“It’s just sensationalism, it is sad for somebody to knock the work Alice Waters etc do, sadly many people do think with their wallet first.

I am out there on the foie gras issue—I have watched something on a farm in Spain where the birds run free through the orchards and at a certain point of the year they do gorge themselves and their livers grow, they are ten killed of their livers. This to me seem like nature being left to run its course.

I watch what Bourdain uses to justify the commercial process and there really is not much on his side, they are messing with the birds’ cycle and they certainly are not in their natural environment.

It really is complicated world in which we live.
H

“The new guy in the White House has a lot on his plate – as a recent trip through America’s Rust Belt had just brought rather poignantly home. So I found the allegedly chronic non-voter Waters’ offer to head up a ‘kitchen cabinet’ – an advisory board guiding the new administration to a new, organic, locavorean foodie Valhalla – well …presumptuous. Particularly in light of the Normandy invasion of chefs, logistics and ingredients for the series of benefit meals which followed. I had a hard time visualizing all these guys foraging for vegetables in D.C. in January. The combined carbon imprints of these talented interlopers – alone …seemed at odds with the high minded sentiments in the letter.”

I am all in favor of organic locally sourced food, and buy this whenever I can realistically afford it. But I believe Anthony has a point.

As for the issue of wealth, elitism, and organic food… I used to live in SF, CA. I used to shop at the Civic Ctr farmer’s market, where all sorts of fresh foods from a variety of cuisines were available for CHEAP. This was completely unlike the fancy/foodie market at the Embarcadero, which I hated, because I could never afford to buy anything there. I assumed that most farmer’s markets would be more like civic center–you’re buying directly from the people growing, and so the food is more affordable. Now I live in Boulder, CO and am so disappointed to discover that no, in fact, our “farmer’s market” is like the snob fest at the Embarcadero, where specialty food items reign supreme and everything costs MORE than at Whole Foods. Healthy food should not be a privilege, it should not be a specialty item, and it should not be prohibitively expensive.

the fact that the dialogue has come this far about local food, organic food, and the possible brittleness (or not) of a pioneer is encouraging, at any rate.

here’s a totally random recommendation for a great, fairly reasonable restaurant in Pacific Grove, CA (next door to Monterey): Passionfish. they try hard to be sustainable, their food is tasty, and their wine list is varied and not 200x retail. If you find yourself on the Monterey Peninsula (congrats, if you do), you can do much worse than to go there…