foodmuseumblog

Today's Gorgeous Haul from the Corrales Growers Market

 

Exultation, delectation, and delight! Early days at our local market in New Mexico. From left, clockwise: Mixed greens, speckled lettuce w/pale blue, brown and speckled eggs, spinach, broc tops, tat soi, and cherries, the best we've ever tasted.

USDA MyPLate? YourPlate? Not Really Mine.

So--this MyPlate imagery from the USDA is a decent attempt to make visual to Americans what previous food pyramids apparently have failed to do. The fact that it resembles a plastic kitchen toy may not be a plus, however.

Eat more veggies than proteins ( though beans, spuds and sweet pots, of course, are protein-filled veggies...,) and OOPS--are they implying we all have a hearty glass of milk with our meals, instead of water or wine? Not a great idea, but then again, the dairy lobby is alive and well.

Also--how much of everything should we eat? Deck of cards worth of protein?  I rankle when I read 3 ounces of this and 6 ounces of that, as if we all have little ounce measuring devices available. 8 ounces to a cup is embedded in my brain, but 3?

An alert pal sent me this visual interpretation of MyPlate--source unknown-- that is close to nauseating in its lack of appeal. Overcooked, canned green beans, milk, a slab of unadorned salmon, maybe, a slice of bland looking bread and, can it be, canned mandarin oranges???  Aaaargh.

Clearly the USDA swiftly needs to put together some plates that show real, tasty food.

Here's one, from a Thai restaurant lunch I had.

 

 

 

Rice, slice of orange, loads of veggies, and tofu in a red curry sauce.

Here's another from an earlier post:

 A roll, a slew of steamed summer squash w/onion and spinach, grilled eggplant topped with mozzarella ( dairy!,) tomatoes, yellow pepper, fresh basil, olive oil with spices.....

But wait! The USDA MyPlate shows us no oils, no nuts...how can this be?

And finally, a lunch we had on the road from Florida to NM, in a small town in Texas.

 

 

 

A cup of "baked potato soup," comprised of spuds, cream and bacon, a salad, assorted unnecessary  bits of carb (!) and a decent piece of spinach quiche, with a fine handmade buttery crust. The soup was a tad over the top, but then, this was Texas.

So, USDA, high marks for rethinking the imagery, but methinks the American public needs a wide range of actual plates of food in order to get the message.

On the other hand, one of my favorite writers, M.F.K.Fisher, who happened to focus on food, once wrote, "Balance the day, not the meal." This plan works well for those with some food savvy. I keep it vaguely in mind, but more importantly, like many people, I choose what looks fresh and good, and dive into an enjoyable meal.  And ignore the rules. Sheesh. 

Food Supply Under Strain on a Warming Planet - NYTimes.com

Dr. Singh, a wheat breeder, grabbed seed heads that should have been plump with the staff of life. His practiced fingers found empty husks.

via www.nytimes.com

E coli source hunted as growers fear sales slump | World news | The Observer

Scientists have warned that there is a desperate need to pinpoint the source of the E coli outbreak that has already claimed the lives of 17 people in Germany and infected 1,800 others around the world.

via www.guardian.co.uk

Ayurvedic Earth Apples to Swoon Over in Albuquerque

Yes, Virginia, there is a place where one can savor fresh cut, freshly prepared,  twice fried (seemingly) potatoes with chipotle sauce. And that place astonishly, is an Ayurvedic joint, Annapurna's World Vegetarian Cafe on 4th street in Albuquerque.

A friend of mine wanted breakfast, and I noted what I thought were "home fries" on the menu and ordered a side, as I had indeed eaten breakfast a couple hours prior.

Home fries they were not. I was stunned. The finest fries eaten in months, maybe years ? At breakfast in a calm, fabric draped place with whiffs of cumin in the air.

Read here about the CPA who founded Annapurna with the aim of serving " food as simple as possible – from the earth, just as nature intended, and as prescribed in the Ayurvedic tradition."

Try the earth apples. Truly.