Articles of note

These won't bring a smile to your face but do constitute important food for thought! This article about the origin and present day status of antibiotics in our food and the effects of it, from the Sunday NY Times, still has me reeling with disgust. That Mr. Jukes would find, market, distribute and encourage the consumption of antibiotic waste slurry to farmers as weight-boosting feed for their animals is grotesque. That no one has stopped this downward cycle of health, environmental degradation and animal abuse since is a moral failing.

And to learn more about the years of unsuccessful attempts to regulate antibiotic use on farms, read this bit by Maryn McKenna of Superbug. Many of the feed additives employed by large factory farms today are considered "high-risk" for exposure to humans.

Can you win with any plastic is the summary question of this piece from Grist. Studies comparing BPA-free plastics with their BPA-infused counterparts show that both leach synthetic estrogens, some of which are more potent than those in BPA. Bottom line, as best you can rid your home of plastics, the better, especially with regards to what you eat on and drink from.

Great reads

I really enjoyed these thought-provoking, well-written articles: Is watching the Super Bowl (or really any football as the sport is currently played) moral? Here.

The Elders of Organic Farming. Who are they? What's the future? Growth in organic food sales since 1990.

Wow, not a surprise but in many important ways, America is seriously falling down on the job of healthfully feeding its people. See this piece by Mark Bittman.

Kale, Rose Petal Jelly, Helpful Cake Link, Hummus Tribute

Yesterday, a friend sent me this hilarious, eerily accurate article on knowing when you're in a real relationship with hummus. I am definitely not on board with numbers 12 and 13 but do, otherwise, believe this solidifies my foodmance. Meanwhile, I came across this informative link about cake-making (and -flopping) to Eggbeater, professional chef Shuna Lydon's blog. I cannot imagine ever knowing this much about the nitty-gritty of cakes, but that's why she is a professional chef and I am not. Definitely a helpful primer for you from-scratch bakers out there!

Because the sun had not yet gone back into hiding yesterday, I was able to take some food pics outside! Imagine it! Incredible experience! Despite the profusion of natural light, these photos don't totally do justice to the lush elegance of either the kale or the roses, but you get a sense. The kale turned into a aggressively oil-slicked lunch salad for me, and after many, many hours, these roses became a jelly. Bellissima!

T has left for Boston, and for the first time in a while, I have a sitter coming late this afternoon. I am terribly excited to be able to count on a few additional hours and plan to get a pedicure and work on a piece. Off to get my eyes checked for the first time in eight years. Squint, squint...something tells me my prescription needs updating...