Me, on a soap box!

I've mentioned my affinity for local ingredients, but I'm also a big fan of the concept of sustainability, and while I don't think we've quite got it figured out, striving for that is a huge, huge deal.  I buy local when I can, and encourage everyone I know to do so; by buying locally grown/harvested/raised products, we can help further the growth of small, community oriented businesses, that operate in a healthy, product driven, not profit driven, atmosphere.  That said, not everything we buy needs to be local; hell, in this area, not everything can be local, simply due to the climate and farming capabilities of the area.  So, instead, we should try to find food options that are similarly produced, albeit not locally.  This can get expensive, and if the choice is between eating well enough or not eating, then just remember, pride cometh before the fall; make the best choices for you and your family, but try to do so with an eye towards sustainable agriculture and farming when possible.
And, off the soap box.  For now.

On that note, there are a few very interesting videos I'd like to recommend, from the TED Conference series.  The first two are from Dan Barber, of Blue Hills restaurant:
How I Fell in Love With a Fish
A Foie Gras Parable

These next two aren't really about sustainability, but are profoundly interesting:
Malcolm Gladwell on Spaghetti Sauce
Peter Reinhart on Bread

The last think I'd like to link to is a three part article about Kobe beef, and the myth (lie, really) that is perpetuated by fine dining restaurants throughout this country.  It also delves into the other lies that American food companies are given license to tell by the government regarding their products, in a clear expression of what can only be described as a "fuck you" to the rest of the world's rules for naming a food or beverage that is from a specific region.  Just remember, the next time you buy champagne in the USA, it may not really be champagne.
Food's Biggest Scam: The Great Kobe Beef Lie

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