Another good local food site

Amanda asked:

"Have you read Barbara Kingsolver's recent book: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle? It details her family's experiences eating only locally derived foods."

I have heard of this book, but haven't yet read it. I will try to get a copy at Bookpeople before I head off to Boston.

I did however come across this site:
http://100milediet.org/

James and Alisa set out to try an all local foods diet that came from 100 miles away. They finished the journey by writing a book:

Plenty: One Man, One Woman, and a Raucous Year of Eating Locally



Worth taking a peak at I'm sure. I was humored by Anothony Bourdain's comment of their adventure:
"I think they're nuts!"

Thanks for your comment Amanda! Keep 'em coming

Food Miles program and Good Quote

This site will help you fined what is fresh near you. Just enter your state and season.
http://www.nrdc.org/health/foodmiles/default.asp


"Food and nourishment are right at the point where human rights and the environment intersect." -Alice Waters Excerpt from Thinking outside the Lunchbox- Center for Ecoliteracy

Eating Bugs

Thanks to Chris once again. This article is facinating! Makes you wonder.

June 9th 2008, Time Magazine, pp. 47-49
by: Bryan Walsh/Richmond
Eating Bugs. They're packed with protein and environmentally friendlier than other meat. But can greenies kick the ick factor?

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1810336,00.html

Article excerpt:

In the US, we're more accustomed to exterminating insects that to eating them, but in scores of countries around the world - including Thailand, where food markets are stocked with commercially-raised water beetles and bamboo worms - bugs have long been a part of a well-balanced meal.....

Incredibly efficient to raise, insects are also crawling packets of nutrition. A 100 grams (3.5 oz) portion of cooked Usataterpsichore caterpillars - commonly eaten in Africa - contains about 28 grams of protein, slightly more than you'd get from the same amount of chicken. Water bugs have four times as much iron as beef.....

'We think bugs are dirty, disease laden or otherwise dangerous to eat - though they're not, as long as you cook them properly, are not allergic to shellfish (which, like insects, are arthropods) and aren't collecting bugs from fields that have been hit with pesticides......'

I can see body builders trying to up their protein by snacking on these suckers. If food prices keep going up, we may have to think about some alternatives. Water bug prescription for your anemia? Yum.

Organic Lawsuit

A press release by the Organic Consumers Association has found that carcinogenic 1,4-Dioxane, was found in Leading "Organic" Brand Personal Care Products.
"1,4-Dioxane is considered a chemical "known to the State of California to cause cancer" under proposition 65, and has no place in "natural" or "organic" branded personal care products."

The products include:
JASON Pure Natural & Organic
Giovanni Organic Cosmetics
Kiss My Face
Nature's Gate Organics

Thanks to Dr. Bronner. A name I know I can trust...his were found not to Contain 1,4-Dioxane. That's my Doctor.

The suit, filed in Alemeda County can be read here.

Press Release

Nestle and Child Advertising

Nestle never ceases to amaze me with their profit driven tactics. CSPI (Center for Science in the Public Interest)as well as US Rep Edward Markey are attempting to encourage Nestle to join other industry leaders in a effort to cut down advertising to children.

What is strange, is that Nestle has already committed to these types of advertising limitations in other countries.
Nestle's USA page touts their commitment to Health and Wellness. Some of Nestle's brands include: BABY RUTH®, HOT POCKETS®, and NESTLÉ® Superior Quality Milk Chocolate.


http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/news/ng.asp?n=85830-nestle-cspi-marketing-kids-obesity

MRSA varient in Food Chain

It was only a matter of time that the overuse of antibiotics in our food chain and in our environment in general would catch up to us. MRSA is a possibly leathal infection caused by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria — often called "staph." While typically a concern in hospital settings, new research is revealing that MRSA is being found in the food chain. Moreover, it was reported that there are more fatalities from MRSA then from AIDS. Unfortunatly the USDA has turned the blind eye and do not test for MRSA, even through recent studies out of the University of Iowa have shown that "70% of pork tested had MRSA!" It potentially can be found in chicken, beef and lamb as well.

As usual, Tom Phillpot or Grist has written a great article on this topic.

Thousands protest US beef in South Korea

Tens of thousands of demonstators filled Seoul in order to protest Lee Myung-bak's agreement to resume suspended imports of American beef.

..."Both Seoul and Washington defended the safety of American beef. But protesters said they saw in the way their leader, nicknamed the Bulldozer, reached a beef deal with Washington signs of an "authoritarian leader," out of touch with common people and "tone-deaf." They accused Mr. Lee of being too eager to please the United States, even at the expense of the health of his own people."...
By CHOE SANG-HUN

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/11/world/asia/11korea.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

So my question is how come our own citizens don't stage the same types of protests? Tomatoes today, ground beef recalls last week. Food safety is increasingly a hot-topic.