Balance of Food

What's Tempting: National food policy

Back when I was covering politics full-time, I thought the election of Barack Obama should bring a whole new look at food policy. My good friend Michael Winship wrote about the idea of Michael Pollan as the new Secretary of Agriculture but Pollan wasn't interested.

I certainly had my own take back in late 2008 about a "New Deal" approach to food policy. I tossed out the idea of a Secretary of Nutrition, even suggesting Mike Huckabee in a bipartisan move.

• A radical 'New Deal' is needed to fix our food supply: picking the next Secretary of Agriculture (Democracy Soup)

Tom Vilsack has been the Secretary of Agriculture from Day 1 of the Obama Administration. Finding positive highlights of his time was highly rare. His take on "pink slime" was more typical.

Vilsack actively defended "pink slime" in ground beef in 2012. "This product is safe. There's no question about it. We've said that repeatedly and we'll continue to say it."

• Colbert Report: Tom Vilsack and school lunches

• Stephen Colbert calls out Tom Vilsack for ag policy contradictions

• Tom Vilsack needs to be visible on more than Shirley Sherrod to be effective Ag Secretary

This brings us to the op-ed in The Washington Post last week — "How a national food policy could save millions of American lives" — written by Pollan along with Mark Bittman, Ricardo Salvador, and Olivier De Schutter.

• How a national food policy could save millions of American lives (The Washington Post)

The op-ed lists a "Bill of Rights" that could be accomplished by a national food policy:

• All Americans have access to healthful food;
• Farm policies are designed to support our public health and environmental objectives;
• Our food supply is free of toxic bacteria, chemicals and drugs;
• Production and marketing of our food are done transparently;
• The food industry pays a fair wage to those it employs;
• Food marketing sets children up for healthful lives by instilling in them a habit of eating real food;
• Animals are treated with compassion and attention to their well-being;
• The food system’s carbon footprint is reduced, and the amount of carbon sequestered on farmland is increased;
• The food system is sufficiently resilient to withstand the effects of climate change.

The list proves how complex the problems are in our current food system, much less changing this with a national food policy. Farm subsidies, dominance of factory farms, climate change, income equities, animal care, concerns over marketing to children, and emphasis of corn and soybeans over other farm products are only some of the battles that this list covers.

The more appropriate title for the op-ed would be "How a good national food policy could save millions of American lives." We have a national food policy — a badly misguided food policy — but we do have a national approach.

We have extolled the idea of improving the food supply in the United States simply by getting the government and taxpayer dollars to stop misplaced subsidies. As noted in the op-ed, "While MyPlate recommends a diet of 50 percent vegetables and fruits, the administration devotes less than 1 percent of farm subsidies to support the research, production and marketing of those foods. More than 60 percent of that funding subsidizes the production of corn and other grains — food that is mostly fed to animals, converted to fuel for cars or processed into precisely the sort of junk the first lady is urging us to avoid."

Michelle Obama has been as strong an advocate for a better food policy, but despite her husband's position, she doesn't have government power to change. Improving food labels is a great idea, but also better to improve the food behind the label.

As the op-ed notes, "The result is the spectacle of Michelle Obama warning Americans to avoid high-fructose corn syrup at the same time the president is signing farm bills that subsidize its production."

Treating food with respect is a mantra that Americans used to believe in, regardless of political stripe. While the food supply system shifted in quality, we still heard the same praise about the American food system, just in an Orwellian way.

That respect should extend to the humans who harvest the food and the animals responsible for some of that food. The mainstream American society has been hooked on cheap food for about 35 years and with wages not performing well, that pressure isn't likely to decrease anytime soon.

"free of" "transparently" "fair" "compassion" "public health"
— all phrases in the list from the op-ed, all missing from the current debate in DC.

Those on the left feel like all of these issues are tied together. Politically, realistically, change has to come in sections and batches. The first move, the most practical move, is to get "the other side" to agree on some common values. Whatever we do think about the current national food policy, "do no harm" also applies here.

In a more naive moment, I wrote that Sarah Palin could have been that supporter for an improved food system. Palin, like a lot of those on the right, has been caught up in the "if Obama likes it, then we don't" approach.

• Sarah Palin could help improve food supply if she argued policy, not politics

Here is some of what I wrote:

But there is one political solution that would make liberals and conservatives happy: getting government to stop the current rules that govern what gets grown and why. Have a true free market system.

Stop subsidies that benefit corn producers. Stop policies that force farmers to grow corn and soybeans, much of which isn't fit for human consumption. Stop penalizing sugar growers by setting their prices artificially high. Stop companies from getting patents on seeds and therefore punishing innocent farmers.

Conservatives love the idea of the free market and are usually anti-subsidy (unless the subsidy is for something they want, such as vouchers for private schools). Right now, we have a government system that subsidizes cheap carbohydrates that on multiple levels has damaged the American food system.

…

Palin likes to portray herself as a outsider, and this may be hard for liberals to understand this, she could be a force for change, good change. The problem for Palin and other conservative pundits is that they are arguing politics when they should be arguing policy.

The current setup is anti-conservative, anti-free market and a true outsider could gain support to make significant changes. Of course, huge changes aren't in the comfort zone of conservatives; but the trickling of 30+ years of food policy has been the anti-(small c) conservative change. Sarah Palin, we ask you to use your Mama Grizzly skills for good. Change policy, not politics.

When food is cheap in more ways than one, it loses value. We need a food system that treats food as if it has value. Liberals value food more than conservatives, everything else being equal. What a national food policy should do the most is to get all of us to value and appreciate what goes into making a wonderful food system.

You Gotta Eat Here showcases Canadian diners

We have said my ideal job would be to travel through Canada and talk and write about food. Well, the TV show in my mind is actually on TV … in the United States.

You Gotta Eat Here airs on Food Network Canada and in the United States on Bio, short for the Biography Channel. Comedian John Catucci hosts a look at Canadian restaurants from all across Canada. Imagine a more subdued version of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives with a less obnoxious host.

Previous coverage:

Temptation of the Week: Eating out 365 days in Canada

For a closer look at this show, check out this column from our sister blog, CanadianCrossing.com.

photo credit: Food Network Canada

Peeking into Canadian food ads: 2013 MLB midseason edition

Fast food fans in the United States got a dose of jealousy if they saw the ad for the McDonald's Quarter Pounder BLT during Toronto Blue Jays games in the 2013 MLB midseason MLB Extra Innings free preview.

Canadians can order a McDonald's Quarter Pounder BLT and Americans can't. Those in the States still can't get the Double Big Mac either. What are they waiting for?

True, fast food lovers can't get a lot of international variations. But Canada is so close to a lot of Americans, and occasionally ads creep into their living rooms.

From our sister blog, CanadianCrossing.com:

McDonald's has a new Quarter Pounder BLT, which I haven't seen in the States. Still waiting for the U.S. to "import" the Double Big Mac.

The debate between the two friends in the ad is whether the sandwich should be the QPC BLT or the BLT QPC.

Outside McDonald's and its advertising agency, nobody says "QPC" to refer to the regular sandwich. And the ad agency only does so to suck up to McDonald's. The ad would have made its point better if the "quarrel" had been between BLT Quarter Pounder vs. Quarter Pounder BLT. The initials make it funny, but QPC is lame.

Jack in the Box ran a series of commercials where an ad agency was struggling to come up with a name. "It's a BLT and a burger." Jack says, "Why not call it a BLT Burger?"

Naming a fast food sandwich shouldn't be complicated.

For more on the many ads, including a racy potato thins ad and some cool beer ads, check out this column from our sister blog, CanadianCrossing.com.

Temptation of the Week: Homemade Clamato in your Caesar

Even if you're not a drinker, you have some idea what a Bloody Mary is. Vodka, tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, and a lot of kick.

Few outside Canada know what a Caesar is. The Caesar is essentially a Bloody Mary made from Clamato and the rim of the glass is decorated in celery salt. The garnishes are a bit different with pickles and olives in the mix as opposed to the traditional celery in a Bloody Mary.

First, I should explain that Clamato is a drink that combines tomato juice and clam broth and is actually sold in stores in the United States. Though clearly the drink is more popular in Canada, people in the United States are buying Clamato.

The problem for me and others is that Clamato has MSG and high-fructose corn syrup. Having MSG is disturbing, but since salt helps some deal with the taste of tomato juice. I can't imagine why high-fructose corn syrup, much less sugar, would need to be in Clamato.

I've had quite a few Canadians talk about their special drink when I travel in Canada. And I've also had quite a few Canadians assume that Clamato is just a Canadian thing.

I have had a Caesar in Canada, or rather a Virgin Caesar made with Clamato. And the drink is quite good. It's spicy and tasty and usually served with olives and pickles on top.

I wondered if I could improve on the drink by making a homemade version of Clamato.

Clam broth is not clam juice, but clam juice is clam related, and I do sometimes use the clam liquid residue from the canned clams in other dishes. (Yes, I rinse the clams off, but keep the juice.)

The clam juice has salt, so starting with a low-salt tomato juice is ideal. Mott's won't share its ratio of clam and tomato with us, so I went with a 3:1 ratio of tomato to clam. I mixed the Virgin Mary drink mix separately and poured out 6 oz. and then added 2 oz. of the clam juice. This is different from the clam juice you can buy in the store, though I've already paid for the clam juice from the can.

The clam juice mellows out the drink, but not too much. A good Bloody Mary or a Virgin Mary is designed to be a little harsh, but the clam juice still leaves you with enough of an edge.

The taste was a lot cleaner than using regular Clamato. The only sweetness came from the tomatoes themselves, the right way to do this type of drink. For those who find tomato juice too much to take, a bit of clam juice will help that out.

Even with a shot of vodka, the homemade Caesar is a relatively nutritious drink by mixed drink standards. If salt or sodium is an issue, you may have to steer clear. Otherwise, the drink is unusual, exotic on some level, and can you make you seem that much cooler at the bar. Once, of course, you explain what a Caesar is to the bartender.

Canada to get cheaper mozzarella, but at a price to quality

Pizzas in restaurants are about to get cheaper in Canada, but that seemingly good news has its price.

Staring June 1, restaurants in Canada will be allowed to use the same standard of cheaper cheese that frozen pizza makers get to use now. While leveling the playing field is a fair thing, the reduction in quality of the key ingredient in what makes most pizzas comes at a price.

Previous coverage:

Canada, United States trade a lot of food, not all of it is good

Canada-U.S. food notebook: E-coli beef going south, illegal cheese trying to go north (CanadianCrossing.com)

Canada proves that high cheese standards are worth having

When I watch Canadian food ads during NHL Center Ice and MLB Extra Innings free previews, I see absolutely ridiculously high prices for pizzas. Some of that discrepancy might be the cost of cheese, and to be fair, Canadians pay more for food than the Americans. Every developed country pays more for food than the United States.

We still have to wait and see whether the savings from the cheaper cheese will make it to Canadian pocketbooks.

photo credit: Panago

Temptation of the Week: Poutine soda

Mon dieu. Soda with the taste of poutine.

You probably would believe the number of my friends who have sent me the notice of Jones Soda's newest flavor: poutine. People remember when you publicly admit you like poutine.

So will I be Jones-ing for some poutine soda?

Let's start by noting that Jones poutine soda is only available in Canada. Not everywhere in Canada, the Seattle-based company is aiming its new novelty soda at Quebec (maison du poutine), Ontario, and British Columbia.

But if I were there, or the poutine soda came to where I was, would I try poutine soda?

For the blog, oui. For myself, je ne sais pas.

Poutine is salty x3: French fries, squeaky white Quebec cheese curds, and brown gravy. Soda is sweet, even with Jones use of cane sugar. For some, this is bliss. Combining the two flavors is heaven for some.

As much as we can make things taste like something, what you will likely get in poutine soda is gravy soda since gravy predominates the dish. The idea of getting potatoes and cheese into the taste is likely an after-thought. This isn't really fair because I can't try the product, but this is based on other attempts to make x taste like y.

Bacon-flavored products don't really have bacon flavor, but more like a smoky flavor to make you think you are consuming something bacon-flavored.

Gravy-flavored soda has some appeal. A salty soda is novel, even among Jones' extensive novel soda collection.

But the idea of drinking poutine flavor leaves a bit

On my last trip to Montreal about a year ago, I sampled the poutine at Paul Patates. It's a small diner off the Charlevoix Metro stop. This is a very residential neighborhood; Regular tourists wouldn't be anywhere nearby, unless they were on a hunt for poutine.

The poutine is quite excellent; one of the best plates of poutine I have ever had. But the lure of going off the beaten path is the home-brewed spruce beer. The spruce beer is non-alcoholic, and one of the best soft drinks I have ever had. I described the soft drink as "7UP mixed with trees."

The taste of the spruce beer was refreshing and a nice contrast to the salty taste of a virtually perfect poutine. The two flavors went back and forth as I finished the poutine plate.

photo credit: Jones Soda

Taste of Spring 2013 Canadian food ads via NHL Center Ice

We normally expect a bunch of Tim Horton commercials when we get a peek into the world of Canadian food ads.

But we didn't see any new Tim Horton ads in this latest stretch.

We only got the preview that paralleled the beginning of the MLB season, and not the end of the NHL season this week.

The coolest ad involved beer, which isn't technically food. (For more, check out the full version from our sister blog, CanadianCrossing.com.)

There was fast food news in the mix. Let's check in with the column from CanadianCrossing.com with more:

 

In fast food news, Harvey's was pushing a 4-cheese burger with Monterey Jack, cheddar, gouda, and swiss.

Americans like the idea of 4 cheeses on a burger, but might make "safer" choices. I'd be curious to see if gouda would make a top 10 list.

KFC is adapting its Big Crunch sandwich to be a Big Crunch Tower. The regular sandwich is a extra crispy breast with lettuce and mayonnaise sauce.

Mayonnaise sauce sounds even less healthy than mayo.

The Big Crunch Tower adds ketchup, cheese, and a hash brown patty. In case you weren't getting even carbohydrates.

Ketchup, even if Canadian ketchup is usually better, should never go on a chicken sandwich. And mayonnaise sauce sounds depressing. Not sure that cheese even belongs on that sandwich, though some cheeses go well with chicken.

Crunchy hash browns on a crunchy chicken sandwich is overdoing it on carbs, but we've heard worse. Not sure I'll make a road trip for that sandwich.

photo credit: KFC Canada

If you are going to eat poutine, eat the real thing

The Balance of Food philosophy is to embrace food, whether that food is good or bad for you. If you are going to eat less than ideal, have a good time.

So some readers may have cringed about a story about a festival that celebrates poutine. Those same readers might cringe about this story about a different poutine festival. The difference is that spotlighting these two festivals shows us that if you are going to go that way, do it well.

I took a few shots at the hipster poser poutine fest that generated a lot of buzz and press in Chicago. Some Canadian expats and wannabes took exception to the limited numbers for the "poutine fest" (reportedly 50 per session) and decided to have their own poutine celebration.

The Canadian group picked a place that is devoted to poutine — the Bad Happy Poutine Shop. The restaurant pulled out of the more popular poutine fest. The space is limited since the restaurant is small, so the place couldn't hold 50 people.

This made the event more exclusionary, though the price for the Canadian event was $20 versus the $50 for the poutine fest ($65 for VIP status). The Canadian fest money went to the restaurant while the proceeds from the poutine fest went to charity.

The Canadian event had poutines that you could get on the regular menu every day. Some of the poutines offered in the poutine fest were one-time events.

The Canadian event drew on the 6 variations of poutines that the restaurant normally serves, including a dessert poutine, and a milkshake. The poutine fest offered 9 restaurants and their interpretations of poutine.

The portion sizes of the Canadian event were larger and you might find yourself with an extra cup of poutine. The Canadian event started with a classic poutine: fries, cheese curds, and gravy. No single poutine at the poutine fest offered a basic version. The variations kept the same theme as the original poutine: fries, cheese curds, and gravy.

avec (with) smoked meat, bell peppers, onions, mushroom, sauce au poivre

chicken, garden peas, Canadian bacon

hot dog sauce, steak hache, sausage, bacon, onions

pork belly, truffle mayo, foie gras mousse, and sunny egg

grilled gyro meat, feta cheese, onions, tomatoes, tzatziki sauce, kalamata olive tapanade, curry gravy

a special dessert poutine with French toast sticks, toasted marshmallow, vanilla ice cream & chocolate sauce

These poutines were more satisfying because poutine is what I wanted. Some of the poutine fest items were interesting, and I certainly walked away full from the event. But I felt hungry for poutine.

Despite having had poutine or sorta poutine twice within 6 days, this isn't a typical happening. I now live in a city with a poutine shop. But I only go once in a while. Living in Montréal, poutine would be a lot more tempting, mostly because Montréal has way better poutine (at cheaper prices) than even the poutine shop in Chicago.

If I would do poutine, or any other yummy calorie-plus dish, I want to do it right. Or as close to right as I can get, short of getting on an airplane.

Daily Show has fun with Quebec maple syrup heist

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart found plenty of laughs in the Quebec maple syrup heist, even though the story was pretty old.

The heist reportedly contained 18 million pounds of maple syrup. Tim Shufelt of Canadian Business magazine said the value of a barrel of maple syrup is worth almost 20x the cost a barrel of crude oil.

Really expensive pancakes.

Jason Jones, a proud Canadian, treated maple syrup as if it were part of a "Canadian drug war."

You should watch the segment just for Jones' trip to Montréal's Le Gros Jambon diner. I was surprised that Jones specifically showed this place, though the restaurant is on my list for my next Montréal trip.

One older guy in the diner told Jones he puts maple syrup on his ice cream. Too much sugar, but that does sound good.

Maple syrup, like honey, can serve as a nice alternative to sugar, especially when using less of it (3 parts instead of 4 parts) gives you more flavor with fewer calories. Next time, someone tries to push maple syrup on you, proceed with caution but go for it.

Simon Trepanier, head of the Quebec maple syrup producers, recommends a bit of maple syrup in your coffee or tea before you go to bed.

For more on this sticky topic, check out this story from our sister blog, CanadianCrossing.com.

photo credit: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart

2013 Chicago Poutine Fest: Not the real thing

What poutine is supposed to look like: poutine de Montréal.

Editor's note: This column is simulcast on our sister blog, CanadianCrossing.com, given the shared commonality of food and Canada that is poutine.

The idea of celebrating one of Canada's better-known foods in the 3rd largest city in the United States sounded magical to me when I first heard about the event. In the end, the experience left me pining for a road trip to Montréal.

Previous coverage: Poutine in Montreal: Sampling through the city's finest

In a room full of "poutines," only one came close to be remotely similar to what you might find in Quebec. And that version isn't something the restaurant is offering.

In some circles, poutine has become the whim of high and mighty variations to the classic fries, cheese, and gravy combination. This approach to poutine was on display on Sunday.

The most authentic was from El Ideas with the basic ingredients topped with a smoked duck sausage and foie gras gravy. You could easily see that on a menu in Montréal. (Sorry I didn't get a picture.)

This is a place with a constantly changing menu, and the Web site doesn't show any poutine has been served at the restaurant. Too bad.

Some of the places offered up a poutine that either wasn't on their current menu or had never been on its menu.

The least authentic was from the Pleasantry. The place went with smoked onion, blue cheese, and thyme gravy with duck confit, crispy onions, and scallions. Most of that subtlety was lost in the blue cheese sauce, and I love blue cheese. I couldn't pick out any other taste.

The Publican, a renown place in Chicago, offered up fried chickentail, fried cheese curds (really?), hot sauce, and Dunbarton blue cheese. The actual taste was not as good as the ingredients would suggest. This didn't even belong at a poutine competition.

Haymarket, the host of the event, submitted its own approach with smoked ham hock gravy that was topped with in-house andouille sausage and lemon soaked apples. A nice dish, but poutine was the furthest thing when eating this.

The Boarding House had a lobster poutine. I told the guy I couldn't possibly compare it to the other lobster poutine I had — Chuck Hughes' Garde Manger lobster poutine. Hughes' version was a lot better. The guy went through a long description of what goes into the lobster presentation, but the dish was more about lobster pieces on top of French fries. I don't even remember either the cheese or if there was a sauce in this dish.

Scofflaw had a bacon, eggs, and clam topping. This could have been a carbonara poutine, which doesn't sound that bad. This dish was okay, but admittedly I only had one bite.

Little Market went with braised short ribs, a nice choice if you going in that direction, and red wine gravy, but with fried cheese curds. Sigh.

Leopold went with a lamb marquez gravy and pickled peppers on top of fries and cheese curds. A lot of strong flavors, but nothing resembling poutine.

The judges went with the Gage, a place that knowingly offers different versions of the dish that changes as the menu changes. The Gage version had wild boar on top with smoked celery, carrots, and onions. Wild boar is good, but the cheese was barely noticeable. I'll admit this is the only poutine in the room I had before the fest, so I knew it pretty well.

I didn't get to try two of them. Red Door had a duck confit with chorizo verde and pickled jalapeno. And the Pleasant House served what it called deluxe gravy chips. British chips (square fried potatoes) topped with hangar steak, red wine gravy, and shredded cheddar. Both sounded good, but not authentic. And kudos to the Pleasant House for not calling it poutine.

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I met Canadians, people who like Canada, and others who just wanted to eat. One guy had a Habs jersey, another had an old school Expos hat. I might have broken out my Montréal gear if I weren't on duty. One woman had a Jonathan Toews shirt; I asked her if she wore the shirt on purpose. She had no idea what I was talking about. I explained to her that Toews was Canadian (from Manitoba).

I met a young woman from Canada had been in the States for 10 years; she had lived in Toronto and Vancouver. She explained to me that poutine was continuing the stereotype about Canada about eating fatty foods, even if it was true but not what we should think about when we think of Canada.

I wanted to find people who had never had poutine. One described her impresion before as poutine being gravy fries. After having had poutine, she thought it was a vehicle for gravy and cheese. Another person thought it was better than she thought it would be, and had heard about poutine when the Bad Happy Poutine Shop opened up about a couple of years ago.

Yes, Chicago has a place devoted to poutine. The place tries hard to be truly authentic, but I and several other "experts" feel the place comes up a little short. But you can get fries, cheese curds, and gravy there along with other variations.

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Poutine is a food of the masses: simple food for cheap prices and eaten to keep warm in the cold Quebec winters. The poutine I've seen in Chicago is mostly about hoity-toity variations for expensive prices: the exact opposite of what poutine is in Montréal.

I've had paid about $6 for a wonderful plate of poutine that fills my stomach and fulfills my taste buds in Montréal. I have paid almost double that for plates that didn't fill or fulfill.

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The money went to charity, about $8000 to Common Threads, which does a number of cool things, including teaching about cultural diversity through cooking. I'd like to think poutine, real poutine, can play a part in cultural diversity.

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All pictures taken by me with all the proper copyrights.