courtesy of randy scott slavin. nature photography down ...€¦ · courtesy of randy scott slavin....

DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE

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Courtesy of Randy Scott Slavin. Nature Photography

Down the Rabbit Hole

Georges M. Halpern, MD, DSC

With Yves P. Huin


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Attimes,fornoobvioustriggerorreason,memoriesclimbtothesurface.OrdoIdivelike(almost)everyoneinAliceinWonderlandintotherabbithole?Thefactisthatrecently,specificrecollectionsreoccur.Likemymother’spassionforthecarpinitsjelly, a.k.a. Polish gelatin carp recipe: https://polishforums.com/archives/2005-2009/food/gelatin-carp-recipe-137/.Googlewasneveronherhorizon,buttherecipeisfaithfultohermemoryandskills.

Butfirst,momhadtofindthefish.Ithadtobealive,therightsize,and–asshesaid–withafriendlylook.Shepatronizedagreatfishmongerlocated63RueduBac(whereNaturaliasupermarketnowsits).Helikedmydiminutivemother,alwaysdresseduptothenines,withhersingingPolishaccent.Andhechoseherwrigglingvictimwithcare.Thenthecarpstartedherinvasioninourfamilialuniverse.She(weknew:shewouldhaveapouchofeggs!)wasofferedthefamilybathtub,foraloooongweek.Sheswam there, disgorging the remnants of silt and slime, to get a pure, clean taste,royallyignoringus.Allthewhilewehadtosubmittoacrobatics,inthefrigidair,toreachandscrubmostofourskinsurfaces.Theweeknurturedinstinctsofcrimeandhatredforthewholefishbreed.

Finally, usually for lunch on Sunday, the carp was served, and –every time- wemarveled at the artistic, mouth-watering presentation of the Carassius Carassius.Alignments of carrot slices, bay leaves, sprigs of parsley – all immobilized in ashiveringfeather-lightjellymadefrom(most–butNOTall)fishbones,athimbleofwhitewine,andasecret(andeverchanging)spiceblend.Itwasreally,reallygood,andwedevouredit,sadisticallytakingarevengeonherweek-longsquattingofthecommunalbathtub.

Myparentswerenotfoodies.Afterwemovedfromthe26RueVauquelininthe5tharrondissement,to191BoulevardSaint-Germaininthe6th,ourmotherwenteverymorningtoshopfreshfoodatthenearbyexpertshopsofthearea(RuedeGrenelle–RueduBac),anexcellentbutcher(andareputedBoucherieChevalinethatsoldonlyhorsemeat,forsteaktartare);theworld-famousBarthélémycheesestore;aTunisiangrocerystorefullofspicesandexhalingtheirflavorsintotheRueduBac;aCoursdesHallesopenstore,displayingacornucopiaoffreshfruitsandvegetables,broughtona hand-pulled cart everymorning at 05:00am from the BeaubourgHalles by theowner,ared-cheeked,alwayslaughingAveyronnais;theartisanalbakerychurning24baguettesevery4hours; thepharmacywith itshugeglass jarscolored inred,


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blue,greenandlitfrombehindforasymphony;andtheoccasional(orweekly)four-seasonsmerchantandherlargewheelbarrowofsuper-freshseasonalveggiesandfruitsfromherowngarden&orchard.

Myfatherwasveryfrugal:heknewthathumanswerediggingtheirgravewiththeirteeth,andtherewasstrictlynojunkfoodanywherenearby.Foodwasfresh,freshlyprepared,immediatelyconsumed(orthescrapsmadetheeveningsoup),andwehadour very first Frigidaire refrigerator late 1948, when dad came back from aconferencetourintheUS.HegotitcheckedontheFrenchLinesteamerLiberté(thatIwillsailin1953!).Thefridgewasfairlysmall(inside);hencewehad–andkept-apantry,builtunderthekitchen’swindow,withpartoftheoutsideextrusioninlightmetallicnetting.Mostfoodwaskeptthere;inthesummer,wewouldgetabigblockoficethatmyfatherbrokeintochunksfillingatankwithdrainage.Thepantrywasat the ideal temperature for the proliferation of Lactobacillus casei: my father’sdinnerwasusuallyaplateofboiledpotatoes,coveredwithclottedmilk,aged3daysinthepantry.(MilkwasNOTpasteurizeduntilthe1970’s;mymotherboughtiteverydayatBarthélémyandboiledituntilitbubbledveryhigh!–i.e.afewseconds).ImustnowconfessthateverymorningIcheckedthewholemilk’ssurfaceandwasfirsttoskimandsavorthelayerofdeliciousreal,richcream!Dadhadtoaddasliceofbuttertohissteaminghotpotatoes…Dad’slunch–thathepreparedhimselfwhenhewasworking- was a long sandwich of a crispy baguette, smeared with butter andcontainingtwoslicesofjambondeParis(Paris’ham),twoartisanalyogurts,andoneortwoapples.Thatwasitfordecades.

Therewasnowineorbeerinthehouse,andwhenevermyparentsreceivedabottleofpriceywine,theystoreditinthecellar–wheretheyagedquietly,untilIdiscoveredthem,decadeslater.

Weneverwenttoarestauranttogether:foodwastoorich,notforussaidourmother–andprobablytooexpensiveforthem.ButtheywereonceinvitedbyaverywealthyAmerican (a New York Jew), who was a major beneficiary of the stratosphericsuccess of Schering in large part due to antihistamines (introduced in humanmedicinebymy father); this tycoonhadhiredmydadasaconsultant (hehelpeddevelopdexchlorpheniramineorPolaramine®).Tocelebrate,theircoupletookmyparents for dinner at theTour d’Argent, a ***templewhere the Schering guyhadorderedafeast.WhenIaskedmymotherthenextdaywhattheyate,shejustsaid‘it


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wasTOOMUCH,andIcouldnotsleepwellafterwards’.Butoneepisodestruckher:cheesehadbeenorderedandmomsaid:‘Canyouimagine?!!!!He(theirhost)askedfor the Camembert to be served ‘chaud’ (warm)!’ Thatwas her one unforgettablememoryofanotherwiseforgottenmeal.

When,in1933,myparentsmovedintotheir4thfloorapartmenton26RueVauquelin,5tharrondissement,thatwastheevidenceoftheirachievements;notonlydidtheylive in an ‘intellectual’ district, but the building was very bourgeois; they hadsucceeded! Shopping for foodwas a treat: wewere 2 blocks away from the RueMouffetard, theMecca of fine, fresh, BEST food! I discovered it while carrying a(heavyformyage)bagformymother,but itwaswhettingmyappetite,eachandeverytime.After1945,whenwereturnedtothe26RueVauquelin,Iwouldgotheretoexploreandchatwiththefishmonger,thefreshproducesellers,thebutcher,andothers. The Rue Mouffetard always remained my reference for fine food; in the1970s,whenIbefriendedRaymondOliver,thegrandestchefofourtime,hetookmeto thePoissonnerieofmychildhood for fishdestinedtobeservedrawassushiorsashimi.ThisFishmarket isnowanAuthentic JapaneseRestaurant ‘LePapillon’ (Icouldnevermakethisup!).

Andthefuturelookedbright.

UntilSeptember1st,1939:Francewasatwar,andmyfatherwascalledtoserve–whichhedidwith fervor.Hewasaphysicianofficer–anaspirant, i.e. a first levelofficer- with a uniform matching. He was in charge of a train ambulance car,equippedformedicalemergencies,ambulatorysurgery,andsixbeds;anursewasassignedtohelp.


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Thecommander-in-chiefoftheFrencharmieswasGamelinwhohad(foralongtime)generalparalysisorcerebralsyphilis,withdeliriumofgrandeur,andwas ‘treated’weeklyattheSalpêtrièreHospitalwithmalariatherapy–thestandardtreatmentatthetime,untilpenicillinwasintroduced,withtheAmerican-ledliberationin1946.Gamelin hallucinated andwas claiming, high and loud onMay 20, 1940 that theFrenchtroopswere‘runningtoBerlin’–whileGuderiantanksranhisblitzkrieg,just


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ignoringtheMaginotline(impregnable!)andwererushingSouthtoenterParis,thatfell on June 14. The French government of Paul Reynaud (and his formidablemistress)haddecampedtoBordeauxwerelabelleviecontinue(thegoodlifegoeson).Wewerelivingatragedy,butfromtheoutsideitlookedlikeacomedyofGeorgesFeydeau.OnJune22,1940,FrancesignedanarmisticewithGermany;itwasdividedintoGermanandItalianoccupationzones,andanunoccupiedrumpstateundertheVichyRegime,whichwasalignedwithGermany:

IntheoccupiedregionofFrance,theGermanReichexercisesalloftherightsofanoccupyingpower.TheFrenchgovernmentundertakes to facilitate ineverywaypossibletheimplementationoftheserights,andtoprovidetheassistanceofthe French administrative services to that end. The French government willimmediatelydirectallofficialsandadministratorsoftheoccupiedterritorytocomplywiththeregulationsof,andtocollaboratefullywith,theGermanmilitaryauthorities.

Myfather,hisnurseandhistrainhadbeenblatantlyignoredbytheBlitzkrieg,andon June16th,1940hewasde-mobilizedandcamehome,starvingandboredby6monthsspenttwiddlinghisthumbs.

Infact,thatwasnottheendofthewar;itwasjustthebeginningofourflight.

Dadhadbeeninformedbyhisemployer,Rhône-Poulenc,thattheplanwastoclosethemainResearchsiteinVitry-sur-Seine(aParissuburb)andmove–overayearorso-alltheequipmenttoVilleurbanne,nearLyon,inthepuppet‘free’zonecontrolledbytheVichysnitches.Inthemeantime,wewereadvisedtoleaveParisSTAT,andfinda temporary shelter in theVichy-controlledarea.Myparents contacted theirclosest friends, theArtigas, a coupleof college teacherswhowere in factSpanish(Catalans!) republican refugees, but had been naturalized French recently, and –mostimportantly-whowereChristians(infacttheywere…atheists!).TheArtigashelpedmyparentsmovethefurnituretheylovedtoastorage,took–andkept-thekeys of the apartment; we piled up in the Peugeot 202 –and off we were to LaBourboule,astationthermale(amedicalspa)dubbedthe‘capitaloftreatmentsforasthmaticandallergicchildren’forallEurope.


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https://www.lescuristes.fr/cure-thermale-La-Bourboule-65

Theplacewaseerilyquiet,andthe(JewishRomanian)physicianwhowelcomedus,andofferedroomandboard,washonoredandhappytohostanalreadywell-knownandrespectedmedicalscientist–i.e.myfather-andhisfamily.Thefamilymealswereveryfriendly;ourhostesswasaskilledcook,whoservedapersonalinterpretationofRomanian+Jewish(kosher)+Frenchbourgeoisdishes,quitetastyandrich(lotsofbutterandcream!).ButNOpork;mydadwascruellymissinghisjambondeParis.Andwestartedfeelingsomewearinessinourhosts.

That couldnot last, andmy father, known tohave ants in his pants,was turningaroundlikealioninacage:hehadtofindajob,andoneheloved.AndhehadtofinditFAST!(Forthefollowup,detailscanbefoundinmyEssay‘OTemporaoMores,’inVolume#1.)

This long introduction was willingly focused on daily food, supply and menus.Budgetwasapermanentconcern.Healthwasalsoontheforefront.Our foodwasaffordable and close by. It was not (often) packaged; it was certainly seasonal,subjectedtothewhimsofweatherorstrikes(aFrench‘nationalsport’).Therewasnoprocessed,industrialfood;eventhecharcuteriewasartisanal,mostofitmadeby


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thecharcutierandhisapprentices.The tectonicchanges that theNorthAmericanfood –supply, processing, mind-boggling promotion- experienced was hard toswallow by a population whose culture was made of respect, appreciation,admirationandmodesty.Myfather–asadvisortotheFacultyofPharmacy-reportedagainsttheintroductionofCocaColainFrancetothegeneralpublic.Heknewthat,until1935,CocaColawasapharmaceuticalprescription;butDeanDelabymanagedtogetabrand-newvilla,builttohisspecifics,inSt.JeanCapFerrat,theposhestsiteoftheFrenchRiviera;hetheninvitedourfamilytospendaweekthere.(Atlanta’s)Moneyhadwon.

Thefood,themealsweatewerethedailyfareofthevastmajorityoftheFrenchpopulation,andthethinlayerofthefilthyrichwhopatronizedtheMichelin-starredpantheonskeptalow,modestprofile.ThiscontrastsdramaticallywithwhattheUSAisexperiencingnow,asthearticlebyPeterC.Barkerdescribessowell.


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The Limits of Home Cooking A richly reported new book offers powerful insights into the cooking habits—and

daily struggles—of working-class Americans, reviewed by Peter C. Barker on Jan. 21, 2019.

Photo: Oxford University Press

In1870,theAmericancookbookauthorJaneCunninghamdenouncedanalarmingnewtrendinthenation'smealtimehabits:eatingdinner intheevening.Sincethecolonial era, Americans had eaten their primary meal around midday, fuelingthemselves for the rest of theworkday. Butwithmoremen spending their daysoutsidethehomeaswagelaborers,dinnerwasbecominganighttimeaffair.CriticslikeCunninghamhatedthissignofthechangingtimes."Sixo’clockdinners...destroyhealth,"shewroteinoneofhercookbooks.Late-daymealswerehardertodigest,sheinsisted. Perhaps worse, they gave womenmore daytime for idle "gossiping and


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visitingtoshoppingandthepromenade."Ofcourse,Cunningham'scalltoMakeDinnerEarlyAgainfailedtostemthetide.Today,theideathatfamiliesshould,wheneverpossible,gatheraround the table for theirprimarymealatday'sendoccupiesanextraordinarilydurableplaceinAmericanculture.ButifCunningham'sprescriptionfeels hopelessly dated, its tone -prescriptive, judgmental, self-certain- is familiar.Today'sprominentfoodwriterswouldneverdreamoftellingfamiliestoeatdinnerintheafternoon.Theydonothesitate,however,toinstructusonthetypesoffoodweshouldbuy(healthy,fresh,organic),thewayitshouldbepreparedandserved(athome,fromscratch,familystyle),andhowharmfulitwouldbe-forourbodies,ourfamilies,andtheplanet-todeviatefromthismodel.

InPressureCooker:WhyHomeCookingWon’tSolveOurProblemsandWhatWeCanDoAboutIt,theanthropologistsSarahBowen,JoslynBrenton,andSinikkaElliottdonotdenythevalueofhealthy,home-cookeddinners.Instead,theyarguethatthewayourfoodgurustalkaboutdinnerisfundamentallydisconnectedfromthedailylivesofmillionsofAmericans,especiallybutnotexclusivelylow-incomeAmericans.Thisdiscrepancymatters,theauthorsinsist.

WhenMichaelPollan,MarkBittman,andJamieOliverpreachtheirinfluential,well-compensatedsermonsabouthowyou -yes,you! - can (andshould) improveyourfamily members' lives by buying healthier food and preparing it at home, theyimplicitlyframethequalityofourdinnersassomethingoverwhichweallwieldaconsiderable degree of control. If you aren't doing dinner right, it's because youaren'ttryinghardenoughforyourfamily:notshoppingsmartlyenough,notdoingtherightprepwork,notusingthebestrecipes.Inadditiontocreatingalotofangstand guilt whenever we fall short, this censorious approach shifts our collectiveattentionawayfromthebiggerforcesshapingourlivesandmeals,blockingthewaytomorerealisticsolutionslocatedbeyondthekitchen.Overaperiodoffiveyears,Bowen, Brenton, and Elliott interviewed over 150 mothers and grandmothers,mostly low-income, who were primary caregivers for young children in NorthCarolina. (Though men are pitching in more with grocery shopping and mealpreparation,themajorityofbothchoresisstilldonebywomen-which,ifyouareawoman,yousurelyalreadyknow.Thetoptieroffoodpunditryandcelebrity‘chef-dom’ remains overwhelmingly male.) The authors asked these women detailedquestionsaboutwhattheyservetheirchildren,whoshopsforfood,whocooksit,


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andhowitallfeels.With12families,theywentdeeper,taggingalongonshoppingtripsandfood-pantryruns,hangingout inthekitchenanddiningroom,watchingdinner get made and eaten. The authors cannily juxtapose these dense, closelyobservedsceneswithquotesfromthelikesofPollanandBittman,drawingattentiontohowwildlyoutoftouchmuchoftheiradviceiswithminute-to-minuteexistenceinwideswathsofAmerica.

All thewomenprofiledherehavean intensedesire togive their families thebestdinners possible. All of them experience some variety of guilt that their dinnersaren'tasgoodastheycouldbeandthattheirfamiliesaresufferingforit.Theywanttobuythefreshest,healthiest foodpossiblebutmuststicktostrictbudgets.Theywanttheirkidsandspousestoeathealthyandtrynewthings,butalsowanttohonorcultural culinary traditions, give their families pleasure, and avoid end-of-dayconflictsovernoveldishes.Theycan'taffordtothrowouttheirmistakesandorderasaladorpad-thaifromGrubhub.They'dliketodoefficientmealprepaheadoftime,butoftenhavelittleornocontrolovertheirworkschedules;thefreetimetheyhaveis scattered throughout thedayandcanbehard to takeadvantageof.They can'taffordBlueApronorthepre-preppedveggiesfromWholeFoods.Theytakeprideinfeedingtheirfamiliesbutarealmostconstantlystressedbyhowharditis.Theymakemeal plans, only to have them undercut by transportation hassles, SNAP cardmalfunctions, unexpectedbills, andprice fluctuations at the grocery store -forcesthatwecan'trealisticallyfixsimplybytellingindividualstotryharder.

Twice,whileworkingonthisreview,PeterBarkerwanderedintohislocalbookstoretobrowsethelatesthome-cookinghow-tomanuals.Thesebooksarefullofdelicious-sounding,nutrient-richmeals,plustipsandshortcutsformakingtheirpreparationasefficientaspossible.ButtheyarecompletelydivorcedfromthetextureofreallifeanditsdailychallengesthatrunsthrougheverypageofPressureCooker.Inanidealworld, this bookwould be required reading for every food pundit and cookbookauthor.Often,thewaywetalkaboutfoodmakesitsoundlikefixingourmealswillfixeverythingelse:healourbodies,savetheenvironment,restoreourfamilybonds.TheproposedsolutionsinPressureCookerflipthisequationonitshead:Fixthebigstuff-reducepoverty,recognizefoodasahumanright-andfamilieswillfigureouttheirowndinnersjustfine.Inthemeantime,theauthorssuggestthatlocalschools,daycares,andchurcheswithcommercialkitchensstartpreparinghealthy,affordable


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dinners that are easily re-heatable. They also nod to the promise of communitydinners,wherecustomersofallincomes,payingonaslidingscale,gathertosharefood and stories. It gives Barker no pleasure to admit that he has a hard timeimaginingsuchinitiativesbecomingasignificantnationwidetrendanytimesoon,notleastbecausenoonestandstomakeabundleofmoneyfromimplementingthem.Hehopeshe’swrong-andnotjustbecause,at33,ashepondersbecomingaparent,hiswifeandhimalreadyfindthemselvesstressedoutbytheprospectivechallengeoffeedingtheirfamilyright.Butwhoknowswhatispossible?Afterall,itwasnotsolongagothatwewereallservingdinneratmidday.

Afterreadingandeditingthisarticle,itwastimeformetogoshoppingtoreplenishthe fridge and the pantry with diverse foods –including fresh, perishable ones(vegetables,fruits).Thatwasthe4thThursdayofthemonth,andGroceryOutlet,

Patch

inRedwoodCity,offered10%discountonthewholebilltoseniors(Iqualify!).Thecrowdofpatronsismostlydependingon ‘foodstamps’a.k.a.SNAP(SupplementalNutritionAssistanceProgram),Hispanics, retired,African-Americans –thebulkofthepopulationintheSanFranciscoBayArea,andtheinvisibles.Theoneswhoworktwoorthreejobs,whowalk,whocleanandmaintain,whosmilefaintly,andletyoupass,thehumble,thetimidwhomwe–unknowingly-dependupontomakeourareafunctionandshine.


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Theircartswereloadedwith(slightlywilted)vegetables,(spottedwithoxidation)salads,orapples(thathadbeenbruised)–allperfectlyedibleandhealthy,andreallycheap! In fact,unbeknownst to theseSNAPbeneficiaries, theywere following thelatestfindingspublishedintheFebruary1st,2019issueofTheLancet:

“Findingsfromprospectivestudiesandclinicaltrialsassociatedwithrelativelyhighintakesofdietaryfiberandwholegrainswerecomplementary,andstrikingdose-response evidence indicates that the relationships to several non-communicablediseasescouldbecausal.Implementationofrecommendationstoincreasedietaryfiberintakeandtoreplacerefinedgrainswithwholegrainsisexpectedtobenefithumanhealth.Amajorstrengthofthestudywastheabilitytoexaminekeyindicatorsofcarbohydratequalityinrelationtoarangeofnon-communicablediseaseoutcomesfromcohortstudiesandrandomisedtrialsinasinglestudy.Ourfindingsarelimitedtoriskreductioninthepopulationatlargerather than those with chronic disease.” (Health Research Council of NewZealand,WHO,RiddetCentreofResearchExcellence,HealthierLivesNationalScience Challenge, University of Otago, and the Otago Southland DiabetesResearchTrust).

AllthepropagandaaboutHealthyDietorHealthyFoodssuddenlybecameshaky.And–happycoincidence? - in thesame issueofTheLancet, aneditorialhammersreason and (current) truths, showing how the public using social media andwatchingtelevisionisbeingmanipulatedwithdireconsequences:

“Conflictsofinterestindrug-companyfundedresearchhavelongbeenanissueof public concern. Pharmaceutical firms are accused of paying bigmoney forresearchthatwillshowtheirpillsarebetterthanthoseoftheirrivalsandthescientiststheyemploy,howevergood,areaccusedbysomepeopleoftakingthecompany shillingand thereforenot tobebelieved.Pharmaceutical companiesthesedaysoperateinaclimateofhostilityandsuspicion.Somewouldsaytheyhaveonlythemselvestoblame.

But food is different or has been. It has taken a long time for the Big Foodcompanies to attract the same scrutiny as Big Pharma. There have beencampaigning voices at the margin for decades, denouncing Nestlé for itsmarketingofbabymilk formula, for instance.But it feelsas thoughonlynow,with the food industry finallybeingpubliclychallengedover themarketingof


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highsugar,highfat,highsaltproductsthatcauseobesityanddamagehealth,are the companies being seen in the same light as the drug companies -ascommercialentitiesthatmaynotalwayshaveourbestinterestsatheart.

MarionNestle-norelationtothecompany-hasbeenoneofthesternestcriticsoftheBigFoodcompaniesforverymanyyears.ThePauletteGoddardProfessorofNutrition,FoodStudies,andPublicHealth,Emerita,atNewYorkUniversity,USA,Nestlehasrattledthecompanies'cagesnotablythroughherbook,FoodPolitics,publishedin2002,andherblogofthesamenamethatisfrequentlyrevelatoryandalwaysagoodread.

Inher latestbook,UnsavoryTruth:HowFoodCompaniesSkew theScienceofWhatWeEat,sheprobesthemessyissueofconflictsofinterestamongexpertsintheworldofnutrition.Shefindsitraisesquestionsthatarenoteasilyresolved.Shouldanacademic takemoney for research froma foodcompany?Shouldanutritionaljournalrefusetopublishresearchpaidforbyafoodcompanythatwill help their marketing by promoting one fruit over others? Should anacademic institution take fundswhen the food companies have the only deeppocketsintown?Thepuristmightsayno-don'ttouchtheirmoneybecauseevenifyouproducehigh-quality, importantresearchwithfoodcompanycash,yourresultswillappeartainted.Nestlehastimeandagainexposedthemethodsofcompaniesandthoseintheirpay,anddoessorepeatedlyinthisbook,butshesays it'smorecomplicatedthanthat. “Whenitcomesto industry funding…theissuesareneversimplyblackorwhite;theyareusuallymorecomplicatedshadesofgrey”,shewrites.

Sheherselfwon'ttakeindustrymoney(andfortunatelydoesn'tneedto),butshewill attend a meeting and give a talk for which her travel costs andaccommodationarereimbursed.Shewilloccasionallyadvisefoodcompaniesoranswer their questions. She needs to knowwhat they are doing and take anopportunitytourgetheminwhatshefeelsistherightdirection.Yetsheknowsinteractionisdangerous.Influenceisalwaysatwo-waystreet.


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KALW

BigFoodisnotBigTobacco.Itcannotbeapariah.Wedon'tneedtosmoke.Butwedohavetoeat.Thecompaniesthatgrowourvegetablesandmanufactureourreadymealsandsnacksareintertwinedwithourdailylives.Weallhavefavoritefoodsthatwebuy.Manyofushaveourfavoritefoodbeliefs—aboutgluten,aboutsugar,oraboutchocolateasanaphrodisiacorcoffee tohelpus focus. Justastherearenomiraclepills,sotherearenomiraclefoods.Butuntanglingthetruthfromthemythisincrediblydifficultwhenitcomestoourdiet,especiallyasthestudies are so difficult to do because we forget what we've eaten or lie toresearchersabouttheextraburgerweateyesterday.

Allofthatmeansthatit'sevenmoreimportantforexpertsinnutritiontodotheirutmost to avoid bias or the perception of bias. The academics, the nutritionsocieties,whichcomeoutfairlybadlyfromNestle'sbook,thejournals,andtheuniversitiesallhavetotryharder,shesays.Engagewithindustry?Certainly.Butdon'ttakethemoneyifyoucanhelpit.Shecallsonnutritionjournalstothinkagain:“Marketingresearchdoesnotbelonginpublichealthjournals”,shewrites.“Iwishtheeditorsofnutritionjournalswouldviewsucharticleswithskepticism


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oratleastlabelthemasmarketingresearch.”

Weneed thebestpossible, untaintedguidanceabout the increasingly fraughtissueofwhattoeatforourhealth.Nestlehasadviceforallofusluckyenoughtohave access to a good food supply: “eat your veggies, choose relativelyunprocessedfoods,keepjunkfoodstoaminimumandwatchoutforexcessivecalories”.It'sasimplepreceptthat,shesays,shouldallowustoenjoyourfoodwhilestayinghealthy.Itshouldalsohelpusseethroughthedisguisedmarketingthatisallaroundus.”

AndtalkingaboutNestlé, itmightbeappropriatetocopysomeparagraphsofthecompany’spresentationinWikipedia:

AboycottwaslaunchedintheUnitedStateson7July1977,againsttheSwiss-based Nestlé corporation. It spread in the United States and expanded intoEuropeintheearly1980s.ItwaspromptedbyconcernaboutNestlé's"aggressivemarketing"ofbreastmilksubstitutes,particularlyinlesseconomicallydeveloped(LEDCs),largelyamongthepoor.TheboycottwasofficiallysuspendedintheU.S. in 1984, after Nestlé agreed to follow an international marketing codeendorsedbytheWorldHealthOrganization(WHO).TheboycottwasalsoendedintheUKbyseveralorganizationsincludingtheGeneralSynodoftheChurchofEngland in July 1994, the Royal College of Midwives in July 1997, and theMethodistEthicalInvestmentCommitteeinNovember2005andtheReformedChurches in November 2011 as a result of the company's inclusion in theresponsible investment index FTSE4Good Responsible Investment Index. Theboycottwasrelaunchedin1989.

InMay2011,thedebateoverNestlé'sunethicalmarketingofinfantformulawasrelaunchedintheAsia-Pacificregion.NineteenleadingLaos-basedinternationalNGOs, including Save the Children, Oxfam, CARE International, PlanInternational,andWorldVisionhavelaunchedaboycottofNestléandwrittenan open letter to the company. An independent audit of Nestlé's marketingpracticesinLaoswascommissionedbyNestléandcarriedoutbyBureauVeritasinlate2011.Theauditfoundthat"therequirementsoftheWHOCodeandLaoPDRDecreearewellembeddedthroughoutthebusiness",butthat"promotionalmaterialsin4%oftheretailoutletsvisited"violatedeithertheLaoPDRDecreeortheWHOCode.


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Andthelistgoeson…butNestléisfarfrombeingtheonlyonethatcaresmuchmoreabout“profits-by-all-means“,insteadoffoodsafety.IntheUS,therecenttoxicogenicE.coli,lethal,epidemicduetocontaminatedromaine;orthequasi-dailyepisodesoffoodpoisoningduetoindustrialgroundmeat;orthedeathsduetopoisonouspeanutbutter…Thelitanyisendless.

When one looks at the policies implemented (just to start!) by the Trumpadministration’sSecretaryofAgriculture,itsEnvironmentalProtectionAgency(runbyacoalindustrylobbyist!),andother(nowcastrated)watchdogs,oneshouldbewaryandfollowthemulti-secularrulesofChinesefood:youboilit,yousteamit,yousautéedit,youroastit,youbakeit,youpeelit…oryouforgetit!

The Obscene Marketing of Food as a “Trend”

Yesterday,IgoogledFoodTrendsin2019.Afterall,Idonotwantmygrandsonstoconsider me a brain-damaged dinosaur. But what I found was unexpected anddisturbing.

Asanexample,(mostotherwebsiteswereofthesamebarrel),SupermarketNews(sn)hasarichlyillustratedentrythatisapleasuretolookat;fortherest,you’llhavetodecide:

Meannewgreen:theSRGCulinaryCouncil,“TopChef”winnerHoseaRosenbergiscallingceltuce—alettucecultivar—“thenewkale.”

“Better-for-you”desserts:anarrayofsweetenedsuperfoodsisfindingitswayontomenusandintostoreshelves.ThatincludesTheHummus&PitaCo.’slineofdesserthummus—heavilysweetenedandwithchocolateorcookiedoughadded(theyintroducedapumpkinspicehummusshakethisfall).Italsoincludesgluten-free alfajores — a type of sandwich cookie — at Tanta, a Peruvianrestaurant in Chicago that also sprinkles its chocolate mousse with toastedquinoa.


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Oatmilk:TheCoca-ColaCo.,citingMinteldata,said36%ofconsumerssaidtheywouldbuycoffeewithnon-dairymilk,and35%saidthey’dlikecoffeewithaddedprotein.ThetrendwillalsobegettingaboostnextyearwhenPepsiColaunchesanoatbeverageundertheQuakerbrandinJanuary.

Functionalfoodrampsupwellness:AccordingtoDatassential,morethan300newproductsfeaturenootropics(aka“smartdrugs”).InNewYorkCity,afreshnutmilk bar and café, TuloHouse, is set to open in January2019with fresh,organic nut and oat milks “custom-zhushed” with collagen, CBD,adaptogenicmushroomsandmore.

Bringingfreshintoshelf-stable:TakePerfectBar,ahighlyprocessedproteinbarthatismade“usingrealfoodandcleaningredientstocreateabarsofreshitbelongsinthefridge,”accordingtomarketingforthecompany.

Allthiswouldbeforgettable–andforgotten-ifitweren’tacanaryinthecoalminetellingus“thesearethenewHorsemenoftheApocalypsethatwillwipeyouout–afterwipingdryyourbankaccount”.

Seriously, all this is symbolic and symptomatic of a huge domain of ourcommunication system, based uniquely and entirely on profit for the Facebook,WhatsApp, Apple and their memes or clones. Michel Eyquem (ditMontaigne) isprobablyturningwildlyinhisgrave…

Theabyssbetweenthemassofpeoplehurtingtobringfood(theycanafford)tothetable, and theLaLaLand universe of themarketing genial gnomes that promoteuseless–albeitexpensive-concoctionsisrealandwidening.Thehealthcare(physicalandmental)providersarealreadyoverwhelmed.Itwillcertainlygetworsebefore(???)itgetsbetter.

Thisweek’smagazines(inprintandontheair)–aseveryweeksincethe1950s-arefullofstoriesdetailingtheperformances,competitions,creativerecipes,promotionof utensils and whole kitchen installations by chefs: they are the ubiquitous,unavoidable stars of the media. Their creativity is never questioned; theirrecommendationsarethenewGospelandquestioninganyisgoingtotakeyoutotheflamesofDante’sInferno.

GuyDebord’sSocietyoftheSpectacleisourdailyfare:authenticsociallifehasbeenreplacedwithitsrepresentation;“thedeclineofbeingintohavingandhavinginto


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merelyappearing…thehistoricalmomentatwhichthecommoditycompletesthecolonizationofsociallife”.

In his analysis of the spectacular society, Debord notes that the quality of life isimpoverished,withsuchalackofauthenticitythathumanperceptionsareaffected,andanattendantdegradationofknowledge,whichinturnhinderscriticalthought.Debordanalyzestheuseofknowledgetoassuagereality:thespectacleobfuscatesthepast,implodingitwiththefutureintoanundifferentiatedmass,atypeofnever-endingpresent;inthisway,thespectaclepreventsindividualsfromrealizingthatthesocietyofspectacleisonlyamomentinhistory,onethatcanbeoverturnedthroughrevolution.Inaconsumersociety,sociallifeisnotaboutliving,butabouthaving;thespectacleusestheimagetoconveywhatpeopleneedandmusthave.Consequently,sociallifemovesfurther, leavingastateof"having"andproceedingintoastateof"appearing";namelytheappearanceoftheimage.

A group preparing a noonday meal in the 16th century. Public Domain

ThePantheonofCulinaryArts–anditscontroversies-isnotrecent.WedonotknowifArchestratosa.k.a.“theDaedalusoftastydishes”inSicilyduringthe4thcenturyBCE,orApiciusinDerecoquinaria(1stcenturyADinRome)hadtocompetewithothers


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to establish their credentials and attract the attention, then the support of thewealthy gourmets, butwedo know that inmedievalBaghdad, the Iron Chef-typecompetitionscouldhaveseriousconsequences.

Wetendtothinkofcookingcontestsasamoderninstitution,whetherfeaturingAltonBrownornail-bitingcomparisonsofBritishcakes.Yetcookingcompetitionsactuallyhaveamuchlongerhistory.Inthefood-obsessedcultureofninth-centuryBaghdad,beingafoodiewasessentialtogettingahead.Storiesaboundofthecaliphs’,orrulers’,passionforcooking,eating,andtalkingaboutgoodfood.Theyevenparticipatedincookingcontests,includingonethatendedinnear-executionandexile.

AccordingtoIraqifoodhistorianandscholarNawalNasrallah,Baghdad,atthattime,wasconsideredthe“navelofthenations”:thecenteroftheworld.“Theyhadcontactswith the four corners of theworld,” saysNasrallah,whichmeant thewealthy hadaccesstospicesfromacrossAsia,citrusfromChina,andsugarfromIndia.Thecityhadtheingredientsforaworld-classfoodculture,andthewealthtoenjoyit,asitwastheIslamicGoldenAge.AndwhileChristianityhadstrictmoresagainstgluttony,NasrallahpointsoutthatIslamdidn’tprohibittheenjoymentoffood.“So,thewholeatmospherewasconducivetocreatingthiskindofactivity.”

A prince trying some fruit and wine. Public Domain


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This obsession with food went straight to the top. One popular dish, judhaba,consistedofasweet,layeredbreadpuddingcookedinatannouroven,withachunkofmeatroastedaboveit.Thepuddingwouldcatchanydrippings,creatingasweetandsavorymélange.Onerecipe,madewithbananas,sugar,androsewater,wasaspecialty of Ibrāhīm bin al-Mahdī, who Nasrallah evocatively describes as “theAbbasid gourmet prince.” (The Abbasids were the ruling dynasty.) Vendors soldjudhaba in the marketplace, and some caliphs were known to commandeerespeciallytastydishescookedbycommoners.

Caliphsmayhaveevencookedcompetitively.Accordingtoonestory,thecaliphal-Maʾmūn,whoreignedintheearlyninthcentury,oncefacedoffagainsthisbrotherandbooncompanions.Itwasan“IronChefofmedievaltimes,”laughsNasrallah.Inherdescriptionoftheevent,acooknamed‘Ibādawaspresent.Describedashavinga“delightfulandmischievoussenseofhumor,”hewasnonethelessjealouswhenal-Muʿtaṣim,al-Maʾmūn’sbrother,cookedadishthatsmelledquitegood.Hecoaxedal-Muʿtaṣimintoaddingabowloffermentedsaucetohisdish,whichthengaveoffanasty odor. In true sibling fashion, al-Maʾmūn roasted his brother mercilessly.Unfortunately for ‘Ibāda, al-Muʿtaṣim became caliph in 833 and exiledhim inrevenge, claiming “he was not worth killing,” writes Nasrallah. (‘Ibāda madetroublemaking a habit but must have been a superlative cook. Another caliphbroughthimback,onlyforhimtobebanishedagainforanotherprank.)

An excerpt from a manuscript of Kitab al-tabikh, a 10th-century cookbook. Public Domain


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ThoughNasrallahnotesthatthereareonlyahandfulofsimilarstories,thefactthatwritersinscribedthemintochroniclestypicallydevotedtobattlesandsuccessionsmeanstheywereconsideredimportantsocialactivity.Poetswroteelaboratefoodpoems, andmanuals describing how to be an ideal “boon companion” for a ruleremphasizedtheimportanceofcooking.Onerecommendedthatthesemenlearnarepertoireofatleast10exoticdishes.Itwasthisgourmandculturethatproducedthe firstmedievalcookbooks,containing the favoreddishesof theelite.Nasrallahherselftranslatedtheearliest-known:a10th-centurycookbookcalledtheAnnalsofthe Caliphs’ Kitchen. So now we all can face off in the kitchen with our booncompanions,Abbasid-style.

Butthesedays,inourmedia-fedobsessionoffoods–healthyfoods-onehassurvivedunscathedsincetheMiddleAges.ItsstoryisdetailedbyAmandaRuggieriinarecentissueoftheBBCTravelstories.

Parmigiano-Reggiano is aged anywhere from two to 20 years to develop a rich flavor and aroma

(Credit: Amanda Ruggeri)

Amandaisatalentedguideworthfollowing:

“It’slikeaculinaryriddle:whatisafoodmadeofonlythreeingredientswherethe main processing is done by invisible workers; which can be eaten as an


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appetizer, condiment or dessert; and which is prescribed by doctors to cureailments?

“Need a hint? It’s also a dairy product… that can be eaten by the lactose-intolerant.

“Theanswer:Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Parmigiano-Reggiano is considered by many cooks and nutritionists to be a practically perfect food (Credit: Amanda Ruggeri)

“Muchmore than a fancyway to say “parmesan”, Parmigiano-Reggiano is acheese that can only be made with extremely precise ingredients, in anextraordinarily particular process, in a 10,000-sq-km geographical area ofItaly so carefully defined that you canmakeParmigiano on one side of thesmallcityofBolognabutnottheother.Theresultofallthatlaborandlegalityis–asmanycooks,nutritionistsandItaliansalikewilltellyou–apracticallyperfect food. There is Parmigiano’s taste: salty but sweet, grassy but nutty,sharp but rich. “There’s its texture: hard but grainy, popping with whitecrystals.There’sitsevolutionasitages:atwo-year-oldcheesesmellslikefreshfruitand tastessharplysweet;a three-year-oldwheel remindsyouofdriedgrapesandnutmeg,tastesmoresavoryandmorecomplex,andcrumblesmore


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easilyinthepalm.Andthereisitsnutrition,aresultofnotonlyitsingredientsbut of the ageing process. Pound for pound, Parmigiano can competewithalmostanyfoodforcalcium,aminoacids,protein,vitaminA.“Parmigianohasathousandbenefits,evenforhealth,”saidchefAnnaMariaBarbieri.“Itis,let’ssay,apanacea.Somethingthatgiveshealthtoeverythingittouches.”

Although it is a dairy product, Parmigiano-Reggiano can be eaten by the lactose-intolerant

(Credit: Amanda Ruggeri)

“I hope so, because at Barbieri’s restaurant Antica Moka, a Michelin-listedrestaurantintheheartofParmigianocountryinModena,IeatthecheeseuntilIfeellikeI’mgoingtoburst.Froma24-monthwedgeaslongasmyforearm,Iusethespade-shapedslicer,almostasubiquitousinItaliankitchensasParmigianoitself, to slice off shards for antipasto. I feast from a small cup of farro soupdrizzled withcrema di parmigiana (parmesan cream) accompanied withParmigianobread. “And then there’sParmigianoagainasaprimo(firstmaincourse),twiceover:tortelliniinasauceofParmigiano,drizzledwithbalsamicvinegarofModena,servedinafriedParmigianobowl.

“Sometimespeopletellme,‘ButParmigiano,youputitineverything!’,”Barbierisaidwithachuckle.“It’smyweakness.Ireallydoputiteverywhere.”Likesomanyothersintheproductionarea,BarbierigrewupwithParmigiano.Sheremembers


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dairyfarmersbringingtheirmilktoherfamily’scheesemakingfactory.Asalittlegirl, she would accompany her grandfather, one of the first members of theParmigiano-ReggianoConsortium,theassociationofproducersestablishedin1934,onhistripstofactoriestoverifythequalityofeachcheesewheelandgivethemtheirdistinctivestampofapproval.“ForthoseofusfromEmilia-Romagna,Parmigiano isour ‘dailybread’,”Barbierisaid. “Itaccompaniesusthroughoutourlives.”

Chef Anna Maria Barbieri: “[Parmigiano is] my weakness. I really do put it everywhere” (Credit: Amanda Ruggeri)

“In Italy, particularly this part of Italy, Parmigiano is nomere luxury. It is abirthright. It’s grated over countless bowls of soup and dishes of pasta. Ataperitive with friends, it’s as crucial as a glass of wine. At weddings, it’s asabundantaswellwishes.AfriendfromTurintoldmethatwhenshecametotheUKtostudy,shetuckedthreestaplesintohersuitcase:oliveoil,tomatopassataandParmigiano-Reggiano.WhenIwenttoseeaRomanfriendvisitingLondon,I


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smiledtoseeawedgeofParmigianoonthekitchencounterofherrentedflat.InmyownhomewithmyItalianhusband,ourrefrigeratoralwaysisstockedwithmilk,eggs–andParmigiano.

“Parmigiano’sdevoteesarehardlynew.The14th-CenturypoetBoccacciosethismaccheroni(pasta) eaters on a mountain of the cheese. The 17th-CenturypainterCristoforoMunariplacedParmigianoatthecentreofhiskitchenscenes.The Pope sent England’s King Henry VIII 100 wheels as a gift. The FrenchplaywrightMolièreaskedforParmigianoonhisdeathbed.WhentheGreatFireofLondonboredownonthehouseofSamuelPepysin1666,thewriterburiedawheelofthecheesetoprotectit.

Parmigiano-Reggiano can only be produced in one specific

10,000-sq-km geographical area of Italy (Credit: Amanda Ruggeri)

“Fewofthesefanswouldrecognizemuchofwhat’ssoldtoday.Thewhiteflakesmanyofusgrewupshakingfromagreencanaren’tparmesan,notevenclose.Within the EU, both Parmigiano-Reggiano and its anglicized version,“parmesan”, are legally registered terms protected by the PDO – protecteddesignationoforigin–labelsince1996.ButintheUS,thelawprotectsonlythe


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name“Parmigiano-Reggiano”(IntheEU,thosegreenKraftcanistersarelabelled“Parmasello”).Worse,muchofwhatgoesforgratedcheeseintheUSisn’tcheeseat all. Tests byBloombergNews found that some versions includedup to 9%woodpulp–ananti-clumpingagentknownascellulose.Parmigiano-Reggianodoesn’t have this ingredient or any additives or preservatives at all, for thatmatter, saltaside.Thenthere’s fraud.At theheadquartersof theParmigiano-ReggianoConsortium in the city of ReggioEmilia, presidentNicolaBertinelli,whosefamilyhasmadeParmigianoattheirfarmsince1895,askedmetotakeaguess:outof10wheelsofParmigiano-Reggianosoldintheworld,howmanyarereal?

“One?”Iguessed,expectingI’dbetoocynical.

“Exactly.One,”hesaid.

In the EU, the terms Parmigiano-Reggiano and parmesan are safeguarded

by the PDO (protected designation of origin) label (Credit: Amanda Ruggeri)

“Afterall,there’sagreatdealofmoneyinParmigiano.WhentheUS’swholesalechainCostcosoldwheelsfor$900,itmadeheadlines–notleastbecauseitwasabargain.ThereasonParmigianoissopriceyliesinitsprecision.Thereareonlythreeingredients:milk,saltandrennet,theenzymethatcurdlesmilk.Themilk


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comesexclusivelyfromlocalvaccherosse,ararebreedofredcowsthatnumberjust3,000total–0.01%ofallthedairycowsintheEUalone.Butit’smorethanthat.“Thesecretofthischeeseisn’tjustthetypeofcowthatproducesthemilk,but what the animals eat,” said Luca Caramaschi, the owner of ParmigianofactoryCaseificioSanBernardino:

Because of the precise nature of the manufacturing process,

authentic Parmigiano-Reggiano carries a high price tag (Credit: Amanda Ruggeri)

“Bertinellioutlinestherules.TheproductionareaisexclusivelytheprovincesofParma,Modena,ReggioEmilia,Mantua(totheeastofthePoRiver)andBologna(tothewestoftheRenoRiver).Atleast50%ofthecows’dryfoodmustcomefromhay,atleast75%ofthehaymustcomefromtheParmigianoproductionarea,andat least 50%of that production-areahaymust be produced on the farmwherethecowitselfwasbornandbred.“Whyisthiszonesoprecise?Becauseonlyhere–naturally,historically,geographically–doesthehayofthecattlehavethree specific strains of bacteria: the ‘three friends’,” Bertinelli said. “If thesethreebacteriaarepresentinproduction,theytriggerprocesseswherethemilkleads to the development of particular aromas, flavors and tastes – and tospecificacidity levels,which iswhy[thecheese]canbepreserved forso long.”Without these “friends”, even the finest of cheesemakers and vacche rosse


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wouldn’tbeabletoproduceParmigiano.

Parmigiano-Reggiano is made using only three ingredients, including milk from a rare breed of cow known as vacche rosse (Credit: Amanda Ruggeri)

“IwatchtheinvisibleworkersinactionattheCaseificioSocialeCooperativoPongennaro.Like85%ofParmigianofactories, it’sacooperative,ownedandrunbygroupsofsmalllocalfarmers.Andat08:00,productionalreadyisinfullswing.Halfofthemilkwasdeliveredfreshfromthecowsthepreviousevening;overnight,thefatrosetothesurface.It’sbeenskimmedoffforbutter.Therestofthe milk was brought this morning, full-fat. Both are combined in a coppercauldron;thereasonParmigianoiscalledsemi-grasso–“semi-fat”. It takes14litersofmilktomake1kgofParmigiano;550literstomakeonewheel.Oneofthecheesemakersheatsupthecauldronandaddsthewheystarter–theculturerich with good bacteria that kick-starts the fermentation process – fromyesterday’sproduction.

“Nowakindofbattletakesplace:thegoodbacteriawilldefeatthebadbacteriabyeatingeverything,”saidtheconsortium’sCristianaCapelli,whoisshowingmearound. “The good bacteria start looking formore food and begin to eat the


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lactose of themilk. The cheese is cleaned, safe for a long fermentation.” Thisexplainswhytheonlypreservativeused,orneeded,inParmigianoissalt.ItalsoexplainswhyParmigianoissafeevenforthelactose-intolerant.

It takes 14 liters of milk to make 1kg of Parmigiano-Reggiano (Credit: Amanda Ruggeri)

“As we watch, one of the workers adds rennet to curdle the milk. After twominutes, the cheese begins to separate. In nine minutes, it’s coagulatedcompletely.Thenextstepischurning,firstslowlyandcarefully,thenfasterandfaster.Thetemperaturegoesuptoabout45C.Onecheesemakerdipshishandintothecauldron.“Watchingthetemperatureisnotenough,”Capellisaid.“Theykeeptheirhandsinsidebecausetheyhavetofindouthowthemilkisbehaving.Milkisdifferenteverydaydependingonair,thetemperature,everything.”Themixhasturnedfromcreamywhitetobutter-yellow;thegranuleslooklikericepudding.Thecheesemakersqueezesthemtotesttheirreadiness.It’stime.Theheatswitchedoff,themixtureislefttorestforanhour.Theliquid,whichweighs10 timesmore than thegranules,pushesoutbothairandbadbacteria.Thencomesthemomentwe’vebeenwaitingfor.Atthebottomofeachcauldron,2.1mdeep,a100kgblockhasformed.Themenpushitupwithapaddleandcutitinhalf:two50kgwheelsofwhatlookslikepacked-togetherrice.


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During the fermenting process, good bacteria consumes the lactose in the milk,

as well as any bad bacteria (Credit: Amanda Ruggeri)

“Thenextstepsoftheprocesssoundlikenothingsomuchasgoingtoaspa.Inthesaladiriposo,or“restingroom”,thecheeselosesweight:putinamold,thewheelrestsunderaweighttosqueezeoutexcesswater. It’sstenciledwiththestampoforigin,outliningthedate, factoryandDOP label.Then itgoes to thepool:eachcheeseisplungedintoabathofwatermadeupof33%salt.Throughosmosis,thecheeseshedsfatandwhey.After20daysofbrining,whenthesalthaspenetrated3cmor4cmdeep,it’sleftinthesuntodry.Onlythen,finally,doesthecheesegointotheageingroom.Here,overthenexttwoyears,orthree,oreven20,asinthecaseofonewheelthatCaramaschishowsmeatCaseificioSanBernardino,themagichappens.Thesaltpenetratesthecoreofthecheese.Thebacteriakeepuptheirwork.Thecheesetransformsfromablockofmilkandfatandsalttosomethingelseentirely:Parmigiano.“Overtime,allthearomasandflavorsthattherearefromtheterritoryareconcentrated,”saidCaramaschi.“It’smuchlikewhathappenswithwine.”


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After they are molded, the wheels of Parmigiano-Reggiano are pressed to remove any excess water (Credit: Amanda Ruggeri)

“Inayear,professionaltestersfromtheconsortiumcometocheckeachwheel,tappingitwithahammer-liketoolandlisteningforevidenceofinconsistencies,likecracksorholes.Ifit’sapproved,itgetsafinalfirebrandofquality.Ifnot,it’seitherjudgedasecond-qualitycheese,whichmustbelabelledmezzano–middlequality–andcan’tbeagedfurther.Or,ifbeyondhope,therindanditsstampsare scraped off completely, erasing forever any associationwith Parmigiano.Some8%ofallthewheelsproducedintheregionmeetoneoftheselesserfates.TherestgoontobeexportedacrossItalyandaroundtheworld.

“Alittlelater,Ifindmyselfstandinginan800-year-oldchapelonCaramaschi’sestate.ApaintingabovemeshowsthearchangelGabrielcarryingabanner–notoutoftheordinary,exceptforwhat’sdepictedonit:SanLucio,thepatronsaintofcheesemakers,stirringacopperkettleofmilkoverafiretomakeParmigiano.“ThisiswhereIwasmarried30yearsago,wheremysonsweremarried,wheremynephewandmysonswerebaptized,andwheremyfatherlies,”Caramaschisaid. “It’s become the church of the family.” Before Caramaschi’s great-great-great-grandfatherbeganmakingParmigianohereinthe1700s,thiswasasmallvillage,completewithadairy farm.Thechurch isnocoincidence.ParmigianowasfirstmadeundertheguidanceofBenedictinemonksaboutamillenniumago.


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“Without knowing what bacteria were, cheesemaking must have seemedmystical, even miraculous, to its first practitioners. So, too, the food’s healthbenefits. Traditionally, mothers gave rinds of Parmigiano to their teethingbabies.Eventoday,it’sprescribedinItalytotheold,theyoung,thesick.Becausethegoodbacteriagobbleup the cheese’s lactose,26-month-oldParmigiano issafeforthelactose-intolerant.Thankstothatsamebreakdownofbonds,it’salsoeasiertodigest,itsproteinsandnutrientsareeasiertoabsorb.

“Meatproteinsneedtobebrokendownintoaminoacids,whichtakesfourhoursforbeef,”Bertinelliexplained.“ButthankstothenaturalprocessofParmigiano,they’re already broken down, so it only takes 45 minutes.” That meansParmigianoisidealforthosewhoneedanimmediateinfusionofproteins, likeathletes.Parmigianoalsohasninefreeaminoacids,thekindeasilyabsorbedbythebody–oneofwhich,tyrosine,showsupinthewhite,umami-flavoredcrystalsthatdevelop.Thentherearethenutrients.Asingleounce(28g)ofParmigianohas9gofprotein,2gmorethanbeef,and321mgofcalcium,nearly10timesmorethanmilk.Ithas12mgofmagnesium(morethansalmon),28mgofpotassium(aboutathirdasmuchasbanana)and0.12mgofvitaminA(nearlyasmuchasthesameamountofrawcarrots).There’szincandiron,copperandmanganese,biotinandvitaminB6.

“Parmigianoisaveritablenutritionalsupplement,capableofprovidingahighamount of vitamins and proteins in a few grams,” said Florence-basednutritionistValentinaFratoni.Sherecommendsittochildren,toweightlifters,even to those expecting. “Evenpregnantwomen should eatParmigianoasanimportantsourceofcalciumforthehealthoftheirbonesandfortheformationoftheskeletonoftheunbornchild,”Fratonisaid.“AlthoughParmigianoismadewithrawmilk,thereforenotpasteurized,itslongmaturing,atleast12months,preventsanydanger.”


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This precise process for making Parmigiano-Reggiano was developed by

Benedictine monks about a millennium ago (Credit: Amanda Ruggeri)

“IendmyexplorationofParmigianomuchwhereIbegan:eating.I’mbackhomeinLondon,farfromtheglossyredcowsandcoppercauldronsand800-year-oldchurchesofParmigianocountry.AsIpulloutawedge,IrememberwhatBarbierisaid.“At24months,Iliketoeatitlikeitis,”shetoldme.“Withhotbreadoutoftheoven.Orevenwithnothing–thenyoucanreallygetafeelforitanditsflavor,sodeliciousyoucantasteitevenwithyoureyesclosed.”

IsParmigianoaperfectfood?I’mnotsure.Butrightnow,standingbarefootonachillyLondonevening, it’sa tasteof thethings I loveabout Italy: itsbeautifulcountrysideandculinarypassions,longtraditionsandlittlemiracles.Andforme,that’senough.

Grazie Amanda! Buon Appetito e Salute!


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Forme–myfamilyandmanyofmyfriends-Parmigiano-Reggianoisemblematic;justlike thebreadofPoilâne; the realCarnaroliorArboriorice for a risotto;FrantoioTuscus or Rincon de la Subbetica extra-virgin olive oil; Junmai Daiginjō-shu orTokubetsuHonjōzō-shusake;Angusbeefgrass-fedhangersteak;RoquefortPapillonorGabrielCoulet;arealBriedeMeaux;DeCeccoorRustichellaD'Abruzzo pasta;andmany, too many other authentic, artisanal products that keep you healthy andhappy, but thatwill nevermake the list of trendy foods.We are not immune tomessages and information, but we attempt to find out if there is any objective,verifiable truth behind the seduction, any benefit (for health or savings), anypreoccupationaboutpreservingnaturalresourcesandtheenvironment.Gullibilityisnot–yet-ourcupoftea(orglassofwine)!


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Skills are a Must! Mosthumanstodaydonoteatfoodthattheycan(orcould)gatherbyhand,andconsumeraw.Weprocessmostofourfoods;cleaning,slicing,cooking,usingspices–thelistfillslibraries,andsetprogramsofCookingSchools.

CourseHorse.com

When I (shortly) apprenticed at age 15 in a restaurant in Paris, I very rapidlydiscoveredthatIhadnomanualdexterityorbasicskills.Iamclumsy,dumbo,andcouldnevercoordinatemyvisionwithmylimbs(includingmyhands)tomastertheverybasicknifeskills;Iremainedmostlyadishwasherandagarde-manger.WhenIattemptedtostrikeatennisballwitharacket,theballneverwhereI intendedtolandit;whenIstrokeafoot-ball(soccer),thegoalkeeperignoredit.

Golfisacase-in-point:colleaguestriedtoconvincemethatplayinggolfwouldhelpbuildanetworkofwealthypatients.AlthoughIdoubtedit–andwasn’tinterestedin


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therich-and-(in)famous,Igaveitatry;twice.Thefirstshotstartedbeautifully,andtheballinitiatedaparabolicvoyagethatdrewapplause;thentheballcrashedintotheleftcheekboneofalocalofficial;Irushedtoapologize,buthesympathizedandclaimedthathewas‘OK’.Thenextday,hisblackeyehadanimpressiveMoshe-Dayanaspect.

Thesecondtime,myballstartedevenbetter,butthefinishwasintenselymelodious:aloudcrystallinesoundsignaledacataractofglassshards,andthetotaldestructionofthelargeglasswalloftheclubhouse.Insurancecoverageprovedeffective.

TherewasNOthirdattempt.

Anditgotworsewithage:Imustlookatmylimbtotellifit'sleftorright!Withmyloveoffood,itwasandremainsalostbattle.

Myrecipesarenothigh-class:theyaregood,butnotgreat,tastyandhealthy,andwillnotupsetyourstomachorliver.Myfamily,friends,andoccasionalguestsarehappy(oritseems)andcongratulateme–butwilleasilyforgetthemeal.Recentstintsatthe Chinese Cuisine Training Institute (now the impressive International CuisineInstitute) inHongKong, and at At-Sunrice Chefs’ Academy in Singapore,where Itaught,didconfirmmyroleaseducator,scientist,taster–butnotfordemos!Sobeit.

Thisprobablystartedatbirth:Irememberthesehandicapsinmychildhood.Naturetook over before birth, and never allowed any trainer to instill desired change.Conversely my senses, with help of exposure, education and hedonism havedevelopedtoaprofessionallevel.Addtothistheinsatiablecuriosityonwhythingsarethewaytheyare–andhowtoeventuallychangethemforthebetter-andIamalwaysready!Nurtureismyfate.

Iwasborntooearly:ifeditingembryostoenhanceIQisasci-fifantasy,adifferentapproachaimedatenhancingIQ(ormanualskills)isfarlessfantastic.We’recallingitembryoprofiling,anditcouldbedonetoday.

Embryoprofilingcapitalizesontheabilitytoadduptheminusculeeffectsassociatedwiththousandsofgeneticvariantstocreatewhat’scalledapolygenicscore.Basedon this score, researchers canmake predictions about an embryo’s likelihood ofexhibiting given traits, from developing cardiovascular disease to going far in(cooking)school.Thelatter,knownaseducationalattainmentandoftentakentobe


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a proxy for IQ, is a trait for which researchers claim to have made significantprogress.Thepracticalvalueofpredictionsbasedonpolygenicscoresinhumansisstill the subject of intense scientific debate. But the equivalent of calculatingpolygenicscoresofsiresanddams(thoughnotembryos)isalreadybeingusedtobreedcowswithenhancedmilkproduction.NotwaitingforthescientificdebatetobesettledabouttheaccuracyofpredictionsregardingtraitsascomplexashumanIQ,a new company, Genomic Prediction, is now offering prospective the ability toidentifyandavoidimplantingembryosthatarelikelytohaveverylowIQs.AlthoughthecompanysaysthesamesetoftechnologiescanidentifyhighIQembryos,ithasindicatedthat,atleastfornow,itwillnotofferthatservicebecausedoingsowouldbeunethical.However,StephenHsu,oneofthefoundersofGenomicPrediction,hasdescribedhisvisionofthedaywhenprospectiveparentscanusegenomeprofilingtoselectthe“smartest”embryo,withagainof15IQpointscomparedwiththealso-rans. It’s not a stretch to suspect that selecting for embryos with the greatestpotentialforhighIQ,aswildlyimperfectastheprocessmaybeatpresent,couldsoonbeonthemarket.WhetherornotGenomicPredictionreallythinksthatselectingforhighIQwouldbeunethical,mostdo.

Parentshaveatleasttwofundamentalethicalobligationsthatpushindiametricallyoppositedirections.Thefirstrequiresparentstoshapetheirchildren.That’swhatschoolsandreligioustraditionsandpianolessonsandhouseholdchores(includingknifeskills!)arefor.Thesecondrequiresparentstoaccepttheirchildrenastheyare,to nurture their dispositions and talents whatever theymay be. Balancing thosecompeting obligations is one of the central challenges of being a parent. Marketpressures,however,arecreatingagrotesqueimbalancebetweenthoseobligations.One need only look at the proliferation of ridiculously expensive after-schoolenrichmentandsummerlearningprograms,whichhavetakentheplaceoftimeforplayandunskilledsummerwork,toseethepressuresalreadyonwell-to-doparentstopursueeverypossibleadvantagefortheirchildren.Forthosewhocanaffordtopayforinvitrofertilizationandembryoprofiling,whichislikelytocostupwardsof$20,000atcurrentrates,selectingforhighIQembryoswouldbemoreofthesame—onsteroids.Itwouldmakeitstillhardertoachievethebalanceofobligationsthatparentsneedtostrikeiffamiliesaregoingtoflourish.Moreover,itwouldbeyetonemorefactorexacerbatingthegapbetweenthehavesandhave-nots.


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Placinglimitsonthegeneticselectionofembryosisonesmallwayforoursocietytoaffirmtheimportanceofachievingabalancebetweentheethicalobligationstoshapeourchildrenandtoacceptthemastheyare—andtheimportanceofclosing,ratherthanwidening,thegapbetweentherichandthepoor.WiththeemergingcapacitytousepolygenicscorestoidentifyembryoswiththepotentialforloworhighIQs,therewill be passionate calls to ban the entire practice. And there will be equallypassionate calls to leave this to the market to sort out. Regulation represents amiddlewaybetween thebluntnessofbansand thedestructivenessofuncheckedmarkets.Regulationwouldseektodrawlinesbetweenthingsthatare—andarenot—acceptabletodowithembryos.Asdifficultasdrawingsuchlineswouldbe,itisnotimpossible.Othercountrieshavemanagedtodoit,e.g.theUnitedKingdom.

It is time–forme- to acceptwho I (still) am.The changeson thehorizonwill beincrediblychallengingintermsofethics,andlawyersarealreadysalivating,droolingwhenforecastingthemannatheywillcollect.

Thiswillbedevelopingaftermytime.


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References

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_libre

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brucellosis

• https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap

• https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(18)31809-9/fulltext?dgcid=raven_jbs_etoc_email

• https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(19)30109-6/fulltext?dgcid=raven_jbs_etoc_email

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nestl%C3%A9#Nestl%C3%A9_baby_formula_boycott

• https://www.supermarketnews.com/consumer-trends/10-food-trends-2019

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Society_of_the_Spectacle

• https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/history-of-cooking-competitions?utm_source=Gastro+Obscura+Weekly+E-mail&utm_campaign=6b6d2de063-GATRO_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_02_02&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_2418498528-6b6d2de063-69542605&ct=t()&mc_cid=6b6d2de063&mc_ei

• http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20190127-italys-practically-perfect-food

• https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2#inbox/FMfcgxwBVgrQbwJbsDJqhrGRvDmTxjvZ

courtesy of randy scott slavin. nature photography down ...€¦ · courtesy of randy scott slavin....

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