians have been eating fotu for quite a while now without any trouble (I think), I went ahead and did it. And, I mean, it was fine. It doesn’t really have much of a taste. And it worked well in the Navratan Korma for Friday night, too.
I'm definitely not sold on the fotu as an answer, and I'm not planning on making its purchase a common practice. I'm just saying that, while I realize my life is full of inconsistencies (for example: I work at a child care center in which I am fed a Sysco lunch everyday, which is almost certainly 99% corn), I felt that, at that point, it was my only option. At least I know the soybean wasn't fattened on food it wasn't supposed to eat while living its life standing in its own feces, etc.
It really is difficult being an omnivore in the US today. Even our everyday decisions about food directly apply to our proper or improper stewardship of the earth. But, as Sam said (when he learned of my dubious purchase) "Babe... you can't change the world in a day." But, just little by little, I guess. Here and here are some more excellent websites on being a part of local and sustainable practices and thereby helping to tear down the military/industrial machine that is our main food supply in the US today.
It all kind of kicked off with reading The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan. This fantastic writer and journalist out of Berkeley chronicles his journeys through the major food chains in America (industrial, industrial organic, local organic, and hunter/gatherer) and gives details and personal experiences. A large part of the book focuses on farm practices, both animal and vegetable. But, what with the farmer’s market available this time of year, my dilemma lays in the meat.
I mean, most everybody knows that ordinary meats that are available at the supermarket were once animals who were raised in awful conditions. Or at least if not awful then certainly not in the way that God intended. But reading about it in the context of this whole book, and then thinking about the idea of Christian stewardship, studying (in shallow depth so far) the practices of farmers such as Joel Salatin, all pretty much put you off the idea of supermarket meat.
So, there I was, needing something for dinner, having everything for Pad Thai, and since the recipe does call for it, and since the East Asians have been eating fotu for quite a while now without any trouble (I think), I went ahead and did it. And, I mean, it was fine. It doesn’t really have much of a taste. And it worked well in the Navratan Korma for Friday night, too.
I'm definitely not sold on the fotu as an answer, and I'm not planning on making its purchase a common practice. I'm just saying that, while I realize my life is full of inconsistencies (for example: I work at a child care center in which I am fed a Sysco lunch everyday, which is almost certainly 99% corn), I felt that, at that point, it was my only option. At least I know the soybean wasn't fattened on food it wasn't supposed to eat while living its life standing in its own feces, etc.
It really is difficult being an omnivore in the US today. Even our everyday decisions about food directly apply to our proper or improper stewardship of the earth. But, as Sam said (when he learned of my dubious purchase) "Babe... you can't change the world in a day." But, just little by little, I guess. Here and here are some more excellent websites on being a part of local and sustainable practices and thereby helping to tear down the military/industrial machine that is our main food supply in the US today.
posted by Laura Negus at 6:55 AM
4 Comments:
Everyone's favorite bonobo observer, Jane Goodall, wrote a book last year called Harvest of Hope: a Guide to Mindful Eating. If you'd like, I can lend it to you. Shoot me an e-mail and I'll drop it by.
Also, interestingly, I have a 600 page book of tofu recipes that my grandmother gave me. Big book. Despite my ownership, I've never cooked tofu. But tempeh, mmmmm, tempeh is good.
today Antony and I went to Denny's. It may have beena mistake. We saw some fat people.
i really want to read that book when i get home, now being firmly entrenched again in the omnivorous lifestyle. i miss you, friend! email me your address as i don't seem to have it and i'll send you a silly postcard. <3
Nice post, thanks for the links.
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