Monday, November 1, 2010

The Omnivore's Dilema

If your interested in food then you have to read this book, I have not been able to put it down! It is everything you may already know, but choose to ignore. It's your worst fears confirmed  a timely reminder that we all have a part to play in the future of what we put on the family table.

"The Omnivore's Dilemna" by MichIeal Pollan will turn your world upside down. Most of us want to know where our food comes from and are concerned about our environment. We are familiar with foodie buzz words like, provenance, organic and free range and maybe they are bandied around a little too freely these days. Are we becoming immune to it all?

Well wait until you read this and get back to me. Essentially its about the industrialization of food and agriculture, the discovery of chemical fertilizers and the domination of certain crops in our food chain.

 

11 comments:

  1. Have you read Jonathan Safran Foer's Eating Animals? It is also a great read. www.eatinganimals.com

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  2. Hi Gary

    I loved you on the Masterchef series!! you just the best teacher and mentor ever!! i love the patience with which you handled the contestants..

    I am a South African Currently living in India, we dont get ready to roll puff pastry here and i have tried so many other recipes that dont give me the fluffiness that a puff pastry should have

    Can you please pass on a easy to make !! haha of your own for me to try???

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  3. Hi Gary,

    I am in the process of contacting certain chefs to request that they contemplate using their now considerable influence to promote environment-wise food choices among Australians.

    I have not read this book, but I am extremely pleased that you have introduced it on your blog for discussion.

    I believe that it is time for Australians to change their approach to meat consumption.

    With acknowledgement that methane gas produced by livestock is a signficant contributor to the green house effect, imagine the impact if Australians decided to replace animal protein with a vegetable source of protein just once or twice a week more than their current practice. It would be a simple, small and reasonable change for individuals, but at the collective level represents a massive step towards looking after our planet and its inhabitants.

    The meat industry could focus on quality rather than quantity.

    Cheers, Leigh Krenske

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  4. I've been vegetarian for a year and I read this very recently. Michael Pollan is not vegetarian and was only vegetarian for a short time (almost as a challenge), so I think a lot of people who expect it's veg*n propaganda will be surprised.
    While it does address the issue of veg*nism, it isn't really about that so much as eating real food and really thinking about where it's coming from. It's amusing and thought provoking. Definitely worth a read!

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  5. Hi Gary,

    I was recently trying to cook one of your fried rice recipes I found in the Internet, hoping to take it to a family dinner. During the process of cooking it, the rice started to become gluggy and I was in such rush to the party that I was unable to restart your lovely recipe. I was just wondering, for future times, is there any way stopping this or changing the rice formation during the process of cooking it without restarting. Your suggestions would be most appreciated.


    From,

    Andrew

    From,

    Virginia

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  6. Hi Gary,

    Our entire family is a hug fan of Master Chef with our youngest daughter (10) hoping to get onto Junior Master Chef when it returns.

    Just thought you might like to know a little about us......we are graziers in East Gippsland producing grass fed free range lamb and beef of the highest quality due to our holistic farming principals and our love for our livestock, the land and our kids future. We can be found at www.havelocklamb.com.au. Craig and Janet Robertson and family.

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  7. This is actually a comment for you, George and Matt on Masterchef Australia (although I am also taking your tip on the book).... I would like to commend you on how fabulous your Masterchef series is! I live in Canada right now and have managed to acquire weekly episodes of your program. It is because of your show that I have started an interest in cooking. In comparison to the Masterchef US series (which seems to be designed as cutthroat cooking where the contestants are pitted against each other like prison inmates), you seemed to have developed a real community of foodies who challenge and support each other. I applaud you!

    Too bad Canada just can't seem to support entertainment and the arts more - it would really be nice to have a program like yours on the air. I understand that a year or two ago, they supposedly had a Masterchef Canada but I can't find anything about it and I heard that it was not presented by Canadians in the industry but by Brits and Americans....oh well!

    Keep up the good work guys! ;)

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  8. Hi Gary,

    Love Master Chef love food and all the tips your show offers. However, I would really love to see the Master Chefs go into the world of those who struggle to make ends meet. To cook some brilliant meals for the homeless with minimal ingredients. Perhaps see a cook off which, sees Master Chef giving back to the community and maybe discovering someone out there who has the chops to cook yet someone who has not had the opportunity to test their metal in the kitchen. Your show promotes a great work ethic that I believe could be harnessed in the real world.

    Love love love what your doing but I reckon it would be great to see an altruistic streak to your how far y'all have come :>

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  9. Hi Gary,
    I love your part in masterchef
    you are the best, I live in Gurgaon in India and hoping if you could come here once.

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  10. Hello Gary,
    We are a huge fan of Master Chef Australia.
    I would love to know how to make the perfect roasted crackling that Chef Vincent Gadan cooked in the immunity challenge versus Hayden! When I tried it , it wasn't so good or crispy either.

    Looking forward to hearign your reply for this.

    thanks
    Vims

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  11. You inspire me :) checkout http://thefoodnfashionblog.blogspot.in/2012/05/masterchef-australia.html

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