Balance of Food

Enjoy foods where you travel but be careful what you bring back

I arrived back from Canada earlier this week. I did bring back some Canadian treats. Ketchup chips. Butter tarts. I brought in all of this food legally. I have missed Canadian treats.

In preparing for the trip, I was thinking back to the time of Canadian fat cakes. Well, not actual Canadian fat cakes because they aren't real. Smuggling them back into the United States would not have been a crime, even if they existed.

The Canadian fat cakes episode of iCarly is now 10 years old. Jennette McCurdy, who played Sam, the one obsessed with Canadian fat cakes, is now retired from acting.

That may be more about what we learned in her memoir I'm Glad My Mom Died.

McCurdy talked about weight issues she had due in part to the stress her mother put on her. Having to pretend to be obsessed about a fictional treat, even as lovely as one as Canadian fat cakes, had to be difficult. I don't know much about her acting ability, but Sam had me jonesing for Canadian fat cakes.

I loved how the writers noted the contrast that American fat cakes had "corn fat" while Canadian fat cakes had "cane fat." This was 10 years ago. There was a time where I would have brought over Canadian Twinkies, back when there was a difference. The Jos. Louis cakes, which are real, have the dreaded glucose-fructose aka high-fructose corn syrup.

Your humble narrator hasn't been able to "smuggle" food in from Canada in about 3 years. If I were driving, my trunk would overflow from all the Canadian food I would love to bring back to the United States. All of it legally.

The rules haven't changed. Live food, such as fruits, vegetables, and meat, are definitely not allowed. Foods that were never alive, such as ketchup chips, butter tarts, and the proverbial Canadian fat cakes, aren't a problem.

These rules also apply to entering other countries from the United States. Each country has their own rules for what you can bring into that country.

Australia has very strict rules on bringing anything into that country.  

iCarly hits Canada in search of Canadian Fat Cakes

Temptation of the Week: Canadian fat cakes

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BalanceofFood.com Canada food policy coverage

When traveling, enjoy the food of where you are. Bring some home as a souvenir. Just remember to follow the rules of where you are going. 

photos credit: iCarly

Shopping for vegetables is a reality, not a political stunt

Home-Ec was Episode 16 in Season 3 of Roseanne back in 1991. Roseanne ends up taking the home economics class Darlene is in to the Buy 'n Bag supermarket. Her tips are surprisingly sharp, including buying the generic cereal and putting the cereal into the name brand box.

The opposite end of that scale was watching Mehmet Oz shop for crudité in a video designed to show his "regular side" in his run to be the next U.S. senator from Pennsylvania to replace Pat Toomey (R-PA).

Oz picks out store brand salsa and guacamole among his purchases, lambastes the price of said purchases, and blames the high food prices on President Joe Biden. Oz, as you may have guessed, is from the Republican Party, so he blames the current president, who is from the Democratic Party.

As we've learned in the 1970s, the president is not responsible for inflation, regardless of party. The companies who are making record profits off of inflation are much more likely to donate to the elephants (GOP) than donkeys (Dems).

"Guys, that's $20 for crudité and that doesn’t even include the tequila."

In the video, the vegetables add up to $10. Not all of that would go into a crudité. The guacamole was $4 and the salsa was $6.

If Oz really wanted to save money, he could make homemade salsa and guacamole. The taste would improve and you save money. Buying from local farmers markets ensure that the money would stay in Pennsylvania instead of buying a salsa from New York City.

In PA we call this a... veggie tray https://t.co/nDp0Uw27zd

— John Fetterman (@JohnFetterman) August 15, 2022

Food prices were a concern even before the pandemic. Wages have been stagnant in terms of buying power for 40 years. Will Oz do anything about that? No.

Cheap, processed foods are often inexpensive compared to fresh produce in the supermarket. Will Oz do anything about that? No.

Food ads are dominated with relatively, unhealthy foods, while we, especially kids, don't see ads for fresh produce. Will Oz do anything about that? No.

You can reduce food costs despite inflation

Leaving avocados and oranges whole encourages learning about produce

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Showing kids that fruits and vegetables have merit through watching ads

"If John Fetterman had ever eaten a vegetable in his life, then maybe he wouldn't have had a major stroke and wouldn't be in the position of having to lie about it constantly," Rachel Tripp, Oz's senior communications adviser, said in a statement.

You would think someone working for a person who is an actual doctor would not be so inaccurate about health. Fetterman, the current lieutenant governor, is running against Oz on the Democratic side of the ballot.

Fetterman responded in a tweet. "I had a stroke. I survived it. I'm truly so grateful to still be here today. I know politics can be nasty, but even then, I could *never* imagine ridiculing someone for their health challenges."

Dine in restaurants when you feel safe, not because of a political stunt

Erin O'Toole, then leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, has his own cheap, food-related political stunt last year. Half off food but only Mondays and Wednesdays for a month. Paying the full amount to find a safer place to eat vs. a risk with a small savings. 

O'Toole lost that election and was soon booted out as the party leader, not because of this political stunt. This notion of needing to pull cheap, political stunts generally comes from conservative parties. O'Toole stole this idea from the UK Conservatives. 

If John Fetterman was pulling a similar stunt, we would crack down just as tough. Democratic and liberal politicians generally want to help people through government action. The other side is the dominant force behind cheap political stunts.

BalanceofFood.com farmers market coverage

Politicians of all stripes would benefit from a grocery store experience like what Roseanne gave in that episode. They should know how poor people actually shop. They aren't building crudité or even a veggie tray. They know their kids need nutritious food but aren't sure how to make that work, given the discrepancies at the grocery store. No political stunt will help them feed themselves and their kids.

photo credit: @DrOz
Twitter capture: @JohnFetterman

Summer 2022 notebook: Cracker Barrel outrage proves choice is always a good thing

MAGA on Cracker Barrel's racist & homophobic history: "Eh, that's ok. We like their food."

MAGA on Cracker Barrel serving Plant-based Vegan Meat: "Once you go woke, you go broke. I'll never eat there again."

I'm sorry, who are the snowflakes again? pic.twitter.com/gdLQrzupAr

— The Jewish Ginger Resister (@JewishResister) August 8, 2022

Your humble narrator is the one who goes down the grocery store aisle and says "we need more choices." Having few choices works only if what you want is among those choices.

Cracker Barrel decided to help those looking to eat less meat or no meat at all by serving "fake meat" options. The backlash from conservatives, who aren't known for their support of choice, was stupendous.

I grew up loving Bill Knapp's, a regional family restaurant. The menu had tons of choices. People love the au gratin potatoes. I never ordered them. I would tell people that they were good based on other people's perceptions, not mine.

Never got upset that this food item was on the same menu as whatever I ordered. Kind of sorry I didn't try them now that the chain no longer exists.

The conservatives who love Cracker Barrel aren't literally upset about the "fake meat" options. This is a political firestorm of people who feel this is a conspiracy against them and their beliefs. Their beliefs: meaning going against "liberal food."

I have generally avoided Cracker Barrel for its conservative values. I did find myself there in 2021 under unusual circumstances. The food (yes, I ordered meat) was pretty good and extremely bland.

I am a champion of not having food touch other food on a plate. Items on a menu don't touch each other.

Old enough to remember when some menus had a diet selection (cottage cheese, fruit). Never ordered from them. Never mocked anyone from ordering from the diet selection.

These conservatives could be afraid that if items are on the menu, they might be compelled to try them and becomes, brace yourself, liberals. Your humble narrator has tried them. They taste like bad fast food meat, which would fit in well at Cracker Barrel.

Eating plant-based burgers falls well within the spirit of Lent

Beyond Burger has a lot of ingredients but doesn't qualify as ultra-processed

Review: The Beyond Burger

We have poked fun at Americans who can't handle the simple concept of poutine, a Quebecois dish with French fries, squeaky white cheese curds, and gravy. They try different concepts, most of which are terrible. You can find "poutine" on some American menus but they have little resemblance to the actual dish.

The caramel popcorn (WTF) does come separately. This version contains red potatoes, cheese curds, pork lard, fried onions, pulled pork, and a signature maple and Amaretto sauce. Did we mention that the poutine is 1.2 kilograms (about 2.5 pounds)?

That description leaves out the word "gravy."

Montréal is the unofficial home of poutine. You can go to lots of places after the CFL (Canadian football) game and get a better poutine for a lot cheaper. You would not get a souvenir helmet.

The Montréal Alouettes got enough publicity for the $90 poutine, including this article. Go to Quebec and get the real thing. You can eat poutine for a week for less than $90.

2022 CFL Week 9 preview

BalanceofFood.com Canada food policy coverage

We are at the tailend of National Farmers Market Week running through Saturday. Can't leave a notebook without a word on farmers markets. Like grocery stores, farmers markets are better suited for families than single people. Smaller fruits, such as berries, works well for a single person. Peaches, very much in season, can be intimidating in buying a whole box.

Know your farmer. We know our local farmer. They will sell you an individual peach for a smaller price. Peaches are a great summer fruit. If all you can handle is a peach at a time, you are better off than ignoring them because the box is too intimidating.

Be nice and polite. Know they won't pick one of the boxes on display. They weigh the boxes so they don't want to mess with that setup.

Farmers markets in 2022: Back to some sense of normal

BalanceofFood.com farmers market coverage

Summer lasts at least until the end of September in a lot of places. Enjoy food in the context of summer. Be more adventurous.

Twitter capture: @JewishResister
photo credit: @MTLAlouettes

Romeo Eats can inspire young people to try new foods

I have a new eating hero and he is 4 years old. His name is Romeo.

Romeo Eats is the result of Romeo's eagerness to try all different types of fruits and vegetables. His family released an album Walk Off the Earth & Romeo Eats, Vol. 1 .

Romeo is the child of Sarah Blackwood and Gianni (Luminati) Nicassio, who are in the Canadian indie band Walk Off the Earth. The album got nominated for a Juno (think Canadian Grammy) making Romeo the youngest Juno nominee ever at 4. Romeo didn't win over last weekend.

Romeo has a passion for wanting to try new foods. "We gave him a massive bowl of olives when he was very young, like, right off the boob, for lack of a better term," Nicassio told CBC Toronto.

Avocados, mushrooms, exotic fruits: Romeo is into them and enjoys them.

They have 2 older children but Romeo stands out in a crowd.

The parents didn't push Romeo. He had his own curiosity. Children are curious about the world around them.

Curiosity is often stifled or misdirected when food is involved. "They tried it at 2 or 3 years old, well, that's it." That is the wrong approach. Patience. You are teaching them about food, one of the most valuable lessons to learn as a child.

Romeo Dines is a spinoff about Romeo in high-end restaurants. This also goes against the traditional grain where children and those restaurants don't mix.

The hope is that the videos and music can help encourage children to try new foods based on seeing Romeo in action.

Encouraging should be the key in helping your child try foods. Romeo has parents who help him try new foods.

Romeo may be a grand exception to the rule and a reminder that different children have different paths to food acceptance.

Maybe Romeo likes raw vegetables and fruit more than cooked. Follow patterns with your child. Is texture an issue? Smell? The five senses help children learn.

Have the touch the food, smell the food. Be ready if they don't like the food.

Love the child, even if the child isn't as good as Romeo is about food.

BalanceofFood.com advice coverage

Blackwood and Nicassio said as soon as Romeo started eating solid foods, "he ate everything." Appreciate the child who can do that. Appreciate the child who struggles to figure out how to make food work.

You can find their videos on YouTube.

video and photo credit: YouTube/RomeoEats

Canada help for U.S. baby formula shortage thwarted by poor trade deal

We heavily endorse breastfeeding here at BalanceofFood.com. We recognize the realities of baby formula.

The United States is suffering a baby formula shortage. While there are several factors involved, the United States can't import baby formula from Canada thanks to a truly stupid trade deal aka NAFTA 2.0.

Our sibling blog — CanadianCrossing.com — has an extensive story this morning on all the details.

Podcast: Sarah Palin, Michelle Obama, and the politics of breastfeeding

BalanceofFood.com Canada food policy coverage

One intriguing development is that the standards for baby formula in Canada and Europe are significantly higher than the standards in the United States. Once the shortages are fixed, the U.S. should look to increase the standards for baby formula. After all, why shouldn't babies get the best, unless there is some political reason.

As our colleagues note: "The party of the crybaby toddler is the party that is trying to take advantage of the political ramifications of the baby formula shortages."

photo credit: Dairy Farmers of Canada

Back in Time for Dinner is a great way to learn about food history

The Back in Time for Dinner phenomenon started in the United Kingdom. The CBC ran its own version in Canada in 2018. The Canadian version featured a Canadian family with how Canadians ate in each decade from the 1940s through the 1990s.

Host Carlo Rota guided the Campus family: mother Tristan, a registered nurse, father Aaron, a multimedia designer, 18-year-old daughter Valerie, 17-year-old daughter Jessica, and 15-year-old son Robert.

The Canadian version seemed an obvious choice to work its way to the United States, even if that took until late 2021 and early 2022 to arrive on the Cooking Channel.

There are some nuanced differences in Canadian food history versus U.S. food history. Canada has to deal with more significant war rations and for a longer period of time. Canada entered World War II in 1939 while the United States got into the war very late in 1941.

Later in the 1970s, Tristan and Val make yogurt and have to deal with the imperial system (U.S.) and metric since that was the decade Canada switched to metric.

Cooking with kidneys (1940s), salad in a Jell-o mold (1950s), and a cheese ball (1970s) is fun to watch from the standpoint of a modern family temporarily going back in time.

Cooking Channel picks up Back in Time for Dinner

We wrote about the show in great detail for our sibling blog, CanadianCrossing.com.

The food innovations had purpose behind them in terms of politics, the economy, and social trends. You might be surprised to learn about these trends whether you lived them or your parents and grandparents went through these decades.

Balanceoffood.com Canada food policy coverage

BalanceofFood.com television coverage

You can catch up on previous episodes from the Cooking Channel. The 1990s episode airs on Thursday at 10 pm Eastern on the Cooking Channel. Our Canadian friends can watch the episodes via CBC Gem.

photos credit: Back in Time for Dinner/CBC

How seaweed can reduce the methane output from cows

We hear that eating meat is bad for climate crisis because of the methane that comes from cows. This likely is worse in huge feedlots with a large accumulation of cows.

What if cows could consume something that is healthy for them AND would reduce the methane that cows release?

Joe Dorgan, a Prince Edward Island farmer, starting taking local seaweed and adding that to the feed for his cows.

This led to researcher Rob Kinley, an agricultural scientist then at Dalhousie University in nearby Halifax, Nova Scotia, testing Dorgan's seaweed mix, and discovered a 20% methane reduction from the cows. Kinley said the red seaweed Asparagopsis taxiformis reduces methane in cows to almost nothing.

Not all seaweeds reduce methane; seaweeds high in bromoform would be more likely to reduce methane.

There are a number of issues that still need to be studied. The idea of natural seaweed or a farmed version reducing the climate impact of cows is amazing.

How feeding cows seaweed could help PEI meet emission targets and boost this business (CBC News)

How red seaweed might help curb methane emissions from burping cows (The Current from CBC Radio One)

PEI farmer assists in near-eradication of methane from cow farts (CBC News)

In eating animals, we need to be critical thinkers about what those animals eat. The push for truly wild animals is knowing their diet is a lot more pure than what we see, especially at the U.S. feedlots, where the quality of feed hasn't been important.

Seaweed would be good for cows, even if that didn't help methane levels for purpose of the climate crisis, provided cows can digest well. Cows eat grass for a reason. The idea of cows eating grains was a false dichotomy to fatten them up, reducing taste and nutrition in the grain-fed version.

Balanceoffood.com Canada food policy coverage

BalanceofFood.com science coverage

The climate crisis needs to be addressed, even by those who eat meat. The seaweed solution shows there are possibilities to improve our diets and deal with the climate crisis. Some of us could be eating the seaweed directly.

Hopefully, this news story will get more recognition for solutions such as this one to improving our diet and the climate crisis.

photo credit: CBC News

The Caesar: a drink that is more like a meal

We don't usually mention alcoholic drinks in this blog because they generally aren't food, which is our primary focus. The Caesar from Canada can definitely be a grand exception.

Americans have a similar drink called a Bloody Mary, mostly tomato juice with spices and maybe a stalk of celery. The Caesar has a lot more flavor (flavour?) and more garnishes. Between the tomato juice, clam juice, and garnishes, you have a decent appetizer.

Baroness von Sketch Show (from Canada) had a sketch about living it up at the cottage with Caesars. IFC, which carried the show in the United States, freaked out the idea of a Caesar and made them change the drink from Caesar to a Bloody Mary.

Letterkenny decided to do an episode of the brilliance of the Caesar, offering multiple options for the base, booze, rimmers, boosters, and garnishes. CanadianCrossing.com, our sibling blog, devoted its space today to the Caesar. 

Letterkenny shows the U.S. audience the different ways to make a Caesar

We have written about the Caesar a few times. We acknowledge though that the Letterkenny episode Season 10, Episode 2 Dealership does a better job of explaining the Caesar by going through the multiple categories in different variations.

In our version, we used clam juice with tomato juice instead of Clamato juice to avoid high-fructose corn syrup. 

Knowing the basics of a Caesar makes experimenting more fun since you know the starting point.

What's Tempting: Distinctively Canadian foods

Searching for Canadian food in the U.S.

Temptation of the Week: Homemade Clamato in your Caesar

Balanceoffood.com Canada food policy coverage

Hard to see a Caesar and not want a Caesar.

— Letterkenny Problems (@LetterkennyProb) May 18, 2019

This is Dry January for some people: Nothing wrong with doing a virgin Caesar if alcohol does not fit into your life. The non-alcoholic version tastes really good, unlike some mocktails.

If you aren't in Canada, getting there is more difficult. Making a homemade Caesar can make you feel a bit like you are in Canada.

Letterkenny is available on Crave in Canada and Hulu in the United States.

Twitter captures: @LetterkennyProb
photo credit: Letterkenny/Bell Media

Dine in restaurants when you feel safe, not because of a political stunt

#POLICY: Introducing a new Dine and Discover Program to encourage Canadians to support our local restaurants, while putting money back in your pocket. pic.twitter.com/nrdj0busCM

— Erin O'Toole (@erinotoole) September 8, 2021

Conservative politicians are championing the dining in restaurants. We love dining in restaurants. The dining in restaurants during a pandemic is the concern.

Erin O'Toole is the Conservative Party leader in Canada. The country is in the middle of an election cycle with a September 20 election date. [Sidenote: If you want to know more about this Canadian election, you can read about that in our sibling blog, CanadianCrossing.com.]

The restaurant proposal isn't original: this boilerplate was taken from the UK Conservative playbook. A University of Warwick study linked the plan to a significant increase in COVID-19 cases last August in the UK.

The Canadian proposal does note that this will not happen until conditions improve: “once it is safe to do so.” After all, their party has been complaining extensively about why the election is happening now. Let's try and look at this policy from a non-partisan point of view.

The deal would be for customers to purchase food and non-alcoholic drinks for 50% off but only Mondays through Wednesdays. If you got your food to go, you would pay 100%; this policy is to encourage actually dining in the restaurants.

Your humble narrator wasn't able to support as many restaurants during the pandemic because of not being able to dine inside. No car and no bathrooms limit your options. Dining inside right now has very little personal appeal.

Balanceoffood.com Canada food policy coverage

Toronto is Canada's largest city with amazing restaurants. Being a tourist in Toronto, even before the pandemic, means limited restaurant choices on Sundays and Mondays. This is true in Toronto than any other city I have visited as a tourist.

A lot of restaurants have added Tuesdays or Wednesdays to the list of closed days during the pandemic. Not enough workers or not enough customers: either way not much business.

This policy was popular in the UK in increasing traffic to restaurants though maybe a little too popular.

The sad reality is Canada (and the United States) is that dining in is considered part of the entertainment dollar given how low wages are predominant in the vast majority of the populations. People miss eating out and being served.

The idea that the simple joy of eating out has become a political issue is rather sad. Liberals and centrists also like to eat out though they generally has less money to eat out than conservatives do, though a lot of poor people also vote conservative.

Non conservatives want people to eat out when the situations are safer. They are not against eating out; they want a safe environment.

Your humble narrator is only one person who can't afford to eat out much but has done so outside. Canada does get quite cold in the late fall and winter. Eating in will be more tempting. Will customers feel safe doing so, even with a 50% decrease in cost?

BalanceofFood.com politics coverage

Such an offer wouldn't be so bad if this was part of a larger proposal to help restaurant owners and their employees guide them through a terrible pandemic. Alas, this hasn't been true for conservatives. The proposed policy is gimmicky; short-term help when people need longer-term help. The proposal only covers a month: 12 days of discounts. Not a lot, especially for restaurants that have struggled to adjust to carry out, takeaway, and delivery.

Restaurants would have to find more people to stock those days in the hopes that those days would be busy enough to open. Would customers tip on the full value of the meal instead of the actual cost. 50% off is great for the customer, not so much for the worker.

Restaurant wages without tips in North America are literally sub-human, well below the pathetically low minimum wages.

The irony of the offer is you might be tempted to participate at a restaurant that wouldn't be too popular (for social distancing) yet if the proposal works, the restaurant might be too packed for your comfort.

In the UK, the government isn't having an election anytime soon. Canadian voters are going to the polls so you would have to vote in that party to get the deal.

Find a creative way to support restaurants. Wear a comfortable jacket when the weather gets cooler. Beg a friend with a car to pick up your food so the restaurant makes more money on that meal. Dine in a restaurant … when conditions are a lot safer.

Twitter capture: @erinotoole
photo credit: me

CBC Marketplace in Canada breaks down the nutrition in conventional vs. organic eggs

Eggs provide amazing nutrition, versatility, and taste for a relatively low amount. Somehow, the cost ends up being a factor, especially when measured as "mainstream" versus organic or similarly grown eggs.

A $1.80 difference in cost for a dozen eggs comes out to 15¢ per egg.

We are on the side of Team Organic or similarly grown eggs. Taste, quality, and fresh are advantages. "Mainstream" eggs aren't that fresh by the time they get to the grocery store. We would also argue nutritional advantages, including Omega 3s. The chicken's health and sanity, which we believe leads to better eggs, is highly important.

CBC Marketplace took a look at the nutrition stats for "mainstream" vs. big organic sources. They also looked at farm eggs vs. larger organic outlets.

"In Marketplace's test, organic eggs produced on small farms had more nutrients than the big-brand organic eggs sold at Canada's largest grocers under private labels and by two of the largest egg brands in the country."

The general consensus was that the nutrition of "mainstream" eggs and big organic companies were comparable. The organic eggs had a nutritional edge but within 10%.

You can read more analysis from the program on specific brands and comparisons.

We are not generally surprised by the Marketplace results. They were comparable to what we would have concluded without doing any comparisons. If you are making your conclusions based solely on nutrition, and cost is a concern, you have the numbers to justify your decisions.

This winter, I had to find a new source of eggs since my winter source went out of business as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. I found a different local source that has worked out well.

I haven't bought any eggs from a conventional grocery store in years nor have I purchased organic eggs from a large company in a long time. That may sound like snobbery. Perhaps. My reality is that I don't eat that many eggs. The last eggs I used were for a lime curd.

I will gladly pick cheaper options for some products where I don't see a significant issue in quality. That saved money allows me to make smarter choices in certain categories. Eggs is one of those categories.

Wouldn't pay twice as much as I pay not for my eggs. Glad I don't pay what Canadians pay for eggs (according to the numbers posted by Marketplace). Would rather give the money to local farmers.

Farmers benefit more than consumers with Canada supply management

Peterborough Farmers Market loses perspective on the value of farmers markets

Subway Canada chicken comes up short on chicken, according to CBC Marketplace

Egg recall proves food producers are 'too big to fail'

Balanceoffood.com Canada food policy coverage

BalanceofFood.com farmers market coverage

As we noted earlier, "taste, quality, and fresh are advantages." There are dishes you can do with fresh eggs that you would be less likely to try without fresh eggs. In making fresh pasta and aioli, color, fresh, and taste would be crucial. If you are coloring eggs for Easter, the "mainstream" eggs would be useful.

Select what foods are important to you, for whatever your reasons might be, and invest well in them. Maybe you can sacrifice the cost of a high-price, extravagant coffee drink. Buying direct from a farmers market eliminates a costly layer by getting the eggs faster and fresher from the source.

Make your own best choices.

video and photos credit: Marketplace/CBC