Thoughts About Food Policy

Thoughts Over Meals 1/29

I love being with my friend Alex. He makes me aware of things I overlook. He is a chef who has as much passion for food as I do. I had dinner with him last night and our usual political conversation came up which typically ends in me feeling frustrated and angry that I could possibly be tolerant of his positions. But, he makes me laugh and provokes me, so I am entertained. He is a republican and our similarities surfaced over 2” thick-brined pork chops served over parsnip risotto. Our conversation was about Obama’s new policies and then the big question: How could Obama bail out the big three? We had plenty of ideas of where that money could go and all was fantasy until it came to food and farmers. Imagine giving the money to schools to grow their own food, or hospitals or prisons! Now that was far out there, but Alex and I were thinking in the same direction. We were on common ground where one area we can agree on is food and the importance of promoting good health through eating good food. He didn’t vote for Obama, but he had been hopeful that he would bring about change and was already disappointed in his new decisions. My mind drifted to criticism, especially in the political arena. There are no easy decisions and everyone must have a trade off or compromise. I had been reading about Alice Waters and her work in Washington DC at the pre-inaugural dinners and much of the criticism that came out of her attempt to promote good food for everyone. I couldn’t help but see some similarities.

I was in Washington last week visiting my dear friend Joan Nathan.
The main event was the inaugural, but I really went to support Joan who had organized a weekend event of dinners with her friend Alice Waters. They organized dinners to raise money for two of DC’s local soup kitchens and to raise the awareness of the importance of eating locally. It was a festive weekend, a whirlwind of chef’s coming together from all over to donate their time to cook meals for over 500 guests who paid $500 per plate for the sold out event. It was posted as an occation to cook simple meals, from local sources in the spirit of community and food. Guests were invited into private host’s homes to engage in conversation on the connection between art, food and quality of life.

The morning before the event, we gathered at the farmer’s market with many of the chefs. Cameras and gourmet fans that wanted to say hello or get a book signed surrounded Alice and her chefs. Crowds of people were shopping; families in masses and young people on bikes all gathered to get local food on cold Sunday morning in January. Produce was abundant; I was eyeing the collard greens and apples and squash, mixed salad greens , turnips greens and potatoes and I wanted everything. José Andrés, a local chef who is vivacious, welcoming, and provoking was shopping with his two daughters, caught my attention. He shared his thoughts on local food and he said that there was a time when he didn’t think about local or organic, but that Alice changed that for him. He felt that now is time for us to connect the dots of obesity, hunger and environment, that they are all related to our food policy.

The excitement for the inauguration; the hope of a new president, shoppers buying local food, chefs gathered together in 20 degree weather buying local food and talking about food and food policy and having a good time, is elation.

With the influence of Micaheal Pollan , Alice Waters and Barbara Kingslover, people are paying more attention to their food. Conversations around the cost of food, the availability, concern over its safety and its healthfulness seem to be discussions I frequently hear. These conversations are inspiring in that we are having them. The word elitism seeps into the conversation when we talk about shopping at farmer’s markets and paying $500 per plate for a meal and so the blogs have been bombarded by the naysayers who question Alice Water’s integrity. I

So how do we bring about awareness and change without the folks who have the finances and the power? Alice’s intent was to feed people ideas about eating and buying local food and the positive impact it has in our community around the world. I cooked at one of the dinners, and the conversation was about bringing healthy foods to schools and creating tax breaks for small farmers. John Jameson was at our dinner and he spoke of the plight of farmers.
Waters did this because it is something she believes in. She and Joan have it in them to gather big name chefs and the chefs wanted to do it for them and for a cause that perhaps would raise awareness in a time of hope.

New technologies do allow us to bring food from all over the globe and we all enjoy the benefits, but when we know the real cost of having these goods, it makes us stop and think. This winter I have not been able to have dinner without broccoli rabe, and while it is not organic, comes all the way from California and costs $3.39 a bunch, I buy it because my local grower isn’t growing it this time of year. But, I have started the conversation with local growers to see if we can grow it in seasons to come.

My friend Alex thinks it unrealistic that the general population could consider eating out of local gardens or even buying locally with the current economy and cost of higher priced local foods. And while I can agree with some of his thoughts, I continue to support our local farmers in anyway I can because I believe that our buying power can compete against big giants. Perhaps I am overly optimistic, and a bit of an elitist, but I am encouraged by chefs who come together and offer their time for dinners and find hope in people like Alice Waters and Joan Nathan who can bring together chefs and then throw $100,00 from their profits to a local soup kitchen to serve good food to the hungry.

I walk the edge of wanting to rant on why it is so important to raise our consciousness around food, and fearing that I could put a damper on discussion over a great meal with my comments and thoughts about our agri-business farming practices. My desire for the experience of bringing people together to enjoy and discuss issues that are important to each of us is an essential part of a meal. Perhaps the real change will come when chefs have dinner together and decide what it is that we can do together that can make a difference. We can’t channel our eaters into adopting any particular dietary regime, but we can ask questions about our on buying practices. I applaud those who do whatever they can to make a difference in raising the awareness and asking the questions. Alice and Joan know how to bring the people to the table for discussions, awareness and bringing resources to causes benefiting those in need. And Alex keeps me thinking with thoughtful conversation. I know these gatherings and can only lead to the betterment of the world, I hope!