The Food Issue For Thought

Tomorrow's New York Times Magazine is devoted to all things food.Yet it isn't covering trends or cuisines or eve recipes. It has a buffet of interesting and very thought provoking articles. It will definitely make you think about your Sunday dinner along with what you're eating in general.

Again, this is an eye opening issue and focuses on issues big and small that affect the way America eats. One is about what goes on in a slaughterhouse and how the practices there are being secretly recorded. Over a century ago  Upton Sinclair who had worked at a Chicago slaughterhouse in 1906 recorded the horrors in his famed and still effectively  shocking book The Jungle.President of the Time, Teddy Roosevelt, passed The Federal Meat Inspection Act which benefited both consumer and industry until the 1950's, Everything changed in the Sixties and Seventies meat packing became automated.  That's when it went down hill. A spoiler alert you will think twice about eating any and all pork products, from bacon to ham.Another eye opener is the article about the Obama Administration and Big Food. To anyone who though the NRA and the Gun Lobby were powerful think again. These are the powers that stopped both the President and the First Lady from getting America to eat healthier. It's lucky for us that the group spawned the Little Food movement that encourages farms and fresh eating.In the mean time they hurled accusations at the First Couple from demonizing farmers to interfering with food companies.

There are also two other articles that feature bettering food.One has to do with that rarities of rarities blue M&Ms. Mars , the company that makes them along with many other big food manufacturers like Kraft , Nestle USA and General Mills are getting rid of artificial dyes and replacing then with natural colorants. It's easy to do with reds, greens browns and yellow. Blue is different.It's a rarity among animals and nature. When it does occur in the natural world, it isn't truly blue but rather a trick of diffraction or the scattering of light. This is why the sky, water and ice are varying shades of blue.The only plant that could give all natural blue hue is spirulina or blue green algae.If this works then the world and M&M lovers will get the blue hue again, but perhaps not as bright as when it was first dyed. The second article in bettering food is about reducing the salt in frozen  pizza. This is a heavy load. Decreasing NaCL can result in not only a bland taste in the sauce and the toppings but also a flat crust. For a successful crust pizza needs baking soda. Companies like DiGiono use on that is loaded with salt. Even halve the amount and it results in a not so yummy looking pie. The solution lies in subbing in potassium chloride or mineral salts, the last named  for better advertising,It will give pies a healthier makeup  without sacrificing taste.

The Sunday Times Magazine truly has articles that are food for thought. Read them. They are eye opening, food for a foodie's and home chef;'s mind.

A Sunday Full Of Food

 Foodies  should rejoice. The New York Times Sunday Magazine is another issue dedicated to food and cooking. However it's not exactly a typical magazine chock full of recipes and tips. There are some interesting and thoughtful articles dedicated to food around the world.

Spoiler alert - don't read if you want to be surprised tomorrow morning.

The magazine section is a gamut of all sorts of contributions. One that stood out is the piece written by Times food writer Mark Bittman. He researched the new wave of American fast food - vegan and actually healthy. There are some upcoming fast food joints that are going to be offering tasty and quick meals. There is going to be a vegan cheese burgers made with soy and served on a bed of kale at Veggie Grill. This chain is going to rival Burger King and Mickety D's for flavor, price and outweigh it in nutrition and healthiness.Mr Bittman also  explores an all natural version of Applebee's called LYFE(with this Mr.Bittman also offers healthy recipes for bean burgers, sweet potato fries and shakes)

Other interesting and foodie centered articles revolve around the Black Forest village of  Bairersbronn, written by Nicholas Kulish.It stands out because its'restaurant in the Hotel Bareiss has the rarefied distinction of earning seven Michilin stars. It reflects the Nouvelle German cuisine that is way different that the usual heavy comfort food fare of the region.Although traditional Black Forest food is pure heaven this restaurant creates a lighter, airier fare. Another article worth reading is the one by Marnie Hanel that deals with meat sharing in Portland, Oregon. People go in and share whole carcasses of cows and pigs  to get the ultimate in farm directly to the table dining.

Tomorrow's Sunday Times Magazine is a definite must read. Pick it up and enjoy the variety of thoughtful and provocative pieces that will make any foodie drool. It's on the same high entertainment level as their crossword puzzle!