Climate Change And Our Crops

Climate change is affecting everything in our lives. Its' worst impact is on our food. Crops are being decimated. Earth is being scorched. Can there be any hope? Or help for that matter.

That was the subject of an eye opening article in yesterday's New York Times Food section. Eric Asimov wrote extensively on what's happening in Napa Valley in his The Pour column. The famed wine country is under serious assault thanks to the rampant wildfires that are basically ravaging the whole state.It's not only the flames that are threatening the vineyards. There are problems caused by the Pacific Gas and Electric Company , namely no electricity. They have intentionally shut down their power to prevent their equipment from igniting any more fires Wide sections of wine country are shut down for days at a time. Then there are the droughts and cold snaps along with heat waves that affect the plants and soil. What is even worse are some winegrowers of  lack of interest. They are more concerned with competition from nearby cannabis growers along with worry about Chinese tariffs. Add to that there are no government regulations when it comes to wineries and their carbon footprints.

That's all changing, thankfully with the help of trade associations and individuals who care about Napa's future.Unfortunately , they can't demand action: only persuade winegrowers to amend their habits. It is work. Programs have to be promoted in both English and Spanish to reduce water use,along with promoting soil life and health.There has to be habitats for beneficial wildlife and diminish the need for tractor work. One of the most important musts is preventing more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere from the soil.The last will be hard because the soil must be tilled and that releases the gas into the ozone.  Again some winemakers are on board. The Napa Vintners, a winemaker's association has launched the Napa Green program that promotes energy efficiency,conservation and environmental action through third party certification for vineyards and wineries. It also helps that wineries such as  Spottswoode has been farming organically for years.The winery is also adapting for a hotter future too. They may have been influenced by their president and chief executive, Beth Novak Miliken . She is the chair of the Napa Vintners and part of the Napa Green program. Another, Jackson Family Wines have made lighter bottles which enabled them to reduce their emissions by three per cent.

Climate change is affecting everything, but more importantly our crops. Hopefully Napa Valley will battle it as best it can and still produce good wines. Smart green planning and smart green actions will be able to save it.

High Times For 2015 Hot Pot Cuisine

Some Americans will be adding more greens to their diet in the new year., No it's not about adding kale and Brussels sprouts  as suggested yesterday but marijuana. Yup, there's gonna be some pretty high times at the dinner or dessert table.As it's becoming legal and acceptable , it's also becoming an interesting ingredient at some restaurants and chef's tables,

The New York Times reported on this the other day. According to Food section reporter and chef, Kim Severson, two states, Washington State and Colorado have already legalized  recreational pot and now high end restaurants are following suit. These are not those hash brownies your college roomie made.This is haute high cuisine. Ganga Gourmet in Denver whips up a garlic bread that is not only tasty but will leave you wanting more.There's also a marijuana infused tomato sauce and a cannabis infused wing sauce. Prices aren't cheap. A pizza can cost $86 dollars, while a serving of cooked veggies is 12 dollars, which is about the price of a non pot side in some Manhattan eateries Diners must have medical marijuana cards in some cases.  Even though it's finely ground into a flour , it still can give eaters a mellow buzz and it can also boost appetites as we all well know.

Does marijuana have any nutritional value? Some dietitians do see it as a vegetable..Hemp is 100 per cent protein, and it is high (seriously no pun intended here) in Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids, similar to what's found in salmon.It is more valuable nutritionwise if it's heated where it releases what its known as cannabinoids. These act as cleaners and removed damaged cells from the body, while the raw state can improve the efficiency of body cells.Ground up raw buds can be added to salads, soups ,stews and even oatmeal. Cannabis butter can be made too  by adding 1/4 ounce buds to 1/2 stick salted butter (and it must be salted since that has a higher smoke point).Melt the butter in a saucepan over a low heat. Add the ground buds, a little at a time, to the melted butter.Stir occasionally and simmer for forty five minutes. Shut off when you see bubbles forming and then strain into a glass container. Press a spoon against the buds to release all the cannabutter.It will either be a chocolate brown color  (not unlike fudge) or green (like pesto) in color.Use at your discretion.

As marijuana becomes more and more legalized , there will be an expansion of high cuisine. Marijuana may be the next super food, thanks to its' composition. It just has to be widely accepted  to be truly considered a culinary treasure.