By: Tori Hellwig, Aaron Gentile, Nick Rucci
Our main goal was to generate a discussion about the growing local food movement and the current reigning champ that is processed foods. Both of these topics have become intertwined with environmental themes ranging along a large spectrum of complexity. Although many of these environmental issues are being drowned in political jargon, and individuals including ourselves are succumbing to ethical fatigue, we see hope in a new rise in traditional organic farming and alternative food systems.
We chose to analyze our food systems because within it almost all general environmental concerns are discussed. An Agrarian Lifestyle has the potential to become the basis for a solution amidst a climate of increasing problems. Although food is becoming cliché , many individuals are unaware of the political, social, environmental, and health implications their eating habits have. Many writers such as Wendell Berry, Michael Pollan, Vandana Shiva, and Bill McKibben suggest that an agrarian lifestyle will allow us to regain solace, virtues, and moral obligations as stewards through a renewed sense of place and an active engagement with the land.
We were curious to see how the the general public would react to these themes within a "foody" environment. To create an educational experience for both us (the cookers), and our participants (the eaters), we orchestrated a three course dinner party that portrayed dishes ranging from entirely processed to solely organic and CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) based. After we prepared, cooked, and ate each dish, we asked our participants to reflect on their experiences and the write about the overarching themes mentioned above.
Processed: Dinosaur Chicken Nuggets and Microwave Hamburger Sliders
"The nuggets and sliders were surprisingly difficult to eat. Altogether they tasted extremely greasy and were not appetizing. The appearance themselves was very unappealing. It is unsettling not knowing how there foods were prepared when their appearance is questionable."
"When the meal was over, it didn't sit well. It had a distinctive unsettling feeling of grease and cholesterol."
"No thanks. Everybody should not be allowed to eat that stuff."
The general consensus on our processed dish was negative. A few people felt nostalgia for the dinosaur chicken nuggets, but overall this dish was voted the least favorite of the three. The sliders are not present in the picture, but they were extremely thin, gray patties with a slice of American cheese thrown on top in between two sad excuses for buns. These two items were a nice contrast for the homemade meals we prepared next.
Hybrid: Local Beef Hamburger Sliders w/ Alliot Toppings & Pan-Fried Potatoes w/ Onions
"Lord, lord, lord, the taters...more please."
“The hybrid was
the best part. All I want is more of the sliders with nothing else. Pure, local
beef cooked to a slightly pink center!”
"The burgers tasted ten times better than the frozen sliders."
Our hybrid meal of processed and local was a hit. It was ranked top meal on the majority of our surveys, and with good reason. The burgers were cooked to a perfect pink center and were extremely juicy, two features the microwave sliders weren't even close to having. Plenty of
burger-cooking methods involve adding canola oil to the pan. Our method used
only the natural fats and juices already present in the ground-beef. That was
the right decision.
CSA Based: Pulled Apple Cider Turkey, Roasted Vegetables & Homemade Applesauce
"Overall I felt more relieved because these dishes had an appearance that did not compare to the processed meal. The meal looked and tasted fresh."
"Damn good! I thought the turkey was of excellent quality and the taste was one of the best I had in America in a long time."
“This dish was
amazing. The turkey was perfectly cooked and melted in your mouth with a slight
apple cider after taste. The vegetables, although different from typical side
veggies, were great as well. The flavors worked perfectly together.”
The locally sourced meal was the other fan favorite of the evening. Everyone commented on the freshness and tastiness of the dish, and mentioned that the turkey paired well with the applesauce. Although this meal required a bit of prep and enough time worked into to slow cook it all day, it was fairly easy to assemble; nothing more than a bit of slicing, chopping, mixing and shredding. The fact that it was pleasing aesthetically added to the tastiness of the dish as well.
What made the whole evening complete was the atmosphere in the room: a friendly group of Vermont college students gathered to enjoy a tasty meal cooked by their peers. Everyone was happy to be meeting new people, especially the seniors, who have found it difficult to meet underclassmen this far into their undergraduate career. One diner wrote, “The party ambiance was fun and friendly. It was nice to meet new people.” Although the purpose of the meal was to raise awareness about the benefits of cooking with local ingredients, our guests enjoyed the social component as much as the food they were indulging in. Bringing a group of people into one place for a meal is a timeless exercise. The brilliance of our scene was the combined kitchen and
common room, so everyone was together, chatting and
observing.
On the other side of the table, we found it much more difficult to prepare a meal and host guests than we anticipated. The whole event began with prepping for the meal in the afternoon, around 4pm, and went straight through until 9. We wanted to keep our guests happy and entertained, but still had to tend to the food, which took longer to cook than expected, and we got yelled at by a few hungry guests for taking too long. There is a lot involved in preparing a meal, which everyone witnessed. Everyone left with a better idea of what truly goes into cooking a fresh, tasty meal.
Overall ratings, best to worst:
- Hybrid
- CSA Based
- Processed
It is important to accept that life requires effort and time. While processed meals save time and money, they are often unhealthy and taste awful. The CSA and hybrid meals are the better choice because they encourage planning, problem-solving, socialization, and eating, of course. The hybrid meal
proved its convenience, since the supermarket opened up more possibilities for ingredients in the dish, but the diversity and rich flavor really shined in the CSA dish. The time and effort required to make the meal was reflected in the flavor and positive feedback, and made cooking a meal seem much more appealing than just throwing a couple nuggets in the oven. Despite some of the sacrifices that need be taken in order to instill this foody livelihood, certain aspects have shown to be beneficial and have potential to provoke an environmental and health conscious individual. So perhaps the act of cooking truly good meals and engaging in social atmospheres can become a welcomed addition to the list of activism within our lifestyle.
