"New Englanders learn quickly to dismiss the chowder where tomato ruins its gorgeous broth, where references to New York tarnish its name...However, few know how such distinctions came about in the first place, what processes were involved that resulted in one person's disgust of another's beloved creation, and why, to this day, do we stand by such convictions?" The
New England Chowder Compendium, from the
McIntosh Cookery Collection at the UMass Amherst library.
[more inside]
posted by Miko
on Dec 4, 2012 -
92 comments
King of Fruits, Tempter of Adam, Prize of Paris: It's
apple-picking time. The apple's
origins reach into prehistory. Thanks to tremendous
genetic variance in each new generation, humans have cultivated a
dizzying number of
named varieties, as many as
17,000, of which
7500 are available as growth stock. In the past,
different apples were prized for particular strengths:
cider pressing,
storage,
cooking,
drying, or eating out of hand. Despite this bounty,
just 15 shelf-stable, shiny,
easy-to-pick varieties account for 90% of apple sales today. But
heirloom apple growers are
working to preserve the old flavors of the
Roxbury Russet, the
Westfield Seek-No-Further, the
Fallawater, the
Limbertwig, the
King Luscious...
posted by Miko
on Oct 2, 2007 -
58 comments
This is Our Slaughterhouse "I never thought of making a documentary. It took a friend to convince me that not everyone grew up working in a slaughterhouse. I realized the slaughterhouse I had worked in all those years was bizarrely entertaining enough that it might make an interesting documentary..." 22-minute short film on a
small-scale poultry processing plant.
posted by Miko
on Apr 16, 2007 -
34 comments
Waffle House Family and other classics are now available for listening in the comfort of your own home via online jukebox. No longer must you drive the darkness of the American Highway seeking that 24-hour beacon of yellow squares; no longer suck your sweet tea from the straw as you seek out original Waffle House tunes while waiting for your hash browns (
scattered, smothered, and covered, of course) to arrive. Mary Welch Rogers, wife of House founder Joe Rogers, is one of several artists who recorded Waffle House-themed songs for the fast-food chain's jukeboxes. Most were penned by Buckner and Garcia of Pac Man Fever. While you're at it, visit the shrine, and enjoy David Wilcox's song about feel the peace that's cooked in grease.
posted by Miko
on Feb 18, 2007 -
15 comments
How We Eat A photo gallery of families around the world, and what they eat over the course of one week. Text in French.
posted by Miko
on Dec 4, 2006 -
31 comments
How Much Fossil Fuel Does Your Dinner Burn? Ingredients for the average American meal travel well over
1500 miles to reach your plate. Our food might be inexpensive, but it's costing the planet a lot (and doesn't taste so hot either, since it's bred to withstand shipping and have long shelf life rather than to taste good). So what happens when people reject the large-scale industrial food system? One recent development in the growing localism movement is the 100-Mile Diet, originated by a Canadian couple who spent a full year eating only foods grown or raised within 100 miles of their home. They'll even give you a road map to having a
100-Mile Thanksgiving. For other variations on the eat-local idea, check out ideas like the
Eat Local Challenge,
Slow Food, and
Locavores encourage you to rediscover your place on earth, build community, and enjoy the
Local Harvest.
posted by Miko
on Oct 18, 2006 -
66 comments
