- It is a terrible loss to the world that the world no longer enjoys cheese made in that artful tradition that evolved over thousands (thousands!) of years. Cheese, yet another casualty of war...
- That being said, I am not opposed to the use of synthetically made rennet as opposed to using the stomach of a young calf. My animal-lover self cannot justify the killing of calves that would be needed to traditionally satisfy the demand for cheese.
- On the opposite extreme, I am disgusted by the preference to process cheese. It seems like the hot-dog version of cheese. The thing that puts me out is not so much that it exists, but that due to its low cost, it is prevalent in our society. How many times have I consumed this product without even knowing it? Yet another reason to forgo things made with products of unknown origin.
- And since I am on an emotional rant...low fat cheese, really? When considering what manufacturers have to put into cheese to make it palatable once the fat is out, I no longer wonder why our bodies have traces of harmful pollutants. I do not want to place blame only on manufacturers though. A healthy approach to moderation would diminish the demand for these altered products that seem to scream, "eat all you want, it has only half the calories! The other half is just a bunch of anti-nutrients." How about eating half but really, really enjoying it?
Showing posts with label thoughts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label thoughts. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Thoughts on cheese
I have too many rambling thoughts about cheese, so maybe it's best that I just list them:
Friday, May 25, 2012
Thoughts on beans and other legumes
When I was growing up, my family always had real Chinese soy sauce. It might have been the only true remnant of our not-so-distant Chinese ancestry. I am not sure who, but someone would travel to Mexico City and buy it from the Chinese market. So it never occurred to me that there would be anything different until we moved to the US and all that was available was Kikkoman soy sauce. This type of soy sauce was watery, milder, and had a funny taste. At the time I thought that it had to do with commercialization and price. Real Chinese soy sauce was obviously much better, so how come all the Chinese restaurants served Kikkoman?
In reading for this lesson, I came to the conclusion that the Kikkoman soy sauce is indeed made after the Japanese soy sauce model which includes a mixture of soybeans and wheat. I grew up on Chinese soy sauce made solely from soybeans, so my palate appreciated the difference. I often wonder whether Americans are afraid of robust flavor because most "ethnic" foods available tend to be milder than the original. Funny enough, my parents never conceded to the Japanese style, and since have found a store in Atlanta that sells real Chinese soy sauce.
On a different, though slightly related note, growing up I never conceived the idea of eating beans from a can. Mexicans are known for eating beans, therefore, Mexicans cook beans. They have these big pots made out of clay in which traditionally beans are cooked. I ought to get one the next time I travel down there. My mom still makes really good beans even without the pot. Before I moved out, I asked my mom to show me how to make some of my favorite dishes. She never said how tricky it was to cook beans. She simply told me to pre-soak and cook on low for a couple of hours. Well, my first attempts turned out to be a mess of gigantic, undercooked beans. I guess my mom did not account for the change in altitude. So after many years of somewhat eradicating my Mexican diet, maybe I should give beans another try. After all, one really just needs to pre-soak and cook on low for a few hours...
In reading for this lesson, I came to the conclusion that the Kikkoman soy sauce is indeed made after the Japanese soy sauce model which includes a mixture of soybeans and wheat. I grew up on Chinese soy sauce made solely from soybeans, so my palate appreciated the difference. I often wonder whether Americans are afraid of robust flavor because most "ethnic" foods available tend to be milder than the original. Funny enough, my parents never conceded to the Japanese style, and since have found a store in Atlanta that sells real Chinese soy sauce.
On a different, though slightly related note, growing up I never conceived the idea of eating beans from a can. Mexicans are known for eating beans, therefore, Mexicans cook beans. They have these big pots made out of clay in which traditionally beans are cooked. I ought to get one the next time I travel down there. My mom still makes really good beans even without the pot. Before I moved out, I asked my mom to show me how to make some of my favorite dishes. She never said how tricky it was to cook beans. She simply told me to pre-soak and cook on low for a couple of hours. Well, my first attempts turned out to be a mess of gigantic, undercooked beans. I guess my mom did not account for the change in altitude. So after many years of somewhat eradicating my Mexican diet, maybe I should give beans another try. After all, one really just needs to pre-soak and cook on low for a few hours...
Monday, April 30, 2012
Thoughts on Jams and Jellies
One of the draws of learning about what we eat is coming to understand the origin of foodstuff. I had no idea that gelatin came from animal sources. It made me realize how hard it is to adopt a vegan lifestyle. I truly respect people that do because it takes an enormous amount of effort and awareness to know where products come from and even more discipline to not be a consumer.
That said, I am once again blown away at the ingenuity of the human species. It is remarkable the stuff that people eat and how resourcefulness (i.e. using every bit of an animal/plant) has transformed food. The natural world provides us with so many delicious fruits and vegetables, it is interesting that our palates have craved for more and more diverse ways of consuming them.
On a side note, as I read about pectin and gel-formation, I could not help to reference in my brain that scene from Little Women when Meg is distressed and at her worst presentation when her husband comes home:
John: "My dearest girl, what is the matter?"
Meg: "Oh, John, I am so tired and hot and cross and worried! I've been at it till I'm all worn out. Do come and help me or I shall die!"
John: "What worries you dear? Has anything dreadful happened?"
Meg: "Yes,"
John: "Tell me quick, then. Don't cry. I can bear anything better than that. Out with it, love."
Meg: "The...The jelly won't jell and I don't know what to do!"
(text adapted from Little Women by Louisa M. Alcott, 1869.)
It made me laugh. Poor Meg did not know about pectin, sugar, and acid...
That said, I am once again blown away at the ingenuity of the human species. It is remarkable the stuff that people eat and how resourcefulness (i.e. using every bit of an animal/plant) has transformed food. The natural world provides us with so many delicious fruits and vegetables, it is interesting that our palates have craved for more and more diverse ways of consuming them.
On a side note, as I read about pectin and gel-formation, I could not help to reference in my brain that scene from Little Women when Meg is distressed and at her worst presentation when her husband comes home:
John: "My dearest girl, what is the matter?"
Meg: "Oh, John, I am so tired and hot and cross and worried! I've been at it till I'm all worn out. Do come and help me or I shall die!"
John: "What worries you dear? Has anything dreadful happened?"
Meg: "Yes,"
John: "Tell me quick, then. Don't cry. I can bear anything better than that. Out with it, love."
Meg: "The...The jelly won't jell and I don't know what to do!"
(text adapted from Little Women by Louisa M. Alcott, 1869.)
It made me laugh. Poor Meg did not know about pectin, sugar, and acid...
Monday, April 16, 2012
Thoughts on Meringues
The topics of eggs and foams are two of which I knew very little. I read a lot about eggs that I did not publish on posts due to highly politized views on chickens, living conditions, chickens as biological factories, animal rights, and egg economics. Though fascinating, the material is beyond the scope of this blog. If any of these topics piques your interest, I encourage you to research further.
On the posts published, I found some of the figures outstanding:
In terms of techniques, I haven't had much experience making meringues or mousses, but I recently made some macaroons that are similar. I use a pretty efficient stand up mixer, so I did not have any trouble getting stiff peaks, but I imagine that a lot of the trouble with such treats comes down to inefficient beating. It takes a while. If you attempt it by hand, it takes a long, long time. I read somewhere, "whip until both your arms get tired, then ask your neighbor to whip until her arms get tired too, and then some more." Just don't let it get dry or all your efforts have been in vain.
On the posts published, I found some of the figures outstanding:
- Some factories house up to 1 million egg-laying hens, and handle upwards of a million eggs daily.
- A hen expends 3% of her body weight to produce an egg.
- Hens produce around 250 eggs a year in the US.
- There are close to 300 million egg-laying hens in the US (and about 300 million people!)
In terms of techniques, I haven't had much experience making meringues or mousses, but I recently made some macaroons that are similar. I use a pretty efficient stand up mixer, so I did not have any trouble getting stiff peaks, but I imagine that a lot of the trouble with such treats comes down to inefficient beating. It takes a while. If you attempt it by hand, it takes a long, long time. I read somewhere, "whip until both your arms get tired, then ask your neighbor to whip until her arms get tired too, and then some more." Just don't let it get dry or all your efforts have been in vain.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Thoughts on Challah bread
Bread, "the staff of life." I was amazed at the historical influence that bread has had on language and culture. If one was to study the history of bread more in-depth, one would truly find the history of the world. While this blog has been about ingredients and mechanics of bread making, I could not help turn my thoughts towards the more philosophical questions of bread.
One often hears people comment on the change of pace in modern life. Often times the reference suggests the underlying speed and ease with which we get things. Our physical needs are met with just one trip to the grocery store. We exchange dollars for fruits, vegetables, bread, even sweets. No more preparing, planting, sorting, waiting, baking, etc. It's funny how the thing that we miss, the thing that the "good'ol days" were full of, is work. Yet, we feel more overworked than ever. No time to tend a garden, or make bread at home. Honestly, few days seem to have enough time to make a 30-minute meal. The loss of our time to me, seems to be the loss of appreciation for the things that make us happy. Bread is a prime example.
Consider the time it took to make a loaf of bread 300 years ago. The wheat had to be planted, harvested, milled, turned into flour. The water had to be carried. Other ingredients were worked for, traded, who knows. At last, the lady of the house set out to make bread. The dough was made. It sat. A day or two later, the fire was lit, the oven preheated for hours before. The ashes cleaned, the fire adjusted. The dough was kneaded, formed, and set to bake. For how long, I don't know. Finally a loaf came out. The deliciousness of the bread was secondary, I think, to the substenance it provided. I don't doubt it was delicious. But it was appreciated as the reward of long and hard labor.
Manufacturers today produce dough with good aeriation and gluten structure in 4 minutes. Making bread today still takes time, but the time is not spent by the consumer. The question I am left to ponder then is, am I capable of appreciating a loaf of bread the way our ancestors were? In terms of flavor, our society accepts mass-produced bread with no qualms. It is good enough. Artisan bread tastes better, but is the difference enough? Based on the market, most people don't see a good enough difference to pay $4.50 for an artisan loaf versus $1.20 for Wonder bread.
So where does happiness come in? It is my personal philosophy that we can only appreciate the things that we know, and happiness stems from that knowledge. It is not up to me to say whether today's society is any more or less happy than our bread-making ancestors, but I know for a fact that I can't appreciate bread in the way they did. Maybe instant gratification isn't happiness at all. Maybe happiness is solely connected to the intangibles of time, effort, and labor.
One often hears people comment on the change of pace in modern life. Often times the reference suggests the underlying speed and ease with which we get things. Our physical needs are met with just one trip to the grocery store. We exchange dollars for fruits, vegetables, bread, even sweets. No more preparing, planting, sorting, waiting, baking, etc. It's funny how the thing that we miss, the thing that the "good'ol days" were full of, is work. Yet, we feel more overworked than ever. No time to tend a garden, or make bread at home. Honestly, few days seem to have enough time to make a 30-minute meal. The loss of our time to me, seems to be the loss of appreciation for the things that make us happy. Bread is a prime example.
Consider the time it took to make a loaf of bread 300 years ago. The wheat had to be planted, harvested, milled, turned into flour. The water had to be carried. Other ingredients were worked for, traded, who knows. At last, the lady of the house set out to make bread. The dough was made. It sat. A day or two later, the fire was lit, the oven preheated for hours before. The ashes cleaned, the fire adjusted. The dough was kneaded, formed, and set to bake. For how long, I don't know. Finally a loaf came out. The deliciousness of the bread was secondary, I think, to the substenance it provided. I don't doubt it was delicious. But it was appreciated as the reward of long and hard labor.
Manufacturers today produce dough with good aeriation and gluten structure in 4 minutes. Making bread today still takes time, but the time is not spent by the consumer. The question I am left to ponder then is, am I capable of appreciating a loaf of bread the way our ancestors were? In terms of flavor, our society accepts mass-produced bread with no qualms. It is good enough. Artisan bread tastes better, but is the difference enough? Based on the market, most people don't see a good enough difference to pay $4.50 for an artisan loaf versus $1.20 for Wonder bread.
So where does happiness come in? It is my personal philosophy that we can only appreciate the things that we know, and happiness stems from that knowledge. It is not up to me to say whether today's society is any more or less happy than our bread-making ancestors, but I know for a fact that I can't appreciate bread in the way they did. Maybe instant gratification isn't happiness at all. Maybe happiness is solely connected to the intangibles of time, effort, and labor.
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