JLO EATS!

FAMILY SECRETS!

2011-05-10T01:00:00.002-04:00

Hello Jloeats world!! :)

It's been a while, but this is what i've been working on.

A brand new cooking show concept entitled FAMILY SECRETS!

Check out our kickstarter video: http://vimeo.com/23515771

Our Show Blog: http://familysecretsshow.blogspot.com/

I'm super excited to be presenting this idea tomorrow at my MA Graduation Research Apps Thesis Presentations!! :)

Wish me luck ;)

xoxo

-JLo

the Lobster

2010-11-25T12:35:00.002-05:00

“Is anyone in this room a Vegetarian?”, Chef Ted shouted from the back sink. “If you eat meat, you have to do it.”
The room was silent and tense as Chef Ted cleaned off his twelve inch chef knife. No one had an answer for him as we contemplated our fate. I couldn’t even reason my way out of this one. It was only the second week of culinary school, and I was not prepared to have to kill something today.
Chef Ted looked up to no verbal objections. “Well what are you all waiting for then? Reach into the bucket and grab your own. Be careful please.”
Walking over to the bucket, I felt my heart jump out of my chest. I tried to slow down my breathing as I could hear my heartbeat. In anticipating poultry day (which was the day after on the syllabus), I was too focused on mentally preparing myself to handle birds since I have an innate phobia for them, but not seafood. I stared at the dirty white bucket sitting on top of the stainless steel prep table in anticipation as everyone else rushed to it. Boasting the fact that I grew up frequenting Chinese fish markets with my grandfather as a child, I was used to the sight and smell of seafood being killed by the monger. But today, I was completely caught off guard.
My eight other comrades were all standing around the bucket nervously picking out their own victim. Half excited, half weary and nervous. We were all squirming none the less but I tried to stand tall in my pristine chef whites, waiting for everyone else to pick first.
Closing my eyes and letting out a shrilling “Eee” sound, I reached in to grab the last one. I felt the weight of the creature drop into my hands and poked at the thick purple rubber band around its claw.
Poor thing. All wrapped up and no where fancy to go. I thought.
I placed my little guy onto my white cutting board, next to my sheet pan full of shiny new tools. I decided not to name him as to keep this professional.
“Gather round my cutting board please” as Chef Ted demonstrated that driving a knife through the head, between the eyes in one clean sweep, to cleave the brain, was the most humane way of killing the animal. Though with much screaming from all parties involved, this did not seem very humane. We returned to our own stations as JD asked, “Can we just boiled it alive instead?” from across the room. “How would you feel if I boiled you alive?” answered Chef Ted in his monotone voice. “But...Ok I heard people put them in the freezer to die first too, can we do that?” Again with his dry humor, “How would you feel if I left you in the freezer to die JD?” I giggled nervously for a moment, and then grimaced at the thought of my own kill.
I looked up at Vicki for support. She was set up across the table, and we had become best friends in the first week. She nodded in my direction and gestured towards Tommy. We both looked at him, and then rolled our eyes. With a smug look on his face, Tommy pompously grabbed the handle of his knife with his fist, sharp side pointing down like he was on a survivor reality tv show, and proclaimed, “This is easy! Watch this ladies...” and went for the kill. He missed. Failing to pierce the creature with his knife, it jumped off the table, and he hopped back too while screaming like a girl. Tommy’s ego dissipated with his embarrassment as his face turned red while he tried to pull his knife out of the cutting board. Chef Ted walked by, shook his head at Tommy, and said, “Let’s go Vicki, its your turn.”
Happy that the attention was still off of me, I watched Vicki frown and reached for her knife. She let out a big exhale of a scream and jabbed the knife straight into the head of the crustacean, and then left it there. Surprised by her own inaction, she let go of the handle and just screamed starring at the poor creature wiggling in agony with a knife through its head. Chef Ted reached over her to pull the knife down to finish it off. “You can’t do that! One clean sweep next time okay?” Vicki stood there frozen with her mouth wide open, unsure of what had just happened.
And then, it was my turn. Beads of sweat and tears rolled down my cheek as I picked up my knife, which had barely bruised a tomato the day before. I took a deep breath, looked down at my cutting board, and beady black eyes stared back at me. Crying through my actions and just shy of hyperventilation, I proceeded. Kill. Separate and portion off into pieces. Clean and place into boiling water to blanch until it turns bright red. Remove from heat, drain, and hold. Mise en Place the rest of the recipe, including the ingredients for the Cognac butter sauce. Mmm, Cognac butter sauce...
Mechanically I had finished my task to Chef Ted’s approval. He even licked his fingers. I was beyond delighted to impress my Chef instructor, but my heart was still beating through my chest with adrenaline.
This is what it means to kill for your own food. How primal, but enlightening. How stressful yet exhilarating. My little guy had transformed from a living being on my cutting board into components that resembled food. I have killed twelve more since then and each time that I keep count, I am also counting my blessings. My real culinary journey had begun. That was the day I killed my first lobster.

crispy fall apples

2010-09-23T12:33:00.000-04:00

hello reader! i am back from my summer haitus! :)

Don't you just love fall? Crispy apples, sharpened pencils, clear mind from a long summer vaca? :)

an homage to my food writing class!! --

a few haikus if you will...

melt away city
with my chocolate chip cookie
welcome to pleasure
summer morning dew
fresh like a watermelon
cutting through the heat
large haricots vert
limber and soft to the touch
so green with envy
more to come my friend,... more to come :)

the Big Picture

2010-08-15T11:24:00.000-04:00

is never simple...

This TED talk by Ellen Gustafson on Obesity and Hunger is a great presentation. She mixes humour in with a very bleak subject, and is passionate about what she believes in. She has publicly stated her opinion, which I feel is of concern to the 80's kids generation, of which I can relate. The idea that our generation is all about the NOW, that most of our notions of being future oriented is to focus on making money -- because it worked for our parents, and that to change the world would take a binding and shift of the me to we perspective. There seems to be a cultural shift in how we approach global epidemics like these issues now because we need to shift our instant gratification modes of problem solving into sustainable and creative solutions in which most of us are not traditionally trained to do or think on this level. That seeing the bigger picture makes most of us utterly depressed and inhibited by fear, and we deal by not dealing, by shopping and consuming more or choosing to be ignorant by ignoring the issues which is the most privileged of privileged place to be as an educated young individual. Though, we still think to ourselves everyday, at the end of it all, what do I WANT? and how will I survive?! Given that the question "what do I NEED to do to get there" comes as an after thought.

This pretty much sums up my current feelings after having some time to absorb, gauge the reactions of, and converse with my fellow peers, friends, and colleagues about our year spent learning about the current food systems in place and the ridiculous policies lobbied and supported by profiting producers and benefactors of the now broken economics of national and world agriculture. Food studies, has been a ride and a half, even in trying to explain to people what is it that i exactly 'do' everyday. And the subsequent TED talk comment section bellow the video link pretty much illustrates why it's been so frustrating at that. People will always have differing opinions on implementing change and what would affect other people the most (yet themselves the least) as long as the situation is out of their circumstance, and out of their control. I find it's always difficult to deal with these world issues at large with a 'me/you vs them' attitude. I guess it always melts down to the core value that is being challenged here -- how does one begin to fight for equality and social justice in a capital power world designed to hold everyone in their place? One can't ever help but wonder "How do I fit into this picture", and "Where do we even begin"? How do we focus on one small thing that can be changed on a daily basis and apply that to the masses? Does that even work when everyone's lifestyles and perceptions of the world are different by and large? Isn't this where nutritional information dealing with diet, health, and lifestyle have always been challenged by authorities and health industries by taking test subjects not proven but correlated to affect something that is really unknown, inspiring drug makers to produce and sell to the masses as a solution? Embedded within industries and systems to organize and treat people are cultural points of views enforced by those in power. So, who wants to tackle being in charge or more than themselves?

This is what I imagine world leaders asking when they get together to meet and greet and converse. I guess that's what I expect national leaders to do, though sometimes it seems like they are more stuck tunnel vision and short term yet expensive 'quick' fixes to keep everybody 'happy'... at least for now...

Globalizing (i use term as a verb here) national issues seem to increase our notions of the 'one nation/one world' point of view, which to me seems quite limited. (Maybe it's the labeling that I'm not comfortable with - perhaps it should be 'one humanity, a million cultural solutions' haaa!) Such a 'one nation' point of view seems to go by a 'one leader' policy, in which none of the most 'powerful' or 'rich' nation's leaders can handle all on their own, nor do they want to? Such a notion manipulates the bigger picture as if humans actually have much control over mother nature as one nation state, and seemingly fits the idea of a dying earth that we have crushed into one hand. When really, it's the evolutionary theory of humans killing other humans that is the problem and solution here. Such a global point of view are embedded in first world nations' economic perceptions of trade, agriculture, and food - why I ask? How do we even begin to look at change if we use the same system of organization to devalue the voice of nations that are poorer, instead of looking at their cultural values and how their ancient civilizations have survived and procreated over the centuries. Hence opinions that erk me like "let's increase funding for technology to manipulate natural seeds and plants, gmo technology, and enclosed ecosystems in order to feed the third world" seem to be masked in wonderful intentions to help others, though who takes responsibility when it doesn't work? When a big company patents and sells their new bio-technologies to poor farmers on the other side of the world implying that they can't help themselves, how is this devaluing system solving any problems when they can no longer take control over their own sustenance and way of life? - Again, why? to make a buck? Why do people feel the urge to feed our human need to help other people so we can feel better about ourselves in the end? Is it a sense of survival pointing at the other who suffers and saying to yourself "HAHA! I am doing better than him in life!"? Blaming "human nature" for our ugly truths don't mean anything. The mind can be conditioned to overcome adversity given the right conditions and nurturing, and the body as much as we push it, if not taken care of, will die. Is this just how it works? How do you even begin organizing a million of these varying bodies and minds in a community, nation state,, and then the world?! Are we getting ahead of ourselves blinded by the flashiness of power?

Like puzzle pieces floating in space out of place on a flat table that is unknowingly round, issues of consumption and waste, hunger and obesity, health and living wages, along with private and public enterprises versus sustainable greener economics, creative, innovative, and technological well-being...etc. I can only imagine, anyone would ask "which piece do you grab and focus on first"? hmmm, future world leaders? youth of our nations?

You can tell Ellen is really excited and passionate about this issue, and is exactly the type of personality that would make a great big picture leader. Makes me wonder how she would conduct meetings amongst these great organizations, and how they would be able to work together to combine mission statements. Go Ellen go!

I on the other hand have discovered that I am more of a 'create small change daily, and stick to them' kind of person. I realize that change happens everyday, in an instant. But the greater challenge as I am a product of my generation, is committing to long term change through every day action. I am a situation handler, a problem solver on spot, an organizer, an event executioner. Always have been. I love the multiple sense of accomplishments throughout my day, even as simple as feeding myself a hearty yummy meal that I have cooked out of love for myself and for others when I share. I have no huge ten year goals to 'change the world' or to 'feed' everybody, but I have goals to change my own path, and to find food security for myself and my family. I need to love who I am first, love what I do, and take care of my family first. I know I am accountable for that much in life. In turn, I hope to inspire others to do the same kind of small but impactful things that bring enjoyment into their lives, every day too. But that is never up to me. I just share what I love with you. Simple.

xoxo J xoxo

shout out to BHT, thanks for being my biggest jloeats supporter ;) woot woot! <3

Freedom Brain Fries

2010-06-12T13:46:00.001-04:00

10 tragic moments in food propaganda
http://www.salon.com/food/feature/2010/06/10/food_propaganda/slideshow.html

first off -- HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. thank you writer Shah, for pointing out how ridiculous food propaganda can be. Mixing politics with food is like trying to open a fresh 5lb paper bag of flour and having it explode - everywhere. Poof!

Though, it says a lot when such food companies are so terrified of losing sales that any negative association to current events is perceived to be too real to consume. It's called marketing. i wonder what would happen if all the "chicken of the sea" cans turn into "oil of the sea" cans now, if there are even any fish left. or maybe they should just call it mint chocolate depression. HAHA, awww. too real, too real, bring it back.

My theater days had taught me that comedy is a way of observing the world and pointing out the ridiculous truths that everybody else thinks but doesn't want to be martyred for saying out loud. And when you can point fingers at something or someone who is brave enough to put themselves out there as an example of the situation to laugh at it out loud, then we're accepting it as nonsense as a cultural whole.

This article represents how I really feel about everything I've learned thus far about the American food systems and politics in general. Though important to point out significant historical events that are swept under the rug in order to learn from them through a cultural lens, it is also important to laugh at all the ridiculous forces that influence the way food products are marketed and sold to a overly excessive consumer market, in a way that places the blame on someone or something put out there for all to see. By bringing it up in discussion, I only hope to stir up enough attention to find relatable feelings about everyone's current food situation, and I package my thoughts with academia in order to claim credibility. Thank goodness for push button publishing. ;)

So this is all good. I was finally able to laugh at myself last night about how heart breaking it feels to get my foodie perceptions of the world shattered to a million pieces in the last two semesters of my food studies (I use this word 'foodie' very carefully). It takes a lot of strength to get up everyday and go to class to learn about everything that is wrong with our food systems and subsequently how it is destroying our perceptions of the world, and what it would take change it all, consumer's choice of course. We would have to scrap everything and start from scratch basically, returning to old school methods of how to organize ourselves as a species. Yet, there is no such thing as "the good ole days" other than the time period of their lives when people refer to when they were most ignorant about the realities of their own world. Which stirs up great unrest because I am a problem solver, a situation handler, and a perpetual thinker. Yet who am I to change politics and the way of the world or to solve hunger? Those are not my life goals, and never have been. I live to eat and to share my joy of food with people. I live to inspire others about gaining access to better than what they already have. (This mentality is a product of my generation ;) - eighties kids always shop for better because they've only seen the world get worse and worse in terms of politics within their own lifetime, and those who thrive are the ones who don't settle for anything less than their present situation) But I also love to learn and teach. I am addicted to learning and self discovery in a way that teaches me to thrive. Thriving to me means more than just survival, for me it means fighting for a quality of life. It's also tough being resourceful when you are constantly told that there are no resources left where you study and where words like that either inspire creativity or stunt it. Hence I look elsewhere because I am not bound by birthright to the country in which I study, and now I see that as the greatest blessing in disguise. Perhaps this is what perpetuates my nonsensical feelings of not belonging to any one place. My life is split between three places, and two countries. My heart is where the love is, and the love is where the food is.

Claiming my 'foodie' identity became a journey where I was enraptured by the idea of discovering where my food comes from; ignited by my culinary life while working in the kitchen. That became my point of access. As a restaurant worker the only time you get to try haute cuisine is if you go into a kitchen, prove that you're worthy by working for free and keeping up with the pace, and maybe you'll get to sneak a few bites in here or there. You're expected to be an expert at food because those who have access to buying the 'best' out there with capital power in such a private society actually knows more than you about good food. but because you live and work around food all day and see the ugly realities of its carbon based nature, through food safety measures, the glamour of it all is claiming your access to good food like a badge of honour; that you've 'made it' in the darwinian sense of survival. that you will always be around food and make it your life to survive off of it. that you are better off than those struggling to scrounge up for a meal daily. I may have just found my thesis. :)

Home is where the food is, and is where my brain has space and the freedom to breathe.

Thank you for the soulfood.

xoxo J xoxo

I am hungry, hear me roar

2010-05-23T15:15:00.002-04:00

Hello faithful reader

I apologize for my lack of May posts. May has been a really hard month. It's been tough since spring break because I've been feeling really burnt out, and I hold it all in, because I don't like being the debbie downer, holding bad news all the time about what not to eat anymore, or how we're all going to die because mother nature is going to wipe us all out. I've been complaining a lot about the systemic problems in our lives, and have been feeling really conflicted because I always have the privileged option of opting out, and giving up on this fight simply by moving home post grad. So I've been hesitant to write, because I was scared.

My friend described my blog to another avid food lover as a space where "she whines about the current food issues" that we all face everyday. And I was taken aback by that description (even though any feedback is good) I don't want to sound like a baby or act like one and just whine and cry all the time. When I was being trained as an artist, I was taught to create a safe space in order to own the space. To identify all the rules, and break them all. I am rebellious by nature, and when the going gets tough, I am a pro at deflecting attention from myself to others and criticize what everyone else is doing wrong. So needless to say, I was very upset to learn about all the hard stuff about money, and economics, and science, wrapped up in empty promises, lies, and cut throat survival techniques from people who have built up their own systems in order to challenge the current one. So it was easy for me to turn this space into one were I was able to emotionally indulge in it and whine about all that was wrong with the food system, when it became too hard to find the opportunities for change, and stay strong mentally in order to fight off all the negative forces that just make me want to give up. Life's hard and I was angry that the one comfort I had always had through eating and consuming, was slowing consuming me and jading the way I viewed the world. My relationship with food was changing at a rate that I was no comfortable with, and I got scared. I ran, I tried to ignore, and I tried to escape, only to realize how small I was playing, and how much weaker I actually felt. I don't want to run anymore. It is what it is. And what I walk away from this year is this: people will always be hungry, and therefore people will always fight for their survival and do what it takes, even if it means taking care of yourself first and foremost. It is in our nature. If and when it's time for me to become a mom, this will all change again, by I cannot get there until I finish this step first.

And although I may feel completely consumed by it all most of the time, I cannot lose hope. Because once I stop believing in myself, it's over. They've won. I can't let that happen. That is not finishing what I started, when I chose this journey and that is just playing small to let them win. And I am competitive by nature, I hate to lose.

I just need to change my relationship with myself, and not let my thoughts consume me. It's time to survive. It's time to bring my A game. again and again and again.

I am hungry. Hear me roar!

Candy Me Sweet

2010-05-22T00:09:00.000-04:00

this one's for my B. :)

No one else I know has such a sweet tooth as he, other than myself as a teenager when I lived off of sugar, fat, and processed microwavable junk too. Ironically, he's a dentist, and his ultimate indulgence is sugar. MmmHmmm, just like my sinful doctor friends who smoke like chimneys, and my chef friends who live off of beer, hard liquor, and mcdees. Which begs me to question, why are we so drawn to the things that we know are bad for us, and why does it feel so good to not practice what we preach sometimes?

(Ok Ok I admit, my shinning moment this semester was going straight to Takahachi, my favourite sushi digs in Manhattan, and inhaling a bowl of toro over what I call the best vinegared sushi rice in town - after I had sworn off eating endangered tuna for a month during my markets research paper. YUP. "Hell TASTES SO GOOOOOD" and crying for three days straight over the current Oil Spill Crisis and while watching "The Cove".)

Don't get me wrong, not all sugar is bad, and I LOVE SUGAR. I just have a growing repulsion to neon food, which reminds me of three teenage girls on the bus the other day all sucking on fist sized jawbreakers covered in a radioactive rainbow of powdered sugar. Their mouths were glowing blue when they snickered at each other that made me want to gag. Foods nowadays are wayyy too sweet that tries so hard to overcompensate for the lack of fat that should be present, in flavour and in nutrients. Like yogurt on the market these days. What's up with all the fat free low fat crap? Why would I want to eat fat free milk fat? may as well call it sugar paste, and may as well tap that syrup straight into my veins with an iv. May as well.

At a recent Food Studies Lunch Reception, A and I were like teenagers on crack when we tried the new Truvia non sugar sweetener 'made from' or extracted from the stevia plant known to be 1000x sweeter than sugah. It was indeed. We were both surprised at how little we added to our super sour cranberry cocktails in order to kick it into high gear.

So I can't help but ask also:

IS CANDY REALLY A FOOD?

If we start defining what candy is, can we start by defining what food is? HAHAHA...Perhaps because what and why we consume feels so good because it is so bad. Maybe we all have rebellious kids inside of us who just want food to be fun again, sweet, creative, and carefree.

or maybe it's because when we were younger, it was our first encounters of joy through consumption, of something yummy, of things that we just wanted more of...

gimme more sugahhhh!

"so what's wrong with sugar? I LIKE SUGAR" said a colleague of mine in class one monday evening when we were discussing all the new soda taxes being put into place. She got really defensive, like someone was trying to yank the lolipop out of her mouth. Or the Koolaid. My dish is this - I don't mind the conversations about what counts as good or bad, and how candy or sugary drinks is 'defined', my question is, people don't mind paying for things as long as they know where their hard earned money is going, So where and what are these new taxes going to pay for? Money in this country speaks the loudest, and as much as I want to fight this reality, I can't.

It's been a tough year in grad school, learning about America's addiction to oil and sugar. And like any child, I have cried and screamed in protest when things I like are taken away from me, hidden away from me, placed out of reach, or even destroyed. It just so happens that I like good food, and it's taken me a while to retrain my palate again for survival. So all I can say is this, my relationship with food is constantly changing, and I challenge you to question yours too. It is too easy to stick to what we know, to what we like, and to what is comfortable. Emotional eating is always and only an instant gratifying moment that quickly passes, and we are often left wanting more to keep satiated. Thus, as I look forwrd to a nice relaxing summer, to recharge and actually EAT, travel, and enjoy life again, I will walk away from this first year with a new found sense of awareness, of hardcore knowledge about a system that I once did not know. Although there have been many trying times when I just wanted to throw in the towel, and indulge in that burger that might eventually kill me, I am learning how to change for the better, in hopes to inspire others to search for theirs too.

Life is never fair and all you can really ask for is balance that hopefully makes the bitterness of reality just a tad bit sweeter every so often. And for that, I am so greatful that I met B. Thanks for reminding me constantly that Love is strong enough to be all the GOOD in my life that gives me an escape from all the bad out there. You are just like candy...

Happy Earth Day!

2010-04-22T18:01:00.001-04:00

This one's going to be quick! Because I'm working on how to change the world! No just kidding, but I am working on doing what I can to lower my impact of my own garbage and huge carbon footprint while expanding my powerful and more useful thought bubbles instead.

This pretty much sums up what I've been working on, thinking about, and engulfing my head on in the past few weeks - well, that and fattie bluefin TUNA and its depleting sources in the Atlantic - more on that later...

Props to the makers of the twenty min easy to digest and understand videos on the way we consume and how it's going to kill us all if we don't make some changes soon.

I always say, mother nature has the power to wipe us all out if we piss her off enough, and I think it's time to stop doing just that. We've been poking the dragon with money and hiding behind the big clouds of carbon smoke for a while now, and all we've proven is that we can't fool anyone, even ourselves. One can only distract, insist, and entertain their own fancies for so long. But what is going to happen later?

Sure sure, my generation is and has always been tagged as the "INSTANT GRATIFICATION" generation -- but we're learning to look forwards now culturally as hard as it is. Question is, what about the next? Will there be any resources left for them to even gratify on, or will they simply be walking drones that plug into a larger online world of consumption and reality further disconnecting themselves from organizing, working, living, and bonding with each other?

Were are we headed with this capitalistic consumption pattern that is soaking up every bit of resource left and spewing out garbage mountains? Hmm, I feel like I walk through such a garbage mountain every day -- it's called Manhattan. It smells, it rots, vermin and rodents are stronger than humans in fighting off disease, and the only good food left is bought at a high price because it's been shipped in from somewhere that still has soil, grass, clean water, and air. That or it's made in a factory somewhere.

What a bleak future I've learned to see and want to protect my future kids if I ever have kids from. Such is also a common thought amongst our generation because this is the first time our culture has hit rock bottom in our very own lifetime. But it can be done! In seeking for inspiration like I know how to do best when things get tough, I look to movies -- What a fabulous one this was: Earth Days in looking back at how the environmental movement was born in America, and how americans banned together to stand up to their leaders who weren't doing a good job, to convince their leaders to economically provide incentives in order to protect the people, by banning pollution to improve the air and water quality - between the 50's to the late 70's. So much work was done in that time period!

So, can we do it now? Can we band together to make small changes together? Can we convince others too in a way that frames the argument in a less offensive - "everything you do is wrong" kind of way?

The most interesting part about the way my generation grew up in a world where spreading capital wealth and neoliberalism from the 80's to now was the sole reason for extracting what we thought would be an endless supply of resources and sourcing efficiency from all over the world is that the moment we became a "GLOBAL SOCIETY" - we took on all the bad stuff too. Like a marriage, countries started to share each other's burdens whether they could organize and get along or not, and is now trying to divorce themselves from the social justice problems that where hidden in the package. It's like the money blew the problem to a much bigger proportion than we would all handle together to begin with, and created a system rooted in a bad foundation based on greed and the idea of MORE is MORE. So what now? How does one individual or nation "find themselves" again, like post breakup when you've totally lost your way because you were distracted by all the shiny things that you thought loved you back? How does one go on to influence a ripple of change that is systemic and global?

Well I guess it starts with my own habits, right? Yes! Let's start here. from within. and within my own community of networks and people.

So...

What if for one day, I turned off all the lights that I don't need in order to see, for a moment, an hour, or twelve.

and turned off the tv, and my idle sleeping computer,

what if for one day, I used less water, generated less waste, and composted what can no longer be eaten,

what if I only used things that I can recycle and reuse again? If I stopped drinking bottled water?

what if I shared my food, heat, and warmth with others,

walked, biked, carpooled or took public transit (when I'm not in NYC of course) or worked up to buying an electric car instead?

Would that be enough?

What if for one day, we all collectively with held from BUYING things, and reused or asked someone to share? Does one really need more than five? ten? twenty shirts? -- what would that do to our inherently theoretically failed economy? to our earth? and to ourselves?

Question is -- what would it not do instead?

What if, we all counted our blessings of having clean water and air to breathe instead of expecting it to be owed to us like we're entitled to it. What if we asked more questions and taught the younger ones around us to ask questions too?

for one day, we could all come together and just

breathe.

like we do when the entire city is blanketed with snow, or out of power. (or when it rainstorms in Cali and no one goes outside...hahaha...)

What would that feel like if it was more than one day? more than a week? a month? (how long does it take to break bad habits?)

over 30 years ago, the very first Earth Day was the LARGEST movement of marching people that this nation had ever experienced all over the country. 30 years later, instead of cleaning up the garbage we've made, we are encouraged to go out and buy more even if they are 'eco friendly products' instead of reduce the amount we all don't need to spend on. Think about it.

Shopping is not and should not be the national identity of this nation -- you do not need to be a consuming monster in order to survive. Besides, who even has the money now these days? Shopping doesn't solve any of your problems, in fact it creates new waste and new problems, and a million more of those stupid "I'm not plastic bag" bags that are ridiculous and costly to produce.

and if you must and are so inclined to buy or need -- vote with your dollar, buy smart - support those who are working hard at sustaining themselves through sustainable practices in order to feed you and their families. Eat REAL FOOD. I know I work on this actively everyday. I try my best not to buy what I don't need anymore, and lordie knows I love to shop...

I am human, I try my best too. But it's because 'I care about the World we share.'

and I want my kids to have a world to want to change too. If I promise to not trash your home, to feed you, and take care of you, can you promise to take care of me and my home too?

It's time for a new relationship, one with the earth and with other real people who all need to eat too. Need extra inspiration? be FRESH --

xoxo Happy No Shopping because I love my Earth Day xoxo

J

Let's Start a Food Fight!!

2010-04-16T18:01:00.001-04:00

Frankly, it's been a dream of mind to start a massive food fight and see it through since I was a little kid! So good for them!! -- "Parents Object to Food Fight Punishment: Boring Food"

Can you imagine!?

Sure it's wasteful, but how much more food goes to waste everyday in the restaurant industry, and on all the other levels of the food system before it gets to your plate and then into the garbage? Most of the groceries Americans buy ends up in the garbage and never gets eaten anyway... How sad. The percentage is actually kinda scary too -- but lemme dig around and get back to you on the actually numbers if you're interested -- Also, most of the food served to children in cafeterias in schools in this country are agricultural surpluses anyway -- stuff that doesn't make it onto the market.

secondly -- what's wrong with free food!? if that mom was so bothered by the food served at the school, why didn't she provide for her own daughter the next day, or for the next three if she was sooooo bothered and disgusted? Isn't that her job as a mom? Is it the school's job to feed every child in the country? Is it the government's and thus the taxpayers job? Obama thinks every kid should be entitled a healthy free lunch. Is that even the right way to go or is that the nation's leaders trying to solve a poor systemic offshoot problem of poverty? What bugs me in the article is the mother's sense of entitlement. To me, the problem is this growing cultural attitude, that I have a right to this -- clean water, clean air, and food, without taking responsibility for things that are common goods. Food is a sticky subject when it comes to common goods because nobody takes the responsibility for taking care of the system, but everybody extracts from it, and uses it, and expects it to provide an endless supply at a 'reasonable' price. But that doesn't make sense -- because if we were reasonable, then it would include all the real costs of food...and the prices would be SO high that no one can afford any food. (would that then control the population size? who would be the select few who make it through, strong and satiated? Anyway, this is for the next post -- Earth Days -- because the longer we ignore this terrible equation as a human race, the worse these problems of that stem from the system are getting, and after watching this movie last night, I am ready to tackle the interwoven issue of Climate change. Stay tuned.)

I grew up in Canadia, where no child is ever 'entitled' to a free lunch. They must provide their own, and for many years I remember eating a slice of turkey cold cut sandwiched between two slices of white bread. MmmHmmm, talk about bare sustenance. And have you ever walked into one of these institutional cafeterias in a public school? The yellow dim and dingy lighting with the stark painted brick or cement walls lined with vending machines isn't exactly the most appetizing of places. In marketing class we talk about "appetizing colours" and colour clues when people design restaurants and there are actual colours that can "depress the appetite" - yellow, green, blue -- maybe that's why they all started throwing food, they were disgusted too. All I wanted to do when I was a kid was eat fun food and to make food fun when I was a kid, and that's really all I want to do now too.

**Smack! you just got hit in the face with a slice of All American Kraft Cheese, besides, can you really call it cheese without tagging the word 'product' to the end of it? I'm surprised those kids didn't throw their "only cheese sandwiches" the next day as a form of retaliation. Hahaha, Mmm covered in cheese...

Perhaps this food fantasy of mine stems from a hot and steamy dream of having my very own passionate post harvest sex -- from the 1995 movie "A Walk in the Clouds" -- that's right fellow kids of the 80's... y'all know that sexy scene I'm talking about when all the women jump into that giant barrel of grapes and stomp around dancing barefoot to 'press' the wine while the men play music and sing along and the family celebrates the harvest in napa valley CaLi, post WWII. Then "Paul" and "Victoria" get it on, all romantic and dirty and covered in grape juice and skins. Aghh, a romantic drama at its best... (and this was during Keanu's 'Speed' days! LOL)

Who said food isn't related to love? Maybe those kids were trying to tell us that we need to love them better, or else they will continue to throw more processed "food" around in their cafe.

(ps - anyone else bothered by the fact that they organized through their cell phones?! Haaa.)

happy conscious eating today ;)

xoxo J xoxo

"What do you want to eat?"

2010-04-15T15:12:00.000-04:00

Is the Question of the Century.

We all make difficult decisions and sometimes unconscious decisions everyday about what to eat. I know I wake up wondering about lunch and dinner, and when people ask me to pick a place to eat or to recommend them a good or fun restaurant, I know I instantly want to run to a computer and search for something new, because it's a fun challenge. I revert back to my old restaurants sometimes when I throw in the towel, and all I want is what's comforable when I'm lazy, and that says a lot about who I am. But fact of the matter is, I am learning that I gain more, and I learn more and experience more when I spend the time to put in the work, to seek and search for something that I know will change my life.

Yes, it's very difficult. And I know I don't always answer like an adult. The kid in me says "i don't know", when my mother has always taught me that what a responsible adult should say is "please give me some time to figure it out, to figure out what I want, and then I will get back to you asap". Enter Elmo as *Sesame street song plays in the back of my head* when really it's the soothing and maniacal sound of the train doors closing *bing, bong* "Yes Janet, this tool that you were just given can be applied to solving all your problems in life - GIVE YOURSELF ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD" put in the work, and you will soon see the results that you wanted faster than you whine about how hard it will be to actually get it done in the first place.

Another super important lesson I've learned from my mother and other very loving people in my life is that no matter how much time I think I don't have, or that I spend wasting away indulging in my emotions or hiding from my problems to begin with, that what I feel like eating, may not always be right, and that I should ever make big decisions when I am too emotional, or too hungry because that's when things are never clear. Emotional eating is a tough cookie, ....or pint of ice cream, or a jar of Kimchee at 2am on a tuesday, but we all must conquer these indulgences once in a while, for what's better -- an honest look at how well I am actually taking care of myself and my body, and asking myself the hardest question of all,

What do you WANT, rooted from a deep desire to fulfill a NEED, rather than what do you Feel? Because fact of the matter is, emotions will always go up and down, and as dramatic and full of story it is to emotional eat, and eat and eat, You/I always know that we will feel like crap afterward, that the instant gratification is only enough to blind us from what we're really dealing with, which is how hard and how much work it takes to actually be good to yourself. Because in the end, we feel our best when we conquer ourselves, when we feel healthy in body mind and soul, and when we love ourselves so much that we threaten to change the whole world in a way that allows others to see what we see and feel as good as we feel inside and out and have access to it, because then is when we are living in true Love and all its glory.

So put in the work, to learn about your food, learn about your weaknesses with food, and learn about what your body really needs, and then spend time everyday trying to achieve a small part of that.

Learning to be strong and to say no to yourself is hard, but it can be so simple.

Because when it is simple, it becomes so clear, and all of a sudden that head versus heart versus your gut conversation becomes clear, and then that will help to decide "where to go" to get what you need.

I also recognize that I am very lucky to have the time to think about food all day long. It's my job, (and sure I get tired of it sometimes, and I get sad from the realities of the current existing systematic food world that isn't fair to all) but I find that when I allow myself the time to think about what I need, then my actions help me to decide whether or not I want to grow, cook, or where to go that will get what I want for a price.

A typical conversation in my head would go - "I am hungry, I need to eat. I want to eat well and feed myself well today. I want to eat something yummy. Hungry, so hungry. I want it all, I like variety. Ok you can't have it all, where to start? Pick something. Do you need more time to search? Pick a protein, pick a carb, pick a vegetable, pick a fruit, pick a colour that complements the other,....ooh would this go with this?"

and then love the fact that you have a choice, MmmmHmm.

So no more empty calories that will just make me fat and sad, that only give me a sense of escapism. When you're sad, express it through something artistic. Create something. Cook. Because that's what's true and good in the end -- what's in front of me now, and what I want to create for myself in the future.

So the next time someone asks you what you want to eat -- put in the time to search, give yourself the time. You deserve more than quick fix answers, more than just instant gratification because it feels so GOOD to be GOOD to yourself.

and so bad* and so fun to feel YUMMY inside and out.

Happy searching,

xoxo J xoxo

Is Nutritious Food Good Food?

2010-04-02T15:49:00.000-04:00

So summing up a discussion we had in class the other day,

I love that when our instructor asked "is nutritious food good food?" I'm pretty sure she silenced the crowd - birds chirped, and tumble weeds rolled right into the classroom.

I almost died laughing after that. Have we all gotten so jaded that we over-think every bite that we eat? Is that a hyper priviledged point of view, to have the time and energy to even dissect every morsel of information that jades our view of nutrition?

Hard not to agree when there are some pretty crappy products out there that sell scientifically quantified food, labeled as the hot new functional drink or beverage "proven" to provide you with such and such many grams of dietary -- fill in the blanks.

from 'more fiber' to 'less sugar' and 'low sodium' claims, to the hot new anti oxidant or longevity drug. Are we so obsessed with our fountain of youth search for the holy grail, that any food will do even if it tastes like... pardon mon francais...shit?

So what is Good food to you?

Especially when there are so many cultural binaries that exist in western thinking - good/bad, healthy/unhealthy, overeating/starvation, sin/virtue, gluttony/taking care of oneself.

When it comes to food, we all think we're experts in this matter because we all eat.

Hmm, let me try to put it in my own words.

Good food to me is something hearty, from the soul, hot and fresh, crisp in taste that hits the spot. Something people ooh and agh over, a conversation piece at the dinner table that brings people together. Something that leaves me satiated, but not gross full to a point where i can't move, something that makes my body FEEL SO GOOD after consuming every, last, crumb. . .

good food can be nutritious and healthy, and healthy and nutritious food can be so good.

ain't you sick of the crappy foods on the market that claim goodness, when it's really nasty? or what happen to a cookie just being a cookie, you know it's so bad for you, but because of that it tastes so good.

there's also something to say about rebellion.

When someone tells you not to do something, not to eat something, that it's forbidden, don't you just want it that much more!?

and when someone tells you to eat something, to do something, and advises you to lean towards something that is "good FOR you", don't you just want to rebel and say no, just for the sake of saying no and regaining some sort of "control" over your own will?

Then,

How do you fit into this constant conversation? What's good vs. what just tastes so good? how do you sort through all this information? Does it even matter? In the end, does the simple act of eating and the pleasures we gain from the act of eating hold enough value for us to just "live in the moment"? Or do we constantly have to fight ourselves in order to maintain healthy, and lead healthy lifestyles.

So which of these tenant do you follow?

"My body is a temple, I want to respect it as such"

"My body is a machine, input is directly related to output"

"My body is resilient, I bounce back from whatever I instinctually do to push my own limits to grow stronger"

"I eat whatever I want, and deal with or suffer through the advantages or consequences later"

For me, the search for GOOD FOOD in my life is simply a search for balance. I love to experience new things, yet what I find to hold true is what I decorate my body as temple with. What works for me not necessarily works for you, and i do not want to capitalize on any crash diets that have worked for a few. All i wish to do is share my love of eating and experiencing my world through food, with you.

Because living in the grey area has always been more fun. Black and White is too easy. Life's a rainbow of gray, Live it up & Eat it up.

You decide. Everyone has a different formula for what's best, and what balance means. But isn't that the most beautiful and profound thing? That no two people in this world are alike, and all the nuances and differences is what shades this world of black and white with vivid colour.

So what I'm saying is -- be aware of what you're putting into your body, but enjoy the crap out of it too.

Happy happy eating ;)

I hope this inspires you to find what's GOOD for you too.

Let's Play Tradesies

2010-03-24T16:00:00.000-04:00

In the past two months, I've been trying to wrap my head around economics. HaHa, yes. Let's take a moment here to giggle. Those who know me might laugh at the fact that I've avoided taking any sort of economics class since high school, and that I make a goofy "math face" whenever I compute money into financial statements. And those who don't know me that well will also argue that in order to make any real arguments in the world of food policy, one must understand the system in order to become a game changer. Valid in point.

So as of late, I have been studying the ins and outs of capital and what it has meant historically in terms of a bartering system for the idea of a free market system. Woooweee, loaded words indeed.

Because when I think of a supermarket, and all the different lenses in which you can dissect the concept, I smile at the fact that it is still one of my favourite places to visit. Even growing up, I was facsinated by the idea of them. As kids, my older sister, char, and I would play supermarket sweep. (tangent: Sometimes it was 'library', sometimes 'miss hong kong', depending on how we felt that day. -- but yes folks, to quote old folgies, we used our imagination instead of playing with technology, which back then anyone could hardly afford --) We would draw up our own JLAND currency and money on paper and cut them out, coins included, which was half the fun, and set up the room with all our play food, and whatever would could find in the pantry. We would time ourselves to take turns hoarding things into our bright yellow and red plastic fisher price shopping carts, and take turns being a cashier. My sister and char would always get boared by the time it was my turn, so it makes sense that my first paying job as a teenager was a cashier at Loblaws (now one of Canada's largest supermarket chains)

Food is the funniest kind of physical product or "thing" to barter with in my books. It holds so much more value than money, yet is quantified more and more so as we get super scientific in the way it is produced and cultivated, marketed and sold in this country. Food is consumed like any other product, but because it directly affects so many people so many times in one day, it is hard to ignore issues like health -- of the self, and of the environment. It is essential to survival, yet is completely complicated when it comes to the power of having access to it.

The more I read on about neoliberalism, and the standardization of the dollar, the more I understand the terrifying brilliance in the politics of building a system that holds and maintains each person's power in a certain place - whether it is that you have power by gains of capital, or those who are completely powerless as a number in society due to lack of capital.

Seriously, from being completely enraptured by micro and macro theories of economics -- I can't help analyze and pick sides and pick apart what's fair or not in the world of global trade and protection. And the more I read about these trade negogiations, the more I laugh at the fact that all I can picture is a huge boardroom of children in oversized suits playing tradesies with their lunches.

"I'll trade you a fruit-roll up for my fruit cup! It's tastier but doesn't spoil!"

"Half my turkey sandwich for a weeks worth of PB&J!"

"Five month old Halloween candy for your solid easter bunny chocolate ear!" (true story)

And I can't help but wonder -- who that adult figure is that finally comes in and says: "Stop playing with your food!"

Whether or not we were taught how to 'play fair' in the playground or in the classroom, there would always be a bully ("developed" countries) picking on the smaller ones (less resourceful "developing" countries). Sure, such bullies or the more popular kids can be marketed as shedding their fair share of tough love to the little people, but what happens when everyone's security of food becomes threatened? "If you can't play fair, I'll take it all away and then both of you won't have anything to eat!"

Perhaps realizing the realities of environmental externalities, and systematic protectionist administrators keeping the rules of the game in play shakes things up a bit once in a while, but in the long run, who is benefitting from any of this when both sides are out of resources?

Also, in the world of make believe, we only affect our stuffed animal population, and perhaps the poor dressed up family pet thrown into the mix. Ideally we only represent ourselves and our own risks in any sort of negotiating power relationship, but in reality, talk and play with money involves standards, taxes, tariffs, futures inflating demands of agricultural commodity crops, and most importantly the population at large who need to eat lunch too. And not just today's lunch, but the idea of having lunch for days, even weeks to come. Such "leaders" of society or powerful capitalistic players are only acting on behalf of their own interests, and the interests of those powerful enough to affect others within their own country, but what about everyone else?

I do like variety in my selection. Maybe that's how all of this bartering began. Trading you a chicken for a pound of flour. But we don't live in that nostalgic world anymore. And it's unfair to say it was ever fair back then either. Question is, if we've transitioned into a global economy, and a global society, how do we take care of everybody? Especially when the population is growing, and when the real cost of food (environmental externalities included) are high all over the world?

So can poverty and hunger ever be solved without looking a the greater socio political and systematic problem of the structure that keeps everyone in their place? Can we ever really play fair?

In an adult world, do we ever stop acting like children when real lives are at stake? Do these leaders who go home to their warm meals and families after a long day of work sit down to remember all those who are less fortunate that they like we were taught to do every night at the dinner table as children? And would that even matter? Doesn't everyone hoard and protect their own interests when they are hungry and when it's part of the rules of the game? It's like that game show -- Supermarket Sweep.

How fun would it be to be given the chance to run around a supermarket with play money? To be given five mins to push a cart around in order to hoard as much as possible in order to win the game! And you could always tell the smart shoppers from the more is more shoppers. I remember one guy threw about 8 turkeys into his kart,

and I always wondered, he did with all of those turkeys.

Perhaps he traded the other team for some sweet potatoes.

Mmmhmmm.

welcome to TVLand

2010-03-04T14:38:00.000-05:00

Good READ on Salon:
How Food Television is Changing America
Here's the convo my dear friend has been keeping, on a very worthy note ;)
Simon Y: Is that a prof of yours? You know, I actually am surprised another TV network is starting up. I supposed it may not have occurred to me just how popular Food Network really is if it can sustain two 24/hour channels.
In a lot of ways, me being me, I can't help but see a parallel to the way 24 hour news channels have forever changed the way we ... See More, culturally produce, and consume news. Inevitably, there will be a rise in sensationalism in order to attract ratings, followed by a watering down of content. News will no longer have an aura of authority since it is so widely propagated, and I suspect pretty soon, cooking shows will soon be the same way.
Basically, I expect to have my own cooking show online within the next 5 years with a happy niche viewership. You can have one too. I'll be your lead in.
Hahaha, tis true. Food has become it's very own medium, and that's exactly why I LOVE thee.
We're constantly going to be redefining our relationship to food as we do with ourselves and technology from here on out, as we do with the other forms of media and art spreading in new ways everyday.
Ever walk down a diet book / cook book / political section of any book store nowadays? Titles JUMP at you like the latest billboards telling you what to think, what to eat, and making assumptions that everything you've been doing is wrong thus far and that you NEED this New! Ultra! Glamourized! Crash Diet! Way of Living! *Roarrrrr!!!
That you can achieve in just a short FOUR WEEKS TIME!! That's right people!
How capitalistic to monetize on the fact that a something that works for one, let's say a diet and exercise regime, can be re-packaged and sold to the masses. Sure, it can serve to 're-educate' and 'help' others, but in what way? Who are we trusting nowadays to tell us what's good? Are these figures not essentially adding to the entire info saturated technology world where it's more information to sort through? It says a lot about our culture that we always need to be SAVED by some sort of short term solutions 'Hero'. Who's authority are you taking when you commit to these books? It was like walking through a self help isle, I felt shame and embarrassment that I was there, like I had plastered on my forehead a sign that read, "I DON'T TRUST MYSELF!". Even walking to the checkout, I was terrified to be judged by the cashier (similar to walking to a checkout counter with condoms in hand at a drugstore), "omg, i'm so skinny already (poor me), is she going to think I need help?" We all like to think we're 'better' than all of this, that we can rise above all this bombardment of marketing telling us what to consume and what to buy all the time. I guess my message is, be weary, and pick your battles. You decide what's best for you.
You must be wondering, (or a small feel of my shame needs to explain) why I was in that aisle to begin with -- well, I was there to do just this - culturally dissect a current diet book of choice for my Nutrition class paper. How me to pick "The Okinawa Program/Diet" spearheaded by two Canadian M.D'.s boasting work on a 25 year Centenarian Study.
I will spare you the deets on my analysis, those who know me will know I went to town on the cultural deconstruction of the east meets west persona of the holy grail. Prevention is key! and so Integrative medicine! I have always believed that, but for that you can read my paper if you so choose to medle through more information as you do here. (Thank You Reader!) or COMMENT! I love active conversations!! (can you tell?)

hahaha, all in all, don't get me wrong, I don't think all information is bad. it's just TOO MUCH INFORMATION. Add it to the pile. my Tetris brain is about to explode. welcome to grad school, where sorting through information is now my full time job. Can i monetize on that? how do i stay alive and well and survive on this skill? Oh Life, you go round dee round. :) All i can say is I can't wait for spring break!! Gimme some Sun, Drinks, and Non Stop EATING! Woot woot!!! And some REAL social time with REAL people. :)

It's just becoming so costly to sort through the pile of info that's getting bigger and bigger as we project more of ourselves into spaces online that are for "social networking" when really it's being redefined as statistical power on how companies keep track of our behaviour and manipulate our psychies to sell us more stuff. Dahhhh, leave me alone. I don't want to BUY to feel better unless I'm buying food, REAL food, not empty calories! While you're at it, throw in some soul, love, and a dash of Grandma too. No wonder there's a trend in small niche soul food restos popping up all over NYC (or shall i say where it's at -- Brooklyn). People want things that are REAL the more we are becoming digitalized and more and more disconnected from our real worlds when we connect online. "waaaaLLLLLl-Eeeeeeeeee". Come on spring, show me that tiny budding plant that can push through it all to give me some life again.

Welcome to the metropolis. you're playing in the big girl pool now, kid. Sink or swim?
Sounding a lil bitter? Well, well, that's for you to decide ain't it. ;)

Can We Slow Down the Bytes?

2010-03-01T23:01:00.005-05:00

As some of you may know,

I recently got hacked.

Thanks for those who are patient enough to keep checking up on my food loving welfare, as I continue to get on top of the game and figure out how to speak this language of love.

We are so engrossed in this info-saturated world these days. Really, I don't care about every single little bit of information out there on everyone's status that is costly and inefficient to sort through. I'd invite you out to coffee or give you a phone call at the very least if I wanted to catch up on what kind of cereal made your poop five different colours last night.

Or at least in the realm of a blog, I am persuaded to think that I still have a bit more choice in the matter whether or not I want to follow the evolution of your thoughts.

Is this how we're slowing everyone down these days? By giving them tabloids for the normal people and allowing hyper realities to rule our real world conceptions of politics, infrastructure, and economics? I know we talk about the SLOW FOOD MOVEMENT all the time, but stop FORCE FEEDING ME BYTE AFTER BYTE of a clusterfuck of useless gossip about drama that didn't happen an hour ago, four seconds ago, at exactly what location and time zone.

You own the online world G - x to the ten, ten to the hundred. Now what are you going to do with it? Online monoculture of droids that input technology and spit out more droids to do more of the same work in order to feed the growing masses? How much more power do you want? and what's the point? With that much power, people start acting like bullies, like kids who think life is unfair on the playground. Can I choose not to play this game anymore when either team doesn't play fair? Fighting fire with fire. Disaster is bound to explode. And what gets me the most is that choosing to be ignorant now means that I give up my cultural consent to be manipulated and to be treated like a number. Moreover, in a forceful way that masks my idea of freedom as a national and cultural duty to comply to the capitalistic way of believing my world to be in order to survive.

So excuse me dear reader for my hiatus lately.

I've had to redefine my idea of staying on top of it all, and I've decided to maintain the safe space that I do have in the privacy of my lil apt in order to stay on top of my game, and it's one that's worth playing lately -- one that actually keeps me alive in the physical world -- and that's the game I play in my Kitchen.

I protect my right to eat and enjoy my food every day, and sometimes I am more verbal about it than others. I have been very private at that recently because I am getting tired of the public fight. It's the same shit once you understand the system. The same fights against the same people. I'm not arguing to be right, I'm not arguing to be heard. I stir the pot to generate awareness, so it bubbles over enough to make a real mess in order for action to take place.

I have an internal strength, by being sensitive to my surroundings and am learning everyday about what [TO EAT] that works for me. I feel as though this trust and privacy is what's lacking in our culture these days.

Every morsel that dances down my throat reminds me that I am alive, that I am here, and am here fighting the good fight. I appreciate not knowing exactly what happens with the science of my food, but instead trusting my instincts of what's good for me. More and more each day I am learning to listen to my body and feed it what it wants in order to feel like I'm conquering my health, myself, and my world by gaining strength in body, mind, and soul.

I inspire you to introspectively appreciate your body too.

Stop pushing it to it's limits.

and like this blog,

It needs a bit of rest, extra care, and a detox of known toxins.

You need to identify the toxins, and prevent them from entering the system to begin with. Too often do we think that feeding our body something good after a night of mayhem will balance the damage done. Perhaps, if you are resilient. But what about the philosophy of saying No to something you know is so messed up? What about choosing what's best and what you need, instead of fulfilling a moment of want and instant gratification?

This is my food space. Here me roar, and I will defend every morsel and byte, like it depends on my life. In a way, it does, isn't that what FOOD is for?

Feed your soul something good tonight, whether that is creative or cathartic or just a pure space for you to let it all go and be in the moment.

I appreciate you.

xoxo J xoxo

My Food is Loud

2010-02-23T00:40:00.002-05:00

HEAR ME ROAR!!!!

And here i am being louder,

so blogger is BACK!!!

here is my space.

jloeats.

Snack Time! or Brunner?

2010-01-29T17:15:00.000-05:00

NYT article of interest

Fo Serious. I felt like all I did yesterday was SNACK. Which in my mind is like a tease, a way of food shopping where I can never really find what I’m looking for unless I make it myself.

Munch munch munch. I woke up feeling yucky :( I really don’t like snacking, but when I eat meals that don’t satisfy my nutrient cravings, I get sad and search for munchies that will. You know, it’s that weird full feeling, the empty calorie kind of full, where I need energy, and I’m trying a lot of different things to find the right kind :P Bleh.

I’ve been playing around with my eating habits since undergrad, and as my appetite has really been fluid in changing to my healthy requests and needs, I’m learning to take the “what does my body want today” approach to eating. Considering that I get hungry every two hours if I eat the wrong things, like snacks that only hold me over till the next meal – even if they’re good snacks like fruit, veg, or nuts, I still find that I need a least one substantial savoury protein : carb : veg ratio-ed meal all doused in saucy saucy goodness once a day.

The more I learn about food and what I should be eating that feeds my body the best, the more I like to challenge the idea of having three square meals a day versus the coveted BRUNNER nowadays…

Come on, it’s so college to only eat one meal a day because of time,

and I hear it all the time, I even hear myself say it in grad school now – “I don’t have time to eat”

well, “MAKE TIME!” said just like my momma.

yes. very important folks. Hence I plan my day around my meals now, really, who doesn’t? And I must admit, most of the times when I’m bored or stressed it’s because I can’t find something that tickles my fancy, when I’ve been snacking all day just to satisfy the mouth feel of chewing and wanting to eat, but not knowing exactly what it is that my body needs really bugs me too.

It’s like going on the perfect search, trying everything on for size. And when I finally find that meal that just tickles my tongue with excitement and flavour, it is so damn rewarding like finding the perfect sexy dress after a whole day of shopping! Mmmmmhmmmm!

As of late, since I’ve been gorging on food and was utterly gluttonous for the last month and a half, (and enjoying every bit of it mind you, I even boast about my food poisoning bout that I had in LA, like I went through battle or something!) I have been craving some good ol HOME COOKIN. :)

aka my own. hahaha.

Mainly also, I’m really tired of eating out lately. I miss my mommy’s liquid home soupie, and I feel fat and heavy from what I do eat when I go out. If I have salad and soup for lunch as an attempt to find that balance from the heavy ass meal from the night before, I’m usually hungry again within the hour, and find myself snacking because my body’s like — I need energy!!! I usually like to save my big savory moments for dinner too, although many people who believe that the largest meal of the day should be breakfast or don’t eat past 9pm because the three hours before you sleep should be reserved for your body to rest instead of busy digesting through the night given that you actually sleep before midnight – frown upon this request. Aghh, sleep. It goes hand in hand with food doesn’t it. Especially now, during winter when all I want to do is snuggle up in bed, wake up excited to eat like it’s the first day of spring, and then go back to bed again because it’s cold outside. All comfy like an animomo.

Ever wake up completely starving though, when you’ve gone to bed completely over the top full?? Woowee, damn those stomach acids are strong!!! Go tummy go!

So, “What should I have for breakfast/lunch/dinner today?” and “What will feed me the most nutrients, be tasty, and excite my tongue — and get me through the week so i can focus and study???”

Hmmmm…?

Usually when I don’t know what can satisfy my cravings with, I’m very satisfied with a whole day trip to Wholefoods where I get inspired to cook. I pack my reusable bags in a backpack and rolly suitcase (oh NY, how you are le suck for my favourite activity of supemarket hording), and I make it a day.

Yes, I was hesitant to reveal this as my supermarket of choice because I admit, I feel good, calm, and happy when I shop there knowing very well that I pay premiums for the convenience and the niche, although I feel like some of my colleagues might spearhead me with an artichoke if I admit these things in class…

Anyway, I am planning a whole week’s worth of meals right now, and am making my second shopping trip today. Yes yesterday was the first, and I was maxed out. What else can you do without a car in this damn city?

Do I pay extra for delivery sparing my arms from falling off while lifting rolly suitcases and granny carts up and down subway stairs? Do I order online and not get to smell touch and play with my food before I choose it? Do I seduce a man to come with me just to use his chivalry and strength to my advantage? Hahaha, it’s like eating out anyway, but knowing and getting exactly what I want since all the effort is still there, while there’s no time to relax in New York without feeling guilty…

Hmm, let’s just bank on the payoff that is definitely worth my fight to find the right kinds of foods that feed my bodily functions at all costs!

Ok, trip number two. Let’s go hiddy ho!

Happy Food Shopping,

xoxo J xoxo

Don't Touche My Beef (Slate Article Response)

2010-01-28T17:14:00.000-05:00

Another beef article that gives me beef with the writer. Please understand my frustration when I say that articles like these add to the already confused general public knowledge about what to eat nowadays and how to make skewed consumer choices. Sure, pile it on top of the mountain of info, ads, and articles to sort through, including conflicting “medical” and “scientific” experiments/research/journals funded by people with money trying to sell more of the same product to you.

‘Proof’,… Please.

Add to the conversation instead of making people more confused by just ‘proving’ a point with research that is now obsolete.

I am here endearingly referring to this article on Slate’s “green” section of their online publication.
(sent to me by simon, and linked to me on facebook where ppl don’t want to hear me politically soap box about food. But herr, hahahaha — this is where jloeats it all up… ;) Thanks, by the way, for keeping me on my toes friends.)

entitled: Beware the Myth of Grass Fed Beef – Cows Raised on Pasture are Not Immune to Deadly E.coli Bateria

My initial response is two fold.

a) Hmm, who wrote this article? Seems like he’s already picking a “side” to the argument that’s for or against an issue that isn’t black and white. It isn’t even giving the idea and philosophy of grass fed beef a chance. (umm, aren’t cows naturally designed to eat GRASS?!)

b) DUH! that’s like arguing that humans won’t be completely immune to swine flu after the H1N1 vaccine even if they’re are completely healthy. — E.coli has become a SUPER BUG. it’s a virus that’s getting stronger by the day. That’s the problem. People are just trying to attack the problem in different ways, find a quick fix to the system, and then mass produce it so it applies to everyone. Am I the only one seeing red flags here?!

Ten years ago, advocates started pointing out this problem of grain fed vs. grass fed on all sides of the issue before e. coli was that prevalent of a problem. The fact of the matter is, that it’s getting worse, and costly recalls are happening more and more frequently. All sides of the issue need to be looked at in terms of beef production here – health of consumption, health of the environment, health of the animal, health of the economy with government grain subsides, etc… The movement was mainly advocating for awareness and change, and today, it STILL IS. We are at a cultural turning point now because it’s not enough for people to just “know” where their food comes from. What are you doing about it? is the question when you find out how messed up it all is.

Food ‘fads’ that most people react to so strongly against “calling them elite” have developed from this movement, which I believe is what this slate article is really doing since his main point in the end is ‘watch out for these foodie fads that could kill u– “foodie” here used as an against “them” term mentioned at the end. Sorry but the last time I checked, people respond to people with money, people with resources, and people who are educated. Isn’t ‘elitism’ in the food movement just another form of ‘glamour’ and stardom’ spun into spaghetti? A celebrity chef’s recipe mind you…

It just seems so emotional, like he just wants to be heard, that he’s not happy with a counter cultural movement that he doesn’t understand. (Most slate articles I’ve noticed lean very conservative and always play devil’s advocate for the conventional side – which is great for freedom of choice / freedom of voice, but is now becoming an obsolete argument that just confuses consumers even more about what to eat, since current food education advocacy is all about EQUAL access to JUST food nowadays. The author has a very “see it’s not better for you argument” instead of stating an alternative, or discussing why beef is a “green” issue right now to begin with. He also doesn’t mention why conventional beef has been spurring E.coli problems in the recent past, why it’s such an issue of food safety now, which leans towards the huge issue of FOOD SAFETY REGULATION and the sustainability of MASS PRODUCTION, which are the REAL problems in the system, instead of “foodies” trumpeting about grass fed beef. Simply stating that the other side of the debate as bad, is not a good argument.

And the NEW message for beef? — Whether you eat grass fed or grain fed, everyone should try eating less meat in general. Both consume tons of energy, both have environmental health costs which subsequently affect all of our health as a meat eating society, and either way you spin it, there are problems in the system that are starting to kill more and more people. Come on man, get on the bandwagon if you’re going to be dogging on beef.

Also, of course the cows that eat grass fed beef are susceptible to disease (who isn’t?!)

He doesn’t even link any evidence that the recalled meat were pastured cows, only that “research shows” blah blah blah that cows that eat grass can get sick too – well Duhhhh!

Fact of the matter is that the system that humans have practiced for years has now bred superbugs that are immune to our own quick “fixes”, and that the real problem is still finding a soultion to how cows are raised from the demand for feeding so many mouths with meat everyday in this country. Also what the cow eats, is what we eat. GMO corn, soy, and other crops are leaking into the system more and more everyday, which decreases the biodiversity and immunity of nature to fend off superbugs through natural selection. Radiation is killing off any sign for us to identify when foods are going bad. Short of the long, we are killing all the clues that help us naturally defend against evolutionary changes that are inevitable, and there’s nothing that the average consumer can do about it unless they use their buying power to shift the demand for better meat or demand alternative practices. Meat has always been a luxurious item, and demands for meat have increased since the beginning of time, since man starting hunting.

PS — His cooking temp argument is also only half correct which again frustrates me because it confuses consumers – all hamburger meat should be Well Done. Any Chef can tell you that. hamburger or “ground meat” is all scrap meat and chances of E. Coli contamination are of course higher since that shit is or has been touching shit literally since slaughtering. Other parts of the cow butchered for steaks is when you ask for different colours or cooking temps under 160 degrees (well-done). So whether grass fed or not, considering the average guest at steakhouses ask for 135 -145 degrees (medium-rare), I’m pretty sure that steakhouses order all conventional meat from feedlots unless otherwise noted and the customer is charged for the ‘better’ meat.

again, sure there haven’t been any major recalls for grass fed beef yet – but a return to the grass fed philosophy and practice also calls for better treatment of the cows, their farms are naturally smaller, and where conventional practices lack in regulated checkpoints for E. coli testing is currently where the problem is leaking out into the markets… I can only say that Costco, right now, is the only major business that voluntarily does checks their meat shipments for E. coli contamination.

So…What if this bug keeps mutating and getting stronger? What if it gets worse, because it’s getting worse, and people are still choosing to be blind to it. What if other viruses haven’t been discovered yet? What can we do about our practices now that expand our knowledge of food safety for everyone and how do we implement changes in a sustainable way? Fuck the quick fix. I want my kids to be able to enjoy food the way I do, and I want them to be smart about it too. Don’t you?

Let’s work together, for grass fed or not, who cares, the real problem are these superbugs that we’re making stronger. For food safety and health for all, my goodness.

Choose better beef,

xoxo J xoxo

So, What is Food Studies?

2010-01-27T17:13:00.000-05:00

Faced with this hilarious question over the holidays, most of my colleagues and I have decided on a great answer. For all them aunties and uncles out there who think I’m studying nutrition, and or who stare blankly at me when I say I’m a master’s candidate in food studies,

this is what it means…(more or less)

studying everything related to food nowadays in the academic realm means everything from seed to plate minus the cooking. All the processes, systems, and politics, all the cultural and scientific battles through personal, financial, ritual, and media relations, and oh yea the cultural act of EATING too.

It’s like studying computer science and the idea of the internet in 1978. We’re just a bunch of people who have banded together in foreseeing a cultural movement that’s been long coming, and by studying the cultural effects of science and technology through the lens of food, we are pushing new counter cultures out of the closet, and shaping a social movement against ‘the man’ and ‘the system’ through food. We believe, I believe, that every packaged tiny morsel of food has the ability to change and impact you as much as vitamins and minerals did when they were first discovered as nutrients back in the 1910-20’s.

And as I get more and more into the medical, economic, and business/entrepreneur spirit of the food industry this semester, a realm I am endearingly referring to as more “practical” in nature, I can promise you a lively discussion on my developing theory that food education is becoming more and more interdisciplinary, and more and more prominent.

Through exercising our right to chose what we can and cannot eat, what we should and should now eat, and what we want to eat, we as a society are exerting our power to manipulate the course of our lives.

Oh and we sure know how to throw damn good parties too. ;)

“Food, it’s what we do, we know how to make people happy” and we know how to stir up the pot too…

Cheers! to a new semester full of brain farting, mind blowing, scintillating and effervescent conversations ;)

xoxo J xoxo

It's Raining Meatballs...

2010-01-26T17:12:00.000-05:00

Finally got around to watching Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, and was surprised at the strong anti GMO message wrapped up in hilarity. pretty niffty.

Gimmick after gimmick, they pulled all the stops out to make the message family friendly and digestible. I give it two yum yums and one healthy high five ;)

Also, who doesn’t want to play in 3D Jello? It’s bouncy fun and funky stuff. My fav part — the giant fortune cookie that falls on the Great Wall, cracks open and says “you will die from giant corn” right before a giant corn on the cob literally rolls into the picture crushing the wall and the screaming animated bystanders. HOW AWESOME.

my food flurry heart was dying from laughing and jaw was dropped wide open in sheer surprise and delight at how clear that message was. Like Wall-E., Avatar, and Princess Mononoke, I watched movie after movie this week about our cultural commentary on humanity’s manipulation over nature, and how disconnected we are as society from our lands. What will happen if we keep ignoring these issues? Is it even possible?

What do you think about the clear messages in Avatar?

key food moments of interest –

1) When the colonel says “let’s make this quick and dirty, i want to be home for dinner” right before the last battle — what kind of celebratory meal is he referring to? What will they eat?! Does this just highlight his old school patriarchal chauvinistic character in expecting dinner to be there after a hard day’s work? and again, seriously what IS for dinner?!

2) When Jake asks mother Ewa for help — “please understand, where they come from there’s no green anymore” — ughhh… heartbreak. such a good line.

3) When Dr. Grace’s team first arrives in the new station in the mountains – Trudy opens the fridge that’s marked “for food only” and goes “eeyuck” at her selection in the fridge. Dr. Grace then later throws down a package to Jake and says eat up it’s energy, while when she likes him, makes him finish a PLATE of food (was it eggs?! it looked like a scrambled breakfast of some sort) before he connects back to the falling tree moment.

4) Also, it never shows the Indigenous people EATING. they HUNT, and are referred to as ‘good hunters’ but they never eat what they catch. What do they eat on Pandora? Have you noticed that too?

Nope just me? hahaha, ok.

What do you think??? :)

Body & Soul

2010-01-15T17:11:00.000-05:00

Needless to say, for a food lover like me, not only does food poisoning physically knock me out for a good 24 hours but it also takes a jab at my soul. Escpecially after a whole semester learning and working with Food Safety Policies, and having it as a daily concern whenever I prepare food in my own kitchen or in a professional setting – no body likes to get sick from what they eat.

But sometimes, when all else has been done as a precaution, all you can really do is

acknowledge the fact that your body is resilient in knowing exactly when

to throw it all,

up in the air.

precisely.

graffic,

disgusting,

and so real.

how incredible and intricate of a system that is our digestive tract. When does it know what’s good and what’s bad after it’s done all that it’s could working on what it was given? So selfless, so smart, and so hilarious when it goes “GET THIS SHIT OUT OF MY BODY!!! BLEHHHHHHRRRGHHHHH!!”

Perhaps it was also telling my body to slow down a tad. I was being so gluttonous, so excessively happy and over feeding myself the moment I got to california. I was such a little piggy the entire first week here, eating till my heart’s content, and not minding how my stomach could handle it. I’m sorry tummy, i took advantage of you. and boy did you telllllll me.

I guess my body seriously just needed a good 24 hours of rest. And at 1am, I heard the message loud and clear — “Slow down killa!” your system needs time to relax even if you’re feeding it all the right stuff!

Yes folks, there’s a thing as too much good food. Something I am still learning to balance. This is definitely something I heard a lot while growing up, since my Daddy would always try to explain that “too much of anything is not good” and I would always smart assingly respond with my 4 year old voice asking “even ice cream??!?”

so imagine his reaction when I called him to tell him that I was making it to the bathroom literally every two hours in the last 24 hours, and the sheer sight or thought of food just made me want to hurl. Ughhh so sad. I believe my Dad just giggled and said, “you got too excited with all the good food in cali, take it easy!”

And I’m almost embarrassed to report that as a dire last resort, I believe around hour 16, I decided to sip one ounce of gatorade. For most people, this just seems logical — I needed the sugar, the liquid, and the eletrolytes again, but for me, it was soul sucking, my ego had to take a hit, while i fed what my body really needed that I could not muster up enough strength at the middle of the night to provide an alternative to. It was my last resort since I felt like I was dying, and that was the only excuse I gave in order to break two of my food rules –

a) I don’t eat neon food. anything artificially coloured, that is bright, and made to look like it’s been glowing since the late 80’s, is clearly not ‘natural’ and

b) I don’t endorse or consume high fructose corn syrup when I have a choice. It is listed as the second ingredient on a gatorade bottle.

Thirdly, I had to brush my teeth right after I sipped half that glass warmer (yea, if I was going to drink gatorade, it was going to be in style like I was sipping on brandy, hahaha) that shit coated my teeth quicker than it entered my pores with neon droplets of sugar just like the commercials where the athletes are in such good shape that they perspire that shit straight out of their system. hahaha…

But yes, theoretically, I knew what my body needed, and I fed it. I was a little numb from drinking just plain water all day anyway, so it did help settle my dizziness and lack of nutrients at that point.

Plain congee, rice green tea, bread, and yogurt followed a few hours later, which totally helped, and then it was tea and honey the morning after the 24hr hell period. Oh delirrriuuum. I’m so glad my system slowly was able to handle food again, and I’ve been feeding it nothing but GUUD stuff since — salads, veg, pure protein, soups, avocados, oranges, bananas, yogurt (need to replenish the good bateria in my tummy)

and funny enough, I got my waist back! haha…Now I understand eating disorders, and am even more saddened by them. But shit, my six pack cam back from hurling all night. haha, dang. My poor poor body was in such shock. It’s like i t went through boot camp for the past 48 hours. But it’s good to know that now I’m more resilient to california cuisine than ever! Booya grandma! Bring it! It’s time to eat again! wahooo!!! and I only have three more days of deliciousness, ohhh how I miss amazing and affordable ethnic food in cali. new york is good for american food, but cali is good for all that in between, I mean, you can taste the difference in the ingredients that don’t have to travel so far…

I’m so grateful for the small things in life. as simple as eating normally and pooping normally again. HAHA.

And all the small things are just so damn tasty ;) Feed my body and feed my soul! :)

so Cheers! to a fully revived digestive system again, to healthy poop, and to happy conscious and healthy eating again! :)

xoxox J xoxo

I Must Confess My Love

2010-01-11T14:11:00.000-05:00

for the SOUP PLANTATION. (Also endearingly known as Sweet Tomato in NorCAL),

this place makes me feel like a 4 year old kid with an ice cream cone on a sunday afternoon. And whether I’m healthy or sick, I still love how I feel walking out of this place, so satisfied that i fed my body good.

I love this buffet chain, and that’s a mouthful to say. For one, I hate buffets – the idea of them, the management of them, the concept of them usually, because it’s the hording mentality of crossing the financial threshold point whether its good for you or not, that makes me cringe. I know this is a cultural privilege that I never grew up starving, and the only point of reference that I have with hoarding is the fact that if I moved any slower around my family during dinner time whilst growing up, there would be no food left for me to even ponder over. At buffets, it’s funny to watch people consume at a rate that is neither good or bad for them. but boy do they feel it afterwards — HAHAHA, again it all goes back to the poop.

But when I have a choice, I would much rather be hoarding what’s good than what’s known crap, knowing that gluttony is also a vice of mine. I mean evolutionary speaking, don’t people stock up on what’s to get them through the winter anyway? And when you have fresh produce all year round in Cali – It’s like xmas all year round

So I must tip my hat to this business because what they’ve done right is everything I used to hate, or so I thought…And it’s all so cutely packaged. My constant cravings for soup and salad are met with yumminess, more so than any other place. Perhaps it’s knocking down my own elitist interal foodie (YES!) – because what the Soup Plantation is known for is an affordable access to fresh healthy and hearty food in a family friendly, equal environment that just makes you feel so good from the inside out. It’s the good kind of full, and the yummy kind of full, and the easy on my wallet I did good with my money kind of full. It’s the hold your belly I can’t eat anymore but it tastes so damn good that I can’t stop eating but I’m going to explode full. And best part is, after the initial mountainous plate of salad, you’ve already hit your financial threshold point, and thus, everything else like the carbs and the proteins are bonuses PORTIONED properly. Tiny tiny bowls and plates make you very conscious of the fact that you must go back many times to the buffet style hot line, in order to fill up on goodies.

Honey whipped butter, fresh baked corn bread muffins, and fresh fruit. Mmm. When I’m feeling under the weather, the best place to go is a fresh affordable Goodie bar. I believe I once described their chunky chicken noodle soup as close to “liquid home” as I can get outside of my momma’s own kitchen. They even help school groups raise money (how philanthropic while spreading a good healthy message), and now even have catering (another awesome affordable way to have access to good food for larger groups), and their seasonal variety themed festivals like “strawberry week!” or tomato month! (to keep you on your toes!) are just fun ways to spice things up, if you’re a poster child like me.

It’s a win win situation! This place offers me a great option to the wholesome food value driven lifestyle that I have the ability to choose.

I LOVE this place. can you tell? :) New York needs a place like the Soup Plantation. Fo Realsies… I guess I just haven’t found them yet… although they are popping up in tiny boutique restos… Hmm. need to explore further. note to self. ACCESS TO HEALTHY AFFORDABLE FOOD. wait, isn’t that my whole schtick in grad school?! Amen.

isn’t that a pickle.

Local Flavour

2010-01-09T13:10:00.000-05:00

More reasons why I love CaLi -

3 solid detoxing poops later. Yes I said it, (you must be wondering, and most people look at my size after they watch me eat and ask “where do you put it?!” so in entering the TMI blogosphere herr, I must talk a bit about digestion. Let’s keep it real folks, with all this eating and gluttony, I too hope you are regular, since it means that you are healthy, and when you are healthy, that makes me happy.)

I must confess my love for LA, as the best part of coming for vaca was the fact that I had no plans, and a whole lot of awesome people to see, and in my world, all of that revolves around FOOD.

Last night we went downtown LA to Bottega Louie. Which surprisingly for a concept resto, had affordable GOOD FOOD. That’s what saved the experience really. The fact that their hand rolled and sauteed to a crunch triangular prism shaped pasta in a braised beof sauce was something I had never had before, and as my friend tried to explain the dish as “fun”, I was delighted by how fun it actually was to eat it. We paired it with a perfectly seasoned asparagus side dish that was topped with a fried egg that danced down my throat while I inhaled it on a very empty stomach.

It was way past my dinner time, which meant I was hitting a cranky wrath of janet east coast time gutteral haze. Walking into the hoard of well dressed LA-ers on a Friday night through all the staring eyes was enough to make me feel lost in the giant hotel-museum-esque cafe style type of atmosphere. For the first time in a while, I was self conscious of how I looked, whether or not I was fancy enough. HAHA, oh LA… It was loud, chaotic, and bizarre, like a restaurant trying too hard to create a sense of magic in the “sparkle and vibe” of it all. Sound familiar? The kind of nightmare situation where the hostesses smile at you and tell you that the wait at 9:30pm to their 600 seater resto is an hour and a half wait, where they point you over to the ‘bar’ area already crowded with other hungry post happy hour yuppies and hipsters who seem to have been there for hours already. I looked over at the open kitchen at the surprisingly composed line cooks and couldn’t help but feel sorry for them, with a complete twist of mad respect. This was a place where urbanites go to be seen, which happened to have decent food, which in my past experience always overrides good service and food as a top priority. It is after all, a restaurant. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for new experiences, but my stomach overrides everything. and I usually listen. this is after all jloeats.

An expensive but delicious tiny french passion fruit macaroon later to hold me over, we end up getting a table in the ‘bar’ area after my friend had charmed the dudes sitting there to leave. anyway. Like the mentioned already, if their food wasn’t good and reasonable, there would be no story here.

We moved on to two more bars, and finally ended up at Corkbar, a new wine bar in a developing / gentrifying area. The fabulous bartender/sommlier offered me a 2008 Napa muscat that danced in my mouth like a beautiful summer day. The crisp bite of the apricot notes made my heart sing. I love it when people know their ingredients. You can just taste the respect. It was fabulous…and the cheese they offered us really was the cherry on top of all the winey winey…

1am, J-town. something had to be open. After reminiscing about my travels over wine and cheese, as wine and cheese often transports me so, I needed to satisfy my oral fixation with something as savoury as the Japanese cuisine offered within the diaspora of Los Angeles unlike any other area outside of Japan. And I knew exactly what I wanted – UNI.

Nothing gives me more joy than watching someone who’s never had Uni before, try it, savour it, and smile. The sweet golden essence of the ocean made Alex giggle as much as I did. It was the perfect endnote to a fun food filled day.

Mmm ethnic food in LA. So fabulous, so delicious…

what’s next tomorrow? Indian at Samosa’s, Pho in the Valley, ughhhhh yeaaaa…

happy eating ;)

xoxo J xoxo

vice Science / Culture versa

2010-01-07T20:27:00.000-05:00

Siento mucho mejor!

I do feel much better, nothing like cali sun sun sun, fun with my friendddddss, and guud food.

nothing like a snow capped white xmas and a hit of relativity reality, reunions, and love.

Best Kuche? Wurstkuche! Exotic Sausages with Veg options. Eat my Veg. Pho now? Bahn Mi later? sure thing. ;)

Sex is food, Food is sex. yes. both is LOVE. this is always true. a framework for survival. both so defined by Science and Culture.

so imagine all the puns and innuendoes at Wurstkuche last night with my dear dear friends who picked me up from the airport in loving arms and charm, exactly a year after they last dropped me off at lax, tucked me under their warm wings and threw food and art in my face. LOVE.

my life has been somewhat uprooted in the past few years, with my heart, my head, my soul, floating about somewhere between three places, and these three places bring out three very different parts of me. projecting a sense of success in what i do and what i want to accomplish, while finding my feet dug into the roots of my past, of my education, of my upbringing, and learning to express that all through the silver lining of the sun that sustains me so.

so don't get me wrong, in no way am i complaining here that i'm a jetsetter, au contrare, i'm very aware at how privileged i am, and how much i enjoy sharing my bicoastal and bicountry life. i also, like many (i like to believe) spend time basking in the many types of relationships that i am discovering about myself with myself, and my world -- my heart versus my head, what's natural vs. what's created, what i reason vs. what i believe, finding a balance between science and culture, and all that falls in between.

I watched four very interesting TED talks on the airplane and beyond last night,

one about biomimicry on searching for and finding the answers in nature,

one about defining success and failure in life and becoming aware of what we give up in order to find success in one thing while most people define themselves with what they do (name 5 things that defines who you are, without relating it to what you do - go!) ,

one on humans loosing a sense of what's greater than us, in becoming a narcissistic society while embracing technology and connecting ourselves with each other to define a true global village. do we need to learn to reconnect with nature in order to co-exist with nature in order to create a global institution to work towards the same thing?

and one on how smart crows are (did u know that crows are the new chimps that work with tools, and adapt fast to their surroundings, because we who live in urban areas have been seeing them as pests instead of learning to co-exist with them, and in that darwin wins in adaptation? yeaaa, i fear birds cuz i was probably killed and eaten by one in my past life, and mostly fearing what's just more powerful that i on the food chain...HA. Ha. ha. how me.)

humans are stupid to believe that we're suprior in anyway - only because we're smart to make toys that manipulate power - yes i just came back from watching AVITAR also - simply mind blowing in production, rich and classic hero tragedy story, and just amazing visual science)

so from the moment i landed, and felt the sun shine down on my face, felt the brisk and beautiful weather, i knew this was something i totally needed during this holiday break. a chance to make new memories, a chance to just hang out and be me, like Cali has always given me the space to do, and a chance to eat till my heart's content, live in other worlds for moments at a time, and just bask, in the beauty of life whilst still in a giant urbanite vortex - knowingly. It always amazes me to be in the stateside, because my brain is always stimulated to process and be analytical as i so choose. i have points of references to compare my thoughts on, and am very much a culture princess when it comes to analyzing systems in place through the lens of life, of food, of survival.

i know i've always felt like i was somewhere stuck between los angeles, toronto, and new york. and somehow, during this holiday, i'm finding clues, and ways to tie it all together, to make sense of my worlds, to stop projecting my future and dragging my past behind me. to be present. to give up a bit of the narcissistic personal life in order to project my role in society onto a bigger meaning and relative scale. in a way, becoming more self loving, but in accepting a greater sense of who i am. and boy does it feel so guud to feed my soul.

From Kima Curry, to Soup Plantation, Burritos, Kim Chi fried rice for breakfast, to Phamish (land of gourmet food trucks - sorry NY, it did start here first), fish taco chains (i miss my Rubios mmm), Guacamole anytime anywhere, Wurstkuche sausages and Belgian beer in a loft space that i can only imagine having direct competition with an imaginary concept in Brooklyn (cuz BK can hang like that)

and it's only my second day herr. whuuuuttttt.

and that's what constantly amazes me here. it's the amazing company i have who constantly inspire me to slow down, and enjoy, to sip, and be inspired.

sunshine in the middle of january, getting my info saturated world through media art - zines, mags, movies, npr radio, music, video games, online vids, youtube, iphone connectedness. and not a bit of reading have i done since i left nyc. i am finding that i want to paint, i am drawing, and i am taking a lot of pictures again.

it feels so good to be observing my world this way.

going native,

always poses,

quite interesting predicaments and situations.

bring it on O-10.

bring it on. ;)

my Grandpa, my Inspiration.

2009-12-26T21:32:00.000-05:00

"Aghhh GOOOOOONGGGG!!!!"
I walked into the living room of my grandfather's bachelor pad, he's 98. a trooper and the ultimate hero in my books to say the least.

the docs sent him home from two surgeries earlier on in the month, and with a giant crystal apple in one hand, which represents a lot more than the bain of my travels in the last 24 hours, and leftover xmas turkey in the other, i bust open the door to his apt, and proudly announce my arrival.

he giggles about the crystal apple, and places it on top of his tv, where my high school graduation photo used to stand... yea... of the 14 plus grand kids and 7 great grand children, my face made it up therrr. HAAA. me and my shameless pride. ;) everyone else is on the wall. :)
with no microwave, i steam heat the leftover turkey in the wok like he taught me how eons ago with two chopsticks and a ceramic plate. I promised my grandpa i'd bring him turkey this year, being the third year in a row since i graduated from culinary school where i've been making christmas dinner for my family.

"sick duck la!"
and the best part of my day, hands down, was seeing grandpa race to the table with his lil walker, and slam that bowl down.
gramps killlllled it. and then sat back in his chair, smiling, and holding his belly said: "mmm, ho may!" :) :) :)
"yee mui's turkey is the best" in chinese.
omg. that made me so warm and fuzzy and giddy all up in herrrr...hahahaha and it just made me realize, that my foodie life is soooo guud.

and as tryptophan is infamous for, i curled up next to my grandpa and napped beside him like i used to do when i was 3 years old. i still remember vivid memories of waking up next to him and being wrapped in his fruit blanket - for realsies, the fabric was printed blueberries, strawberries, and bananas patterned on a white duvet cover. and i used to trace the outline of the fruit with my little finger when i woke up marveling at its warmth.

My grandfather is actually the first one ever who taught me how to garden. and he was the one who inspired me to cook. He was a chef himself, and used to cook for a living in China, Venezuela, and when he first moved to Canada, in Kingston, ON.

My sister and I used to run around grandpa's backyard while my parents were at work and play hide and seek through all the plants while my grandmother hung the laundry out to dry on hot summer days.

I asked him where he learned how to garden, and he said that his great grandfather taught him back how when he was a little kid back in the village he grew up in when every family used to grow their own food in the what I assume to be communal lands of the village. Either that or it was private. My grandfather was orphaned twice, so I'm not sure who that father figure was exactly. But either way, my roots run deeper than I thought ;) ...which was always hard to track as a kid, and even now in trying to trace my own family tree and dig for survival stories.

He began with grafted sweet potato roots, split off into three sprouts, and placed them into the ground. "Like this one?" as i lifted one off the kitchen counter that my uncle was apparently saving to look at. He was taught how to build bamboo vine structures to hold up vines for plants like tomatoes and winter melon, just like how he used to do in his own backyard when I was young. He would teach us how to dig holes in the fertilized soil, which I always remember as a stinky experience while I covered my nose and ran around screaming "ewwww, it smells like poo!" HAHAHAHA...
I always just thought my sister farted and ran away...

Gramps also showed us how to use a rice bowl to scoop soybeans into the dug out holes that I would then cover with dirt and pat down, every other year (which I now understand was to fix the nitrogen into the soil, ahhhh Unagi!!)

So only now do I realize how awesome and cherished these memories are, and how I will and must carry this knowledge on with me to my kids, and the kids I teach about how to grow good food. I can't wait to get my own garden and practice! :) hahaha, you know, turn these words into hard earned self grown fruits of labour myself someday, in order to have my food and eat it too :)

Awww, Goong. I luff him so much. What an incredible man.
So cheers to family this holiday!
...and having the time to spend to get to know my own roots a little bit deeper has been incredible. :)

May your night be full of good food for thought too.
xoxo J xoxo

Merrry Merrry!!

2009-12-25T13:42:00.001-05:00

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

May this day bring you sweet sweet surprises, a yummy meal full of flavorful family gatherings and nutritious and heart warming joy. :)

I am a happy camper now, sitting in my parent's new diggs, white christmas outside, and catching up on my fav nostalgic movies :)

I love that I can kick my feet back now, and say cheers to all the hard work during a crazy hard first semester of food scholarship that just whipped me into shape and left me wanting more.

So, as I put the turkey into the oven, let's raise our glasses, to a fruitful year that was never short of love, passion, or good times :) CHEERS!!!

Let's the FEASTING BEGIN!

and if you think I eat every two hours, the Lo's really eat non -stop!! I've only been up for two hours and my belly is already full... and my momma's getting mad that I'm not eating more! ahhh, what a privileged place to be during the holidays.

enjoy ;) xoxo

Speak Up!

2009-12-18T03:04:00.002-05:00

My Updated Political Views: Love, Trust, Respect, & A Just Food System.

What do you believe in?

(I just realized that saying i'm "very Liberal", doesn't mean anything anymore...)

I've had a few friends contact me (thank you) since i started this program asking me for more resources on what they can do... (most reacted strongly after watching FOOD, INC. the documentary)

So here it is... a few links. because:

It's Your Turn! As you scurry around to get last minute gifts and prepare to warm yourself this holiday with a lil extra care in the giving spirit, remember that, like thanksgiving, for most people this is the hardest time of year. Not everyone has access to a ginormous cooked feast, nor family, or a warm house to go 'home' to.

I've been super busy trying to end my first semester with a bang! ...With my agricultural paper on school gardens as a way to ride this shifting cultural wave with experimental education, and finishing my food policy advocacy portfolio on raising the standards for food safety in America,

I now urge YOU to take this opportunity to look into some crazy food policies also and take action. Thanks for checking on my lil blog here as frequently as you do, while I've been getting my foodie life and identity together in fighting for what I believe in, which is access to Good Food for All. Thus, while you support me in my endevours to "change the food system, and feed people", I hope I can inspire you to be so compelled yourself to look into and peruse a lil further, as I support you to jump onto this very apparent social food movement that we're all in.

It's time,

and trust, it's like surfing, why fight against the current, when you can just hop on baby. and enjoy the ride.

websites of interest that take precedence include:

PAN Pesticide Action Network (A Non-Profit Advocacy Group, I know the name of it suggests... well, you tell me. actually...)
http://action.panna.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=1924

a chance to write to the dept of justice about monsanto... (they're requesting opinion about large agri business!) oh you know you want to, xmas just came early! no one can utter that name without shivering these days... esp if you think about the beloved soybean. by golly, just dooo ittt...

President’s Food Safety Working Group (FSWG) site:

http://www.foodsafetyworkinggroup.gov/

Obama's way of embracing the national priority of food safety. A forum for change and a way to stay informed with fact sheets and key findings, and ways to get involved.

Food & Water Watch (Non-Profit Advocacy Group)

http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/food

has tons of pre-filled out letters in the TAKE ACTION section that you can email to the senator of your choice,

(For all y'alls that don't believe -- I already got responses from two senators ;) .. it's pretty cool.)

Inspiration for trying out the "Local" Bandwagon:

http://www.edibleschoolyard.org/ (CA based org)

http://justfood.org/ (NY based org)

http://www.slowfoodusa.org/ (National Chapters, paying homage to the movement that started in Rome, Italy on the Spanish Steps...)

and finally for some fun, quirky, AND creatively subtle Xmas Presents?!

how cute is this Herb Growing Tater Pot or Mini Rainboot Garden?

or these Flowers in a Can?

Eco Coffee Cup?

hahaha, i've been having too much fun shopping online in between study sessions...

and for those of you that MUST get a REAL XMAS TREE -- at least buy it from a charitable cause like this one that my friend started -- http://www.charitytreenyc.com/

(Do not get me started on why chopping down trees for the sheer two weeks of decorating it in a house while watching it die and then throwing it out onto your driveway to have to hauled away while leaving behind the incredible mess of pine needles - is a GUUD idea. SURE it SMELLS GOOD, but they have sprays for that. That and if you walk by tree farms and grab trimmings, they are plenty smelly good to sit on your mantle, that is if you live in a large urban city as well. Our family has had our fakey and endearingly so xmas tree for 20 years now. it's AWESOME. and it's FAKE. and it gets unpacked and packed up so gently everr year by the Lo sistahs)

So make some green with your green, literally. ;) That's a better return on yo money ain't it?

Invest in yo self, Invest in yo future, yo.

BE a MAN! DO the RIGHT THING! :)

PEACE.

Chicken or the Egg?

2009-12-11T04:06:00.005-05:00

ok I will step down from my soap box. (if only for a day.) my last two posts were pretty riled up, and today was not that kind of day in jlo's food world.

It's starting to smell a lot like Christmas, which means I'm getting more and more nostalgic for good food, warm family gatherings, and the excitement of snow.

It was really cold today - in the minuses which I hadn't seen since my days in Toronto last winter.

Never the less I was the most surprised today, hitting all emotional plateaus possible, on my journey venturing off into Brooklyn in search for a scintillating (my new favourite word by the way, next to effervescence) conversation with a woman I've gotten to know as my boss lady and inspirational leader at my PS146 School Garden Internship. Thursdays this semester has been reserved for the refreshing real life practical experience I know I needed and fought to have since the beginning of the semester. So since I spend so much of my time with my head in books with idealistic arguments and discussions or at the library digging for more research during the rest of the week talking about food, I like to reserve Thursdays for doing my favourite thing, which is learning to process my food life by actually EAT-ing food with good company.

I was brought back down to earth and smiled the biggest smile this week, as my school garden mentor opened her home up to me so warmly in today's chill that slapped me across my insomniac face the moment I stepped out of my apt, and onto the street. As per usual, I got off the wrong stop, and got lost (BK is somehow my West Village east of the river - like a Bermuda triangle -- hard to find and get to, and hard to leave when you want to) But was met with an incredibly kid friendly and warm heart at the door, when I finally found it. M showed me in and sat me down at the kitchen table. "This is my friend Mark, Janet is an NYU Food Scholar" said like a proud mom. The kitchen was lit by the sunlight beaming on her incredible family backyard garden through the window. I was in awe before she even said my favourite afternoon word - Lunch!

She placed a plate of the most homey spinach and mushroom fresh tomato lasagna I have ever had tasted, next to a bowl of sauteed beet greens and kale. Mmm home made food full of love, gimme gimme!! :)

We sat eating and chatting while sitting in the most lived-in posh park slope ikea kitchen well suited for a hip and happening young family in the middle of brooklyn. Behind me was a wall of food books, putting my newly formed stash to shame. This was a woman who was well educated, well read, and well versed on how to live hot to grow, eat, and feed. And on top of all of that, she did it all out of love, as a mother of two.

wow.

inspiration comes in many forms, and i couldn't help but secretly go "I want this too... some day..."

And then, I was propositioned. "Want to go over to L's house across the street to see her chickens?"

I still had Lasagna in my mouth when I tried to cover up my apprehensive "Surrreee..."

Live Chickens.

We bundled up and walked down the street. L opened the door and showed us straight into the backyard. Look there's one laying an egg right now in the wooden hand made nesting coop. R M's daughter was running all around the yard after the birds. She was fearless, and I was jealous of a two year old. M was laughing and chasing a few trying to catch the birds foraging on the ground bouncing in and out of the chicken coop. "Janet want to hold one?!"

Chicken in my face... "uaaaghhhh!!!!"

I knew this day would come. A day in my career that I would have to face my childhood irrational fear in the eye, and eat it.

haha no just kidding, but at least coexist with the poor animal...

yea, poor me.

Touch it, you can do it, look at those feathers, they're brilliant! They're all set for winter, and they're warm. They even have feathers on their claws. How silly. Then the hen in L's arms looked me straight in the eye. I froze still.

My mind was playing tricks on me now, I was even bartering with myself and my own guilt. "I want to grow, I want to learn, I want to prove that I can handle anything now...Just reach out your hand, ok maybe just a finger..."

But I couldn't move.

"Janet are you ok? you seem a little traumatized"...

"Umm, yea..."

Flashback to 2nd grade. 30 students sitting outside in the school yard in a circle. Ms Fredrick takes the 3 out of 6 hatched chicks out of the makeshift cardboard box home and into the center of the circle to let them hop around and feel the grass under their two day old claws. I sit nervously, secretly wishing that the chicks don't come anywhere close to me, as I kept a keen eye on all three fluffy and no longer alien looking wet babies from the incubator, bouncing around in the circle. Ms. Fredrick looks over at what I can only imagine as a look of horror on my 7 year old face. "Janet, would you like to hold one?!" If my eyes didn't widen, I was probably shaking my head profusely. "Oh come on, they're soft and fluffy" Teacher lady, do I look like I care how soft they are? Look at those beady eyes! That sharp beak! Those CLAWS! Unless it's a teddy bear, don't let those things come near me, or I'll bolt... And before I knew it, I felt two sharp claws digging into my bare cross legged lap. WHAT THE... I squirm to try to move it off without actually touching it just when Ms. Fredrick plops down behind me (I'm trapped) to take my left arm to turn my palm open. (I don't like where this is going) She grabbed the chick and put it on my hand. GET THOSE CLAWS OFF OF MY SKIN! She grabs my right hand and pets the bird with it. "Isn't it soft?" Hysterical, with snot and tears running down my face by now, I agreed in a soft muddle of a voice that I had left only to get her off my back, literally. Feeling like that moment would last forever, I closed my eyes, and sat still hoping it was all a dream. When she finally took the chicken off my hand, I bolted like lightning out of that circle faster than I could regain my sight. I wiped the tears off my face, took a few deep breaths as Ms. Fredrick turned to Jen my bff sitting beside me who had just had her apprehension confirmed by my hysteria. She sat wide eyed, jaw dropped, and shocked when she was asked "Do YOU want to hold the chick?" Jen started to cry too, and I returned to the circle to sit next to her. At that point Ms. Fredrick finally gave up on the both of us and moved onto the other more willing and excited kids. Embarrassed, vulnerable, and dragging my feet, I looked down the whole time as we moved back inside to our classroom. Thinking that I was home free, Ms. Fredrick called for everyone not to return to their desks, but to sit in a circle on the magic carpet. Thinking it was storytime, I happily complied, only to be met with great disappointment when Ms. F decided to see why the other 3 eggs did not hatch. She cracked them into a bowl, and showed the under developed fetuses to the class like it was her special show and tell moment. "So this is why God didn't let them hatch, one chick's leg was wrapped around it's head...the other two still look like breakfast but with eyes..."

How I even put chicken into my mouth years after that still remains a mystery to me now as an adult, but I guess it didn't count if they were just McNuggets...

L was still holding the bird, and offered to hand her off to me. I graciously denied as I stared the bird straight in the eye. How can such a small animal, muster up so much fear in my mind. I must learn to let go. and thank my lucky stars that I didn't have to kill anything today so I could eat.

I scurried back into the living room when L finally put the bird down and invited us into her house. Luckily, Cleo the family dog followed me as she was over joyed and excited to run around me in circles. Attention attention attention, love me love me love me, pet me pet me pet me! OK!

"Calm and assertive jlo... calm and assertive, just like Cesar says...Mmm, my hero"

She leaned on me while I pet her for a good ten mins while my heart melted from fear into a puddle of puppy love all over her warm belly and playful paw paw fishing for high fives in the air while her hind leg rested on my knee. They talked about knitting, mom stuff, and L even offered me a chance to write in the upcoming district school newspaper about all the work I've been doing this semester and my assessment with the edible school garden. Just then, her poor one eyed and jaw broken black cat that sounded like Darth Vader meandered by and walked over to the window sill to stare at the chickens in the backyard. My thoughts exactly, Let's go. When I finally got up to leave, half of Cleo's coat stuck on to my coat, and for the first time, my OCD-ness didn't care. Man, if i ever become a mom, my life change completely... Look at all the dog hair! Look at all the toys everywhere! R's face was covered with chocolate, She was staying home from school because she was coughing, and M was helping ME out with my project in the middle of all this crazy! My mind was racing. Between all the food talk, the animals, brooklyn, and lack of sleep, I was going through major sensory overload -- even for a blueman junkie like me!

On our walk back across the street, M expressed that she would miss L soon.

"Why's that?

"They're planning on moving out of BK into the burbs to have a bigger family farm, and get goats and stuff... "

"Wow. How awesome."

"Yea, she's the kind of woman who knits her own dish towels too..."

Again, my reality check was connecting all that I've been reading about the movement of people growing their own food, and becoming sustainable in an urban area versus the realities of creating a food system for yourself, and relying on the current food system blindly. Here were two women with families who were doing it all on their own, with pride, with integrity, and a whole lotta flare.

Just then giggling two year old Rita grabbed my hand with the amount of trust that warmed all the voids of my little heart. We danced, laughed, and twirled down the neighbourhood street that boasted 9 gun shot misfires just last week. But alas, we were home. My goodness, what a sweetie, and she didn't even say a word.
"I swear she can talk"
Actually, her non stop laughter is what I preferred. and I could've listened to her giggles all day.

Digestive Chocolate Cookies, Tea, and a Two Hour Interview later, R streaked through the house after she had so patiently played by herself destructing her older sister's tower of love in the massive pile of toys in the living room.
It filled my heart with joy,
she was flirting with me,

she wanted to play, and i played along too.

Nnnnnnnnnnaked baby!!!!!!!

I couldn't help but smile too.
and laugh along,
at how free she was
at how unbelievably uninhibited she was
and how excited she was to run around her own space, comfortable,
naked, and without a single care in the world.

and for a moment, i joined her and basked in that careless moment too.

and we laughed some more.

It was inspiring.

I wouldn't have chose to spend my Thursday of this crazy pre finals week any other way.

When it was time to go, I smacked my lips to say goodbye to the hundreds of little fishies in the three separate tanks that filled the foyer.
M sent me packing with a fresh baked loaf of bread wrapped up. She also lent me two food books. I graciously thanked her over and over again for the incredible sense of time well spent, and found my way back onto the train - Manhattan bound once again.

One of the two books was The Edible Schoolyard by Alice Waters.

"This is what I aim for, this is my inspiration" - M. Like reading Harold McGee to see what inspired Alton Brown, I felt like I had just been given the secret code to a secret food world filled with the kind of strong independent womanly Mom love that I have been so desperately searching for.

I cracked it open like the loaf of bread, and her subtle yet soft intro to her story,
written in the simplest way was like finding the soft warm center. It was so easy to get lost in my imaginary world of someone doing good in the land of California, my once promiseland,
as more weathered New Yorkers with frozen brisk and daunting expressions joined me on the train back into the crowded & crazy city.

The exit pops me out right into the middle of the union sq holiday market.
singers, bells, xmas lights, and presents all around,

aghh, back into the land of consumption. Any other time in my life, I would have ended this day with some major shopping therapy, but I decided to run into the whole foods across the street to (ironically) buy some eggs instead. "Hopefully there would be no eyes when I make breakfast tomorrow" ... ha ha ha, awww... and I found a fair trade hand made scarf for my momma for xmas.

Thus for all the times I complain about agribusiness and the cold realities of what seems like a broken food system driven by survival and greed, this post is for all the full-time Mom's out there who work to feed their families with nothing but love each and every day, no matter what it takes. I solute you, you are strong, you are beautiful, and you are an inspiration in the most quiet ways sometime. Just like the chicken, I fear realizing that some day I too will be in the same shoes, laying my own eggs and hoping for the best, even though I fear for your future as a momma bird doing what it takes to survive and our future searching for the best food possible for our young. But all in all, I appreciate you, for everything you have taught me yesterday, today, and tomorrow about how to live.

*Thanks for All the LOVE over the years of fighting to keep me well and happy MOMMA. ;)

Lufff youuuuu

xoxo J xoxo

On Food Safety, oh boy...

2009-12-08T14:40:00.001-05:00

Hold me back, because this is infuriating.

After Delays, Vaccine to Counter Bad Beef Is Being Tested

(which is FABULOUS JUICE FOR MY FOOD POLICY ADVOCACY PORTFOLIO! haha! that and i can write about it here before i send in an angry letter to the editor of NYT. ;)

yup, just like last night, when jlo's hungry for change, or for food, she gets a lil cranky...watch out now.)

- Food safety should be a number one concern, but not to the detriment of the animal’s health. We must first take a look at how the animal is raised, why it is sick, and prevent these problems from reaching our plate and consequently from our own hospitals and health care system.

- “The incentive for the vaccine is it’s going to benefit the packer who is vulnerable to recalls and lawsuits,” said Ronald F. Eustis, executive director of the Minnesota Beef Promotion and Research Council, a trade group that represents farmers and feedlot owners. – SO Greeeattt, pharm companies helping agribusiness with the “intention” of food safety. I wonder who’s going to benefit from that little partnership…how transparent, for the first time. Grrr.

- This is more evidence of the need to fix the system, but the Band-aid-ing effect of people not knowing how to spend their money wisely, amongst the ones who have the power -- If the cows were eating grass, they would be healthier and produce the correct stomach acids to break down the natural E. Coli common in most poop. Whereas, now we're at risk of creating more superbugs that are resistant to vaccines that are becoming more and more powerful versions of themselves. (come on, isn't this biology 101?)

- At an estimated $10/animal for the cost of 3 O157:H7 E.Coli vaccines, that’s a lot of money once again coming out of the pockets of our farmers, who will be paying pharmaceutical companies to topically treat the problem, instead of PREVENT it. That would bring their profit margin down from $25 – $35/animal to $15 – 25, which would force feedlot owners and producers to look for cheaper alternatives and ways to cut costs down in ways that would not necessarily have health conscious intentions for the public they are feeding. Isn't this where we get into the sticky situation of subsidized CORN and SOY as CHEAP FEED?! HOW ARE WE OVERLOOKING THAT ENTIRE ARGUMENT?!

- Money thrown into surface level system changes will only increase our overall healthcare cost of the animals, and subsequently of human health that is consuming these animals who are all pumped up on drugs. Whereas money should be spent to change the way beef is raised, to grow grass as feed, and to clean the animals before they go into slaughterhouses to decrease the chances of their fecal matter touching the raw flesh, and thus contaminating the meat. Aren't we all done with eating SICK ANIMALS? isn't that sick? If you want to “fix” this problem, industry, there need to be funding in research that doesn't pad the pockets of agribusiness. Probable solutions to safeguarding the food we eat are in the works... Let's start with PREVENTION & LIFESTYLE

instead of instant gratification of treatments that take away the symptoms, but don't solve shit.

and with E.coli, that's as literal as I can get.

.... how Asian of me today. I have my opinions about western medicine. (Can you tell?) and it's a shift in methodology here people.

koombaiya - we need to fix the problem. it's starring us in the face masked as a "burger".

xox Safe Eating Today, J xoxo

A little Sci-Fi

2009-12-02T12:30:00.003-05:00

Don't you think?

In-Vetro Meat production, GMOs, Cloning, Vertical Farming. Why do these new technologies remind me a lot about the movie WALL-E?!

Call me old school and traditional, but I rather stick to "voodoo-er" things like Biodynamic and Polyculture farming (following the 28 day life cycle of the moon) before I turn into a robot and have to dig for something that is left that is actually green and alive in about 50 years time.

2050, 2060. yea, those dates sound so futuristic like the Jetsons.

So why hasn't it made our lives easier?

Technology is getting more and more advanced, which means it's getting more and more complicated to keep up with science, while we become more and more manipulated through "free" markets in culture and lifestyle.

How "Safe" is this "Food"? and question always is: WOULD YOU EAT IT?! I guess we'd have to if it ever gets to a point where we must survive in this internet jungle... how high tech Darwinian...

No one knows any long term effects, but isn't that backwards thinking? 'Safe enough for now, but considering the huge stride in science and technology, we'll worry about the health and well being of people consuming these products later, you know, if there are any after effects'... Umm. Isn't technology supposed to make our lives better, and more competitive in preventative ways instead of use humanity as testing beans?

Nothing's wrong with a lil old school -- especially done in a new way, but these crazy ideas lead me to think that, someone's going to figure out a way to patent the sun and it's rays soon, and charge us a quarter every time we go outside to play.

I wonder what my grandpa thinks about all of this? I miss those days when I would frolic in the backyard while he was growing winter melon & tomatoes, and taught us how to fertilize the land with soybeans. I miss those days when our crab apple trees were too much to handle, and littered our front lawn with food for all. We would get down and dirty, helping my grandfather plant in the spring while my grandmother hung the laundry out to dry, and sometimes even the neighbour's dog would run into the yard through the hole in the old fence and frolic around the garden too. I would run up and down and through the vines, happy as can be, playing hide and seek with myself and nature, you know, like the way I do now when I am only overjoyed to see a vineyard on my priviledged adult vacations when I go wine tasting.

Growing up farming your own food and having a garden used to be a wholesome family thing, and now we fight to have these rights and privileges all over again. 'How do we bring these farms into the city?!' Doesn't that say something of value to the urban lifestyle? I find it funny that while I was perusing for Xmas presents yesterday on amazon and ebay looking for "windowsill herb gardens", I found reviews of people complaining that it wasn't "easy enough" to grow. Hahaha, even though everything would come in a kit, and all a human needs to do is to put the pre packaged soil into the tiny painted pots, place the seeds into it, and water. Funny that the people who gave bad reviews were the ones who lived in urban cities with not much sunshine in windows to begin with - like Manhattan. Versus people who raved about how easy it was when they lived in places like Florida, California, and Oklahoma.

I find myself constantly battling against my generation's need for instant gratification also, but are these crazy technologies going to solve this "world hunger" crisis that seems so prevalent? Do we really need to worry about feeding the world when we have trouble feeding the country? Let's start there. I never thought I'd be battling poverty, world hunger, or large corporations marketing to young children when I first joined this program. All I was interested in was Food, Eating it, and Where it all comes from.

I guess it's all part of growing up too. Tracing your roots is never as simple as just placing the seeds into the pot. You have to make sure to take care of the sunshine, the water, and the soil that feeds that seed too.

Hmm...;)

xoxo J xoxo

Money honey! Who has any?

2009-12-01T22:12:00.005-05:00

Sounds like a Broken Record: In recent studies... Studies show that...

A science & technology proof driven society is finally getting all their proof. now enough with spending all this money to test these theories, more money in programs that actually educate people about access and healthy lifestyle please mr. congressmens

Am I wrong to notice that these health studies have gone on for a decade now - in proving that a diet rich in processed crap and junk "convenience" foods cause preventable diseases like type II diabetes, heart disease, and cancer?!

Thank you NYT, for finally connecting the fact that HIGH HEALTH costs are due to poor diets in this country.

We on the food side have been arguing this "duhhhh" for months now. years even...and there's not much to argue about -- it's a cause and effect. Especially since the instant gratification of people going "life's too short, eat it anyway!" is not all just smoke and mirrors anymore, while s/he pops another cheeto into his/her mouth... In my experience -- that "BAM!" wow flavour and crunch only lasts 2 seconds anyway, but the after effects make me feel like crap for days on end. Blech :P

Also poverty is on the rise, never has it been this bad before in this country according to many sources including this other NYT article. Sad, yes. Surprising? No, not really. More and more people are needing "nutritional assistance" in the form of food stamps, aka, the newly renamed program called SNAP, and over 90% of the users are below the poverty line.

for a quick reality check about the poverty line - a family of 4 with a combined income of under 22,000 a year is considered impoverished in this country. -- umm, the last time i checked, a COLLEGE GRADUATE CANNOT EVEN SURVIVE OFF OF 20,000 A YEAR ANNUAL. BEFORE. TAXES. never mind student loans...rent, and oh right, food. That is if they can even get a job in this economy in what they now want to spend their adult lives "doing".

My dear food studies friend Nick yesterday asked a very good question -- we all ponder where studying food is really going to get us traditionally each and every day we're in this program, but deciding to follow our cultural revolution instincts, we can't help but wonder about our practical nature too. We also worry about our finances, the cost of grad school, and how we want to change the world and where we're going to get the resources to do so. Tons of these initiatives are in their birthing and germinating stages, but how you gonna feed a baby? Where are/do we get funds to transfer initiatives from grass roots orgs into national programs that are not only non profit?

"If learning about debt and finances, and how to MAKE money is so important to our survival, WHY DON'T THEY TEACH THIS STUFF IN SCHOOL?!"

Any Math teachers out there wanna hit this up? Advocate and teach us how to rewrite curriculum? Incorporate a lil real life skills all up in therrrrr? Because if memory serves me right, I got A's in Algebra and Calculus in High School, but I surely can't for the life of me remember how to apply those quadratic equations, functions, and parabolas to help me feed myself and lead a healthy lifestyle. And when/if I'm sick -- nothing else matters in my world. Nothing. IF i don't have my health, I have nothing in life.

I'm left counting my own beans now... hopefully a few will germinate so I can eat them too.

...one fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish.

Viva la revolution!

xoxo J xoxo

Happy Birthday Jloeats!

2009-12-01T01:45:00.001-05:00

WOW, I can't believe it's been a year already!!! :)

This is so exciting!! :)

SO I raise my glass of champagne (or beer and chicken wings, as it was monday night football happy hour today after our research methods class...)

and I toast you.

my dear reader, my dear friends who have all been so supportive and loyal thus far.

"If you post it i'll read it" ;) - roy. amen brothah from anothah mothah!

Thanks for giving me a safe space to indulge my head, my heart, and my soul in food writing, in making sense of my world, and learn as I go along. Writing about Food has been an awesome chance for me to embrace all that I feel so passionate about - nurturing and inspiring people, and generating a sense of ownership of choice through conversation. I'm a rebel that way, I love to stir up drama.

But I am so saturated in food stuff that it's hard not to care about my world, and about you.

I know, sometimes, when in person, or in other internet realms like on facebook or twitter, I may ramble on and on about food any chance that I get, but it's true, I have chosen this journey to learn as much as I can about the food world, the moment I killed my first lobster in culinary school, which lead to the moment I decided to write about the process of connecting myself back to my food chain. (which subsequently got me into grad school)

And although it may seem like this program is so new and still fighting to gain the cultural klout that it deserves, I am glad and proud to say that I finally feel like I LOVE what I do. (In knowing that I cannot explain what I do in one sentence or less...;) )

I got the greatest gift today -- for jloeats -- a name that I consciously had chosen to brand myself with a year ago, and that my friend is professional validation. :) The dean of my dept, also professor of my monday night research methods class, J Berg, complemented my writing and I was BEAMING.

"You're a great writer! And you should've seen their faces when you read your piece out loud today"

"Believe in your writing, and your thick descriptions. You don't need to explain yourself, it's already there. Honour the process, and learn to edit down."

And for the first time ever, I feel like my voice is strong enough, that it is all coming together. That this silly process of growing up, of being accountable for my work and my voice, of making something of myself and sharing that with the world, is enough. I had never believed myself to be a "great" writer before, but I have always believed that I have something to say, and a story to tell. It's the theaterical side of me, trained in storytelling and believing in the magic of storytime that has really gotten me to drive myself to practice and become a better writer too. To be honest, it was really scary and daunting to transition from writing for myself to learn how to write for readership, given the fact that I had been journaling my head vs. heart conversations for years on my personal xanga prior to creating this food studies blog, and also writing reviews and assessments and commenting for other orgs on blogger and livejournal as extra exposure to feedback.

So tonight, I am happy to honour the process of my growth, of my hard work, and my passion. I honour my investment that i made a year ago in creating jloeats.com, and I tip my hat to you WP, Blogger, LiveJournal, and Xanga, as you provide safe havens for people to share their isms with the world.

Because when this whole blogging phenomenon began a decade ago... everyone was so skeptical, even I, but I remember the moment i decided to hop along for the ride, to stay on top of our infotechie embracing world. Words can be so transformative, like music, in our ever changing culture, and writing about it has become a fun and worthwhile journey in self exploration and sharing.

"I share, therefore I am."

Jloeats would be nothing without you. :) Thanks a million for all the love and respect. :) It feels sooooo guuuuuuuuuuuddd to have an imaginary safety net, that embraces my every turn.

Paix*

xoxo J xoxox

Oh So Thankful for You*

2009-11-27T12:27:00.001-05:00

my dear readers, my dear friends, my dear families, lovers and other strangers, and all far away and in between :) You rock my world. :)

I supposed it'd be too easy to talk about over eating, or the mistreatment of animals, or about farming and agribusiness like a usual post, because it's THANKSGIVING, the most all consuming holiday of the year - but i'm not going to today :) and my over saturated head in food stuff takes a well deserved break too, yadeedah... :)

Thanksgiving is my all time favourite holiday next to Christmas. It is the ONE day I overeat and gorge my face with love knowingly and exceedingly, and it is the ONE DAY where I throw away all my cares about where my food comes from, how it was made, and why.

Why?

Because It's the one time of year that represents what food is all about to me. EVERYONE is brought together, no matter what, feeling all warm and gooey inside, to share and bask in the LOVE. It's all about FAMILY, it's all about Giving, and gosh darnit, it's all about the FOOD and EATING THE FOOD.

food advocacy and lobbying politics turn into hilarious family and social dynamics (always fun, dramatic, and entertaining...)

food for thought becomes warmth in my stomach, joy in my heart, and oh the funny things that wine, cheese, and turkey do to me...so sleepyyyy.

everyone attempts to contribute in some way, to cook or share, to tell and to laugh, to catch up

and at the end of the day, no matter how stressful it was for everyone to travel to and get back to their roots, to home, and to a place that welcomes with open arms, it's just a whole lotta people getting together to eat, to enjoy themselves and having a gay ole time. Most people are on vacation, and most people feel great to be appreciated and all snuggled up.

now culturally, if we could transfer all this happy energy into a ball, and carry it with us... how awesome would that be? :) hahaha, i know i try to do it, at least until christmas. :)

baby niece and nephew cousins, a breath of fresh air in the new jersey green air away from the city, a return to a normal sleeping schedule (haha), getting some work done in between all my foodscapes ... and feeling so loved through all the technologies from people far away... i am happy and i am loved :)

Hope you are having a fABLUOUS weekend,

xoxo Cheers! Jlo xoxo

So Fresh

2009-11-25T01:49:00.003-05:00

in perspective.

so it took me 3 months to really get a hang of all this grad school stuff, living in new york again, finding my passion, and feeling like I'm on top of my world again. I had a lot of refreshing moments today -- even though the panda like shadows under my eyes from lack of sleep show otherwise.

the whole idea of finding my groove, and where i fit in to all of this food world stuff, and what and how i want to add to this discourse that I've chosen to immerse my life in, all seems to be falling into place...finally. Hahaha at least slowly in my head, I am feeling it through my soul.

I'm also slowly learning to take ownership of my ideas, opinions, and biases that are as juicy as my research methods class on monday nights. aww baby's all grows up. :)

I toot my own horn. toot, toot! Because frankly, if you're not your biggest fan in life, who else can give you the amount of confidence that punches you forward? Amen.

so after 6 hours of digging around last night for new wave technologies in agriculture for my food systems class, we gave a very truncated 5 min presentation on VERTICAL FARMING today. Interesting stuff, worth a peruse if you gots some time. Wikipeadia it, and a quick google search will pop up tons of links and other references to this interesting idea first spear headed by Dr. Dickson Despommier of Colombia U. The skinny: A high rise self-contained all year round indoor "farmscraper" powered by urban waste: aka your poop, and utilizes filtered municipal "grey/black" water pumped through the building and existing agro-water technologies such as aeroponics, fogoponics, hydroponics, and drip irrigation to grow food locally within the urban "food shed" sphere of a city dense in population. (Think tons of roots suspended in water solution with dissolvable nutrients, absent of soil and the earth initiated by artificial light and solar energy stacked high). Check out the pics on the sites, interesting stuff...

Of course I have my criticisms of this completely artificial alternative food system (that is my job now; to assess these movements in grad school ain't it? hahaha...) and it creeps me out a bit like the way Wall E. did in giving me a sense of desolate futurism with "people" "living" in self-contained artificially controlled environments. Woohhweee, those are mouthfuls to say. Is this the future of our urban cities? Will our earth become one giant city? Slightly terrifying ain't it? Either way, check it out, and you tell me, I'd love to hear your opinion on the purposed architectural concepts.

yup, talk about BRAIN FRY. I smell food and good conversation. Enter Lee, my partner in crime today. We exited the infamous library at 1pm, completely starved and in search for some good food. Which was should we walk? East Village or West Village? East. He brought me to the coveted 4th st. co-op and we bulked up on grains. I surveyed all the fresh local kale, beautiful tomatoes from a farther place (what blithe?), and avocados of course from Cali -- which of course always remind me of last January when standing in Q's kitchen, smelling and feeling all the fresh pomelos, garlic, and avocados freshly grown and picked or fallen from his parent's backyard fruit orchard in San Diego. Lucky bastard. LOL.

"You know, I'm more Granola than I thought..."

"Hahaha, I've never heard egalitarianism described like that before...in that case, I AM SO GRANOLA! by the way i made you a vegan cookie."

"Aww. I feel so Loved!"

We walked to Abraco, (thank you Leiti!) after that so we could grab an olive oil cake slice. *ummm, heavenly*... and time for a real meal! We stumbled upon a Japanese restaurant with a chef in the window rolling out fresh Soba noodles. "I was actually looking for the Organic Kitchen down the street (wearing the new badges with pride today) - but I'm sold. let's go in." You know me, I always have a soft spot for "traditional" Japanese cuisine.

FRESH.

YUM.

PARTY IN MY MOUTH, and HEARTY IN MY SOUL.

MMMMMMMMMMM FACE MMMMMMMMMMMM!!! :)

Soba Koh was an awesome find! It's places like these in Manhattan where I feel so tucked in from it all, really they are the best parts of this city, on days where I need it the most. Comfy, homey, and remind me of my travels. Refreshing as hell, and full of great joy and awesome conversation.

Lee: 3 questions that i love to ask people, that says a lot about who they are, you ready?

J: Ok Bring it.

Q1 - If you could speak any 5 new languages, which ones would you pick?

J - French, Spanish, Mandarin, Japanese, and...... Oooh, a CLICKING one like Swahili, aboriginal African something or Hawaiian (LOL: Scott... so un-PC but always makes me laugh just thinking about it...)

Q2 - What is your inner ethnicity/culture? Of what culture do you believe your soul gravitates towards?

That's easy: Japanese & French for the food & cultural lifestyles, past and present, and Hawaiian & British for the politics. I dunno why, but I find an eternal and intrinsic fascination with these cultures...

Q3 (and the one that makes me the most uncomfortable and nervous and fiery inside all at the same time) - If you had to choose your last meal on earth... (Oh No, I know what you're going to ask! I hate thinking about this question! Also because people ask me ALL THE TIME! aghhh!!!) WHAT WOULD YOU EAT?!

I resign, I think I would die before I could choose. HAHAHAHA... fact of the matter is, I just love the act of EATING. The culture of eating, the time, the place, the setting, the mood, the company! The Chewing, Oral Fixations, Flavour Parties in my Mouth, Nostalgic Heightened Emotions, Orgasmic Mouth Feel, Texture, Viscosity, Salivation, ... Ahhhh!!!

And every time I'm asked this question, I always answer differently depending on who I am at the moment. I've definitely had meals where afterwards I was so satisfied that I definitely felt like and voiced out that I could die happy. And most of those memories are of regional Japanese cuisine meals in various parts of the world...or just some damn home cooking that knocked me over with so much love.

Lee: Mine would be fresh baked bread in a perfect dome flaky crunchy crust, soft warm middle, a block of perfect cheese, a fresh bowl of simple organic salad greens and maybe the sweetest crispiest crunchy apple out there.

Hahaha, I was drooling by the time he said apple even though I was full of hand crafted soba and the most artful bento I had the pleasure in inhaling outside of Nippon. This gave me a whole new meaning of FRESH really.

... So an hour after I was prompted, I believe I finally said: my mom's 12 hour (give or take) 40 ingredient (give or take) black whole chicken soup steeped to perfection in the ceramic pot with two lids placed in a boiling water bath in a steel pot on the stove top. What I have so endearingly called "Liquid Home" before.

Ahh Food. If it don't equal Love in your books, you ain't living. I know my body is craving some nurturing right now in every realm possible, and I am really looking forward to Christmas this year, back home, in the new pad, hopefully with snow and all sorts of mom soups and my annual list of places to eat out at when in Toronto :) Also comprising my Cali list too... I can't wait. ;)

but alas! there is so much to accomplish before then! and that is just half of the foodie fun...

So, What would YOUR last meal be? I am so curious to know!

Hoping that you find a bit of liquid home this safe and warm thanksgiving holiday,

Have a good one!

xoxo J xoxo

Grass Fed Makes Me Feel Well Fed.

2009-11-23T14:06:00.003-05:00

An Ode to the greener grass on this side of the dream.
(NYC is the place to be! you know what i mean...)

After an awesome dance concert on a beautiful Saturday,
I walked towards union square with a great friend,
to drop her off along the way.
I treated myself to a shopping spree at the green market at union square,
and called Leiti, you dork, meet me there!
and wanting to give up amongst all the chaos,
a cutie golden retriever saved me from giving up lost.
amongst all the fresh veg, pumpkins, and apple cider,
i was happy to be staring at wholefoods instead of inside her.
After a vegetarian detox, I was searching for a treat,
after a very refreshing and much needed meatless week.
and then i found the booth and the man that made my day,
two 8 oz grass fed beef steaks,
wow 30 dollars cash, is that really what i would pay?
hells yes, it'll be worth it, especially on this beautiful day
for two? he asked,
and i shook my head slightly,
it's just me,
but these will feed me for four days i joked lightly.
i cooked it to perfection,
with a soy sauce,
onion, and orange juice reduction.
Boy was it yummy,
marveling at what beef should taste like with nothing funny.
Afterwards my tummy rumbled for some good company and dessert
as i grabbed my wine and cheese, and prepared to flirt.
dressed to the nines,
I headed uptown on the subway line,
Greeted by many smiles, all warm and cozy
as i settled myself in for an awesome night,
rollin in good times,
with my fellow food hommies.
On the magical grass,
that makes me so happy,
"It's all natural baby"
and oh so sassy!
I'm so glad i left my apartment, which goes to show,
that at the end of the night,
it's worth the fight to let the green grow.
We bond over our quest to fight for good food,
and we're damn good at celebrating the fact that it puts us all in a good mood.
so yay for new friends that take me above,
and makes a girl feel some extra love.
;)
xoxo J xoxo

Other Talks

2009-11-19T18:00:00.002-05:00

TED Talks is AWESOMEEEEEE :)

here are two today that i think kick some food for thought ass!

Louise Fresco: Feeding the Whole World on how bread has become a symbol of privilege, and how to tackle the problem of food security by connecting yourself back to where you fit into your own food chain.

Mark Bittman: What's Wrong with What We Eat on Meat's effects on health and how we now rely on less than 1% of the population to produce and dictate to us what we eat and the history of the disappearing act of the sit down family meal.

Ann Cooper: School Lunches on educating and nourishing children, how are children going to be smart and healthy if they're sick and fat from what they eat all day long?

I think what's interesting to note as a common theme that most initiatives out there are whole hearted yet completely underfunded, under supported, and people who really care are spread thin.

Changing the world is recession proof. so many job postings everyday for all yous out of work out there on initiatives with FOOD and changing the way this country eats. It can no longer be ignored. Awareness is key,

So What are you having for dinner tonight?

;)

xoxo J xoxo

Detox me guud.

2009-11-17T23:26:00.002-05:00

Mmm, nothing like giving in to your body when it tells you exactly what it needs... :)

GOOD FOOD,

GOOD SLEEP,

GOOD RELAXATION TIME AFTER SOME KICK ASS WORKOUTS.

last week i completely dropped my books, and spent some quality alone time, shopping for food, cooking, eating, and working out (3 times in 4 days) i even went swimming!! delllightful!! ;)

really,

is that really it?

All the simple things in life that can be done and so over looked with a busy urban young mid twenties kind of lifestyle, really can save your life in the end.

Learning to balance is the most valuable lesson in Grad school that i've learned so far. Mom's all over can never stress enough that eating healthy, drinking tons of water, getting enough sleep, and enjoying yourself with great exercise is tried tested and true. and Mom IS always right, especially when things go completely awry and you're having the worst week ever. I was so out of wack last week, emotionally, physically ...and i have the world's most sensitive body. So I finally gave in. Sometimes, all a girl needs is some good "take care of yourself" alone time, and that's exactly what has made me feel so much better :)

"You're just a person who needs to be on top of things all the time, and i know it's hard, but it's ok not to ALWAYS be on top of your shit sometimes... you're trying your best and you're human..."

Yeaa, and I just needed to go back to the basics, and tell you what? after a week of Detox -- I FEEL AWESOME again :)

I've been having a fabulous meatless week full of vegetables, salads, yogurt with granola and maple syrup, apples, bananas, sauteed fish, sushi, baked fish, oatmeal in the morning, barley soup with carrots, and fresh home made jlo NANA bread :) hellsss yeaaa :) and YUMMY.

I'm so proud of myself :) and I want to celebrate that! yay! it's all about the small victories in life, or at least celebrating all the happy that can put things into a better perspective.

Now i just have to keep up the good work in listening to my body, when it's stressed, and what it actually needs in order for me to feel good and thrive at all the other parts of my life :)

this also goes to show that when you feed your body according to what it needs instead of what you want, things could go very very guud. :)

I've also started a Alcohol free month. and I'm committing it to you right here. (omg that champagne on new years is going to be YUM. one glass. that's it. and it's going to be a good one...and definitely something to look forward to!)

time to get back on track, conquer my game,

and to treat myself well*

hope you are treating you well too :)

always,

xoxoxo J xoxoxo

Sustainable. vs. Organic. vs. Local.

2009-11-12T18:32:00.001-05:00

But ‘How do we feed the world’?

Ahh the age old question.

This conversation and argument has been coming up a lot in my classes, esp in agriculture. In fighting for changes to agricultural practices and policies that can be built and implemented to change the raping of our lands yet find a way to feed ourselves, i can’t help but wonder, do we even need to feed the world when we can’t even properly feed ourselves in a culturally diverse country that doesn’t follow any kind of local or traditional food lifestyle? What Americans eat is such a hodgepodge of newly created and immature food, drawing from different immigrant cultures and locally developed and industrialized processed food made to appeal to our taste buds and that’s it. Ancient civilizations were built on locality, and the adaptation of their geographic environment. What people ate in certain areas fit with the climate and lifestyle, or was this all trial and error on their part too? It is all clear only in retrospect? I’m sure we as people have been fighting since we evolved from chimps to find the best form of survival. So what do we do about a baby country that has clearly had too many ‘learn the hard way’ – crash and burn kind of cultural and socio-economic lessons on how to survival “properly”?

perhaps, i’m just lost in my cynical critical and academic ways, where i’m starting to find it difficult to relate what i eat and my everyday life back to these grand theories and policies that are trying too hard to be all encompassing. and perhaps, that’s why congress, and the house has trouble representing properly too. This country is so diverse, and when people spend most of their time arguing for the interests of the top profit dollar, well the bigger picture just gets a little lost.

Perspective.

YES. maybe that’s what arguments of Sustainability are trying to push. — If we take a look at the bigger picture, the biggest we can imagine; the health of our earth, then maybe we can relate that back to how we’re messing up our lives in terms of reconstruction after our latest crash and burn of the economy.

What is Sustainable farming practices and how is it different than what we’re doing now?

We all know that conventional farming practices have been detrimental to our health whether internal or externally from the Agribusiness systems. Tons of fossil fuels are being burned and used, yadeeda, carbon emissions are high, etc… we’ve all heard the global warming arguments. So who’s accountable? How do we change these practices?

When we’re talking about Sustainable – are we talking about for our earth? or for ourselves?

Here’s an Article i found in my inbox this morning, (thanks Waylan.)

and my response:

Mass production of our food in america has been raping the soil for years, but it’s been doing so because it’s been providing the supply for the demand, and ppl have been tricked through marketing for ages, being told what to eat, and why — and hence the ‘demand’ numbers of the simple business equation is true, but skewed. People are so far removed from what they know to eat and what they should eat (from cultural and historical clues) that not necessarily following a diet that’s good for our health but good for the earth (as suggested in the article) might on one hand make our earth live longer, but subsequently our health will suffer major consequences too.

I think the earth will most definitely outlive us. So shouldn’t the focus be on how to find a balance between what we eat that’s good versus how it’s produced?

Will the shift in priority towards the health of the earth help to change people’s minds about overall healthy lifestyle? Maybe…hopefully. I wonder if it’s trying to make people care more, but i always find it hard to get people to care about the environment unless it directly relates to how it would affect their life. We are an ego centric race, we need to find ways to survive too.
So I find it hard to receive when one makes claims to say that we should change our diets, if one has the luxury of choice, in order to change how sustainable our earth will be. What if people collectively started not to eat as many berries? (as suggested by the article that has a high carbon footprint) – will the increases in demand of another crop spike in the use and subsequently our consumption of fossil fuels in order to produce enough to meet the demand?

Perhaps looking at how to control climate is another way of us going, we want to prolong our own lives, because we’re scared the earth will wipe us all out in a matter of seconds due to any natural disaster so we’ll change our practices to work around the earth? hmm, that’s something to ponder, but what about the health of the people? the economics of scale? and the enjoyment of a variety of food?

when we’re looking at sustainability, what aspect of sustainability are we talking about and of whose interests are we protecting?

If we’re simply looking at sustainable practices then, it’s easy for one to say — ok, go organic.

since Organics technically sound better in terms of the earth’s health and our health due to the run off of pesticides and waste in our water systems –

BUT, traditionally, Organic practices in Cali have been laid over the frameworks of Conventional Agribusiness… because when you have so many mouths to feed, how do you build a new system that will produce, transport, and deliver from seed to plate with the lowest carbon emissions if no one’s accountable for such external factors of production? Farmers need to make money too in order to survive, they produce for others in order to feed themselves. It’s their livelihood that we’re asking to change in order to benefit ours. I’m sure they can benefit from a little more respect and support from us who just take take take from the relationship too.

Fact of the matter is this country is HUGE and people in dense urban areas have been relying on transported and imported food for ages, not even minding the kind of variety we’re used to that plays a huge role in our cultural lifestyles that have supplemented our nutrition, or lack thereof.

Also, if organics seem so good –

What about social justice issues of the nature of the hard labour with low paying, unfair, seasonal, and horrible working conditions of any large scale farming business – organic or not?

How do u regulate such a system without boosting morale or workers and trusting that producers want to do better? We as a society demand and expect so much from these few who do produce enough at any cost to feed the country.

Perhaps that’s why the LOCAL movement has gotten so much attention lately. Let’s dissipate the responsibility shall we? Let’s make ourselves at least more aware to the fact that we no longer in modern times spend much of our day catching, making, growing, harvesting, cooking, transporting, and storing most of our own food. At least in the big cities. Local Farmer’s markets deal with all of these issues on a small scale community level. Purchasing food from local Farmer’s Markets stimulates the local economy, provides a marketplace for diversified crops, and brings issues of seasonality to the foreground of market goers. Food that doesn’t travel so far uses less fuel and energy to get to climate controlled markets. Local farmer’s markets provide farm fresh foods at a cheaper cost too since some cut out the middle man and related overhead costs. Managing farmers markets has also become a business in itself putting the importance of commerce into the picture. Because in the end, weren’t supermarkets built on this concept?

Lots of farmer’s markets also accept WIC Program checks and are finding ways to partner with the National Food Stamp Program to get working administrative terminals in the open air markets. Winter indoor markets that sell greenhouse crops are also becoming popular as well. CSA Farm basket programs are also available to supplement this source of food.

The only inconvenience I find are the limited opening hours and availability of such food that needs to be brought in and marketed to local communities.

I for one LOVE having 24 hour markets around, because my urban lifestyle has been tailored around such realities. But I do like the idea of returning to a more simple life, where I am connected to my food chain not only through my mind and an education of my systems and where my food comes from, but actually frequenting local markets and eating food that hasn’t traveled thousands of miles to get to that perfectly lit supermarket spot, marketed with a premium price in which i know i am very well paying for the quality of convenience. But i guess times are changing. Even I’m changing. Food isn’t what it used to be, there’s more trickery involved and most things that i used to trust that were good for me, are showing it’s side effects in the health of my body. Also the more i live in a city (as i used to pride myself on being a citygirl), the more i want to return to nature, to spend time in nature, to try hunting and go fishing, and spend my days making food. I miss the enjoyment of food, I really do. I miss having time to cook all day long instead of talk about it, although equally as important.

It’s our instant gratification world that is being challenged now, and when it comes to something as vital as our sources of food, it’s pretty hard to ignore all its affects whether you’re for or against either “new wave” of organic, sustanable, and or local movement in your neighbourhood. Fact of the matter is –

never mind how we’re going to feed the world, but how are YOU going to FEED YOURSELF first?!

Balance. One must find balance in this world. It’s too easy to live and argue extremes, but living a balanced life is the hardest and most rewarding. It is quieter, and sometimes seen as less important only because our extremes can be so loud, but achieving balance is the key to survival.

It’s been a huge lesson in Self Sustainability this week…

my body busted out into hives because of my disconnect between what i choose to eat, and what’s actually good for me. And i can’t help but be grateful for such conveniences when i am sick and under the weather, ironically, due to what I’ve been eating in this country for the past couple of months…We’re all learning everyday, how to sort through all this confusing information about what to eat, and for the first time ever, i was able to see the differences today between all the different systems available out there now as a counter movement of much needed changes to where we get our food.

So it’s detox time. More leafy veg, more fruit, & more liquids, because on any political level of where and how my food was raised and grown, i still need to eat it in order to survive at the end of the day.

and that’s survival, on every level possible.

*PAIX

Eat Well,

xoxo Jlo xoxo

Feast for the Eyes

2009-11-09T02:36:00.003-05:00

So in the middle of my "Foodie" research today,
(HOW DO YOU DEFINE the term "FOODIE"?)
I stumbled upon this AWESOME site, (first spotted by Tastespotting.com & listed in their "popular" section... no wonder!!)

A) I LOVE things that play with scale
B) Talk about relating our lives to food
C) These pictures are so playful with the ideas of perspective
D) I JUST LOVE HOW CLEVER THEY ARE!!!! Aghhhhh!!!
E) Who doesn't like Food photography?! :)

I can't wait to learn more about it next semester ;) Sweettttt :)

ok Enjoy :)
and "Dream of chocolate"
xoxo
-Jlo

Academic Alacrity

2009-11-04T22:29:00.004-05:00

"You can't save the world J"
"but I can try! besides, wasn't the world built on people trying to fight for their own agendas anyway? In their own little worlds?
Why can't I fight for the creation of my own?"

My academic head never gives up. It's like a hamster wheel on crack. Run run run fattie! apparently the world is fat too. there's even a book on it.

How dare they try to knock my spirits when my life is Food. When food is the very sustenance that keeps us all alive. The foundation of life that weaves through our social, political, and just rights. The thing that makes us human.

"Relax, it's just school, there's more to life than school, is what you're doing even practical?"

Gasp!.

It's Wednesday night,
my head is stirred as usual coming out of my food policies class. I am brain fried, frustrated, and passionate with a hot head about the realities of people living in this country.
Between defending that I'm a Food Studies Master's Candidate and trying to explain to people who look blankly at me when I tell them what I spend my time doing now, and getting all heated up in the on going ethical discussions in class on marketing "healthy and nutritious" foods that are all processed in which define our "western diet", I am flabbergasted. Especially now when large companies are trying to jump onto the 'elitist' movement bandwagon and making silly clams to sell their ridiculous products.

Is that even food?

and Elitism? Really? Sure the new wave organic / local / sustainability movement is exposing the real costs of foods, but isn't protecting the free competitive market of our capitalist society inherently elitist too? Doesn't it inherently discriminate the underprivileged and misrepresented members of the marginalized part of society? With this economic environment, isn't anyone without money now, marginalized? Who cares for them? Who cares about you?

EVERYONE is struggling now in this country to survive because of the recession, while
people talk about equality, but still feel as though they must 'protect' the interests of businesses and competitive free markets in order to keep everyone happy.

Isn't it time for some TOUGH LOVE? We can't make everyone happy, there's no such thing.
Besides, aren't we tired of Money making all the decisions for us on how we should live our lives and what they think is good for us depending on what they want to sell?

First, Who is doing the talking?! More Money!
and what peeves me the most is that people of power in this country (obviously the ones holding all the resources too) are so far removed from the faces of hunger and malnourishment (psychologically, physically, and emotionally) that it's easy for them to point fingers and say - hey, you're claiming all of this in objection to my business model -- "prove it."

Ughh, no two words peeved me more.
Kids are getting fatter, "prove it."
people are getting sicker, "prove it."

Millions of dollars are being wasted on studies showing obvious results that kids and people are fatter and sicker than they used to be based on the foods they've been eating.

So isn't life experience enough as proof?
since when did that become invalid?

Perhaps it's the storyteller in me that romanticizes this idea. That people's life stories, through the lens of FOOD should be told, should be heard, and taken to heart.
Since when did people stop caring?

I myself, often feel lost in my own world of food talk, so much so, that I often forget that not all people swim in it like I do, on a day to day basis, and relate everything back to food.

"What do you mean food has nothing to do with it?"
Isn't the very fabric of our existence dependent on the idea that we must eat to survive?
How can you talk about life without talking about food? How can you talk about people without talking about eating?
Out of sight out of mind? But don't we all eat twice a day?
Can you even argue that when we can never escape the realities of trying to feed ourselves no matter where you live and what your beliefs are?

"yes but I don't care"
sure, sometimes I want to just give up and work on eradicating my own hunger first.
Throw my hands in the air in frustration and claim 'I don't care anymore' myself - dependent of the fact that in doing so, it simply proves that i do care enough that it's upset me to even have to say "whatever, I'll deal with you later"...

"But we need people like you, to care about others in the world..."
how melancholy of a statement.
Thanks for at least trying to comfort me in the realities of my world.
This is who I am, I will not apologize for caring about things and being passionate enough to speak up about them often. Like the nerd in class who always speaks up, and as a friend, I smile that you appreciate me and are patient enough to hear me out.

What's in it for you? Well, what's in it for me is that I feel super good about myself when I feel like I've inspired, helped, or fed someone today. How self indulgently sustainable. hahaha...

I promised myself when I started this program that I wouldn't turn into another big grad school academic head, all inflated with notions of grandeur and elitism. I can't help but keep myself in check, since I feel so strongly about food and people.
Sometimes, I am just so sad from all the food talk in my life, instead of spending time creating joy from the act of eating, that I actually thrive on too.

I guess that's what happens in this society, one that I have chosen to study,
one where there's no time like the present to be in a constant search of myself and for balance too.

Because deep down, like anyone else other there, I just want to be loved in return, to sing and dance and enjoy my time too and learn about all the other juicy things in life,
One where my brain just gets to experience the joys of a sudden chemical imbalance of hormonal pleasure, of food, of good company,
and bask in a culture where i can just be me, and not have to spend my time dissecting, alienating, and picking apart the system of food that represents and plays out all of the social inequities out of cultural context. But alas, that would just be too easy no?

Yes, Thank God Page spent an hour talking to me while I scarfed down two slices of 2 bros' 1 dollar pizza after class :) For this I am grateful to have wonderful colleagues who are all going through the same thing, who I can draw from for inspiration in this emerging cultural food movement. I guess in a couple of years, and hopefully within the next decade even, the retrospective look back will be more clear. So all I can do is live off of the high, in choosing to take action and take part of this movement to begin with, right here, and right now.

Keep on trekking through...stay strong, be you.

I refuse to give up on the confidence and hope that I have fought to find in the last couple of weeks, and I believe because I care, because I want to love.
...and that is stronger than any push back, systematic structure built on empty cash out there. and cash is only power by the numbers no?...So what happens when there's a shift in where that cash is in the world like now?

Viva la revolution!

Here, in my world, I constantly barter with love, with food, and with people.
Pull me out of this food world even for one night...
If only...

Keep on fighting the good fight girl,
because having the academic alacrity to sort through the Food Systems in this country,
is learning to sustain myself from a life of fighting for others who have no voice.
I choose,
because when I eat something completely satisfying,
I take pride in the ownership of having the right,
having the will, and having the means to feed my soul.
and I believe everyone should be entitled to that which not only keeps me alive,
but makes me feel like I am Living.

Paix*
xoxo
-Jlo

Head vs. Heart (y)

2009-10-30T00:41:00.004-04:00

With all the talking,
sometimes,
a picture worth more than my words.

i think this greatly describes what i am feeling and thinking at the moment ;)

Farm to Cafe Day was a HUGE success!!!
-met Chef Bill from NY School Foods
-met a Farmer who taught me how to cut herbs, taught me how to tell them apart, and how to grow them
-met a Food Lover who taught me how to make fresh yogurt
-played the roll of a lovable lunch lady in helping to feed 500 kids at BNS a healthy hearty lunch with the response of "can i have seconds?!" like music to my ears. :)

twas an awesome foodie day.
i heart thursdays this semester ;)
hope yours was a food fun filled day too!
(say that 7 times a week!)

xoxo
-J

Digestible Education

2009-10-28T16:06:00.004-04:00

a follow up to my "C is for cookie and Carrot" Post

Sesame Street's response to Healthy Eating, and all the attention on the Cookie Monster!

"me likie!"

When i get overwhelmed,

I seek for inspiration,

and i look to the future generation for inspiration.

Somehow, kids really are the answer. education is the answer, and awareness is the new Food Movement.

"Knowing is not enough; we must apply
Willing is not enough, we must do" - Goethe

How else to hone in on my specialty and strengths,
to boost morale, create a support group for what i believe in, and try to pass on my values in a way that is entertaining, digestible, and oh so cute?

It's DO DO DO TIME!!
Enjoy ;)

...as i prep for FARM TO CAFE DAY at PS146 tomorrow!!!! YAY!!!

xoxo
Happy Farm Fresh Eating Today
-J

Gluttony: Entitlement Vs. Responsibility

2009-10-21T14:31:00.006-04:00

Sick and tired of being sick and tired? I'll say!

It is clear from the million of quantitative and qualitative articles in the past 48 hours on food nutrition issues in Schools all across America, that there is an increasing national health crisis, an epidemic on the raise since the early two thousands and a decade in the making...

that "Obesity appears to be the new enemy. it brings with it the plethora of health problems necessary to qualify as a public enemy - diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and more. it is a disease that could exact a very high public health and social cost. It appears to be a public sin caused by eating too much, denoting a lack of self-control that in turn engenders embarrassment and feelings of self-loathing. This disease is complicated by the contemporary societal standard of beauty, which is defined as thin, leaving the obese to suffer consequences that are not only physical but also psychological." (from the Elizabeth m. Williams' article in summer 2006 issue of Gastonomica, "The Sixth Deadly Sin") wait isn't that GLUTTONY?! ... oh yea, it is. what a double entendre

Gluttony in freedom, in excess, in abundance. in CHOICE.

but isn't "the very foundation of choice based on access to information"? - Ellen Freid, Food Policy Professor, and Attorney in Food Law.

Hmm, so how can we have an arguement about self control, self responsibility, and or blaming the parents of these children who are getting fat from eating "American Food", fast food, junk food, cheap calories, snacks with the very nature of providing in between meals that supplement calories, taste, and cravings when your basic nutrient requirements aren't even met with substantial daily meals (and then some! check! all of the above...) WHEN proper nutrition education is what's lacking in the public's eye.

Education. is this not what people are entitled to?

Health. Food. Clean Water.

why is it that i get pounded on when i DO say, i feel people, children, are entitled to free lunch. why go halfway and offer food but have to sort through trying to define what fits guidelines, resources, money,

go big or go home no?

"We have changed from a country whose wealth has made people grow taller and be healthier to one whose very wealth and sense of plenty have become the problem. Now we must try to impose balance on ourselves, and this is no mean trick." - elizabeth m. williams

so who begins this process? How and Where do we start to draw the lines of responsibility and to say that the government is in charge, is responsible, to provide people with a baseline of care (perhaps it's cuz i grew up in a system that capitally doesn't seem fair with high taxes taken away for exactly these kinds of implementations, but at the end of the day i felt taken care of, that the govn't had taken responsibility for the bottom line of my well being as a citizen) and when do we personally take charge of our own health, of our own fates, of our own lives?

"Whom can we blame for a society that has finally become so rich that gluttony is a real sin, not a theoretical one? [I don't think we should even play the blame game anymore, and i'm sick of hearing the blame throw all over the place.] Perhaps, it is only the devil finally getting his due. after roasting all those scrawny sinners, maybe he needed a few fat ones who would be tender and self-baste." - elizabeth m. williams
(and the cynical side of me laughs at that image. hahaha...)

so going back to the free choice and personal responsibility --

President Obama even declares that every kid deserves a healthy lunch, so are the entitled to one under birth right of this country?

Is this the new Food Movement??

are we ready to implement change?! -

I sure know ppl are tired of hearing about our underprivileged next generation turning into sick fat dumb and kids in schools.

For one - SLOW FOODS USA - is definitely working on it. and I am GAME ON.

Holla if you feel the same.

This movement needs some extra Love...

and "Where there is Love, there is Life" - Mahatma Gandhi

*Paix est bon appetit!

xoxo,

-J

My Perfect Foodie Kind of Day

2009-10-16T16:59:00.001-04:00

After a very reality check kind of day on Wednesday - My triple whammy that caught me off guard and made me completely upset with the world, (yup we all have those days where you just get home, swing the door wide open in hopes to find some comfort to sweept through there like the blowing wind outside, and stand their completely flabbergasted with that look on your face -- the i need a hug look only to realize that, you're alone, and all you can do is say hello to your lil studio, empty space...with so much room for emotions and thoughts to ponder on for days...)

"Food! Food always comforts me at times like these..."
i thought, but i feel fat.
ughh, lost appetite from an exhausting night of arguing why advertisers shouldn't market junk food to children in Food Policy class, and feeling completely helpless and even more angry that food is not a source of comfort tonight.

WAHHHHHHHHHHHH, is all that came out of my mouth, sometimes, i wonder if my neighbours must think i'm crazy. but in new york, no one is phased unless you're having a seizure in the middle of the street - and then, maybe, perhaps, you'll get some sort of medical attention. i did witness this on monday night, while downing that sorbet... oh new york. always so surprised at how extreme of the situations i encounter here on a day to day basis.

So phone calls later to California, i gained my appetite back, started laughing again, and decided to look for the greener grass on my side of the yard.

It started with an 8 am wake up call to get up and get professionally dressed (lookin so guud). Today was my observation day at my new internship. One i had been waiting a month and a half to hear of. I had turned down many very enticing other opportunities, but knowing how limited my time is during my first overwhelming semester as a food scholar, i wanted to be picky, because i could. and it definitely paid off. well, it will...

"Why do i always get lost in Brooklyn?!"
an A train, missed F train, G train going in the wrong direction and then the correct G train later, i had finally arrived in what seemed like the new promiseland.

OMG, I found seasame street!

I walked through a cute little tree lined neighbourhood with brown stone houses, front yard gardens, and garbage cans all lined up. I felt like Oscar the grouch was about to pop out of one while Elmo, Big Bird, and I strolled down the street singing and dancing. "R is for RAINNNN!!!"

It was pouring, but I didn't care, I had my career busting killer glasses, walking boots, town pants, and sunny yellow umbrella with me. It was freezing, my feet were wet, and I felt like I didn't have a care in the world, like a little kid, excited about my first day of school. I was determined to make my day off a good one filled with so much food learning, and none of it from reading.

I arrived at the Brooklyn New School, PS 146 to be exact, like a secret code I spoke to get past the doors, mesmerized. It was everything I had expected, dreamt of, and then more. It was a huge building, and the perfect not so little red brick urban school with the fenced in playground and garden seemed oddly nostalgic and familiar. I walked through the halls peeping into every classroom as I happily embraced the handshake of my leader and mentor for the next year. She toured me around the garden pulling a wheel barrel full of gardening supplies before we walked into a kindergarden class. (yes it gets even better folks!) Before i knew it, i was chopping up garlic shoots and raw cloves for 4 year old kids to taste and react to. "EWWWWWWWWW" ... "MMMMM, yummmy" and then just some purely stunned faces. It was incredible to witness to say the least. hahaha!

I met some more important people of the school, observed some behaviours in the cafeteria during lunch hour, and spent the rest of my day there. I even took myself out to lunch in brooklyn afterwards *pats myself on the back* before i hopped on a train back towards manhattan to get to campus :)

I dried off and did some reading in my new favourite student hot spot! i found a nook! and walked myself over to the famous bobst library for my first of the series symposium entitled

Food Show - "When performance Becomes Lunch, and why we finally have an appetite for a new sort of cooking show" -

featuring panel:
DELORES CUSTER
Food Stylist

HAROLD McGEE
Author, Professor & NYTimes Columnist

FLORENT MORELLET
Restauranteur & Community Activist

SARA MOULTON
Author & TV Chef

FABIO PARASECOLI
Author & NYU Food Studies Faculty

MODERATOR:
CLARK WOLF
Food & Restaurant Consultant

Needless to say, i was giddy with joy in my seat, and completely surprised that i had a point of reference to each and every speaker up there. It made me feel so good, like i finally found where i fit in. They talked about the movements of American cuisine, on the terrifying and frustrating fact that someone with so much power like Tom Coliccio is now endorsing DIET COKE, to the influences of someone like Julia Child who actually taught cooking on tv and was entertaining while doing it, and gastronomy and questioning whether it's really food and how it's redefining foodie culture, and the fabrication of food as an academic subject now - YESS!

Wine & Cheese meet and greet followed, and my jaw dropped when Harold McGee was standing two feet away from me, and i dropped a tomato at that very moment which happened to roll in between his leg.
how embarassing. hahahaha

perfect time for a face to face conversation don't you think? i jumped at the chance, plus i had to retrieve my tomato somehow...my goodness..;)
What an awesome fifteen minutes that was! drooling over the HAROLD MCGEE -- "Big fan sir! You are Great! Anyone's who's anyone in the culinary world has read YOUR book! What do you think about..." and proceeded to pick his brain about American Food & Restaurant Culture.
WHUUUUUUUUUT.
He was welcoming, and seemed totally happy to be getting feedback from students, and i was completely inspired.

ON TOP of the great conversation was a side of yummy white and red wine, triple cream cheese on a walnut cranberry bread, farm fresh mini cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, conchord grapes, and a new friend crush to experience it all with. "Bradley, I am drunkkkk!" and I couldn't ask for more. :)

I even got home and somehow while wine high, sauteed a beautiful fillet of swordfish for dinner with a miso balsamic honey garlic and soy dressing. *yesssss, i still gots it! skills baby skills!*

hmm,
so looks like my apprehensive shell has been shed.
and my FOODIE RESEARCH HAS TRULY BEGUN.
Thank goodness for the Green in my world, and what a wonderful day I had!
YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYY ;)

xoxox
May your search for the perfect bite lead you to a lifelong journey looking for love too.
happy eating,
J

And we wonder why our kids are fat...

2009-10-15T17:05:00.002-04:00

This infomercial ironically, or diabolically brilliant came on while i was watching Ace of Cakes, while blogging my previous post...;)

umm,
a) this could be so hilariously RIDICULOUS -- put in the hands of a LO SISTER -- b/c we would have so much fun making it an art project instead of actually eating it! (isn't it all about the process as a true artist? ;) haha)

and
b) this is terrifying when you, no I, deconstruct the crap out of this and show you how it represents the idea of OVER CONSUMPTION, ABUNDANCE, that BIGGER IS BETTER, and how American kids are trained from the moment they are born to be CONSUMERS for LIFE in this country.

"WOW! 25x the size of a regular cupcake! That JUMBO CUPCAKE IS SO COOL!"
YES, if you make it and not eat it, it's quite a cute culinary feat!
I'd make it only because I'm obsessed with over sized and miniature things (anything that plays with scale really are delightful) and baking, but i still wouldn't eat it.

But Yikes! The idea of presenting that thing to a three year old or 30 of them and having them tear into it like it's Halloween EVERYDAY, omg.
I'm scared.
JUMBO size scared.

(Is there such thing as healthy cake? I'm determined. but i also grew up with my parents pounding into my head that balance and moderation is the key to life. "Even the things that are good for me?! like rice?!? yess, even rice...too much of ANYTHING isn't good. you need balance, variety, self control.")

SUGAR SUGAR SUGAR! SO WHO DOESN'T LIKE SUGAR?!?! (that infomercial makes me want to scream and shout everything like the announcer does!)

TIRED OF HIGH CALORIE FOOD, HIGH IN FLAVOUR, SUGAR, FAT, AND SALT AMERICA!??!?!
TIRED OF FEELING LETHARGIC AND SICK ALL THE TIME FROM WHAT YOU EAT?!?!?
TIRED OF FEELING THE REAL COSTS OF UNHEALTHY HABITS NURTURED FROM A YOUNG AGE AND BEING BLAMED FOR "SELF RESPONSIBILITY"?
TIRED OF GIANT CORPORATIONS SPENDING BILLION DOLLARS TO BOMBARD YOUR MIND AND TRICK YOUR FAMILY WITH MARKETING AND ADVERTISING JUNK that's super LOW in NUTRIENTS but high in FUN and INSTANT GRATIFICATION TO SMALL CHILDREN?!?!

ME TOO!!
and FEAR NO MORE!!
SUPER JUMBO COLLOSSAL SIZED JLOEATS IS HEAR TO TELL YOU THAT EVERYTHING CAN BE HIGH IN FUN AND HEALTHY!!!

NOW IMAGINE THAT!

yes folks, i am using a lot of CAPS here, because i am that passionate about this subject.

Your beloved Food Producers, Advertisers, Marketers, Capitalists, Corporate Lawyers, are all designed to protect their own interests before your health because their own livelihoods are at steak. So who protects YOU when so much skill, resources, money is devoted to deceive and SELL SELL SELL so you can EAT EAT EAT?

PS - This fend for yourself mentality of this country is getting overrated no? It has got to stop. Yes, EVERYONE works hard, YES, Americans have one of the highest work ethics around because it's a capitalistic society where money is power, where we're all highly misrepresented, can be easily demoralized, have no benefits, and no time for pleasure. where people are easily scape-goated for a system that does not protect the people's quality of life. Who takes responsibility for you as a human being that belongs to a society? What happens now when we are knee deep in an age where technology rules? Where we can now IMMERSE ourselves in 3,4,5 Dimensional environments? Who sets the rules then? A place where our alter identities form social communities that may never even see each other, while being bombarded with ads that have NO limitations or regulation on what kind of information is exposed to our young and vulnerable uneducated minds?!

When does all this just blow over and stop?

i'm exhausted.
perhaps...
the solution is,

taking it all with a grain of salt, and learning to make HEALTHY FOOD FUN!!! :)
offer more options to people, let them choose after you teach them that there are more sides to the story.

mom and dad do know best sometimes -
everything in moderation right?
The only time you can throw personal responsibility into the argument is when people get the whole picture,
you cannot moderate something that is only part of the whole pie.
afterall,
who can resist another slice of pie ;)

We are in America,
More pie please!

Snow, Ice, Wine Sorbetto?

2009-10-13T16:19:00.003-04:00

MMMMM,
nothing like coming out of class completely brain fried and heading straight to whole foods to buy some wine sorbet.

i gotta say,
it was
DELIGHTFUL.
my goodness,
for someone who's learning to appreciate wine like crazyyy, (because it sure messes me up when i actually drink it -- yup. i think it's called getting krunk) the flavours dance around my mouth and satisfy my constant oral fixation...

the act of eating,

swirling flavours

remy style fireworks triggered in my brain,

chewing,

swallowing.

pleasure...

what is it about the mouth feel of flavours dancing around my tongue that makes it so addictive?
always leaving me wanting more.

Frozen Pinot Noir?, REISLING?!, CHAMPAGNE?!, ROSE?!
YESS SPEAK MY LANGUAGE!!!

oh food, how you comfort me so in this crazy lonely city.
perhaps that's why this cold and windy metropolitan has given birth to so many other FOODIES who all seek the same thing --
pleasure,
a quality of life,
an appreciation for the small things,
eating.

but eitherway,
desserts i find are supposed to make you happy.
who cares if i hadn't had dinner yet, that it was 9pm, and that we were freezing? Teslick and i were sitting on the union square steps with two plastic spoons in hand, ready to attack our newest guilty frozen pleasure...

the conversation was refreshing too ;)
nothing like a healthy dose of friendship on the side of your main course -
life, grad school, life.
i guess it's like choosing to take the blue pill or the red pill,
except it's like when we were younger,
when our moms had to hide the pill in our ice cream to make it all go down just a bit easier...
and what better way to swallow that pill,
than having it all wrapped up and decorated in a Frozen Cabernet on an ordinary autumn monday evening, that made that moment so very
whimsically,
New York, NY

Throw Me Some Optimism

2009-10-11T01:05:00.001-04:00

"write about your class discussions, your rants, your ish with the world, and i'll find you the readership"

-- here it is royboy.

In my food policies class:

What makes me sad --

"Why do people spend so much time, energy, resources, and money, keeping people sick, uneducated, poverished, and demoralized in this country?! Why does Capitalism Rule?"

"That's like blaming the victim" -- the fact that there even is a power/victim relationship constantly in the structures of this society, is exhausting.

What makes me angry --

"Why a public-private partnership to end the global health crisis without focusing on its central problem first: POVERTY?"

-- Because when it comes down to it, Capitalism keeps the poor people in their place, demoralized and angry that they have to fend for themselves,
and tackling the problem of poverty in the greater sense starts with deconstructing the whole value system in which America was built and breeds on. I feel as though this country needs to re establish it's core values of abundance, consumption, and american exceptionalism, when clearly our generation is finally feeling the consequences of a 'crash and burn' repetitive economic hegemonic society.

As Donald Worster states in Dust Bowl (reading from the FS 1:Agri class, but overlaps perfectly, and talks about the three main tenants of Capitalism, "in pure capitalism, the self as an economic being is not only all-important, but autonomous and irresponsible", "the social order should permit and encourage this continual increase of personal wealth, and capitalism is an intensely maximizing culture, always seeking to get more out of the natural resources of the world than it did yesterday". -pg 6

Hence large corporations don't have to take responsibility for their actions, and neither does the government or policy makers who act on their own self interests, i.e. "revolving doors" concept in Nestle's Food Politics, on recycling of the same representatives and food industry power structures in place.

C, a classmate, also argues that, "corporations do not know the needs of the global poor world, especially their health problems" -- No, I think they know, they just don't care enough to put health as the company's number one priority, because it's a matter of survival and quality of life for themselves and the company. And since the responsibility can be diverted to government policies, the medical industry, on health insurance policy, and even blame bad parenting and lack of education, (don't we hear these arguments over and over again ALL the time?) why would the company change their money making ways to care for a society of people that they've been repeating the benefits from, and if the company goes under and all of a sudden the companies employees are all laid off, who's going to protect them?

It's sadly a fend for yourself world, which makes everyone think -- where do i start in trying to change the system? In wanting to make new laws that actually "protect" people's quality of life instead of protecting their pockets, since quality of life is bought with money in this country (unlike places like France, Canada, and England -- i.e. where more 'Socialist' systems are in place. I am Canadian, but have lived here for 7 years, sorry if it seems like I'm 'bashing' American values, but I'm only offering a personal point of view in critiquing and comparing two vastly different systems with slightly similar cultural values)

Pretty much asking these huge economic hegemonies to take some responsibility is asking them to shell out their cash to change their comfortable lifestyle supported by a corporate system. To change a system that has already been in place for so long that gives them their sense of food security, in order to care for the poor, the poverished, and the under educated is definitely a challenge to say the least.

What i want to know is WHAT DO THESE EMPLOYEES EAT? What do they feed their children at the end of the day? Where do they buy their groceries? Do they consume their own products? If these health problems are highlighted to each individual employee of these corporate companies, made relatable in their terms, will they start caring? or will they just give us the same age old response of self responsibility, that they've worked so hard to get to where they're are now?

-- In arguing the other side in class on wed. -- for changing the corporate system from within (as i hope someone like Dr. Yach (former World Heath Org President, HAA!) can somehow influence some sort of change in a company like Pepsico, it's not as black and white as if you're not for us you're against us, because that's binary oppositionary american thinking too -- there is lots of GREY -- he needs to survive too, and who doesn't need more money? sure he compromised his integrity...etc.)

I guess I am trying to find optimism in believing that people are trying to re educate and change capitalistic values from within, because how else do we tackle these core values that uphold the whole idea that nobody cares about health and other people when they have to fend for themselves? And when powerful money does all in its power to demoralize and keep you quiet, (ex, sugar industry fighting back to take away WHO funding) is re-educating our young even possible within our lifetime??

How do you make money care about humanity?
How do you make business PERSONAL? -- ohhh TABOO...

I believe our generation is learning to fight for Quality of life again, which inherently builds true equality amongst class hiearchies -- it's cultural revolution time! Do we start with education to empower choice? Or do we start with policies that limit irresponsible freedom? Or do we make Healthy food FUN?

i leave you with this beatles song "Help! i need someboday...HELP!"

Love your world, take care of you,

on my journey to find "self sustainability" (thanks evan!) not only with survival, but with integrity, a lifetime of risky business, through food, and lotsa lotsa love.

xoxox

-JLo

Finding my way in the Food World

2009-10-07T13:49:00.003-04:00

Will all the FOODIES in the house please stand up, please stand up...?

Flashback almost two years ago, in a similar styled financial district apt cutely dressed in attempt to draw in some comfort and separation between the crazy world that is outside of that window - aka, Manhattan, Post Grad (what a time! what a transition!), and me on my cell phone in desperation and complete clusterfuck of emotions, with a good friend*

"Is this Industry really for me? i don't know! was i too quick to throw away my theater path? i'm terrified and i couldn't wait to get out of there faster than a bullet train, except, i was crying the whole time whilst on it, imaging my misery if i was to spend my thanksgiving and xmas working there. was it worth it to give up all my holidays and sacrifice for something i have a choice in choosing to claim as my new identity? Do i love it that much? Of course it was useless trying to conceal my tears on a crowded 2 Train on a Saturday night, still wearing my stinky uniform smelling like a burger and people dressed to the nines to go out ... but i looooove food. Culinary school is so much fun, it's HARD as heck, i've never worked so hard in my life, but i'm not so sure i love working in a restaurant as much as i love eating at one..."

"yea i know it's been hard for you, ask your chefs instructors for advice...don't right it off yet, it was just one night. talk to people in your industry... find another kitchen, try something else, who knows!"

"yea it's just so crazy that some people were born to do this, like they knew, when they were 13, that they would be working in a restaurant, that they want to own one, that they claim to be CHEFS right off the bat, i'm not sure if i just like that title, or if i really love what i do."

"well, honey, if there's one thing you've figured out in the past 6 months, is the fact that you are definitely a FOODIE. all that other stuff, you'll figure out later..."

It's now 'later'.

About a year and a half later, wiser, once again post grad, culinary grad, with a beautiful teaser of what it would be like to be a food stylist, a cook, a stage, a food blogger,

To present day,

I am student again. i come out bewildered, exhausted, and overwhelmed from my 6:45 pm food systems agriculture class on a tuesday night, after a year in between culinary school and a whole lotta soul searching, all the heartache, home, and 4 months of pounding out some expeirence in a super high volume restaurant in Toronto included. and after deciding that immigration laws are no longer going to drive my decisions about my life, they are only a factor of my 'situations' that i need to solve, i will now let my dreams lead me.

I'm back in New York. and the stench of this city only reminds me of how nitty gritty and grimy working for your dreams can be when you're still stuck and lost at the bottom of your mountain to sort through.

My fellow collegue comes out of the same class, flustered and completely frustrated asking me,

"Do you also find that class completely irrelevant? i mean how does all this theorizing and hating the system of industrialization and capitalism relate to me in a PRACTICAL way??? How is a free formed discuss of jaded second years hating the world going to help me as a food scholar when the rest of the time is spend regurgitation the thousands pages read of historical readings we had to do in prep for it!!! i mean, prof has so much knowledge about the history of Agriculture in America, but there has to be a better way of teaching this at the graduate level, what am i paying all these big bucks for?"

Amazed and a bit guilty for hating on the system weeks before myself, (pretty much since this program started) "I too have been having trouble grounding myself to a particular focal point in which i can devote all my time and energy into "fixing" or working towards change for the greater good that relates to everything we're been doing"

Honestly, i've spent the last three or four weeks of school extremely overwhelmed, frustrated, and desperately searching for something to grab onto myself, that gives me some sort of clue as to where i fit into the picture, where my role comes into play for this cultural revolution we are having with food and how food gets from the dirt to our plate and then how waste is treated.

Into this system, this industry, this food world that i had dipped my feet into on the other spectrum a mere two years ago. From cooking for one or two in college, to privately cooking for four with private lessons, for a dragonboat team or theater group of 40, to cooking for 500 in a restaurant,

From working with media in food styling, to testing recipes in a test kitchen, to writing about what i eat or don't eat, to trying to take pictures of what i do eat.

From loosing my appetite from heartbreak, to limiting my diet or including foods i've never seen before for health and wellness,

From studying food policies in effect for the hunger and overfeeding of cheap calories, to actually feeding the hungry in a soup kitchen and seeing these policies in effect and all the issues around it,

From traveling and eating from different parts of the globe, tasting culture, 'organic' and sustainable practices in a soup spoon, to over eating and getting fat from calories and non nutrition,

From storytelling with food to storytelling about food. Aghh finally a point of departure in a language i'm used to hearing :)

I found that when i came out of my Research Method's class on Monday night, i had finally understood what qualitative research meant, and what my role is as a grad student. Why i embarked on this journey had been a fuzzy intention, other than the fact that i needed more time, to discover what i wanted to do with all of this passion, love, and knowledge for food that i have. And in the most lyrical and poetic voice i had ever imagined hearing in grad school (everyone else just seems so serious all the time)

"Your job as a researcher, as a food scholar is to take someone's story, find the most saturated picture possible, and re-tell it, accepting your role and given perspectives and biases as yourself, as a passionate human being talking about food, and hopefully find something new to say about the subject."

"You must therefore be open to the fact that all you have are questions, questions that you want to find the story to. it differs in quantitative in that you're not out to prove anything, only that a story exists, and hence a different perspective on your chosen topic exists...and since this is an emerging field, go all out. There is so much out there that needs to be discovered!"

Finally. Inspiration. in it's purest artist form. something i have been hungry for this entire time. because the more i study food, the more i realize it is in every aspect of our lives, it is weaved throughout our life's tapestry, and that we can never escape talking about the human experience without including the factor of survival that is food.

So where do i fit into this entire food chain so to speak, the whole idea, that we are all connected through food, like a chain, whether it is visible or not?

Be the story teller that you were trained to do,
search for the story, the culture, the animation, the passion, that exists in food...

That is your mission, at least for the next two years,
and everything else,

well, my deer grasshopper, you'll just figure that out later*

xoxo
-J

The Soup Kitchen

2009-10-03T08:30:00.001-04:00

it was very interesting to be working in a soup kitchen in harlem yesterday,
given it was only my third time ever walking through harlem. scary, run down, ghetto. lack of funds, lack of value, and spirit. low morale, and just plain SAD.
down and out.
i almost grabbed one of those trays i was serving and wanted to shove it into my own face in desperation and solidarity, in silence, and in HUNGER

but what separated me from the crowd?
am i so different?
nope.
only thing that makes me different in this capitalistic society is that i have moneys in my account.
and that doesn't mean much anywhere else outside of this realm.

that's what i don't like.
we talk about equality,
but there is none.
not in america.

we fight hard for it,
cuz the values of this country rests on is ridiculously fend for yourself kind of individualism.
its so inhumane,
and acts of charity and humanity are glorified, because it's rare.
but it's also very abundant, just as in the theory of american exceptionalism itself.

(Book: Sweet Charity? - Janet Poppendieck)
because people are also human. they like to feel.
and it's so easy not to have to here.
to be a robot.
oh god,
all these things i feared whilst growing up.
it's like facing my childhood demons everyday and fighting for who i don't want to become. hahahaha

ick. puke puke puke.

but that was a tight ship, that kitchen,
but not run tightly, it was just tight-ass.
the poor ppl just wanted to be treated like people,
stop power trippin chef, eww
stop the "we don't do this because of policy" bullshit.
so annoying
and that pissed me off.
i'm not against going back to volunteer,
i just don't like how that place was run,
i need to find another ktichen to work in,
but i do smell an 'exceptional' midterm paper because i feel so strongly about it.
she can become my next project... hahaha
"Project!!" - clueless.

and again, you know me,
if i can't fix it,
i leave.
it's not mine to fix.
and i knew that,
so i just stayed quiet, and smiled,
at all those who just thanked me and god (i heard a lot of 'god bless yous' aww)
when i gave them a tray,
(out of order, omg i'm such a rebel, and i definitely pissed off the chef when i tried to FIFO that shit. wth,
i am a professional! hahaha)
and when i serve people, i aim to please. it's not just work,
these people are teeple poo. (phrase made possible by a teeshirt i saw once online somewhere snorg or threadless)

and of course, my one random comment for the evening from a guest:
"WHAT NO MEAT?!"
i was stunned,
and silent for a good five seconds,
while the man starred me in the eye,
and i starred back,
shocked.
all i could muster up was
"no."
hahaha, nervous laughter...inside and out
and he shook his head, took the tray, and walked away mumbling something to himself

i heard one crazy angry conversation about politics (awesome)
and most people where just silent, and hungry, and thankful,
who just simply needed a meal.

crack crack, *HEARTBREAK

ughh,

does emergency food help? when people are starving, down and out, they just want to be taken care of no? why do we still judge people even when we're helping them?

i just saw a lot of sadness in eyes, and was frustrated when fellow volunteers and even the people of the day to day staff were less sensitive and laughed at certain 'regulars' with funny mannerisms, who seemed drugged out or drunk, or just simply physically less able.

i popped out of there when i finally couldn't handle the power tripping from the lady in charge anymore, did my share of the clean up after the dinner was served and i jumped right onto the first and closest train out of harlem,
with ample time to get back downtown to campus.
i emailed my dad right away on my pda/phone, letting him know how grateful i am, that i have parents like him and momma,
while i shoved a slice of pizza into my mouth as the owner tried to make a business deal with me,
"catering to students, if you hook it up for me, i will hook it up for you anytime you come in to eat, *wink wink, yea?"

"hahaha, sure."

as i grabbed my stuff, folded up my broken heart, counted my lucky stars, and jumped right into my African dance class down the street.

"Thank god i can now spend the next two hours of my life CELEBRATING LIFE, instead of feeling sorry for it and why-ing the crap out of all its inequalities."
yes i know, it's what i'm also really good at doing. ;)

dance gurl, just dannnnce,

and make sure you eat something yummy afterwards

so i did*

One of my favourite Thai places in the city, is a tiny hole in the wall on 9th st. and 1st Ave. called Tara Thai, (Sorry New York, nothing beats Thai food in Cali -- if you're ever in Hollywood, try Jitlada, still one of the best green curries i've have - ever)

i love that i was in my 'hoodlum' gear, dressed down to get dirty and work from the soup kitchen, with a hat and my perfectly sweaty post dance coif covering half of my face when i spotted a table for two in the tiny ten seater place. The owner /host /server looked at me while pointing to the table and said "YOU! omg, it's been a while!!"

hahaha, i LOVE that he remembered me.

it's been two years, thanks Charlie. :) :) :) it's nice to know that my patroness was missed.

i guess that's how i wanted those people to feel in the soup kitchen. i'm sure they have enough on their plate, or lack of anything really. (i now know where most poplar euphemisms and coined everyday sayings come from! the more i study food in grad school, the more punny it's becoming, har har)

point being,

i like to aim to please when i serve food, any kind of food.

food should be a celebration of life,

like in my dance class,

every bite should be a wonderous and magical moment,

at least i aim it to be,

and that's what makes me so interested in the subject of FOOD*

Hunger, it's the new muse.

just like how food should be like music...

xoxo Happy Appreciative Eating xoxo

-J

Beuf

2009-09-29T11:33:00.003-04:00

Nothing peeves me more than to bite into a piece of BAD BEEF.
the taste, the texture, the quality of how the animal is raised ---

for real, SO much energy goes into this cow --
on the farms,
the petroleum/ethanol, whatever energy used to raise the cow, and how it's poop completely helped 19th century farmers restore the fertility of the land (was reading Larding the Lean Earth, By Steven Stoll last night, and love how he glorifies the POOP, although, we're not in the 19th century anymore, and history does repeat itself -- and this time, it's a lot worse.)

SO much run off now a days threatening the safety of our drinking water, and sure the cow poop is good for the environment and the farms and provides the best kind of organic matter for our soils -- IF THEY EAT GRASS.

but nope. alas, cows on feed lots mass produced for cheap hamburger eat tons and tons of cheap feed, corn products subsidized by the gov't.

of course food scholarship comes with the price of unveiling a whole lot of truth, and people telling me:
"i don't want to hear it!! aghhh!! because it tastes sooo guuuuddddd"

but fact of the matter is -- IT DOESN'T.
it's dry, it's got a weird flavour to it now, and the texture of the poor animal is as battered as it's life on that farm - if you can even call it a farm anymore.

almost seems like it's not worth it,
at least for me --
when you bite into it after all the trouble it's been through --
public birth
separation from its mother -- if it's a boy? perhaps Veal grown in a box, if it's a girl? MILK!
emotional trauma of journey to the slaughter house by pick up fork, maybe
slit its neck slaughter
aging
butchery
transport, more fuel
storage, more energy in controlled temperature environment
wholesale
retail
trade
proper storage out of the danger zone temps in the consumer's hands (40-140 F), again more energy
and then the moment of truth -
COOKING.

and for all those who like to eat their meat WELL DONE. well. that's just it's done deal. GNAW on this piece of cardboard. it may not even be cow.

FO REALS. is it worth it?!
you decide.

how upsetting, knowing that it could all be better...
IF YOU DEMAND MORE FOR YOUR DOLLAR.

BUUUUUTTTTTTT i must say, on the other side of the spectrum giving credit to centuries old of farming practices and at the very least, GRASS FED BEEF ---
When you do treat yourself to a NICE FATTY JUICY WELL TREATED AMAZINGLY RAISED PIECE OF MEAT --- OMG, DROOL.
YOU GO ALL THE WAY.

i.e.
KOBE BEEF.

*insert choir here*

check out this article
Meat Digest: The History of Raising Kobe in Japan

it's fed beer in the summer when it's too hot and has lost it's appetite! :) that's how i felt in japan this summer with crazy temperature above 45 Celcius plus humidity. and they figured it out -- eat cold dishes and ones with vinegar, citrus, fresh crunchy things, ice. LOHAS.
i know i've heard crazy things before like Kobe cows listen to classical music and gets a daily massage...etc, haha
but point is:
when you treat an animal with respect,
your bite of food has a lot more, how you say... BITE to it.

Integrity.

TASTE, FLAVOUR

you know exactly what you're paying for and how that experience should pan out.

so don't sell me short America,
i will no longer buy cheap meat.
Even American WAGU is better...
yess,

and just like how i am a self proclaimed sushi snot -- i like it completely delicate, fresh fish or sea creature, and should be a new experience each time those multiple layers of flavours dance around in my mouth.
(we're not eating burritos here, no cream cheese in my rolls please, thank you culinary school!)

I like to think that i'm a meat snob too.
because it does help me cut down on meat consumption, which in the end of the sustainability talks, is better for everyone, at least for now...

and i've had the privilege and luck to have had such amazing food so far in my life...
try it if you can, it's such an investment to your overall JOY of eating in life. ;)

happy eating*
J

C is for Cookie, and Carrot?

2009-09-28T13:41:00.003-04:00

From "c is for cookie, and cookie is for me!"
to "cookies are a sometimes food"

I DIG IT. :)

Wow so much uproar and discussion since 2005 about Cookie monster changing the way he eats -

people, icons never die.
they live in our hearts,
and if people are making efforts to change and educate important information about our health and wellness in a more digestible way (har har har)
then let it happpennn!!! let the love happen!

But i guess it's always good when people react strongly about change -- that means it's time for it.

I know growing up my parents always taught me "everything in moderation" and i'm glad pbs is incorporating that into their shows.
Think about it,
variety and nutrition are always tough subjects when it comes to kids, because kids want what they want, and they want it NOW, and exhausted parents usually just give it to them.

perhaps i should come up with another kind of traveling show -- one i bring into schools.
hmm, the clocks are churning, the wheels are moving...
some help Uncle Kao?

I mean, sometimes when i do all my grad school readings, and i think at the rate in which we as humans have been manipulating nature,
i get overwhelmed too and think we're heading in a complete CRASH and BURN situation.
it's kind of scary.

and just like how sesame street helped to make my childhood fears go away and made monsters friendlier,
can puppets help me teach kids about the monsters of AgriBusiness and the importance of Advocacy in Food Policy?

Let's hope so,
and someone's gotta try right?

at least we know the first lady is! LOVE herrrrr

(In this photo provided by Sesame Workshop, First lady Michelle Obama visits the Sesame Street set for a taping of a Public Service Announcement with Elmo as part of Sesame Workshop's Healthy Habits For Life initiative, Tuesday, May 5, 2009 in New York. The first lady called her appearance Tuesday on "Sesame Street" probably the best thing she's done since arriving in the White House. (AP Photo/Sesame Workshop, Richard Termine))

Eat something Yummy & Nutritious today ;)

Feed your Soul,
xoxo
J

pay me to eat SPAM?

2009-09-28T13:08:00.001-04:00

puke puke puke.

this is my response to a spam post i got - from a user on this site most likely paid to spam this:

(this makes me unhappy wordpress, i never had these problems on blogger, as in all the spam replies)

http://mcdonaldscouponsportal.wetpaint.com Saying "i like your post"

at first my initial reaction was,

DELETE.

and not even validate it's existence, although a big part of me deep down was scared that, because it did exist, that people actually go to it, and the cycle of crap circulates. this shit needs to be called out, these things need to be addressed.

SO being the rebel that i am, i clicked on it.

RE:

Your site is terrifying - cheap mcdonalds coupons just make it easier for people to access their cheap food and continue to play into the AGRIBusiness - which you end up supporting by spending your hard earned cash there, even with a coupon.

"McDonalds is one of the most important brands in the junk food commerce. For years, it has demonstrated to provide to millions in the world." --
UGHH, Yea provide millions with heart disease and diabetes and now brings it all over the world

and "important" according to who?! they're huge with tons of resources made RICH by the public supporting them and because of that they're iconic and well known (welcome to capitalism)
but that doesn't make them "important" by any means to your health, -- the real COST of it all.

There's already too much trash out there on the internet about the TRASH people "should" be eating according to the agenda of the producer, seller, and marketers. What about YOU?! they call it JUNK for a reason -- AND in quoting M. Pollan -- it's glorified as 'junkfood', when the word FOOD doesn't even apply to the crap you're eating. Of course they'll make it easier for you to BUY their products.

I have nothing against burgers and fries - when they're MADE right, with real ingredients, holy crap it's yummy. I'm against all this petroleum produced CRAP that's masked to trick my taste buds, subsidized and sold cheaply to the public just to pass another meal - yea, sure, it'll feed you for the moment, but its consequences will linger much longer than you even know in all aspects of your everyday life. cost of food, cost of gas, cost of health care, cost of the crappy earth that affects the food produced on its tired soil for your CHILDREN to eat.

AND I can go on...
(thanks for the amo, i can't believe you got paid to spam that crap. please stop giving people misinformation if you really care about survival and where YOUR next meal is coming from)

If you like the instant gratification of McDee's -- try this game:
http://www.onlinegameshub.com/pages/mcdonalds-game.html

it's fun too. TRY to WIN it. i dare you.

This is as good as pink’s dear mr. president song

2009-09-03T12:31:00.001-04:00

oh michael pollan, heart chu.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/12/magazine/12policy-t.htm?_r=4

this is only one of the hundreds of articles i will be asked to read and find this year on top of my massive reading list of books — welcome to grad school! it’s going be a fun foodie ride ;)

strap it all in! tuck and roll!!

after an intense summer of traveling, i am back in new york, about to start school again. *sniffff aghhhh, the smell of fall. i love fall. the signal for change, growth, and the cool breeze that hits your face while you stroll down the streets

-- and the perks of living in this "epicenter of the worrrrrld that is NEW YORK CITY" as my dean proudly claimed yesterday at orientation?!? -- the FOOD of course.

i had forgotten how good the food can be, if you have money to eat it herrr.

so american, that money speaks -- i remember now...

let's band together and change that soon yea?

let's work together to make healthy food affordable aight?

put that on the to-do lists please!

happy conscious labour day weekend eating*

Screw Saving the Planet...

2009-08-14T09:03:00.000-04:00

hear me out.

it's time to learn to help ourselves, and really learn to take care of each other as a human race -

do you think the planet needs saving?

mother nature has the ability to wipe us out in a matter of seconds with her forces - earthquakes, typhoons, volcanic eruptions, tsunami's. - i don't think the problem is global warming,

i think the problem is us.

and climate change is the earth's subtle not so subtle hit you over the head warning that it's time to do something about our practices as human beings over centuries of occupying its space.

yes yes let's talk about sustainability shall we --

it's the sustainability of our hope and of our future that needs to be protected, not the earth's

when businesses and global corporations talk about sustainability, they are talking about OUR ability to regenerate resources, not the earth's. (or at least this is what i hope they are referring to, and should be if not)

i have learned this from my recent travels to Japan.

seriously, for a country and a culture to have figured out how to live along side fault lines, (our family shy-ed away from the typhoon in Okinawa and 7.1 earthquake in Tokyo by one day), and active Volcanos on the island of Kyushu - most recent eruptions in 1990 that lasted 6 years straight, STRAIGHT! - is an AMAZING feat of learning from the past and making the most out of it life now --

think of all the AMAZING PRODUCE grown on its rich soils, executed and cooked perfectly, offered in the tiny but perfect portion sizes of nutritious morsels. in other words - Great non cheap filler food. every bite is nutritious, excess waste is in the packaging, and a non over hording mentality available to the masses.

i'm not talking about Tokyo the most expensive city to live in at the moment in the world - that's another subject of interest) the japanese have really figured out how to protect their own, and how to educate the future about it. when i travel, i love to see local, do local, and eat local. i like to walk in the outskirts of the cities, see the farms, and run through jungles, i love to dip in the ocean and feel the wrath of the powerful sun on my 50+ sunscreen protected skin. cuz i ain't kidding around when i'm amongst nature, because i know mother nature doesn't fuck around either.

and when along the way, i find evidence in japanese social structuring and government policies that protect the people's livestyles even on my daily explorations as a 'visitor', it brings me such joy to find family friendly, health conscious, protecting the future kind of living on my non local level so readily available and tickling the fancies of other travelers i meet along the way. and i LIKE IT.

the newest trend over there is LOHAS living (Lifestyle Of Health And Sustainability) and ppl follow it cuz it's trendy. "trendy" is such a buzz word in society, but then again, i like to question these things. Why not follow a good trend? One that promotes healthy lifestyle, and protest's that basic right for the people through their WELL BEING instead of protecting their 'pocket right' as i like to call it in north america. (by that i mean the energy spent protecting the people of power/people of resources/people with MONEY's POCKETS with no responsibility to the health and well being of the masses of people they affect each and every day on the ground level, on the health level, on the we're all human level) money buys you availability, buys you health, buys you better food, and comfort in north america. money buys you quality of life and a ticket into society. WHY IS THAT? it's time for a real change. you can't take money into the grave. let's spend our resrouces on protecting the people, improving quality of life. and not choosing to be ignorant about it.
(when i think about the crash diets in america, i shiver. and it makes me scared and sad for people who just don't put their health first, who don't have the means to, and who don't know any better because of misinformation)

so i shout, i whisper, i speak to you some information. i'll dance it, i'll sing it, i'll write about it. because i care. about you. as a human being, as my friend, as my family, as my co-worker, as a stranger i share the same transportation path with, as a fellow internet user generated identity, as a lover, and a fellow goofy warm smiley person. i'll nag about it like your mom nags you because she too cares about the life she brought into this world.

We all just want to be loved and feel taken care of in the end right? i'm sick and tired of the "fend for yourself" mentality in America. people in that country deserve so much more than just hope. they deserve to be taken care of and treating like people. and that starts with SURVIVAL. basic survival. FOOD, WATER, SHELTER, HEALTH. (80,000 ppl in LA are homeless and outcasted - the largest number in the WORLD of homeless let alone in the nation, 1 in 2 kids in elementary schools in america has diabetes (type 2) or knows someone who is suffering from), we ship in water from fiji and across the world causing large carbon footprints cuz our local tap in most places makes people sick, people who get sick from crap food rely on the healthcare system which pumps them up on drugs if they ever see a doctor, and are left with a lifetime of debt in paying for a system that doesn't solve the problem, that just suppresses the symptoms and doesn't care about the people.

as i quote Whoppie on a former episode of 'the view' that cracked me up --

WHAT THE HELLLLLLLLLLLLLL.

we pride ourselves on innovation, passion, drive, and momentum.

let's FIX THIS.

it doesn't take one man, say the president to fix everything in one day, one month, 4 years. he's working hard, he's already spent his lifetime fighting for what he believes in, you can do it too. you're fighting to survive each and everyday yea? the rights you have, that americans fight to have need to be USED. and they need to be used now to help each other out as a nation in implementing change. our generation is screaming for cultural revolution, because we're tired of all this shit, being duped, scammed, stolen from, and hidden from when it has all to do with our quality of life.

it takes a collective society to believe in that hope, to keep continuing to educate themselves about themselves, and to inspire our future to do the same.

living in Canada this year, having the luxury to see things, experience joy in quality of life, visiting all over Europe, and japan this summer has taught me a lot by comparison. ad even so, i feel as though i have a responsibility to myself and others because i care to spread information like wildfire about truth and reality and offer support where there is none on subjects like these because i am privileged, because my parents gave up their comforts in life for me to have this opportunity to be so privileged. and because we live in north America, it's a privilege, it's luck, and it's birth right. so i USE it. i do apologize for my didactic tone, but it's cuz i care. and so far (so far...:) ) this is my only means of expressing it... i will find other ways! :)

there's no comfort in change, but likewise, there's no forward movement in comfort.

so i say, why would you continue to sit in your own shit, live it, breathe it, get sick from it, be forced to turn a blind eye to it, if you know you're sitting in it? By instinct, that's just a bad move on survival, and that ain't so fit.

edumacate yo self

spread the love

care about others

and EAT GOOD FOOD

i like to live by these BUZZ words ;) because to me, there's no other joy in life than LOVE & FOOD.

and like the japanese, it's time to LOHAS it up! cuz it just feels so DAMN GOOD when you're taking care of yourself and have vitality!

YEEEEAAAAAAA!

(bring it on NYU, i am ready to embark on my journey. let's do this! t-minus 4 days...)

*peace & happy making,

xoxo J xoxo

Fear of Food

2009-07-26T09:02:00.000-04:00

Holla from an airport lounge :) i figured i'd write once more before i embark on my travels to asia, mainly japan for the next few weeks!

few! it's been one busy summer full of traveling filled with joy and my foodie foodie research as normal, as i LOVE to see and read and talk about what other people eat, how and why all across the board.

so i stumbled across the august issue of Elle Canada Magazine, and in their Elle Body editorial section, this month's author Amber Nasrulla wrote a very interesting article called "HOT PLATE" -- (sorry i'm digging around their website right now and they don't have an electronic copy of it - i guess that's how they get ppl to get a hardcopy of the mag) --

she talks about how there now are all these terms and political standings as to what people eat and why that really shapes their social views of the world. -- well food for thought is now a common saying - since there does seem to be a fear these days of people asking themselves -- "so what SHOULD i be eating?"

i hear this a lot amongst my friends actually, most of them always ask me, since no one really trusts the ppl in charge of food policies anymore, and are in the practice of questioning it all in this noth american society, esp when they hear truths being leaked out about how messed up their intentions are, how animals and their workers are treated and mistreated, and how the industry is lead by people who just don't care about the health and well being of the people.

food has become politics,

and that is scary.

and people choose to assert their political standings through their consumer buying power with FOOD (in my opinion because they now have to protect their own right to health in america, since the system does not protect their healh as people)

so,

where does this leave us?

ask questions.

where DOES your food come from?

start there. :)

and it never hurts to eat more fruit and veg - EVER.

Happy Conscious Eating and Happy Travels through your very own food for thoughts*

xxo J xoxo

FOOD, INC.

2009-07-24T02:44:00.004-04:00

as it deserves the caps lock, i am seriously moved by this film.

Food, Inc.

most law students who may have taken a food law class, chef’s who ask themselves where their ingredients come from, doctors who get asked by their patients what they should eat, and moms who must feed their children everyday are usually already on the ball about this subject. or at least i hope so. most of my dearest and closest friends and family are teachers, or have devoted their lives to help educate the future, and as a plea tonight, i ask, i beg of you, to scrutinized every little thing that you ever put into your mouth and chew.

just like how i do as a foodie/cook/responsible chef.

i can’t be a foodie and NOT write about this — and it helps me to know that if i do my part in spreading awareness, then my bloggie here will have done it’s job.

THIS MOVIE is everything you ever want in unveiling the darkness behind a system designed to dupe and sell Americans all over the nation cheap products as empty as Glamour itself. YES that is a mouthful, and so is the crap we have gotten used to eating as a continent. Food has changed so much in the last few decades. it has not only become a multi level corporation but also a monopolized industry subsidized by the government that controls everything we consume. Except, unlike other industries that may operate on a more external level such as entertainment and media vehicles, the food industry deals with health, wellness, and very basic human needs.

i will try to be as honest as possible here, in exercising my north american rights to express my opinions, and as my travels this summer has brought me new perspectives on the puzzle as a whole that i had been searching for about food; really my reason for returning to graduate school in investigating this pan-demic, epidemic, issue that is the FOOD industry, is two fold. a) i want to eat better and lead a healthy lifestyle b) i want to be able to help others see what i have the priviledge to spend time learning. I love to foster discussions about lifestyle and having respect for life as a collective culture whether it be about food or not. And most importantly, learn how to feed people not only information that is digestible, but also food that is hearty and good for you.

I felt as though i was taken care of in europe. The food i ate was respected, the green markets i visited were accessible, affordable, and clean. I gorged on food and drink, and it was as expected, very very enjoyable. I miss that feeling in north america. i get frustrated with asking myself what i should eat. where i should eat, and where i think it’s not compromising my morals to shop for food. (drove by the classic and nostalgic maple leaf gardens landmark the other day downtown toronto and was so sad to find out that they are turning it into a blobblaws. yet another giant supermarket chain)

In Europe, you literally get to shake the hand of the purveyor at these local markets, in fact, they wanted to talk to me most of the time, (coming up to me explaining in french how to take care of the beautiful pot of orchids that i was cradling in my arm that i had scored for less than 6 euro that morning) well of course without my first dumb founded look and frantic search for my friend and local translator TuVan.

“Tu parle francais?” what happened to those stereotypes of the french being all stuck up? All out the window, shattered to my delight and surprise. I felt so warm and cozzy strolling around that green market in Bourg la rein in zone three just outside of Paris on that hot summer saturday morning. And it was then that i realized, there are nice and warm hearted people all over the world, if you just stop and listen. Most people just want to take care of you, show you their best, and boast about their accomplishments and what they’re most proud of in life. Most people are warm and friendly if you open yourself up and ask nicely. People are always looking to connect with other people. Whether that be through food, culture, language, or all of the above. Likewise, there are sneaky, manipulative, and mean malicious people all across the world too, and i think it all goes back to the basics of psychology and aiming for a higher standard and quality of life. If people feel like they aren’t being taken care of, they get defensive, they put up walls, and they want power to control things over other people and living things.

People turn to POWER controlling demons, when they feel like all they have to 'protect' is their 'rights' and to 'protect their quality of life' - and in america, quality of life is often a direct correlation to how much money you have to better your life, in its true capitalistic form. hence, the saying "it's not personal, it's business" - but what happens when your business is supposed to feed the masses? I don't feel as though that in America, i am taken care of as a human being. Sure i have rights, but who cares when i can't eat well, when i can't enjoy and celebrate life, stop and smell the roses every so often because my morale is so low from playing catch up with myself and the system that demands more and more instant gratification and high profit margins out of me. My friend made a very good point the other day, "everyone thinks that their industry is the worst, that they are the ones working harder than anyone else, that their 14 hour days suck more than someone else complaining about their 14 hour days, 6 days a work weeks" -- and i think he's right. Everyone has high work ethic, because you need that to survive. So mix that in with a lack of benefits, guilty vacation days if any, and low wages, which all point to low moral. And nevermind the constant catch up people play with their debt. i have many friends who live in america who are happy surviving with very little each month, but in the end, that is because they are young and can protect themselves still with food and illness. and still they have the willpower and energy to take care of themselves. "you guys in Canada at least get 'free' health care! -- "ughhh uhhn, it ain't free, we PAY for it, in every single minimun wage paycheck, biweekly, triweekly, however frequently we get paid - we pay for it". even if i'm not paying for a personal visit to the ER, i'm paying for someone else's. Chunks of my paycheck, go directly to the government automatically. and at minimum wage, that's hours of my everyday labour gone before i even see it. Every system has it's direct consequential issues. All i'm saying is that when you have a movie such as Food, Inc. highlight some messed up issues in a particular industry because you have members of the society pour money, heart, passion, and time into spreading awareness, it's best to pay attention. Because it affects everybody.

Most of the time now it's a struggle to survive, who isn't struggling right now in this economic environment? So wouldn't you want to know where your hard earned cash is going when you spend it on food that you think is at the very basic level safe and natural? After countless tired hours of food shopping after work, and energy and heart poured into cooking a meal, wouldn't you want to sit down at the end of the night for a reward well deserved?

For some people, that 89 cent taco, or 99 cent burger may seem like a quick, fast, convenient and easy choice, but in the end, more money is spent on drugs to try to alleviate symptoms of heart disease, diabetes, and poor health conditions without tackling the real problem at hand. Where's the solution? to the consequences of the system in hand that's suposed to "protect" you? Sure you have rights, but what's that going to do for you when you're lying in a hospital bed that you are paying per day for, feeling like shit, ill, with a worried family in debt to the now medical industry, watching you on the sidelines? It's quite sad don't you think that America now has the highest rate of type 2 diabetes amongst CHILDREN all across the nation, our FUTURE. and that poorer areas and income level is directly correlated with obesity and heart disease linked to diet and exercise. But seriously, how much exercise can you do if you're poisoning your body with food that you can a) barely afford, and b) you think is supposed to feed you?

That's why i believe it's time. People are hungry for change, people are hungry for hope, and people want to feel inspired to do something about this fucked up reality. At the very least, I DO.

i'm tired of this vicious cycle of CRAP, literally, being subsedized by the government, so we can EAT it -- aka the CORN, that's not meant to be fed to the MEAT & FISH hence everyone gets sick and so do the animals, and our environment. (would you eat a dying cow that was diseased if you found it lying screaming in pain in the middle of a field? the poor thing needs "free health care!")

i'm tired of eating EMPTY CALORIES that poison my body into thinking it's full, chalk full of preservatives, and chemicals that tricks my tste buds into thinking that it's giving my body a treat because it's either salty, fat, or sweet - so much that my blood sugar levels shoot up and up and offset my insulin production that is so out of WACK that all my body keeps thinking is that i'm HUNGRY (yes indeed, for nutrients, real food) so i eat more, i am depressed, so i eat more - but instead i eat more empty calories, more cheap food and hence the cycle continues until i'm obese and sick and people judge me for being FAT. and look at me like i don't exercise. and i get ousted from society, a society blinded by it's own doings to my people. of course it's easier to eat it anyway. to not think about it. to not watch my dinner get killed right in front of me. of course it's CHEAPER to buy cheap food. but that's just it. it's cheap. it's imitaion. twenty fake gucci or prada bags don't equal a real one. and eating twenty dollar menu burgers will make you feel twenty times worse than eating one local organic grass fed burger that will make you beam from inside out.

it's all in how you INVEST isn't it?

feed me with nutrients. i want to love myself. i want to love my body. feed me with knowledge, i want to learn more about how to really take care of myself and lead a healthy lifestyle aimed towards longevity and quality of life. feed my soul. because all i want is to be happy in the end.

i want to LIVE, i don't just want to survive.

Didactic, yes.

Scary, YES.

Hopeless? NEVER.

that's what i'm most fascinated about with America. no matter how effed up the systems in place may seem, they can be broken. no one ever looses hope in the light of change. people are ACTION driven, OPPORTUNITY hungry, and motivated to always move forwards. People pride themselves on momentum, innovation, and passion. And I LOVEEEE going along for the ride.

Hop on, the view's better! Here's some inspiration

World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms

Food and Water Watch

What's on my Food?

edumacate yoselves, no matter where you live, what you eat, and how far removed you are from your actual food chain. Just like how people now ask starbucks whether or not their coffee is 'FAIR TRADE' - ASK. ASK your FAVOURITE LOCAL, NATIONAL, INTERNATIONAL MEAT SUPPLIER, RESTAURANT, DRIVE THROUGH, DINERS, FAST FOOD, FARMMER'S MARKETS, SUPERMARKETS, COSTCO, TARGET, WALMART, BUTCHER -- WHERE THE MEAT COMES FROM. HOW FAR HAS IT TRAVELED, and IF they offer anything else. we are all about choices right? (you will soon find that there are 3 or 4 major companies that supply ALL meat in the states. and who do you think their workers are? who are asked to treat the animals the way they are unequally and inhumanly treated as well, yea now that's terrifying. watch slaughter house videos on youtube. i dare you)

come on, if WALMART now supplies an entire ORGANIC line of foods due to CUSTOMER DEMAND, you too can demand where and how you spend your hard earned dollar. not all capitalism is evil. but it's easy to shake it up, because all businesses care about are NUMBERS. so do the math. if you stop spending, they get scared. if you stop buying their products, their demand goes down. and when demand goes down, production stops. when production stops, people find other ways to make money, people move on to other jobs, people create other ways to produce things. Consumers hold all the power in consuming, that's why marketers try to trick you in thinking what you want is what they want. which is more money, mo money mo money! for them. health? pssshhhhh, we're not dealing with people. who cares about people, everyone's in the minus anyway, charge it!!!! gimme more money!!!!! it's all a numbers game.

i wonder what those fat cats eat at the end of their days when they go home. i wonder they feed their families. i wonder what is on their dinner plate at the end of a hard days work. Do they eat the meat they slaughter and wash in chlorine and ammonia to wash away the e.coli knowingly? i mean, most consumers don't know, so now you know. what are you going to do about it?

and i think we've all had those moments where we have FOOD-GASMS. don't you want every meal to come close to those euphoric slices of life? :) When food is SOOOO GOOOD, that time stops, morsels of amazing flavours and textures work it's way through your body, and you for the moment, happy?

i know i do. and i know i deserve good healthy food.

food for thought.

chew on it.

marinate in it, eat it up, and spit it out.

digest if you will.

you have the voting power 3 times a day. (and that's only if you're a square meals type of person)

CHOOSE.

*happy consciencous eating today

xoxo J xoxo

a European Hiatus

2009-07-20T21:58:00.008-04:00

a whole new worrrrrllld, a new fantastic point of view.

Thank you readers for being so very patient with moi, as i journeyed through the neverlands, well my very own neverneverlands - aka gastro heaven as i love to call it.

i have returned from backpacking through EUROPE this past month. and i have tons to share with you!

“but you didn’t even update, not even once!”

i know, and i apologize as i spent much of my time gorging on food and drink on the other side of the world,

but as you all know, backpacking requires me to strip down all excessive weight possible which of course included my laptop. (”you had a ROLLY!” which did break halfway through the trip i must add as i dragged the sucker from hostel to hostel, country to country, on and off trains, and the like)

but i must say, it was very refreshing treating the internet as something luxurious once again, and it was like candy when i was able to get online and culturally update myself with word from my friends and family.

either way - i would like to start this post-dated posting with a friendly and summery fruit lesson

(which is what began my culinary adventures this summer anyway)

HOW TO OPEN A MANGOSTEEN.

yes, i didn’t even know what a mangosteen was, until i was invited to a homey 25 somewhat plus sit down celebratory yet casual diner at a humble Vietnamese-Canadian abode for dinner the weekend before my travels. To my surprise, it was one of the most intriguing and delightful seafood bountiful meals i had had in a while. (and thus became my “embrace life - surf and turf styles” kind of living, after a very conscientious meatless week)

yummmmm!

so first off, i had to look up the fruit i had had on a very helpful picture-esque food encyclopedia - http://www.foodsubs.com/

great resource!

Check it out, so an uncle of an uncle taught me how to open this exotic fruit up, if in fact you were stranded in the middle of asia (where these fruit are natives of) and had no knives, and wanted some refreshing and nutritious mangooosteeenn :)

so interlock your fingers and place the fruit in between your palms like so:

apply pressure and press your palms together

until it pops open like so

and bingo! pull the white fleshy fruit out and enjoy! (don’t eat the red outer protective shell)

et voila!

*happy eating! :)

CINQ JOURS!

2009-06-19T00:41:00.002-04:00

hollla, day five baby,
and started off with a bang

english breakfast tea with milk and sugar
belgin waffles with maple syrup
vodka smoked salmon
poached egg, and hollandaise sauce
apple coleslaw
potato and leek soup
challah toast
chocolate covered almonds
sesame dessert soup
corn on the cob
roasted sweet and new potatoes with olive oil
broccoli
mom's soup
roasted salmon with lemon and soy sauce
white rice
glass of milk
peach yogurt
a strawberry
two grapes

let the good times rolll...
i cannot wait to gorge on food when i land in europe in t minus 3 days. woot woot.
then it'l be jloeats.. all over da world. sweet! :)

DAY FOUR baby!

2009-06-18T03:59:00.002-04:00

today i had -

grilled garlic shrimp
ceasar salad with croutons
vanilla yogurt with fresh blueberries and strawberries
oj,
milk,
bowl of white rice,
chinese veg,
broccoli,
a fried egg,
green grapes,
a chocolate cookie
fried squid balls,
chocolate black milk tea with bobba,
sweet potato fries
miso soup
salad
dragon roll (eel, avocado, seaweed, rice, tobiko)
king roll (tempura shrimp, salmon, avocado, seaweed, rice)
hot tea

Q. why is it ok for me to have seafood?
i love food. i can't help but eat more than fruit, veg, grains, and legumes... i'm missing my meat. haha, but being concious of not eating meat has made me eat healthier in terms of variety and getting more fruit and veg into my diet.

Fact. i have been feeling chillier, and more hungry today - even after all the food. (i hate it when my mother is right. hahaha)
i'm even starting to get a lil dizzy, but i have felt like this detox has given me more energy, and has made me less depressed.
do those things even correlate? maybe i just need more sleep as well. yes i definitely need more sleep.

Q. what is it in meat that i need as nutrients that i can't get in non meat foods?

Fact. it is difficult to be mindful of my eating choices everyday, but that's part of growing up and taking responsibility for myself too :) hideehoo! on with the show!

Day Three

2009-06-17T01:03:00.002-04:00

another argument with my parentals trying to once again explain my choices, (i know my mom just cares about whether or not i get enough nutrition) so in the end it's fine.
she just cares, and i just have to be strong. but holy meat temptations!
see, we are creatures of habit, but isn't fun when you break them?

i struggled with the chinese food today --
mom's famous chicken wings, dumplings with dipping sauce, saucy minced beef over fatty noodles, ughhh. why is it so easy to do the bad thing, and why does it have to taste so goooood? lol.

especially when you go to one of your regular chinese restaurants and order the same things, and then realize that you can't eat what's become so routine on a normal tuesday dinner night out because of political choice. (this is very new territory for me as i grew up with immigrant chinese parents and grandparents, never allowed to question what was in front of me out of respect. we ate what was given because we were lucky enough to have food on the table. and you know... you kind of have to swallow your pride along with a side of guilt when your culture only expresses love through the food that is cooked and placed in front of you - no questions asked.)

but i did notice that i was salivating for that pork intestine and chicken feet soup -- growing up chinese does have it's foodie perks when it counts, and the moment i tried to cheat a lil - by putting a soup spoon full of soup near my nose to smell it, i was hit by the smell, and it kind of turned me off from succumbing to my will.
good thing. cuz if i cheat, let's go all the way baby! so i was relived, but then the sauteed chui chow spiced chicken came to the table, and the smell of it was so enticing. aw man! hahaha
"don't do it!"
push it to the other end of the table. go for the greeen!
yes. beans...
hahaha

i promised myself i'd live by my word this week, and that's what i did and will continue to do :)

so counting my gastronomic inventory, today i had:

leftover garden lover pizza (yes all kinds of leftover pizza is good), a whole seeded papaya, steamed corn on the cob, white rice with long string beans, seafood corn soup, tofu with preserved soy sauce, chinese broccoli, red bean and grass jelly slushie, tea, a spoonful of nutella, and a glass of milk.

and i'm still kind of full from dinner :)

resist the temptations!!! onward ho!
you can do it!! you are already on day four... sweet!

DAY Two!

2009-06-16T00:43:00.003-04:00

yay! it's actually not as hard as i thought :)

today i had:

a peach, a pear, two glasses of oj, 2 carrots, half a cucumber (chopped up with sesame oil, salt, and 3 cloves of minced raw garlic), a fried egg on wheat toast with ketchup, winter melon soup, a plate of chinese green veg, an apple, vanilla yogurt with museli granola, a green tea vitamin water, garden veg pizza on whole wheat dough, and a glass of milk

i think the hardest thing about today was trying to explain my choice not to eat meat to my parents.

these kinds of political subjects are always hard to explain and seldomly met with optimism, especially when there are cultural and generational gaps. my parents grew up during war and famine, getting to choose what to eat now is an ultimate luxury. my parents have always brought me up to spend my money on food, instead of fancy things, that quantity is always better, and that life is all about survival.

slightly hypochondriac, my mother's maternal instincts came out in an outrage

"but you're not going to get enough nutrients! it's not healthy! you need a variety of foods!"

"yes, i need a variety, and no, many people in the world thrive, let alone survive off of meat as a luxury item, plus i'm not going vegan (yet , i'm still eating dairy, eggs, and fish. and i always have tofu and beans as protein! i'm good ma!"

"eat whatever you want! i'm just telling you, an all vegetarian kind of diet is not for everyone!"

"yes, and i will try my best. it's only a week! i did this for a month last year, per YOUR advice to detox my body from eating all that game meat during my whole first month of culinary school remember?"

and then i attempted to go food shopping with my father - who frequents the organic aisles as per my mom's request, no matter how expensive - 7.99 for a jug of OJ?! 10.49 for 3 bags of organic milk?! holyyyy! -- ooh look they have ontario local tomatoes, cucumbers, and bell peppers!

"but they're not organic -"

yes but these are local - support local farming dad! and most of the organic veg is all from california or mexico! 3000 miles! look those apples are from new zealand, and those from chile! - do u think they were picked ripe if they had to travel so far? they don't look so fresh to me at this crazy premium price!

"but the pesticides!"

yes - i chose freshness today over pesticide use. and price. because for the first half of my life i've had conventionally grown veg... and i'm ok,

so that was my choice today.

Day ONE!

2009-06-15T00:51:00.000-04:00

I’m so proud, yay! one day! hahahaha

day two commence!

so self congratulatory but i too have to be my own biggest fan here ;)

today i had-

an apple, vanilla yogurt, wintermelon soup, a plate of green veg (chinese brocoli blanched in water, oil with oyster sauce), a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on whole wheat bread, a glass of milk, a glass of orange juice, unagi donburi for dinner and two pieces of salmon sushi, tofu, endamame, miso soup with seaweed, and water melon as my midnight snack

not too shabbbbyy i’ll say ;)

(yes yes, i said no meat, not vegan — that’s a another week, as i learn to practice getting my proteins from other sources, versus, what momma feeds me that i eat without question because she made it with love and it’s already made)

i was watching anthony bourdain’s no reservations earlier, and he was in crete, greece. a) i love his show, and any traveling food journalism show for that matter, b) everything i’ve been thinking about about ancient civilizations lately was inadvertently segmented on the show — how poorer people of these lands eat from their “backyards” as in anything grown on the country side — which usually includes green, green, greens, how local fishing on the coasts give local fishermen and chefs lots to work with - but they don’t whored it, and how if they want meat, they kill it themselves.

there was a whole segment on the killing of a lamb, shaving it, singing during the killing, and using EVERY LITTLE BIT including all it’s organs — how OFFAL! :)

and i noticed something — the actual slitting of the poor lamb’s neck was obviously censored out of the show, re edited, bleeped out, however you want to say it. and i was almost disappointed. why was it not shown? (other than the obvious reason of them getting a million PETA compliants most likely on every airing of the show - i remember this happening with the food network and lobsters during an iron chef episode and now they never show any chef killing any thing live for food) but really, how does this help? why is it ok for us NOT to watch an animal get killed if we practice this act every day for our food? de-animalizing the living thing makes it ok to show it as food?

ironically i was “Dragged to Hell” as i like to call it yesterday to the horror movie currently in theaters with the exact punny name. So why do people PAY money to go see gore, blood and gutts, and ridiculous fight scenes between humans and animals tempting death and playing with spirits, yet animal kill scenes that we as humans practice everyday are still censored out!? “OMG she has to sacrifice her kitty cat so that her spirit will be saved!” cut to her grabbing a kitchen knife, cut to her burrying her cat with blood on her shirt and the crazy look on her face.

hmmm. ridiculous, no?

i always wonder what it would be like to witness and actually participate in the act of hunting. i wonder if i’ll be able to cook the animal and eat it too. why is it ok when the animal or sea creature is “already dead”? i too have shed a many tears for the 12 lobsters i have had to kill for my job, to date. in fact, it’s story is what got me into grad school. lol.

sometimes i guess i just want to run away and go live in the country side for a period of time and grow my own food. maybe i should make this my thesis! hahaha, because it will be like resetting my cultural clock and pulling myself away from all this tweeting speed of light technology and industrial living that i’ve grown up with. funny huh? it’s like the country mouse vs city mouse kind of thing. and my internal country mouse is jumping up and down wanting to be heard again, and i’ve played in the city for so long… :)

Cultural, local, sustainable living at it’s best, simple times exemplified by one of the oldest civilization of the world like greece. so inspiring, and also makes me laugh at how humans got the idea of drinking, and making alcohol. what’s one to do on a farm all day long after the work is done? almost every meal was paired with alkie, and lots of drinking to liven up the mood of such cultural atmospheres all across the world (for those familiar with no reservations ;) haha he drinks everywhere he goes! and they offer him culturally different types of alcohol every where he lands, kind of a universal, and kind of hilarious — i mean, it took one monk to make a mistake, to make champagne right?)

well, i’m ok with that, if life’s all about drinking and eating,

then that is gluttony at it’s best.

day two here i come!

ViVA Vegetarians!

2009-06-14T03:06:00.001-04:00

So i've been reading "The Face on Your Plate" - The Truth about Food, by Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson lately and the chapter on how animals are tortured in how they're raised was enough for me to grimace and break my "subway face" while traveling to and fro to downtown and back in the past week.

i vowed to have a no meat week after that chapter, and guess what.

i failed.

hahahahaha. i had meat once a day every. single. day. this week

epic fail.

maybe i was thinking about it too much, and maybe i was just acknowledging how easily available it is to eat meat, instead of going 'vegetarian'. i did it once for an entire month last year whilst in culinary school -- i shall do it again!

i will be completely honest here, because it is really hard, and there should be more support for these kinds of efforts!

choosing the right amount of veg, fruits, legumes, nuts, raisins, bread, grains, and all such other examples of whole foods is really hard, that and learning to combine them all and get your varieties in everyday in order to actually feed yourself is a feat! but a celebratory one at that! sure i have to go out of the way to get my whole foods, sure i have to actively think about what i should eat, put more time into my preparation to make it yummy, but it cannnn be done!!! i must publicly vow now -

tomorrow is sunday -

i shall begin my actual no meat week.

because i will be the first to admit, my biggest vice in life: GLUTTONY.

i will gorge and gorge on yummy fatty things if it makes me happy. and why not right? life is short! but it's also balanced with care and love for those around you, the home you keep, the pets you have, and the environment in which all your waste goes back into, never minding the entire food chain you even think you are remotely 'connected' to -- (news flash! humans aren't and never were evolutionarily on top of the food chain! we're mammals that prey and feast on the scavenger behaviour to boost our egos and testosterone levels, we love to think we control POWER, grunt grunt grunt, so manly man to eat MEEEAATTTTT -- myth myth myth, we are and always were gatherers...all the way. woot woot! women did most of the food picking within the communities back then, cuz how often did man really kill for food? i'm not talking about wild fish here, i'm talking about all those images we grew up withof tarzan and bushmen meandering about in the jungle with bamboo spears and loin cloths made from fur...

why do you think it's so primal to eat bone marrow? we are scavengers, because great great great (times three) grandpa was one too. haaa! imagine that!

but now, the fact is raising meat in north america is ruining our health and our environment no matter how good or yummy it may seem. and no matter how much more of those myths we want to buy into. animals are getting sick on these farms, their waste ends up in our water and soils, the people who live around these gianormous agribusiness farms are sick because of the porximity to these power plants, and because 'you are what you eat', our health is also affected by these tortured animal's health -- yea you think we really got rid of mad cow? we're the ones as humans who are mad

c'est fou!

"but meat's so tasty!" (yes, even i've said it)

-- real carnivores eat RAW meat, does the idea of a bloody bloody raw decaying animal sound yummy to you? (no heat, no seasoning, no added flavours)

i know my stomach turns imagining a raw and bloody rabbit or chicken -- but try feeding your dog raw meat. omg, you WILL be his forever best friend. (you think dogs actually like kibble? kibble is actually what makes dogs smell like dogggg :P)

Factoid: Eating less meat is better for the environment. whether we like that reality or not. growing vegetables requires less space, less energy, less water, produces more food a year, feeds more people, and is way more sustainable. (ooh i know buzz words used nowadays with the whole 'go green' movement because when you really start researching agribusiness practices, you too will grimace, hopefully)

so here i am giving PROPS to all the vegetarians, vegans, and 100 day LOCAL diet from 100 miles folks today who put these things into practice EVERYDAY.

so what are you going to do about it?

i have a lot to learn still about choosing where my food comes from. and i have a lot of practicing to do, i guess as a foodie and a chef, i was fully able to appreciate all the delicious meat i did have that was seasoned and cooked perfectly (whether the beef, chicken, lamb, or pork this week was raised "organically" or not) but still, it's time to take care of more than myself now that i am aware of creatures that sacrifice their lives and well being for my benefit.

for all the animals that died in the process this week for my benefit, i am forever grateful.

viva la revolution!

carrots anyone?

Aioli!

2009-05-27T19:24:00.002-04:00

thanks for inspiring me this week Way!

Got this in my inbox today! Sweet! :)

*Janet,
think you can school me on how to make aioli? seems super freaking simple, actually, but i ask you because you the bomb.

school me, as in, what should i know, what ways can i experiment to make it interesting, etc? i always hear about lemon aioli, and that sounds plain to me. and while i don't see mayonnaise in there, it always seemed like there was, to me (probably because it's an emulsion?).

and if you want to go further and tip me on an awesome artichoke dish, please do :]

thanks...
w*

hahaha -- EMULSIFICATIONNNNNNNN
is all you need to know in terms of technique --

an aioli is simply emulsified garlic and olive oil -- meaning, taking something of a base -- mushed up garlic / garlic puree and suspending oil droplets into the mixture to homogenize two liquids that have two different viscosities....WOW SCIENCE! :) LOL :)

think mayonnaise texture -- if you wanna spice things up -- hand made mayo is pretty awesome too. esp if you make it spicy and lemony ;)

so you need a big bowl, and the bigger the whisk the better! - the bigger the whisk, the more air you pump into the mixture faster....oh and your manly arm strength. haha

some ppl add egg into the aioli to help emulsify it -- you can add whatever you like
lemon would be standard, but a classic...

if you think there's mayo in the aioli or it taste like it, it's probably cuz there's mustard and or egg in there along with the oil, and lemon juice -- actually those are the ingredients for mayo from scratch :) salt, pepper to taste ...

so you can pretty much start off with any "base" -- (this goes with salad dressings too --)
wines, juices, vinegars, pureed veg, pureed fruit -- and then add your garlic, and whisk in your oil/liquid fat -- (doesn't even have to be olive, cuz some eVOo's are really intense in flavour, try them, as in take a shot of it - the crappy/cheap ones taste like dish soap :P)

oh yeah, if your mixture "breaks" and separates -- or if it's too thin --
no fret!
add a little more of the base and re - emulsify your mixture, as in -- pour in a little bit of new oil slowly and whisk it in -- or BLEND/BLITZ THAT SUCKER in a food processor or blender if you want a lil extra power, and saves you time

if it's too thick -- whisk in more oil -- :)

and
mmm, artichokes are my favourite -- b/c it's all about the dipping sauce ;)
i find the simpler the artichoke prep, the better, -
if you're prepping a lot of artichokes -- make sure you keep them in acidulated water on the side --
water with cut and squeezed lemon or lime in a large bowl will suffice beautifully here --
find ones that are tightly bunched up together, and a good bright green colour.
watch out for the pricklies too! (but like flowers, the pricklier it is, the more there's to protect! yummm)

you can use kitchen sheers to cut off all the thorns and chop off the top as to expose it like a flower, and trim/ cut the bottom so it sits flat.

i've seen baked artichoke recipes, pickled ones, grilled, ya dee da -- and frankly, artichokes are such a pain in the ass to prepare with not much yield, that the goal and the reward to eating it is when you finally reach the heart anyway! So say, KISS it, keep it simple stupid -- and instead experiment with your AIOLI! :)

i find if you can blanch them in salt water, or steam them, it's the easiest and freshest way.
baking them makes them brown and dry out, and grilling a round sucker is just annoying. b/c you'll have to cut it straight down the middle to expose the heart if you want to grill -- but you'll have to cover your bbq to cook it all the way thru too :)
hmm, also if you wrap them up in tin foil -- you can steam them on the grill if you're in your backyard patio for instance and on the bbq anyway.

aghh, nothing like getting my hands dirty with a big ole california artichoke,
reminds me of summer... :)
so nostalgic,
so yum yum! :)

can't wait!!
enjoy! :)

xoxo J xoxox

new meaning to DROOL*

2009-05-20T01:21:00.004-04:00

i almost peed my pants when i saw this -- THANKS FOR THE LINK AMY!!!

2nd Annual NEW YORK CULINARY EXPERIENCE hosted at FCI, Manhattan OCT 3-4 09

look at the line up of chef's!!!! AGHHH!!!! :)
so exciting!!!
it's time to save up another 2 grand for this --

i might faint when i see morimoto --
hahaha.
i love love love how i lived in LA for 5 years, and not a single hollywood star made me jump out of my seat and pee my pants,
but when i see /saw world famous chefs in person last year - this year -- OMG
i'm like a lil school girl, sixteen, jumping up and down trying to get close to them - all over again. hahahahaha

eric ripert to
meeting sara moulton to
alton brown to
even bumping into Lianne from season one of top chef in the elevator at FCI
and so many more...

i cannot WAIT to get back to NYC!!! AGHHHHH!!! YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYA!!!!!!

I Don't Trust You, Strawberry

2009-05-13T17:28:00.009-04:00

food is so funny sometimes,
i like to think of my food as a direct relationship to my body.
and lately i've been cutting up fresh 'organic' strawberries and putting them with my 'organic' vanilla yogurt
and thinking it's a delicious way treat to my body
giving myself a lil extra love,
a bonus snack...

and on the outside,
it seems like any early relationship,
so attractive,
so pretty,
so yummy...

until,
my throat started to itch afterwards.

hmm funny,
i've never had a reaction to strawberries before,
what the crap am i reacting to if they're "organic"?
i've heard of ppl itching cuz of the pesticides and such,
but what is up?
what is going on?!

i take a look at them --

they look like regular strawberries:

and

in fact they look like a what someone would think of as a "perfect" strawberry if you asked someone to describe it

so i cut into it:

an it seems like there's more "white" than red inside:

so what's the deal here? i feel ripped off.
so i put it in my mouth.
like any curious kid does.
and it TASTED LIKE NOTHING
like water
as bland and crunchy
as the white part inside
like asking yourself why it didn't work out with a certain someone,
and you see that there really wasn't anything there to begin with
but hoped there would be...
and it looked like it was perfect on the outside
but you know the difference
instinctually.

so i compared it to another "organic" brand
(the first one is a MAJOR brand from Cali - Driscol's)
because i don't buy any of that "organic food tastes better" bs --
because i've yet to find mass produced organic food that actually tastes better or worth the high premium price that i pay as compared to when i think about the first time i actually bit into a strawberry on - get this, a strawberry field as a kid when we used to go pick our fruit on farms because it was good ole wholesome family fun growing up in canada 20 years ago...

so i showed my mom the imposter of a strawberry like i had uncovered a hidden truth that i had so read about in the past few months. and all excited she pulled out another box that she had bought for 3.99 at another local supermarket that to her tasted "sweeter" --
so again,
i washed, haulled, cut into, and took a bite of --

check out how "ripe" this fruit actually is when you cut into it --
the tip of my knife shows the amount of "red" and fermentation on the fruit:

hmm, sure it tasted and smelled slighty more like what i think a strawberry should taste and smell like, but still it's pretty weak i think.

i even noticed it at work when we would get flats of strawberries in from the same companies - and they all appeared GORGEOUS when i first started my work as a pastry chef there.
because nice berries are hard to come by, especially in canada when winter lasts about 6 -8 months out of the year (i'm not even exaggerating here) and most fruit and veg are shipped into the country from hotter climates - and would laugh when i hear someone are a supermarket complain that the fruit and veg wasn't 'fresh' or looks like crap that week in the dead of winter.
so i often tasted most of the pints that we would get in day in and day out and the restaurant, because it was such a high volume place, that people wouldn't understand really how much cost balancing it takes to remove something like a ten dollar plate of berries with fresh whipped creme and powdered sugar if i told them the berries looked beautiful but tasted like nothing.
i would even be so excited as to show my chefs and fellow cooks the ones almost as big as the palm of my hand that were perfectly bright red in colour, on the outside -- we would even save those ones for ourselves and i would dip them into my leftover warm chocolate ganache when we were having extra hard friday and saturday night services. what a treat!
(well, it's the thought that counts right? hahahaha)
because when i hauled them, most if not all of them were all white all the way through too.
and the same picture would shock me,
and i even wondered if most of them were sprayed with colour, because it looked like it.
the tops were white as an energy saver lightbulb
and the bright red colour of the outside was so deceiving.

isn't this a company that's certified organic? --
right, it is, so what does that REALLY mean?!
is there such thing as 'organic' colour that they spray these fakey strawberries with?
i get it --
high demand,
fruit is picked unripped to meet these demands and rippend on trucks and blast frozen to be kept
and etc. etc. -- but even organic ones?

this reminds me of a conversation i had with a friend over facebook -- he walled me a deceivingly simple question --
"why buy organic"?

oh boy.
to which i answered: first, there's a difference between "buying organic" and "eating organic"
and organic farms:
-- that the conditions of the farm are checked at random and strictly kept to fit USDA Standards

to which i found that the more i tried to answer his questions, the more i had to look up,
and finally i said:
give me some time - i will get back to you,
i've already maxed out all the allowable character counts on wall post limits (who would of thought that is actually possible on facebook?! haha anyway...)

and to which i can honestly say --
this is why i'm going back to grad school.
because of a strawberry.
and a lobster, according to my personal statement. ;) (more on that later for those who don't know this story from the first week of my culinary school experience)

most people ask me what my program is about --
it's a master of arts in food systems and cultures,
so what does that mean?
"well --
take a strawberry
and follow it from it's seed, to the system in which is enters to feed someone --
from agriculture, to growth, farming, to ripening, to being picked, to distribution, conditions in which it is kept, sold, and resold, to consumerism, to consumption, to post consumption, health benefits, nutirents, and waste management.
and then take that same strawberry, and wonder, poke, and pry about what that means to the food chains of the people in new york? greece? austrailia? africa? china? etc.

so basically, i am constantly intrigued about the food industry - and the cultivation of respect for the people who live, work, and breathe food, and essentially unveiling all the politics of it. (even if they're social politics, and learning about a high volume run kitchen in a resourceful 'rich' area such as north york toronto)

because what i eat nowadays is not what i think it is.
le sigh...
a strawberry isn't what it used to be - i know i sound like an old man saying like "back in myyy day..."
but it's true.
potatoes, corn, soy -- these three products in the north american diet are significantly altered nowadays
and these thoughts that i have are not new -- they were new 30 years ago.
preventative healthy lifestyle and food as medicine are not new concepts, but it's refreshing as hell that now there are more people pushing these concepts forwards, that being a foodie is "trendy" and "popular" and endorsing these kinds of real heathy lifestyles is "cool".
think of how much the agricultural landscape has changed in north america to fit the idea of feeding the masses in the last 30 years. since when was being a farmer cool? haha, but now more and more people are returning to the concpet of connecting to their own food chains, of growing their own fruits and veg, of having herb gardens, and shopping at local farmer's markets.
because the landscape of a local supermarket is getting more and more scary --
it actually scares me to see the kinds of food products offered nowadays in the middle asiles of supermarkets, whether large chains or small organic specialty ones.
we eat so many more "empty" calories to feed ourselves, so much processed food because mom always says that eating is better than not eating anything at all -- in hopes to gain twice as many nutrients that we actually need in order to sustain a healthy lifestyle full of vitality, energy, and vigor!

well all i'm saying is --
think about what you eat,
where you buy from
what your food chain actually consists of,
and ask yourself:
was your "healthy lunch" today actually FEEDING you? body mind and soul? --

this is what i had today:
an 'organic' (from canada) vanilla yogurt with 'organic" california strawberries (that tasted like nothing, my yogurt was sweeter than the berries in it)
a porkchop (from a restaurant - who knows who their purveyor for meats is and where they get it from)
steamed white rice with corn (stripped of it's fiber and nutrients unlike brown rice, most likely frozen corn)
blanched green beans & broccoli (again canadian 'organic' that my mom bought from loblaws organic section)
and a dinner roll with butter (again from the restaurant, and the butter is from gaylee -- which was whipped with air & neon yellow in colour)

wasn't as "healthy" as i expect it to be either.

and on that note, i cannot wait to go to europe this summer and EAT all over england, belgium, netherlands, france, italy, austria, and the czech, (i'm sure you'll hear all about it on this blog)
where they eat less but get more out of their food
where moderation is key
and where they laugh at you if you asked for "organic" foods, because they generally know where their foods come from

sure grass is greener on the other side,
so let's learn to take care of our own lawns, and our own farms.

so i leave you with this -- on a lighter note:
"americans threaten to move to canada,
canadians threaten to move to europe,
and europeans don't threaten to go anywhere."
hahahahaha -- an excerpt from "Stuff White People Like" in all it's hilarity. LOL.

"do what makes you happy" right?
happy eating* ;)
xoxox J xoxox

BRIGHT & JUICY? Think again!

2009-05-06T02:31:00.003-04:00

Hello bloggies! :)
(sorry there's been quite the hiatus, i've been redesigning my site -- check back soon!)

mmmm, ever wonder why your sushi grade salmon looks so -- orange??
and why there's such perfect lines of fat?

looks succulent and such, but so sad that colour has been added.
dahhh...
get the facts -- here,
an article on:

Farm Raised Salmon Vs. Wild Salmon

on Foie Gras

2009-04-19T20:49:00.003-04:00

Today i will let someone else speak -

On our FOOD SYSTEMS:
Dan Barber: A Parable on Foie Gras

"if human beings disappeared, life on earth as we know it would flourish" HAHAHA.

"we need now to adopt a new conception of agriculture. really new, one in which we stop treating our planet like it's some sort of business and liquidation, and stop degrading resources under the guise of cheap food"

"listen to nature's operating instructions, the most ecological choice for food, is almost always the most ethical, and the most delicious" - Dan Barber

ON OUR FOOD CULTURE:
This is also really fun and interesting,
on American Chinese Food:

Jennifer Lee: Finding General Tao

"if we equate macdonalds in this country to the microsoft operating system, then we can say that chinese restaurants is like the Linux open source system"

HAHAHAHA.

on messing with nature:

Michael Pollan: the Omnivore's Next Dilema

and finally -
from one of the best comics in the world, the late George Carlin --
on "saving the planet"

on abortion "pro-life is anti woman":
"Why is it that with us it's abortion, but with a chicken, it's an omlette?!"
"Name six reasons why we are better than chickens... you can't!" - George Carlin

i've been indulging in a lot more food industry related media lately,
from books, to online vids,
and i am loving these online vids!!
it's like going to lectures and getting the best part by just listening!!
hahaha

so enjoy.
i hope it makes you think as much as its inspired me to
about what to have for
B R U N N E R
we all have choices
each and every day

Maple Syrup Goes with Everything.

2009-04-13T15:45:00.000-04:00

It does,
It really does.
I've been testing out this theory.
a lil sweetness here,
and a lil indulgence there.

my new favourite snack any time of day
is organic vanilla flavoured yogurt topped with
granola, dried fruit, and maple syrup.

mmmm.
sausage and eggs - maple syrup!
steak and frites? - maple syrup!
warm bacon and onion spinach salad? - maple syrup!
hahahaha

but there is also lot of be said about control.
i've been living a no rules - live by the moment -live by your feelings and cravings - kind of lifestyle for two months now, like trying on a pair of new shoes
and it's been really refreshing.
extreme,
but refreshing.
and i've been learning a lot about what healthy lifestyle is and isn't.

we all do it,
when we find something we like, that makes us happy, that gives us a lil bit of love, attention, and sweetness,
we become addicted.
well i do.
i want it on everything and all the time
until i get so sick of it,
it's time to move on to something else!

i guess that's what happens with passionate people. :)
so funny.
so extreme.

self control time.
as much as i hate following rules, i am the worse kind of rule follower -
i love to follow the rules long enough to change them, and that's not without all the kicking and screaming a long the way.
i push my body, mind, and soul until it can't go anymore to figure out all my limitations, and then try to break them again.
but i guess that is exactly it.
my lifestyle is switching for the first time,
instead of breaking rules
i have none.

and that's scary to me.
i've been eating whenever i want,
drinking whatever i want,
sleeping if any whenever i want
...it's been pure gluttony at it's best

and my health is taking a toll.
so again,
i post about balance
today.

it's all about finding that sweet spot in the middle of the pendulum
some days we swing from side to side like crazy
and some days we are still

there's much to be said about following a structured eating plan and following a regular exercise routine (or simply getting enough of it in one week)
a good friend told me yesterday
"the best time to do something you know is good for you is when you don't feel like doing it at all" HAHAHAHAHAHA
"that way you feel extra accomplished afterwards, and it was good for you - like exercising, & eating healthy"
yea why is it so hard to do the right thing?
"i dunno but you just gotta trust yourself"

so as much as i want to slather maple syrup all over everything lately,
moderation is key.
and it's not about cutting things out of my life that are fun but knowing they are bad for me
but it's more about doing more that i know IS good for me to balance out all the fun.

cuz what is the good without the bad
and what is bad without the good?
they are relative terms co-dependant on each others definition to mean something on it's own.

mmm if only there was a counter part to maple syrup the way rice goes with beans.
maybe there is --
let's begin the search!

happy eating ;)
xoxo J xoxox

Oral Fixation

2009-04-07T14:22:00.005-04:00

"Work Work Work! Play Play Play! Eat Eat Eat!"

aghh the art and beauty of doing nothing -- like the italians
a throwback to my "il bel far niente" post -

and i guess my idea of doing nothing is this -
i sit in bed after i wake up, laptop on my, well, lap,
pjs, glasses, bottle of water on my night stand,
and i read, and i write.
aghhh how nice it is to catch up with my thoughts once in a while,
with my head,
with my heart,
and have time to call my friends
people i not necessarily get to see all the time who are in different countries living their life - "just liv ya life!! eh-eh-eh-eh-ehhh!!"
whom i am so dear with because we can share a harty laugh as thick as soup when we do catch up and an open heart to each other's growth and stories. mmmm, as yummy as a sunday breakfast in bed. :)

i am on extended work leave now because of my busted right arm, and have had all this time to just slow down this week,
to enjoy my time again, and to eat till my heart's content as many times as i want in a day sitting down - hahaa
i'm moseying along nicely, given i did feel the pang of guilt when i spoke to my chef about taking a leave of absence,
and have been going through withdrawl from my intense work life in the last few days, (well really i miss my peeps, but i've been going out to meet them after work and playing till the wee early morn, so i am getting the best of the deal here i think ;) haha)
well, either way,
my body is thanking me in every way possible now,
(or at least will later, because now it's still hurting and swimming in it's own feelings)

doing the right thing is hard, and i am the first to admit that always.
call me sympathetic.

and because of all this time i have now,
and the emotional eating,
i've been bloated.
:P
bleh...
and the boredom from me not constantly having to focus my energy on one thing now - which was work, prep, production, and feeding other people in the last two months, is kind of driving my type A personality a lil insane.
hahaha.
BUT i will admit,
i love that i have been able to feed myself again!
and eat whatever the crap i want.
wahoooooooo!
oh the gluttony.

and by that i mean COOK FOR MYSELF.
well i try, with my gimpy arm.
i am getting good at this living with one arm deal. (last year was the left, this year is the right, le sighh)

but that doesn't stop me!
hoo!!!
give me the big bold flavours,
give me the big fat leafy, moist salads,
give me the slow cooked love that you taste in every spoonful of saucy, naughty, happy making,
give me the BAMMMM SHAZZZYAOOOOS!
and the "OMGFREAKING GOD I can die now" orgasmic kind of decadence.
give me the MMM face.
and the food-gasms.
and give me the eye candy.
in every possible way, angle, and lighting style.

mmm, and the best part about spending most of my day in bed, writing,
thinking,
and chillin,
is that i actually don't eat, ironically.
it gives my body time to catch up to my cravings
and figure out what it actually neeeds, instead of what i want.

jlo plots,
what should i have for brunner?! :)

yes yes, this is when my mother comes into the picture and scolds me about having a regular sleep schedule with 2 - 3 square meals a day, preferably organic, and all that don't eat after 9pm, get into bed before 1am, and breakfast should be the largest meal of the day ya dee dahh kind of stuff... to which i say
"Fff... that. and all those rules. i live by mine, which can be true to most of what those rules are actually saying, and thanks for caring! i love u too!"
but living all straight edged and lacy doesn't necessarily make you healthier or happier than not living by those rules.
listen to what your body needs, what you should eat, and do, and how you react to certain things.
rules are great guidelines,
and i'm all for making your own guidelines, and then colouring outside of them every so often.

and who's medical advice you subscribe to is your subscription to a theory, to a model, to a standard set by other people.
to each his own i say!
(you know me, i love to question it ALL! HAHAHAHa rebellious at heart, but genuine at that ;) i know ;) <3)

but to my mother's credit, what an incredible woman she is,
i listen to her because i am like a mini version of her, whether i like to admit it or not.
even my doctor says the same thing,
not in mind and soul, but my body -- genetically, whatever you want to call it,
i have the same sensitivities, skeletal structure, predispositions, and historical make up as she does
and because she's hitting all these intense waves of pain and uncomforts during menopauuuuuuusssssssssseeeee! (it should be a musical!, wait it is! haha!)
i listen to my mother, pick my battles, and pick and choose what i'm hearing out of her motherly concern for my health.
because she has lived double the amount of time on this earth, and she has been conditioned to take care of me, her entire life. what a concept! what an honour! :)

anyway, so i have been so out of whack lately, with all the body stresses and strains, over working, partying, and drinking
now that my body has had a chance to catch up to my mind, passion, and incredible drive to want more in life, at work, and in my relationships with people that
i live to make experiences happen,
and i live to see them through.
so my committment to become healthy and to "do the right thing" for me stems from all of that.
and it's made me feel incredible
and thus i want to share it with you, my dear dear reader.

i am now on a partial detox diet once again. HAHAHAHA
and by that i mean - EAT MORE FRUITS AND VEGGIES JLO! you can NEVER GO WRONG WITH EATING MORE FRUITS AND VEGGIES. WHOLE, crunchy, and UN-processed!
if you ask ANYONE, Foodies, Dieticians, Nutritionists, Doctors; western or eastern and all that's in between kind of philosophy, they can actually all agree on this.
and it's actually that simple.
simple foods like a potato will give u more bang for your buck than say that four dollar garden veggie soup that's labelled organic coming out of a can.
problem is - a potato grown from the ground now a days isn't the same as a potato grown ten years ago, let along twenty years ago. what's in the soil? what's in the fertilizer? what's in your water? hmmm.
and "if you go to europe and ask for organic, they'll laugh a u"
we joke. "go to the back and pick it yourself from the ground!"
dahhhh...
how nice.
and what a dream to have my own backyard full of food from the ground up. :)
one day...
mmm so where do i go to get a big fat salad today?

which is another factor, how available is my food when i crave the things i know i SHOULD be eating?
HAHAHAHA! this is the fun part, no? :)

see, my body is just as sensitive to everyday foods and factors as yours, - sleeping patterns, sex, drugs, & alcohol included here - let's look at lifestyle as a whole,
i, jlo who preaches to people about what to eat, (actually i like to think of it as inspiring other people as self righteous as that may seem to some hahaha) about how to make food choices apart of daily awareness, constantly thinks about it too.

for one,
Why do we eat when we're bored?
I've been doing it my whole life!
when i get ansty pants, when i want something to do, when i have a sudden lifestyle shift like now and have a bunch of time on my hands, i look for something to do, and usually, it involves looking for food.
you know that saying "i have a whole closet full of nothing to wear today?"
well that's how i feel most of the time with food.
so many choices, but sometimes i try it on, and it just doesn't look, feel, seem, RIGHT, for that moment, for that purpose, for that night out on the town.
hmm, and i have felt the same walking into a supermarket, or opening a fridge full of food.
what do i want,
right. now?
hahaha, and as privileged as a place that is to be in north america, the land of plentiful,
it is learning how to make the right choices for me that is most of my battle.

i crave BIG flavours in my mouth,
most of the time.
and i have an oral fixation
where
i just
want
something
in my mouth.
to suck on,
to bite,
to lick,
to chew.

remember the 90's trident ads? "chew on this?"
YEA.
those made me salivate everytime. lol.
and that's exactly it.
when you chew on foods,
you produce saliva that triggers the digestive system that starts the process in your mouth...
mmm...
hot,
wet,
yummy.
haaaaaa,
dirty or not,
and as sexy as that is,
it's true.
i will not shy away from these innuendoes. ;)
"let's talk about sex baby...let's talk about you and me..."
sex is too taboo already not to talk about how it relates to food.

so primal,
so dirty - like earthy dirty.
so good when it's good.
and contains "all the right stuff" (new kids on the block?!) hahahaha.
maybe that's why it's so hot to eat food off of someone
or to eat out once in a while.
take that as you will.
haaaaaaaaa.

*so give me something to chew on today,
cuz i am full from the week already ;)

paix, pace, paz, PEACE! homies,
eat well,
xoxo J xoxo

OK Superman. You Win.

2009-04-01T13:06:00.005-04:00

le sigh,
it's a fact now.
my mind, passion, and spirit is way stronger than my 25 year old body.
i know, 25.
what an age right?
a few years out of college, a lil bit of ass kicking/kicking ass at work and BAM, i feel aged, and old.
HAHAHAHAHAHA.
my body has been screaming at me. SCREAMING at me for some major R&R
as much as i love working in a restaurant,
and as much as i love this industry
jlo is human.

it's a very hard to live healthily and passionately at the same time,
and now, the older i get, (or the older i feel , resilience ho!)
i am figuring out that each day is so worth it, only if i'm at my best, doing what i need to do, when i need to do it.
execution is key here folks, in living out those dreams and passions.
but what happends when your body says no?
and your body gives you all these painful tell tail signs that you must slow down and rest?

i must listen.
otherwise i will die.

epic - yes?
dramatic - yes?
true?
yes.

i woke up with a swollen arm sunday morning.
and i mean SWOLLEN.
it's scary when you see a body part everyday and then all of a sudden, you look at it one AM and it doesn't look like yours.

it hurt to move
it hurt to rotate my wrist
and i mimic-ed the motions i do at work (i.e rolling out dough, pounding out dough, baking off heavy trays,) to see what was up, and i screamed in pain. AGHHHHHHH.
and not only was it my arm,
but my entire back, my trap, my delts, and my neck was innnnn pain.

the dough. omg... i'm getting overworked at work.
which seems like a funny thing to say, and people keep telling me that i'll get used to it...
and i just keep smiling* to them and saying "yea" at work because i don't want to seem weak, at least in mind games -- but inside my reaction is really "i don't want to get used to this abuse to my body!"

dahh, i just need to rest.
ok. rest it today jlo, on your one day off.
so i drove with one arm to lunch, met up with homie G, she felt hung over from a wedding, and i felt hungover all month, haaa
we ordered a whole bunch of my favourite Shanghainese dumplings and five mins into giddy conversation later, i pick up my chopsticks to eat and i had a major scarlett moment -- YeeeeeeeeeOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!
OMG. I COULDN'T USE MY CHOPSTICKS.
OH HELLS NO!!!
nothing gets in the way of JLO EATING!
awww shiiiettt.
this is bad.

"what is wrong with you?"
"LOOK AT MY MAN HAND!! WHAT IS THIS?!!" (i hold up both hands for comparison)
"Let me see" (she is studying to be a sport therapist / chiropractor)
she pushes all the food to the side, and i reach my hulk of an arm over the table for her to examine

i look at the waiter, and ask for a fork in chinese -"for me"
i grab a fork and poke at my food with my left hand while she pokes around on my right.
i am starving since now i'm limited with what i can or cannot eat at work because of food costs and now i've been sneaking food into my mouth every chance i get and eating like a maniac on my days off because god damn it i'm human! if i'm going to be working non stop anywhere between 6 - 12 hours straight five days a week, I'M GOING TO EAT! ESP WHEN MY JOB IS TO FEED OTHER PEOPLE! i hate getting in trouble for eating at work! it's NOT HUMAN! i'm NOT A MACHINE!! -- well clearly.

"it's not your wrist jam -- well it is, but it's also all the muscles and tendons all up the arm. everything is swollen. you're overworked.
"yea, no shit. this job has been killing me since day one, i love it, but it's slowly killing my body. i feel like i've aged two years in the last 7 weeks"
"it's only been 2 months?!"
"yea feels like forever huh? hahahaa, for reaL"

well, it's your..."
she then goes on to hilariously recite all the scientific names for all the muscles in the arm and tendons attatched to them.
i glare at her thinking "oh shit" but instead i say,
"damn, i did well in kines in high school, & i know what you're talking about.
that's. not. good."

she strokes her thumb up my arm in the medial side towards my elbow
I SCREAM.
in the middle of the restaurant
holy crap.

"umm, you need to get this checked out. acupuncture, acupressure, ice pack, anything."
she continues to rub my arm, trying to massage the stress, the swollen poor tendons and muscles that just need some extra love, and tears run down my face from the unexpected excruciating pain.

ok, monday. i have an apt already with my circulation doc
maybe if i sweat it out tonight and dance, i'll be ok."
"you best ice that first -"
ok.
let's eat.
ughh, still so mad that i get yelled at at work for eating..."
***

so i wake up monday afternoon and head to my doc after an intense night of partying; celebrating another end of a crazy work week at the restaurant. i felt i had to blow off steam since friday night service made me cry. literally.

i walk into my doc's office proclaiming
"i'm so broken, fix me!"
and she spends three hours releasing all the tension in my arm, neck, back, trap, and feet.
you're a woman. i know you want to do things that make you happy, but your mother is very worried about you,
"yea i know, she got mad at me for not quitting my job already since it's been taking such a big toll on my body."
"yea, at this rate, you're going to have complications later on, if you ever want kids, etc. you need to take care of yourself and weight out if it's really worth your health"

aGHhh.
the golden question of the decade.
is this really worth my health.
i've been through 2 major sicknesses that almost killed me since i was 18.
i know i'm not like everyone else, and i know my body is more sensitive to outside factors that effect my health. i've had 4 or 5 major shifts in my diet and lifestyle since then and have finally figured out what works and how to eat to increase my nutrient intake everyday. (hence why i EAT so damn much at work, and outside of work really. well i mean it's no surprise, my friends have always been like d-d-dang jlo, you eat a LOT! lol.)
and i don't smoke, and i am relearning to control my alcohol intake (i find being DD is always the best alibi) and i've been learning to control my emotional life too (i have 3 blogs for this reason ;) haa)
so when do i step in and say --

hey,
what i want to do is crossing over to unhealthy
my job is not sustaining me in the way i expected,
and i've been learning a lot more about survival than about food itself.
hmm, what a predicament.
isn't food about survival?

sometimes i believe my role in life as a sensitive person is to enter a system,
and point out what other people should be sensitive to as well -
in order to treat everyone else like human.
human's are not machines,
we are human.
we need to eat, drink water, and sleep,
we need rest, we need recover,
and we need to survive.
above all else,
we need to take care of each other.
that's where friendship, trust, respect, & love come in
and i mean really CARE about each other.
everything else falls in between.
work time, play time, chill time, entertain me time...
but that's just time management, no? ;)

so my decision to go back to grad schooL is a good one :) Master of Arts in food studies, food systems and cultures, here i COME!
manhattan here i come again! woohoo!
and as much fun as it is to do this job here and to go into work everyday and see my friends,
as much excitement as it was to consider the possibility of working on the line and living the fast life for another 2 years downtown toronto, working harder and playing harder,
i am not 20 anymore.
i am a woman
and my body is going to feel even more 'different' than i'm used to in about five more years when i hit 30.
sure, 30 is the new 20.
but i i have also learned that i need to take care of myself first.
and really take care of myself, and now that i know what that means,
i can actually evaluate now,
how much longer can my body handle this kind of work?

i hate being in a position where i'm "useless"
and right now my brains are useless - and i have the brains ;)
and yesterday with my arm all bandaged up at work -
i got frustrated, because my body is now waving white flags telling me to stop and go back to using my brain,
what i've been trained to do for the last 6 years.

i can't roll any more dough this week with this arm
and i am barely moving it, only when i need to
i don't want to die overworked and physically useless.
even superman had his kryptonite.
and mine is my body. it limits my incredible imagination and passion in ways that just makes me have to be more creative.
but i like that.
let me leave my mark on this planet first before i die.
& if even,
in this internet space.

time to shift gears superwoman!
take care & eat well
xoxox J xoxox

a Vocation Vacation

2009-03-20T11:48:00.006-04:00

i'm addicted to this industry.
a-d-d-i-c-t-e-d.

my parents are watching from the side line like - wtf is happening to you? you're going a mile a min, but you're growing and learning and, d-d-daymn...

passion is pouring from my insides again.

the last two weeks was exactly what i needed to get back into the game,
and now,
i am confident
that i can grab this opportunity and blow my own head out of the water.

as i learned to execute in college -- it's all about COMMITMENT
a fear that's been lingering in me for years now...
commitment
how to spend the time you were meant to spend on this earth doing what you love.

it's like when i dance, see dance, and dancers do their thang,
it lights me on fire
and in an alternate universe,
that would have been me on a huge stage, in a stadium, rippin it up,
or at least in my past life -- i just feel it,
because i recognize that fire, that heat, that passion in their souls,
and when i dance,
the world is alright because i am living the essence of pure Love in a moment of time.

i feel that way about food,
a life force within that breathes air, fire, water, and all of the other elements of survival into my/our bloodstream
except, this passion has been dormant for a while.
i've been training my emotional, physical, and psychological endurance since i've been out of college and since i moved home, and started this blogg,
i've been figuring out ways to weave through all these other elements to find my path again,
and have been building my own tapestry of the world around me -
and
to find my soul through the cook's lifestyle now
is to commit to a beast that so scared me to tears on that first intensive night admist the haze of the hustle and bustle at Landmarc. columbus circle. central park.

i was so lost when i came home
and now,
the path is clearing again,
and my gutt is telling me to move again,
to go,
grab it by the horns
and go.
take this new job,
cook your ass off on the line.
because it's all you baby.
downtown.
financial district.
i will be in the heart of this city
and that will in turn feed my soul too.

bring it.

this lifestyle is intense.
it truely is a VOCATION -- interestingly defined as a) a strong feeling of suitability for a particular career or occupation, or b) a person's main occupation regarded as particularly worthy and requiring great dedication
but they say that when you are doing what you do best, and when you love what you do --
"do what you love / love what you do"
it doesn't feel like work,
because it can be a vacation everyday,
or rather, it's your life.
and it's the kind of pleasurable lifestyle that is so sought after outside of our north american workforce median.

and i am learning to love it.
because this is a kind of job, this is the kind of growth, and this is the kind of experience that will allow me to travel the world later on, to live my life, to do my thang, and to commit to learning about the global food and agricultural industry.
i want an edge when i get to grad schooL, i want to bring myself and my food experience to the table, and i want to pull it apart and talk about it all. let's deconstruct the shit out of life, out of systems, out of theories and projects, and then put it all back together and eat it up again. rebuild, grow, and live it out.

and yet, i feel that i am still so green.
but i have the fire, and the passion to fight for it, to search for it, and to live it again --
and i've always been the one to find this kind of "living" that's not just surviving off of what i do kind of thang -- and it's what i've been searching for.
so what's another year or two here?
i have options.
and that is a mother effing great feeling.
jlo's back
let's cook,
so we can EAT!

*peace

The Weekend Service Update

2009-03-17T03:20:00.004-04:00

Friday Night. Saturday night. Sunday Brunch.

These are very loaded words if you've ever worked in a restaurant on the line.

People in the industry say that if you walk into any busy restaurant on a Sat night between 6pm and 9pm to stage,
it can be pretty telling of what you can expect to be the craziest and most intense service you'll experience for that kitchen.

and chances are, you are walking into a land mine knowingly
so you better be prepared right?

right.
well depending on what your role is also - as a guest? as an observer? as a cook? as a server? as a dishwasher? -- but usually how well a restaurant does on a saturday night is pretty telling of how well a place is managed and what kind of business they handle.

the energy,
the buzz,
the insanely fast paced A game mentality
the peak of the week
everything counts.
and every little detail that could be thought of, to be done ahead of time to put you ahead should be completed to ensure a good service.

yes easier said than done.
and this past saturday was my most disapointing service to date.
i know i'm probably just being really hard on myself,
but i also like to push myself to grow every chance i get.
and my game was way off.
and i mean it happens right?
we all have bad days at work.
but shit,
there is no room for that in the kitchen.
and to me, it just showed that nothing can be taken for granted.
i learned my lesson good.
i was in the shits from 5:30pm - 9:30pm straight - playing catch up with myself.
i felt like i was chasing my own tail all night
"it's ok jlo, finish what you started. it's ok."
- pick the mint, fill the sauce bottles, roll out the quiche dough,
-line the pans, bake off the quiche, bake off the bread,
-prep the tarts, prep the apple crumble
- chit, chit chit.
jlo bread jlo bread jlo BREAD!
oven, temperature
495 degrees?!
crap.
burnt.
happy birthday happy anniversary
"can i get that rushed please?!"
chocolate explosion.
great.
jlo bread!
no time.
veg peeler.
where is my veg peeler?
jlo fire the BREAD!
oven beeping
ice cream cups, need glasses.
cut the cakes,-- carefully.
do it now,
jlo bread!
oh shit, the 13 pans of quiche dough
scrape off the burn, it's still gooood.... pop it back into the oven!
jlo bread please!
dropped one --
omg.
time out.
I NEED A TIME OUT.
run downstairs to wrap up the shit that was cooling in the oven.
chit chit chit.
jlo too much bread!
(are you kidding me>?)
wtf?
umm.
ok.
yes chef.
chit chit chit.
damn,
i'm hungry.
chit chit chit.

this stupid new bread is taking me away from learning all the other stations
and i don't like being pigeon holed into my position now -
i am currently the new "pastry girl", well 6 weeks new since i jumped in right when the 4 week licious began.

i'm trained in savoury darn-it! hahahaha...
(i know chef kathryn would be so proud since all throughout culinary school she always introduced me to other collegues as janet "culinary-savoury-student -should-have-been-pastry" along with V when both of us kicked ass in mod 4 and she wanted us to switch over, but i never did because as much as that first lobster i killed made me cry, i wanted to learn more about food, and i wanted to learn all types of food, and learn to do it well.)

& honest to god, i really miss being on the line,
i miss cooking proteins and veg
sauteing with hot oil
and getting my ass kicked by a piece of meat.
i miss perfecting my quadriages on the grill
and i miss tasting something for salt,
rather than get a sugar rush everytime i lick a spoon

i've been learning the other garde manger positions lately since my 'rush' comes about half an hour after everyone else on the line, but during that time i'm prepping and cutting cakes and baking shit off. it's constant. so i've learned to do it all really fast so i can learn and watch all the other stations go.
and we got hit hard on friday night, which was really exciting. i love the energy when a kitchen runs like a machine,
and when everyone is on par with each other, it's pretty damn cool. and i felt left out, so i ran over to help N out with seafood and salad, practically shucking oysters and plating the smoked salmon special while running back and forth to plate cakes and ice cream.
and it was fun :)
i think i've mastered brulee-ing with the torch in my right hand, while grabbing another plate to draw a circle of sauce on it, or grabbing an ice cream cup and a napkin to set up another plate at the same time.

and chef just shouted at me when he saw me running back and forth -- confused and surprised -- "wow you are all over the place eh?"
"umm, yea!
- wait, huh?"
it's as if he had forgotten that he put me on the veg station when i first started.
and now, all i do is pastry -
which is very respectable in the industry,
but now i know what everyone was talking about in terms of the differences and shifts in attitudes towards the pastry sectors of the industry while i was in culinary school.

it seems as though i've been pushed off to the side.
and i still do my thing,
i handle the station well, and i send out my sweet indulgences as an after dinner treat that goes with coffee and tea,
and mmmm, i can't help but feel that it might be time to move on up soon,
to learn more about food
and how to feels to feed the masses first.

honestly though,
this has been training my endurance in the last 6 weeks. (omg, it's only been 6 weeks!, it feels like forever)
since this resturant i've been at is a super high volume place -- we can do up to 500 covers per service.
and i'm learning how to get myself out of the shits on a busy saturday night on my own
"why don't you ask for help? don't be a hero!"
"how? pull you off the hot line so you can help me bake off quiche at 9:30 pm? - it's all good, just let me sulk in the fridge for one min, dust it all off and try again. thanks for the offer though, ;)"

and that's exactly what i needed --
this kind of boot camp training that i've been getting in the last 6 weeks
which was something i opted out in doing as my externship whilst in culinary school that i've now completed,
to push me to my next step --

hmm,
so
now what? :)
T.B.A.

i got into the NYU M.A. Food Studies Program today (received the big envelope in the mail)
and i'm meeting with another well known Chef from T.O. to chat on thursday
so maybe this weekend was the start of something new,
yet again,
but this time,
i feel as though i'm more prepared for what's in store for me in my near future
as in, what i can handle in terms of at least knowing what to expect, and what's expected of me in this industry.

.. and like jumping into a busy kitchen on a saturday night,
i have to dive head first this time with the full confidence
that i can pull myself out through anything

happy eating*
xoxo J xoxox

The Confidential Kitchen Confidential.

2009-03-07T20:21:00.008-05:00

Aghh the life of a cook.
so intense,
so fascinating,
so physically boundary-less. (don't know if that's a good or bad thing. haha)

so much drinking
so little eating
so much flirting with promiscuity (food is sex. sex is food. y'all have heard that before...)
and so much toying between what's professional and what's simply keeping us sane.

i've been coming home at 4, 5, 6 am in the last couple of days, in the last two weeks from bar hopping, pool, clubbing, karaoking, hanging out, networking, schmoozing, and simply playing with my new homies.
you know, it's the importance of 'happy hour',
except our happy hours are 'industry nights'
when everyone else is sleeping, because we have just gotten off work.
man, when you work, stress, and sweat together
get yelled at, produce great food, good food, bad food, unservable food, all together
there's bound to be drinking, smoking, and dancing in order to balance it all out.

the adrenaline,
the hangovers,
the power throughs,
the early mornings,
the very late nights,
the VERY early early mornings / late nites that turn into one long day
from cooking for each other, to family meals, and going out for those greasy 3 am drunken snacks

there's no wonder, we not like honey. like glue. like a PB&J.

"this lifestyle it's hella fun, but i'm going to burn out soon"
(spoken by many, and even coming out of my mouth the other morning at 6:30 am when i finally reached my driveway...thinking to myself, 'if i start work at 2pm, i can still get 6 hours of sleep!' sweeet. shower time!)
and cheers to that!

i know, it's not sustainable (we don't get enough pay to do this for very long in order to actually financially sustain ourselves)
and it's physically tolling on our health, on my health
of course everyday when i struggle to get up at noon, i think to myself -- "mann, this is crazy... i look, TIRED."
and d-d-damn! Look how thin i've gotten! i'm gaining muscles in the right places, and have slimmed down to nothing, it's like bootcamp, and i have a 16 year old waist again! hahaha! it reminds me a lil of when i used to train in high school for dragonboat racing -- holy crap, i'm fit again, skinny, and constantly hungry.
well, that doesn't count, i guess i'm ALWAYS hungry for more ;)

which of course is always met with "you work in a kitchen, don't you EAT all day long?!"
to which i laugh again.
- hahaha, in your dreaming glamourized version of what you think it means to work in a kitchen ratatouille stylez, yes, but in reality, when you're spending 8-12 hours each day feeding other people, it's ironically difficult to sneak food into your mouth when you work in an 'open' kitchen.

which brings me to my next point --
so everyone always asks -- "have you seen anything unmentionable in the industry?? like what is it really like back there? how DIRTY is it?"
-- ermm, ok, i've seen people's apartments in college that are scarier than most scary nasty kitchens i've seen or worked in.
or people's houses.
truth is, CHEF's ARE HELLA CLEAN. we are OCD even.
because we're all type A personalities that strive for perfection, and who all have a incredible sense of drive, passion, and a sense of clockwork timing.

most people ask and most people have the right to know, i get it,
but it's not like we have so many secrets to hide. haha which i think is kind of hilarious.
well, i guess if they saw what the kitchen actually looks like during service, my question is -- would they want to eat at that same restaurant again in knowing the reality of how your food is prepared and under what circumstances, conditions, and 'terms of agreement' they walk into? and after judging, MOST PEOPLE EAT IT ANYWAY.

well,
chances are you've probably had worse in your lifetime too.
and as sensitive as people can be, most people are pretty resilient, i think.
i mean it's taken years for all the macdonalds in the world to penetrate health ripples into science journals and to obtain 'professional' observation and research into the diseases of the western lifestyle --
is the "FOOD" Products that you eat coming from 'cleaner' supermarkets with all the preservatives in it, better for you? luck of the draw no?
the other day my dad found a croissant in the kitchen in a half closed tupperware that he had forgotten about for a month, that's been sitting out and about on the counter. he opened it and it looked perfect. i mean, EWW.
no mold, nothing. and i mean, mold ain't picky, mold will eat anything in the right conditions... air, moisture, heat. yup. all of the above in a container sitting beside the stove for a month. (don't get me started on how unorganized my mom's kitchen is.. haha)
would you still eat that if mold didn't even want it? HAHAHA -- it's like SPAM -- that shit will go through natural disasters and nuclear wars! and people are worried about roaches? chances are roaches will outlive us, and that must mean they're doing something right, no? hahaha... maybe not if they continue to eat our leftovers...hahaha, resilience! ho!!

so it's been really interesting in the last 5 weeks in observing the way a high volume kitchen runs -
sometimes, when there's just so much food to be prepped, cooked, and served,
there simply is no time to do all those little nitpicky things you have time to do at home when you cook for others.
so we cut corners on certain things, naturally...
cuz cooking in a restaurant kitchen and serving about 1000 people a day (at max capacity with two services) is definitely different than cooking for yourself, a family of four, and so forth, etc, etc...

so there's no big secret really.
maybe that's the aww of having an open kitchen where the guests can look into the kitchen and actually see the cooks prepare the food.
i wonder if they can hear us swearing and eff-ing off everyone else when certain orders come in...
and is the dinning room really that loud that they don't here our often crude and sexually charged remarks to each other?
what do our guests think when they see a cook, aka me, EAT something, or quickly shove something into my mouth and chew like a horse cuz that bite is supposed to sustain me for another erm, hour of work??
yes, we're technically not "allowed" to eat in that open kitchen area, so we all squat down like the asians and eat anyway cuz i'm usually starving, and sometimes i just don't even bother to squat (omg i'm such a rebel, i know! -- or am i human? haha)
and the fact that i feel like a goldfish, is enough to make me nervous about my itchy nose or sweaty sweaty forehead when anyone, let alone kids, run up to the edge and stand there and watch us make their food.

this is where that thin thin "professional" line comes into play,
most people who go out to eat at restaurants are ok customers, they tip ok, and they can be appreciative.
and most people walk into the restaurant like they're owed the treatment of their lives, because they are paying for something and we have to gain it, like the magical disney threshold point i learned about in college (-- that being, when after you pay an admissions fee, do you start to relax and have fun and feel like it's all 'worth' the price?)

isn't it funny that people who are skeptical about what happens behind the kitchen doors, are often the ones that think the restaurant owes them shit when they walk in and instantly aren't satisfied already?? hmm, what goes around comes around??

i mean, do you stare at your mom when she prepares your dinner to watch if she's doing anything wrong or messed up?
HAHAHA, can you imagine?! -- she'll smack you in the back of your head! and then make you cook it yourself, AND THEN make you clean up after your mess and the whole family's afterwards!

and thus is the service industry --

it is full of people who bust their asses and work their behinds off,
to cook,
to serve,
to clean,
and to make sure you're getting everything in a timely manner - (that's for you to judge if you saw what actually goes on in the back and the speed at which we do work)
who don't get paid enough to have time to change the system or speak up about it until they believe they have more "power" to do it their way, when they become an executive chef... one day...
but i guess this is where i come in. ;)

HAHAHA!
the company has all these policies that fit their mold of what they want their guests to be experiencing when they walk into the "buzz, sparkle, and magic" of it all...
and it's actually interesting,
to see that
really, in the end of it all --
it's all for YOU.
everything this industry does,
all the insane devoted hours to cooking, prepping, buying, making, cleaning, over and over and over again
is all so YOU can eat.
so you can have variety in your life
so you can have an option, as to what YOU want for dinner tonight
so you don't have to farm it, grow it, pick it, wash it, clean it, chop it, mix it, cook it, store it, and clean up yourself.

i guess that's the bigger secret here.
so why have we all become so blind to the process of where our food comes from?

hrmm.
think about it next time you go out to eat ;)
xoxo J xoxo

ps- i have lived through my word and have started my tipping revolution, have you join in yet?? :)
tip ya cooks darlings ;)
happy eating*

Girl can cook a steak, but can she eat it too?

2009-03-01T02:31:00.004-05:00

Man. it's official,
i have the world's most sensitive body.
i like how my horoscope today totally warned me about this too --
check it:
"Difficult sleep; don't aggravate the situation with a dinner which is too copious or too rich in fats."
HAHAHA,
hence i am up at 2:58am on sunday,
having to go into work in approx. 11 hours.
and i can't sleep.

my body is itchy and i think i busted out in a small rash from the steak dinner i cooked myself,
and i've already downed 3 bottles of water. :P
i've been over eating this week, and i will be the first to admit,
i can't help but put amazing flavours into my mouth sometimes, even when i know that i shouldn't be eating such rich foods when i need to be "detoxing" right now.
haha. the car needs an oil changeeee
and it's hard when i still need to take it for a roadtrip. ;)
we going the distance baby,
and i know,
i need to take better care of it, esp now. with all the stress from work.

but come on...
perfectly seared off steaks with finely chopped red onions sauteed in butter with an orange juice balsamic reduction compote with sides of sauteed spinach with chopped hierloom mini tomatoes from mexico, and roasted rosemary potatoes with sweet potato mash?! how can you resist.
and i just threw it all together!
"how can i make you cook on your day off from work?!"
"because it's fun, and i miss making my own food :)"
"i cook. let's eat!"

you know how i roll.
i spent 22 bucks,
for a dinner for two (cooked for my god bro tonight, since the idea of both of us trying to find a restaurant to eat out at that is affordable, on the last night of winterlicious, when we both were craving meat, potatoes, and a cold beer -- seemed totally out
of the question... i'm sure you have this problem too, i like to call it -- restaurant 'EH' syndrome, precisely when you know exactly what you want to eat, exactly what you're craving, but know that you will have to spend over 50 bucks a person to get mediocrity at the 'usual' place in town, it's the weekend, it's probably packed, you're in a hoodie, some boots and jeans, and you don't want to put on your town pants because it's minus 6 out. Celsius. can't a sister just get some soul food around here for cheap?! haha not in canada, well at least not in the dead of winter on a saturday night at 7:30pm)

so i had suggested that we go pick up some angus steaks at our local supermarket (well we both drove out of the way to my fav one uptown) and i cooked since i know exactly how i like my meat. --
internally 135 degrees, at most, browned on both sides with salt and pepper.
simple, delicious,
and how steaks should be.
mmmm.

and now,
my body is screaming at me.
because not only did i have that for dinner,
i had a chocolate crossant for dessert right after that (damn the pms and the chocolate cravings!)
and beef pho, spring rolls with fish sauce, and soy milk over a 3 hour lunch date with my favourite dietitian and friend, ms. K tang.
i love arguing and talking about saturated fats, where our meat comes from, and how much food REALLY costs in this country. i love to talk about our peeking and influential global diet of western diseases and nutritional additives
i love discussing what children are eating in schools and how pre natal development can also be so influential.
i love to learn about how a pregnant mother with 7 kids on welfare in canada can get more nutritional support and milk money to support her kids from our tax dollars than 'rich' folk do who eat microwavable dinners in front of their tv's.
i love talking about how our generation is full of heartwarmed change pushers who all want to rebuild these countries full of opportunities and educate people about healthy lifestyle and what that REALLY means.
"how do i survive?"
"how should i feed myself?"
"what should i eat?"
and who decides what our children eat?

and because i can honestly say,
my personal story relating to my diet and lifestyle and eating habits have changed dramatically about 4 or 5 times in my lifetime already due to major health issues and sicknesses that have almost killed me twice before the age of 24,
that i have both relied on and been a 'victim' to the confusing health care system in needing emergency care in hospitals ranging from 3rd world status in china to supposidly accredited university ER's in the states, all of which could not figure out what was "wrong" with me...that i can attest to the many claims of care that i make about how i think people should eat and be aware of the food that they consume nowadays if they care about their own survival at all (their own darwininan bar of fit at least). and wouldn't you be happier if you not only "got by", but strived to live a happier, more productive, and energetic lifestyle? :)
i know i do
and i write to share it all,
i write to share my stories
i write in hopes that maybe you will find some familiarity in my words,
to these confusing definitions set by institutions and systems in society that i have learned to challenge and ask questions about, that run my country
cuz let's face it
we're all going to die.
isn't it all about the time we spend here and making it count that really matters?

Hmm,
thank you for giving me your life so i can eat*
and as a dear friend said to me once in high school:
"awareness is everything, yet nothing at all. it is what you choose to do with your knowledge that validates it's existence in the world" - eL.
so young, so wise,
and so honest.

and sometimes,
it's just so hard to swallow
because it's hard.
but it's the truth, and i can sugar coat it for you,
but sometimes,
you just need some good ol' h2ohhhhhh!
;)
- J

Follow Your Cravings

2009-02-28T03:48:00.003-05:00

Listen to your body,
it tells you a lot.

i was so full the other day, even though i was at work and i knew i hadn't eaten in about 6 hours straight, but my instincts when i'm stressed out is always -- feed my body when i'm tired, because if i don't get enough sleep, then at least i can get enough calories to counterbalance how i feel - which is lacking something

well, it doesn't happen that way i guess.
because the next thing that happend was that i went to see my circulation doctor and she said that i had over eaten in the past week, that i was "stuck" and that i needed to detox. and clear my system.
"how's your appetite?"
"eh, i completely lost it... and i work around food all day long, it's very strange to know that i SHOULD eat, but don't feel like it"
"yea, you need to empty your system, it's stressed out"
"haha, all of me is stressed out right now, so what can i eat?"
- PLUM JUICE.
like oldies do every morning,
i was in dire need of some fibre and liquids.

and the coolest part was --
instinctually i knew it.
because for 3 days, all i was craving was a big fat salad, or liquids like soup, juice, and water when i was at work,
but sometimes getting to eat what you crave at exactly when you crave it isn't so easy.
(you'd think it is when you work in a kitchen with a huge menu, and hence a ton of MISE EN PLACE to pick from to eat everyday, but my schedule sometimes just doesn't allow me to even go Pee when i have to for hours!)

so i guess this is where i can get creative.
haha..
i put together a variety of meals with the mise that i do find, which can be fun.
a 4 oz piece of salmon here, some couscous from the special on that section of my plate, a strawberry from my own station, and ooh salads! grab some spinach and shaved peppers there...
vola! mmmm, BRUNNER.

sometimes, i just feel like a machine at work, pumping out dessert after dessert
(my favourite is when a chit comes through my printer and says something like -
"ice cream, cream anglaise on the side - dairy allergy, or berries, but no extra sugar, or bread pudding (with a crushed pecan topping) no nuts - nut allergy"
like WTF??
that's like saying:
"dessert please, no sugar" -- can you pick out the components of the food that don't suit my diet or health requirements because i want to eat it anyway???
hmmm.
how does that work?

well,
it doesn't.

listen to your body,
and learn to make adjustments.
haha, it's funny that people will crave certain foods, but don't realize what they're actually craving.
as in, what their bodies are actually telling them that they are depleted of.
i believe that your cravings never lie.
because your body never lies
if you're feeling lethargic, low energy, or loss of appetite, it MEANS something...

i totally loss my appetite last week,
and i thought it was cuz i was sad,
but it's also cuz i overate heavy foods and force fed myself because i was so tired and exhausted at work that i thought, the more i ate, the more energy i would have,
but it was making me feel even more tired because i was putting my digestive system in stress...
how funny my bodily sensitivity can be.
and then i did a detox,
and i was hungry after 2 days of a few bites of fruits and veggies here and there, plum juice galore, and three or four number twos all day...
it felt so good to be HUNGRY again.
i wanted food,
because my body was like, umm, ok, i'm ready!
FEED ME now
give me nutrients!!!

and my mouth was craving all sorts of flavours
and i often experience this --
my stomach says stop, but my mouth says i want more banging flavours in my mouth...
hahah what a feeling!!

so i try to figure out what i want,
what an understatement huh?!?! :)

for instance --
if you are feeling like something sweet,
try eating fruit instead of candy
if you're craving something greasy
try eating some good fats like avocado, nuts, instead of say french fries
if you're craving something salty, your body needs to retain some water, some liquids, because sodium holds water
if you want like a huge steak or burger --
maybe you need protein and iron

make good choices, your body with thank you later ;)
it's like a savings account
if you put good stuff in,
it'll swirl around and give you interest back
if you keep spending it,
it'll all go away and deplete fast.
and who likes to go down to zero?

be good to yourself!
happy eating ;)

THIS IS WHY YOU'RE FAT

2009-02-12T14:30:00.004-05:00

thanks for the link Q!

HAHAHAHA - check out the oreo stuffing tower -- omg.
ewwww...

THIS IS WHY YOU'RE FAT.com

now if you wanted to eat some good fat --
try halving an AVOCADO
take out the pit
drizzle with extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper (fresh ground is best)
grab a spoon and enjoy! :)
(if you can't finish both halves, leave the pit in the one you want to save -- wrap it up and place it in the fridge. the pit prevents it from browning!!!)

now deep frying isn't necessarily bad --
fresh oil heated to 375 degrees serves as a perfect cooking medium
and if you have the perfect batter --
yum. it just adds to the experience of deep frying
think of the last time you had REALLY good tempura ;) or fresh fish and chips or a really good fried chicken out of a mom's kitchen.
perfectly fried foods aren't greesy b/c they are done right and don't absorb all the oil, they are drained off, and the crispy batter actually protects the food inside from all that, well oil.. haha

problem is, no one ever wants to deep fry at home, cuz you'll be scrubbing grease out of cracks and out of your hair for months, (unless you're my mom and cling wraps the entire kitchen - hahaha)
and the fact that it's hard to dispose of oil, and it's dangerous, and it's a pain in the butt to change deep fryer oils and clean them out that most restaurants hardly change their deep frying oil.
it's kind of gross, but you should know.
this is where the problem starts --
places that use old, brown, chemically nasty USED oil over and over again to fry their food
makes food bad, greasy, oily, and smelly.

i'm sure you know what i'm talking about --
walking out of any place after a burger and or fried anything, and you, your clothes, and your hair smell like grease until your next shower or laundry day.
ewww.
yup, that's a pretty good indication that the place you just ate at, probably hasn't changed their oil in a LONG TIME.
chances are it's brownish black, it's got floating bits in it, and it's just hella nasty.

i once watched a documentary on america's oldest burger joints.
there's one place that's pride and joy was the fact that they have NEVER changed their oil, IT WAS 90 YEARS OLD.
i believe this was in memphis.
the shot of the oil was opaque & black, and they believe that that is the secret to why their DEEP FRIED BURGERS are SO GOOD.
:P i almost puked when i saw it. and when they moved locations, they had the oil police escorted to the new restaurant location. lol. omg. now that is extreme.
and if that doesn't make you sick, i don't know what will.

so if you're gonna eat it anyway -
exercise people!
sweat this stuff out of your system.
that's what makes you fat and sick.
your body has a pretty good filtering system for all the good and the bad things you throw in there,
but you need to help it out every week by sweating and drinking water, and detoxing that shit out, literally.
you need to eat veggies and fibre and fruit and wheat to filter that stuff out. it's like an exit strategy for your body.
hmm think of it this way:
it's like a car --
it needs maintenance,
it needs oil changes every 3000 miles, and it needs gas.
it need an exterior wash, and it needs a detailing inside every so often,
and the cleaner and well maintained it is, the more enjoyment you'll get out of it, and the more milage you'll get.
of course you can run the thing into the ground,
but it won't last as long, and those miles better be damn worth it if it' going to be so shot lived.

don't get fat,
you'll just get really sad, depressed, and die.
and we're all going to die anyway,
so why not love yourself and be able to enjoy yourself along the way? ;)
i have choices,
you have choices,
and we all have endless resources.

and i'm not talking about genetics people -- people have different shapes and sizes and curves. fat people historically are healthier and evolutionary speaking are supposed to outlive those skinny starving malnourished people running in the wild.
healthy fat curvy people are sexy, it's instinctual.

What i'm talking about is the 21st century epidemic, where for the first time in human history, we have fat malnourished sick people due to empty calories; processed crap that people eat to "get by" for convenience, people who pay millions of dollars in health care each year (without insurance - why do you think US health insurance companies make so much money, it's a business, they don't care about you! watch SICKO if you've not convinced and do some research) and these are the same people who will notice how much good food really costs -- investing in your body everyday is worth more than the average of $100,000/ person in hospital fees, i think. again, also why doctors and lawyers make so much money. think about it.

yes organic food is expensive -
but there are a LOT of guidelines that organic farms have to follow in order to sustain itself and make money. invest in that!
these people are trying and working very hard to make sure your food is safe, that this food is good to eat, and that this food doesn't have health consequences.
local farmer's markets are filled with farmers who work their behinds off making, growing food with care.
these people care about what you eat, they care about your health, and they care about connecting to the earth.
invest in them. because they invest in you without you knowing it, just to give you an option and another food resource in our land of plenty.

feed yourselves folks & eat smart ;)
love yourself first.
oxox J xoxox

ps - my friend turned over the bottle of day/nightquil and one of the ingredients in it was HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP.
how bout them apples. - why do we need that in "medicine"?! question your food and where it's coming from: ALL OF IT.

a Homage to In 'Defense of Food' / WHAT TO EAT

2009-02-11T00:53:00.004-05:00

this is from a conversation i had with Hoai online --
thanks for asking ;)

-- Hoai: hey i have one question for you
what are the evils of high fructose corn syrup?
my friend told me he avoids it, so now i do too
me: it's "toxic", like margerine
it's the kind of sugar that's all chemically formed --
it throws your insulin off balance, so you'll hit sugar crashes
AND, b/c it tricks your body in insulin production, you'll keep eating more - that's how ppl get fat
you'll keep eating b/c your body is craving the nutrients, but b/c you're producing all the insulin, the cravings will be for sugar..
and hence it's a vicious cycle.
and since it'll make you crave sugar, it's all empty calories that you'll be eating..
ka-peesh?

Hoai: sounds like.. cocaine!
me: yeaaa
me: AND cuz there's shitloads of it -- it's a cheap way of using all the over produced corn in this country
it's CHEAP to sell to companies to use as sweeteners
Hoai: ok i will stay away
me: hahaha

Hoai: what other ingredients should i avoid in my food?
me: mmm, don't think avoid --
Think EAT MORE OF --
like veggies, fruit, wheat,
potatoes.
the more of those whole foods and GOOD stuff your system gets, the more nutrients that will actually FEED u
so then all the other stuff like - meat proteins, dairy, and fats will be like bonuses
Hoai: yeah, PROTEIN - where can i go for wheat?
me: couscous -
bread
rice
cereal
(easy on the cereals with lots of sugar though, anything not processed, and any kind of cereal that actually takes longer to cook is less processed and better for you, like hot oatmeal, try to stay away from the 1min stuff, even thought i used to be a big fan of it too...guilty.)
wheatberries
quinoa
any kind of Legumes really --
beans
green beans
peas
mm, start with THIS CHART (link)
that i found on veganpeace.com --
anything on the list is good
and the thing is,
the more whole foods you eat, the more full you actually get.
no empty calories
and by "whole foods" i mean, anything without a package
and anything without listed ingredients that you a) can't pronounce or recognize b) has more than 5 ingredients, c) something your grandmother wouldn't recognize either
try to treat yourself to GOOD proteins when you do want meat or fish or chicken -- like stuff that is pastured (as in, the animal actually eats grass and not corn)
and organic meats and seafood that have no growth hormone or antibiotics in it. and because of that, all the saturated FAT in these organic foods are pure and GOOD for u. you need fats to absorb stuff like Vitamin A and E in your body (they are fat soluble)
and if you eat like this, you'll FEEL so different,
you'll FEEL great! truly.

i was starving the other day, woke up and i ate a steamed sweet potato, a scrambled egg, a vanilla yogurt, and i blended an orange, an apple, and a banana into a smoothie before i went to work. --
and it felt so good!! :)

i love that all my reading has paid off -- :) :) :)
Michael Pollan's IN DEFENSE OF FOOD (link)
and Marion Nestle's WHAT TO EAT (link)