Comments on: Read it and Eat: A (Jewish) Review of In Defense of Food http://jcarrot.org/read-it-and-eat-a-review-of-in-defense-of-food Jews, Food, and Contemporary Issues Mon, 21 May 2012 04:07:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Leah Koenig http://jcarrot.org/read-it-and-eat-a-review-of-in-defense-of-food/comment-page-1#comment-4336 Leah Koenig Tue, 05 Feb 2008 04:43:18 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/read-it-and-eat-a-review-of-in-defense-of-food/#comment-4336 Agreed David - as Michael Pollan has said, we should vote with our forks (or wallets), but we should also vote with our votes. I had the same thought Esther - perhaps that's why I was recently compelled to purchase a sourdough cookbook recently... Thanks Cara - it's nice to see you on the blog! :) Agreed David – as Michael Pollan has said, we should vote with our forks (or wallets), but we should also vote with our votes.

I had the same thought Esther – perhaps that’s why I was recently compelled to purchase a sourdough cookbook recently…

Thanks Cara – it’s nice to see you on the blog! :)

]]> By: Cara http://jcarrot.org/read-it-and-eat-a-review-of-in-defense-of-food/comment-page-1#comment-4332 Cara Mon, 04 Feb 2008 16:23:18 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/read-it-and-eat-a-review-of-in-defense-of-food/#comment-4332 Thanks, Leah! I'm impressed by how (seemingly) effortlessly you weave all of these ideas about food and faith together. Looking forward to learning more from you... Thanks, Leah! I’m impressed by how (seemingly) effortlessly you weave all of these ideas about food and faith together. Looking forward to learning more from you…

]]> By: Esther http://jcarrot.org/read-it-and-eat-a-review-of-in-defense-of-food/comment-page-1#comment-4245 Esther Wed, 30 Jan 2008 22:04:46 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/read-it-and-eat-a-review-of-in-defense-of-food/#comment-4245 Hey Leah - thanks for reviewing this book. I have heard him speak on NPR about it. He's really come full circle now with his food topics. I would like to add about not forgetting "your mother". It's funny, but that's what the starter culture of many fermented liquids is called. So, let us also remember Our Mother when we look to more traditional foods or drinks: fermentation is very healthy. From kefir to kombucha and many fizzy drinks in between: almost all dairy, grains and legumes are much better digested and assimilated when they've been fermented. Not to mention, fermentation used to be the norm 100 or more years ago for a large percentage of what any person consumed. That is also a Mother's wisdom. ;) Hey Leah – thanks for reviewing this book. I have heard him speak on NPR about it. He’s really come full circle now with his food topics.
I would like to add about not forgetting “your mother”. It’s funny, but that’s what the starter culture of many fermented liquids is called. So, let us also remember Our Mother when we look to more traditional foods or drinks: fermentation is very healthy. From kefir to kombucha and many fizzy drinks in between: almost all dairy, grains and legumes are much better digested and assimilated when they’ve been fermented. Not to mention, fermentation used to be the norm 100 or more years ago for a large percentage of what any person consumed. That is also a Mother’s wisdom. ;)

]]> By: David Rosenn http://jcarrot.org/read-it-and-eat-a-review-of-in-defense-of-food/comment-page-1#comment-4086 David Rosenn Wed, 23 Jan 2008 21:58:30 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/read-it-and-eat-a-review-of-in-defense-of-food/#comment-4086 Leah -- I'm just now making my way through The Omnivore's Dilemma, and it's making me think harder than any book I've read in a long time. One of the persistent themes throughout the first chapter (the one on corn) is the way that government policy has had massive shaping impacts on the way we eat, the foods available, and the hundreds of ways that food issues impact every other aspect of our lives. For example, thanks to federal corn subsidies, it costs more to grow a bushel of corn than what you can sell it for, and yet the production of corn in this country is immense. And because there is so much cheap subsidized corn, it gets used in strange and harmful ways. Like the fact that most beef cattle are now fed on corn, even though a steer's anatomy was not built for digesting corn and requires a dose of antibiotics to pull off the trick. So if we are making a Shulhan Arukh of food topics, I'd like to suggest that the laws of political engagement constitute a topic among the chapters of that code. Choosing what to eat is important, but choosing the politicians who pass the laws that determine how we eat probably has significantly more impact. David Leah — I’m just now making my way through The Omnivore’s Dilemma, and it’s making me think harder than any book I’ve read in a long time.

One of the persistent themes throughout the first chapter (the one on corn) is the way that government policy has had massive shaping impacts on the way we eat, the foods available, and the hundreds of ways that food issues impact every other aspect of our lives.

For example, thanks to federal corn subsidies, it costs more to grow a bushel of corn than what you can sell it for, and yet the production of corn in this country is immense. And because there is so much cheap subsidized corn, it gets used in strange and harmful ways. Like the fact that most beef cattle are now fed on corn, even though a steer’s anatomy was not built for digesting corn and requires a dose of antibiotics to pull off the trick.

So if we are making a Shulhan Arukh of food topics, I’d like to suggest that the laws of political engagement constitute a topic among the chapters of that code.

Choosing what to eat is important, but choosing the politicians who pass the laws that determine how we eat probably has significantly more impact.

David

]]> By: Leah Koenig http://jcarrot.org/read-it-and-eat-a-review-of-in-defense-of-food/comment-page-1#comment-4083 Leah Koenig Wed, 23 Jan 2008 16:27:23 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/read-it-and-eat-a-review-of-in-defense-of-food/#comment-4083 Thanks Kate - great to see you too, and nice to see you on the blog! I'm a big fan of your writing on Ethicurean, Jennifer, so I really appreciate your writing :) Thanks Kate – great to see you too, and nice to see you on the blog!

I’m a big fan of your writing on Ethicurean, Jennifer, so I really appreciate your writing :)

]]> By: Jennifer (Baklava Queen) http://jcarrot.org/read-it-and-eat-a-review-of-in-defense-of-food/comment-page-1#comment-4055 Jennifer (Baklava Queen) Tue, 22 Jan 2008 18:23:58 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/read-it-and-eat-a-review-of-in-defense-of-food/#comment-4055 What a beautiful, thoughtful review, Leah. I think many of us have an unspoken spiritual component of our food choices, much as Pollan elaborates in his writings, but I love how you've made the connection between the inspiration and sense he provides and the wisdom and what is truly good and right about our religious traditions. Celebration, community, gratitude, stewardship, generosity... it's all there. Thank you for sharing! What a beautiful, thoughtful review, Leah. I think many of us have an unspoken spiritual component of our food choices, much as Pollan elaborates in his writings, but I love how you’ve made the connection between the inspiration and sense he provides and the wisdom and what is truly good and right about our religious traditions. Celebration, community, gratitude, stewardship, generosity… it’s all there. Thank you for sharing!

]]> By: Kate http://jcarrot.org/read-it-and-eat-a-review-of-in-defense-of-food/comment-page-1#comment-4049 Kate Tue, 22 Jan 2008 14:02:35 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/read-it-and-eat-a-review-of-in-defense-of-food/#comment-4049 An excellent round-up of ideas and ideals. It was great to see you this weekend, and hope we can share so much laughter and good food again soon! Love you, Kate An excellent round-up of ideas and ideals. It was great to see you this weekend, and hope we can share so much laughter and good food again soon! Love you, Kate

]]> By: Leah Koenig http://jcarrot.org/read-it-and-eat-a-review-of-in-defense-of-food/comment-page-1#comment-4048 Leah Koenig Tue, 22 Jan 2008 13:24:02 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/read-it-and-eat-a-review-of-in-defense-of-food/#comment-4048 Thanks Shev (and Mom - I'll miss you at tonight's seder too) :) Thanks for the Romemu reccommendation, Arr307. The bad news is there are too many different types of synagoguges. The good news is, there are many many different types of synagogues. That's great Chanie - I often find that the things I read in Michael Pollan's books have relevance somewhere in Jewish conversations. I think the idea of "forgetting our mother" has probably come up in just about every generation of most western cultures, but it seems particularly relevant here. Thanks Shev (and Mom – I’ll miss you at tonight’s seder too) :)

Thanks for the Romemu reccommendation, Arr307. The bad news is there are too many different types of synagoguges. The good news is, there are many many different types of synagogues.

That’s great Chanie – I often find that the things I read in Michael Pollan’s books have relevance somewhere in Jewish conversations. I think the idea of “forgetting our mother” has probably come up in just about every generation of most western cultures, but it seems particularly relevant here.

]]> By: chanie http://jcarrot.org/read-it-and-eat-a-review-of-in-defense-of-food/comment-page-1#comment-4047 chanie Tue, 22 Jan 2008 09:48:23 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/read-it-and-eat-a-review-of-in-defense-of-food/#comment-4047 great post, and review. the 'don't forget your mother' reminds me of an article written by hayim soloveitchik a little over 10 years ago where he talks about how people have traded in the family tradition for experts (in this case rabbis and books) when it comes to following halacha. it was much discussed in the modern orthodox community, and is the same thing that pollan is talking about in terms of food traditions versus experts. happy tu b'shvat! great post, and review.

the ‘don’t forget your mother’ reminds me of an article written by hayim soloveitchik a little over 10 years ago where he talks about how people have traded in the family tradition for experts (in this case rabbis and books) when it comes to following halacha. it was much discussed in the modern orthodox community, and is the same thing that pollan is talking about in terms of food traditions versus experts.

happy tu b’shvat!

]]> By: arr307 http://jcarrot.org/read-it-and-eat-a-review-of-in-defense-of-food/comment-page-1#comment-4045 arr307 Tue, 22 Jan 2008 04:42:39 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/read-it-and-eat-a-review-of-in-defense-of-food/#comment-4045 I look forward to picking up this book. It's wonderful to consider the importance of where our food comes from, particularly at tu-bshvat. I knew this blog would have something delicious! Just one thing - if its hard for you to find a "nourishing" synagogue in NYC - try Romemu (on the UWS). Its a different kind of satiation. I look forward to picking up this book. It’s wonderful to consider the importance of where our food comes from, particularly at tu-bshvat. I knew this blog would have something delicious! Just one thing – if its hard for you to find a “nourishing” synagogue in NYC – try Romemu (on the UWS). Its a different kind of satiation.

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