Some of us went to the Time Out forum on The politics of bush food now and were
underwhelmed. A read of Bruce Pascoe’s Dark
Emu and John Newton’s The Oldest Foods on Earth had way more to say about
the politics and placed the debate in its historic context which, it may come
as a surprise to some of the other panellists at that session, did not begin
with Rene Noma.
I shouldn’t go to those events. I am clearly not the
demographic of ‘cool’ that wants to have a feel good night about how ethically aware
they are...well at least till the next food ethical cool thang comes along.
On to happier fields:
Super Size. The dizzying grandeur of 21st century
agriculture.
‘Our industrialized food system nourishes more people, at lower cost, than any comparable system in history. It also exerts a terrifyingly massive influence on our health and our environment. Photographer George Steinmetz spent nearly a year travelling the country to capture that system, in all its scope, grandeur and dizzying scale. His photographs are all the more remarkable for the fact that so few large food producers are willing to open themselves to this sort of public view.’
Startling and sobering. The vid of harvesting organic baby
beans is a salutary reminder that demand even here leads to extraordinary
scale.
It’s the taste we’ve been missing
‘Every culture has a major source of complex can’t taste
carbohydrate. The idea that we what we’re eating doesn’t make sense’.
A
terrifically interesting article on our ability to taste starch as a flavour in
its own right. I’ve often wondered about how I could fit some of what I taste
into the Holy Four + One, particularly some spices I am sometimes reduced to
having to describe as tasting musty. So it’s exciting to see a breakthrough
into a possible official designation of a sixth and perhaps more.
The article is in New Scientist 10 September 2016. I have a
scanned copy I can send on to anyone interested.
Sifting through LAC’s Cookbook Collection
‘In this episode, we sit down with Erika Reinhardt, archivist
at Library and Archives Canada, to discuss LAC’s cookbook collection. We
discuss how culture and technology have shaped these books and recipes over
time, and the impact they have had on our relationship with food and cooking
throughout our history.’
Thanks to my librarian mate Julie for finding this.
http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/news/podcasts/Pages/sifting-lac-cookbook-collection.aspx
Seed: the untold story
‘The Untold Story follows passionate seed keepers protecting
our 12,000 year-old food legacy. In the last century, 94% of our seed varieties
have disappeared. As biotech chemical companies control the majority of our
seeds, farmers, scientists, lawyers, and indigenous seed keepers fight a David
and Goliath battle to defend the future of our food. In a harrowing and
heartening story, these reluctant heroes rekindle a lost connection to our most
treasured resource and revive a culture connected to seeds.’
One to look out for I reckon.
Jarry
‘ The gay restaurant is a throwback to that time long ago
before the American palate had been Bourdained’.
The Death and Life of America’s Gay Restaurants
Mike Albo
‘Jarry is a print magazine that explores where
food and gay culture intersect. More than just a
magazine, Jarry brings together a community of gay chefs, eaters,
artisans, writers, photographers, artists, and industry influencers, and
celebrates the art of gay domesticity’
Colin S got me on to this journal which had first ish in Sept
2015 naturally I had to subscribe ‘for the stories’ I can only wonder why it
took so long J
Cacao Biology. Chocolate Culture and Superfood
‘Only the merchants’ fear of losing cacao was greater than their fear of the
potentially dangerous newcomers, triggering a panicked recovery of what the
strangers so thoughtlessly fumbled. It was the first lesson in what cacao was
worth.’
Kathryn Sampeck in her arcticle in Revista, the Harvard
Review of Latin America, Fall 2016 focussing on ‘the biology of culture’.
Courtesy of John N.
Is Colonialism the Worst Restaurant trend of 2016
‘As the Guardian reports, a
recently opened restaurant in Brisbane, Australia has sparked outrage with its
bizarre marketing push. Called British Colonial Co., its website originally
explained the concept as “inspired by the stylish days of the empirical push
into the developing cultures of the world, with the promise of adventure and
modern refinement in a safari style setting.’
There is a branch in Darlinghurst which I have to confess I
have been interested to sample – both for the food and the context. I also am
not sure three restaurants makes for a trend. However, Helen or anyone else who
wants to have a colonial adventure...please email me surreptitiously.
Review: Bugs
on the Menu at the Environmental Film Festival
‘Bugs are on the menu in Canadian filmmaker Ian Toews’ documentary screening at the
Environmental Film Festival Australia this month. The film promotes that the
view that bugs can provide a more sustainable way of food (particularly
protein) production for an expanding human population.’
You know me well enough by now to know that I take this kind of statement
with several handfuls of salt. Hey, I want to eat bugs along with the rest of
em and am looking forward to Cambodia in February with just that in mind. But
simplistic solutions like this irk....as I reckon will the sound of millions of
cricket in their urban farms in the streets of Petersham.
Australian
food history timeline
Ta to
Jacqui Newling for alerting me to Jan O’Connell’s time line. A great place to
fossick in. I am a tad disappointed that Jan hasn’t used Aussie cookbooks as
source material tho – or at least hasn’t listed them.
