I wasn't always this way
This weekend my husband and I watched MasterChef. The thing that I found most amusing and unusual was that a good portion of the aspiring chefs when asked what was their motivation to learn how to cook like they do answered "because I ate crap growing up and I'm tired of eating crap"
Same here. Nothing against my Mom, I love her dearly, but as a child I was reared on fish sticks, hot dogs, burritos made from canned refried beans, and macaroni cheese from a box.
As I became an adult my tastes began to change. I found I could make pretty good food that was not from a kit (think Hamburger helper). My culinary world began to open a bit wider when my husband and I attending a Food Network day long function filled with chefs cooking delicious meals with ingredients that I had never heard of.
This inspired me to learn more. What else could I possibly make?
As I grew older and more educated about food I decided to challenge myself constantly more.
Now, about 2 1/2 years ago my world changed, my eyes were opened when I read Omnivore Dilemma by Michael Pollan.
Can you believe that I did not know that Asparagus only grows during the spring season? That tomatoes are only supposed to be really going crazy come July. That certain mushrooms grow during only certain times of the year. That the beef I ate regularly was grown in horrible conditions, fed a food that they would NEVER eat on their own all the time and that it made them so sick that they had to be heavily medicated with antibiotics.
That the chicken I ate regularly was grown in tight, dirty conditions where they were never allowed to see the sunlight.
That the eggs I ate came from chickens that lived in small cages barely bigger then themselves. That the nutritional content of those eggs was far from superior.
That none of the food I ate was grown in a sustainable way.
Fast forward to now. I have a five year old son and my biggest fear is that he will grow up like I did. Ignorant about how his food is grown/raised. I want him to know that if you plant a tomato seed it will grow into a plant that will feed you during the summer months. I want him to know how to both grow his food and cook it. I want him to be connected to his food like I never was.
Same here. Nothing against my Mom, I love her dearly, but as a child I was reared on fish sticks, hot dogs, burritos made from canned refried beans, and macaroni cheese from a box.
As I became an adult my tastes began to change. I found I could make pretty good food that was not from a kit (think Hamburger helper). My culinary world began to open a bit wider when my husband and I attending a Food Network day long function filled with chefs cooking delicious meals with ingredients that I had never heard of.
This inspired me to learn more. What else could I possibly make?
As I grew older and more educated about food I decided to challenge myself constantly more.
Now, about 2 1/2 years ago my world changed, my eyes were opened when I read Omnivore Dilemma by Michael Pollan.
Can you believe that I did not know that Asparagus only grows during the spring season? That tomatoes are only supposed to be really going crazy come July. That certain mushrooms grow during only certain times of the year. That the beef I ate regularly was grown in horrible conditions, fed a food that they would NEVER eat on their own all the time and that it made them so sick that they had to be heavily medicated with antibiotics.
That the chicken I ate regularly was grown in tight, dirty conditions where they were never allowed to see the sunlight.
That the eggs I ate came from chickens that lived in small cages barely bigger then themselves. That the nutritional content of those eggs was far from superior.
That none of the food I ate was grown in a sustainable way.
Fast forward to now. I have a five year old son and my biggest fear is that he will grow up like I did. Ignorant about how his food is grown/raised. I want him to know that if you plant a tomato seed it will grow into a plant that will feed you during the summer months. I want him to know how to both grow his food and cook it. I want him to be connected to his food like I never was.
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