Monday, June 05, 2006

Is Organic As Good As It Gets?

An interesting thing happened when I wrote about Safeway introducing a line of organic products . Not everybody who read the announcement thought it was a good thing. Now Wal-Mart has made plans to introduce a line of organic products, with the goal of selling them at no more than 10% above the price of non-organic products. So, what's wrong with that? It turns out plenty might be wrong with it. Michael Pollan has written a fascinating article in the New York Times called Mass Natural , what becomes increasingly clear is that the issues concerning organic, local, and sustainable food are complicated and interrelated and only get more complicated when major players get involved. For example, Pollan points out that Wal-Mart's version of "cheap organic" may not be sustainable. What exactly is sustainable agriculture? A rather slippery concept, according to CUESA (Center for Urban Education about Sustainability) sustainable agriculture unites stewardship of the land w......

Saturday, June 03, 2006

This week I give you a total of four favorite posts. They have positively nothing to do with one another except that they are each written by talented bloggers who routinely entertain and enlighten me. Albion Cooks takes on a recipe that requires a leap of faith . What is it? How does it turn out? You'll just have to visit to find out. Over at Toast a post about what is quite possibly the national dish of Switzerland (no, it's NOT fondue!) Ever end up with strawberries that are, past their prime? Cookbook 411 has the solution, a fluffy Strawberry Pudding . The techniques involved could come in handy with other over-the-hill fruits... Delicious Days one of the premier food AND travel blogs makes me wish I was also going back to Lisbon on my vacation next week. For now I'll just have to visit "virtually". FOOD...

Friday, June 02, 2006

Sweet and Sour Fish (like you've never seen before)

READ MORE Over at SF Station is my review of Jai Yun a most remarkable Shanghainese restaurant where this dish was served (the date should be June 2 not May 1) FOOD + RESTAURANTS + SAN FRANCISCO...

Thursday, June 01, 2006

Twice as Winey

There are two events I am really sorry to be missing this year. But my vacation is long overdue and so it goes. Both are wine events, benefits for really great causes and are not expensive to attend. Please go and enjoy them in my place. Both of the events also sell out annually so get your tickets soon... The first is A Celebration Marin County Pinot Noir on June 9th and 10th from 5 - 8. I feel particularly attached to this event because I grew up in Marin County. The event takes place at Escalle Winery, tucked away on Magnolia Avenue in Larkspur, which is just walking distance from so many of my childhood haunts. I used to walk past it and feel like I was getting a glimpse into the past. It's rarely open to the public so this is a special opportunity to check it out. It's also a benefit for the Marin Agricultural Land Trust , a member-supported, nonprofit organization created by a coalition of ranchers and environmentalists to permanently preserve Marin County farmland ......