Review: The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan

Every so often a book comes along that totally changes your outlook. Within a few pages of starting The Omnivore's Dilemma, I knew it would be one of those books. 

Ultimately, The Omnivore's Dilemma seeks the answer to the query "What should we have for dinner?"; a question that is only simple on the surface. 

When agriculture (even organic agriculture) becomes industrialized and we are faced with a surfeit of food choices, when animals are raised in factories and our culture suffers from major food anxieties, the question (and resulting dilemma) starts to take on some serious depth and a tangled mess of implications. Michael Pollan explores the question by following three types of meals from their origins to the table. 

Part One focuses on Industrial Corn and its corresponding meal of McDonald's fast food (eaten in the car, no less). Part Two takes Pollan to the diminishing (but hopefully rebounding) world of Pastoral Grass, and the meal originating from a truly sustainable "grass farm," where the farmer works with nature instead of trying to turn it into a commodity. Part Three is all about the forest and a completely foraged meal. Pollan talks to farmers, visits CAFOs (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations aka Factory Farms), bales hay, risks life and limb, kills chickens, tries vegetarianism, discovers the secretive world of mushroom hunters, philosophizes, and questions everything. He also shares fascinating bits of information--from the "beauty and wonder" of corn sex to why rats (fellow omnivores) are so difficult to poison. I guarantee you'll never look at food (or the way it's produced) the same way again. I know I haven't. 

Changes I've been inspired to make after reading The Omnivore's Dilemma:

• Besides buying organic, free-range meat, I'm now switching to grass-fed beef. Part One of the book (Industrialized Corn) convinced me beyond any shadow of a doubt that cows should not be grain fed. It's bad for them, bad for us, and bad for the environment.
• This isn't a change, but my commitment to free-range, organic eggs has been reinforced.
• Given the choice between two similar products I'll choose the locally produced one now. If it's also organic, so much the better, but local now trumps organic for me.
• I'm slowly weaning myself off as many over-processed foods as I can. Breakfast cereals (my major weakness) are the first to go. I'm switching to homemade granola or oatmeal for breakfast.
• No more fast food for me: cheap in price but expensive in other, less immediately obvious ways.
• I'm going to give foraging a try. Starting this spring I'll be heading out with my mom to pick wild dandelion greens and grape leaves. Ultimately I'd love to go mushroom hunting (I'll need to find someone experienced to show me how, though).
• I'm considering growing more food than I already do, but the squirrels tend to get to it before I have a chance, so I'll have to think about that one!

I hope (and believe) these changes will result in a positive effect on my health, the local economy, the environment... and homemade/locally grown food tastes way better too. All this from reading one book. Of course, now I have to read Pollan's other books too--what a hardship. 

Quote from The Omnivore's Dilemma:

So we find ourselves as a species almost back where we started: anxious omnivores struggling once again to figure out what it is wise to eat. Instead of relying on the accumulated wisdom of a cuisine, or even on the wisdom of our senses, we rely on expert opinion, advertising, government food pyramids, and diet books, and we place our faith in science to sort out for us what culture once did with rather more success. (p 303)

The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan. From Penguin. Also available as an e-book.

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Killing with Cleanliness

Cleanliness might be next to godliness, but antiseptics are next to paranoia. I've been noticing something when I go shopping for soap and cleaners--it's getting harder and harder to find any that aren't labelled "antibacterial." 

This is a problem. 

As a borderline germaphobe, believe me when I say I understand that bacteria, germs, cooties, and all things gross can be damn scary. I mean, seriously--you can't even see them and they can kill you! So it's not really surprising that store shelves are as clogged with antiseptics as our airwaves are with fear-mongering commercials featuring helpless children and germ-laden surfaces. 

The thing with germs is that they are living organisms, and as such they adapt and evolve. On top of which, even the best antibacterial products only kill 99.9% of bacteria. I know it seems weird to say "only" with a percentage like that, but those 0.01% bacteria that survive? Well, they're stronger and even more resistant to those antibacterial products. And as they reproduce and get hosed down again with said products, the next batch of surviving 0.01% are even stronger and even more resistant. 

You know what you end up with over time? Antibiotic-resistant bacteria, aka Superbugs. And then we're screwed. 

That's not to say that washing your hands with antibacterial soap is the sole cause of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, but why add to a growing problem when you don't need to? So, what should you do instead?

• Stop buying antibacterial products and cleansers.
• Regular soap and hot water are all you need to keep your hands and most surfaces clean! Regular cleansers will take care of the rest.
• Wash your hands (with regular soap and water) regularly and thoroughly.
• Be aware of cross-contamination. If you sneeze into your hand, don't touch anything else until you wash it (you might find sneezing into your sleeve easier all around). If raw meat touches a cutting board or utensil, don't use that board or utensil for anything else (the commercials would have us believe that everyone places raw meat directly on counter tops. If you're doing this, you need more help than I can offer here!)
• Buy organic meat, milk, and eggs (the use--and overuse-- of antibiotics in agriculture is a huge contributor to the problem).
• Get over the paranoia--our bodies are teeming with bacteria and micro-organisms, most of which are harmless or even beneficial. When you go out of your way to kill the bad bacteria, you end up killing the good ones too (that's why people on antibiotics often experience yeast overgrowth, e.g., thrush). Besides, exposure to a little dirt builds up the immune system.

Just remember: clean is good; sterile is overkill.  

Image from freeimages.co.uk

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Hot Muffins: February Edition (Raspberry Muffins Recipe)

Welcome to the second entry in my Mormon Muffins project! February's muffins ("Amy's Relief Society Raspberry") are brought to you by Amy, 32, mother of three, and dressed in a particularly fetching red Cupid outfit. 

Raspberries about to be folded into the batter (click photos to enlarge): 

After folding in (a messy business): 

Ready to go into the oven: 

Golden and smelling heavenly: 

 

Cooling: My sad attempt at presenting a muffin in an artistic fashion: 

 

Amy's Relief Society Raspberry 

2 cups enriched flour 

1/2 cup sugar 

1 tsp salt 

1/2 tsp (baking) soda 

2 tsp baking powder 

6 tbs butter 

1 egg, slightly beaten 

1 cup buttermilk 

1 cup raspberries 

Combine flour, sugar, salt, soda, and baking powder. Mix in butter (it's easier if you cube it first) with 2 forks or a pastry blender. Add slightly beaten egg and buttermilk; mix just enough to moisten dry ingredients. Fold in berries. 

Fill greased muffin pans 2/3 full. 

Bake at 400F for 20 to 25 minutes [20 minutes was slightly too long for me]. 

Makes 12 muffins.  

My Verdict: The muffins are certainly easy to make--always a plus. They also have a good texture and smell amazing while baking. But man are they not sweet enough! When I was making them I thought 1/2 cup of sugar wasn't much--turns out it was far too little, especially with the tart berries. I don't know if the recipe was a misprint or if the Relief Society likes their food bland, but if you make these you might want to increase the sugar (by at least another 1/2 cup). As they are, the SO refuses to eat more than the one he already had. Anyone want some mediocre raspberry muffins? 

All photos by Whimsy Bower.

[Edited to update title, remove broken link, and for clarity and formatting. Follow me on my official site: AspasiaSBissas.com]

Not just another brick in the wall...

Click to enlarge

 

I spotted this chimney while out walking in my neighbourhood. Attached to a fairly nondescript house, the gorgeous detail immediately caught my eye. Wouldn't it be nice if every building had something like this to make it stand out? Unfortunately rumour has it this house is eventually going to be torn down to make way for a road. Chances of the chimney being saved are pretty much nil. Once again something beautiful and unique is sacrificed in the name of "progress."  

 

Photos by Whimsy Bower

Veggies, fresh from the urban farm...

Photo by Mike Pochwat, taken from the Parkview Neighbourhood Garden website.

 

Gardeners everywhere (okay, everywhere with a cold winter) tend to get antsy around this time of year. We long to play in the dirt and grow something fabulous. A lot of us get a temporary fix by fussing with houseplants or poring over seed catalogues. I'm lucky enough to have another outlet: the Parkview Neighbourhood Garden (henceforth PNG). 

 

Born of the fiendishly clever idea that cities can (and should) produce locally grown organic food, the PNG sprang to life last year on donated land in Willowdale (Toronto). The harvest (everything from corn to Swiss Chard to tomatoes and herbs) is sold out front or given to needy members of the community. Meanwhile, the beautiful garden is open to anyone who'd like to stroll along the paths, enjoy the sights, and maybe take some photos (as long as that's all that's taken, please). 

 

My own visits to the garden led to chatting with one of the gardeners (a friendly and fantastic lady named Nancy), which in turn led me to finally attending one of their meetings. There are all sorts of exciting plans for 2010, including an expansion of the garden. There are also tons of volunteering opportunities (students needing hours for their Volunteer Credit take note). 

 

If you're interested in attending a meeting or volunteering, contact the PNG here. The next meeting is Monday 25 January, from 7 to 9 pm at the John McKenzie House. 

 

Helping a worthy cause, supporting the community, and getting your gardening fix? Don't you love it when a plan comes together? :)

Hot Muffins (Easy Banana-Praline Muffin Recipe)

Have you ever been given a gift you just don't know how to react to? We probably all have a few times, but the gift that confounded me the most wasn't even mine. 

I've already mentioned my appreciation for the absurd; I guess it only makes sense that I'd have friends with similar senses of humour. But whereas I find infomercials hilarious, they thought getting my SO a "Hot Mormon Muffins" Pinup calendar for his birthday was a stroke of brilliance.

Well, a stroke of something, anyway.

Not only does the calendar feature hot Mormon ladies (all moms, no less) in classic pinup poses and attire, but each month also offers a muffin recipe. Whoever came up with this concept (not the Church of Latter-Day Saints, that's for sure) either has serious issues or is a true genius. Maybe both. 

My friends justified getting my guy a girlie calendar by telling me they thought the recipes would be a great bonus gift for me. So what could I do but hang it in my kitchen and blog about the recipes each month? 

January features Lisa, age 38 and a mother of four, as well as a recipe for (ahem) Lisa's Priesthood Praline muffins. Click photos to enlarge. 

The batter. You can still see floury bits because over-mixing is not a muffin's friend.

  

Ready to go into the oven with praline topping in place: 

  

Fresh out of the oven. Some aren't as high because I didn't distribute the batter as evenly as I could have, but they all rose nicely. 

 

Cooling down: 

My verdict: The use of pancake batter was unusual but it made for a super easy recipe and a tasty muffin (I'm slightly ashamed to admit they didn't last until the next day). This is probably one of the best banana muffins I've made.  

Lisa's Priesthood Praline 

Muffin: 

1/2 cup sugar (I used half sugar and half Splenda) 

1/4 cup cooking oil 

1 1/2 cup pancake mix (I used Aunt Jemima Original) 

3 ripe bananas, mashed 

1 slightly beaten egg 

Topping: 

3 tsp brown sugar (I accidentally used tablespoons and I recommend you do the same--it made an irresistible caramelized topping) 

1/3 cup chopped pecans 

1 tbs sour cream 

Combine topping ingredients and set aside. 

In a medium mixing bowl, stir together egg, sugar, oil, and bananas until blended. Add pancake mix and stir until moistened (don't over-mix!) 

Grease muffin pan and fill each cup 2/3 full with batter. Drop 1 tsp of the pecan mixture on top of each muffin. 

Bake at 400F for 15 minutes. 

Muffins taste even better when fully cooled. 

I was also pleased to see that a portion of the profits from the sale of the calender goes to breast cancer research. More info here.  

All muffin photos by Whimsy Bower.

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It's info-tainment!

People can have all sorts of bad habits: smoking, biting their nails, believing Intelligent Design trumps Evolution. My bad habit? Infomercials. I love them. I'll even watch them repeatedly. I blame my wacky sense of humour--if it's over-the-top absurd I can't get enough, and infomercials are nothing if not absurd. 

My favourites--big surprise--are the cooking infomercials (conversely, I despise the ones selling exercise equipment/diet regimes--their claims are unbelievable and they just make us all feel bad). 

Even if you'd never buy them, the products in the cooking infomercials are full of potential and the infomercials themselves are often--dare I say it?--fun and interesting. 

I also like a lot of the cleaning infomercials, although I won't go out of my way to watch them. They're not as interesting as the cooking ones, but the 'potential' factor is still there. Really, who wouldn't dream of having a spotless house in half the time with no effort? And a lot of those products are actually pretty good. Hey, if someone gave me a Shark steamer I wouldn't complain. 

Just a note: I'm neither advocating for or against any of the products I'm mentioning in this post. I just like the ads--use your own discretion on the products themselves. 

One of the first infomercials I got into was Ronco's Showtime Rotisserie. Ron Popeil (inventor of the Pocket Fisherman!) is entertaining and a little freaky. You also have to give him props for convincingly making it seem like this thing is easy to use. 

My rating: 3.5 out of 5 

 

Man, was I surprised when I discovered the FlavorWave Oven's new spokesperson was Mr. T! That alone makes this an awesome infomercial. It's also fun to watch food shrivel under the 10,000 watt light bulb inside this thing (it's an Easy Bake Oven for adults!) 

My rating: 4 out of 5 

 

You have to respect a man who's out there still flogging merchandise in his 90s. I've seen the infomercial for Jack LaLanne's Power Juicer a few times now. The people in it display the sort of enthusiasm often seen in cult members. Mmm...nothing like the tasty goodness of rind juice! And don't forget--it's WHISPER QUIET! 

My rating: 3 out of 5.

 

The GT Express 101 infomercial is a little lacklustre. It is kind of fun to watch what's-her-name make chocolate cake with a candy bar filling in the bizarre-looking contraption, but next to Jack LaLanne, Mr. T, and Vince Shlomi, this infomercial's about as interesting as listening to Katie from season 5 of The Next Food Network Star go on about antioxidants and digestive health. I suggest they hire an 80s TV personality to spice things up. What's Alf up to these days? 

My rating: 2 out of 5.  

 

I have to say, I'm fairly impressed with the Magic Bullet infomercials. Somebody actually put some thought into them and made them into stories rather than straight-out commercials. And "Mick" is charismatic enough to hold anyone's attention (not to mention his obnoxious "friends" and "family"), although "Mimi" is definitely on the bland side. If more infomercials were like this one I might not get quite so many pitying stares when I admit I actually like them. 

My rating: 4.5 out of 5. 

 

And that brings us to my all-time favourite infomercial. Actually, it's not the infomercial itself so much as the pitchman: Vince Shlomi aka Vince Offer [Edit: this was from a more innocent time, well before Vince's legal troubles and revelations of general asshattery]. I first discovered Vince on the ShamWow commercial and was instantly sucked in. I don't know what it is about this guy but he manages to be both hilarious and convincing at the same time. His magnum opus, however, is the Slap Chop. With such immortal lines as "Don't have a boring tuna; don't have a boring life" and "You're gonna love my nuts" Vince is the undisputed king of television salesmanship. 

My rating: 5 out of 5. 

 

And for some extra wacky fun: The Slap Chop rap remix!

[Edited to update formatting, links, and videos. Follow me on my official site: AspasiaSBissas.com]