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2005-02-02 - 2:06 p.m. I'm just making my way through one of Jeanette's newsprint articles on food and am agreeing with everything that she says, point blank. I like to imagine that there is that large a disparity between the habits of consumption of Canada and the US, but fear the truth of the matter is simply that I'm a freakish little hippy who adores nothing more than standing in the produce section smelling a fresh vegetable while allowing visions of flavour combinations to dance in my head. Why is it that we (and I'm still unsure to whom I'm referring when I see "we") as a culture have moved so far away from the sensory pleasures of fresh food? My parents shop twice a month or so, filling their fridge with inexpensive junk bought from the local Big Box supermarket, because they say it is more convenient. Yet, anytime I stay over or visit their house, I am at a loss for what to eat -- so much of their food is processed, and even the fresh produce is HUGE and FREAKISH-looking in its giant, chemically- and hormone-enduced size and colour and tastelessness. Buying (bulk, dried) staples (beans, lentils, rice, pasta, eggs, tofu) is a once- or twice- a month excursion for me, but stopping for fresh organic produce happens at least once or twice a week, and these are the ingredients upon which I base my meals. I imagine that, even were I able to afford organic meats, I would still continue to base my meals around the beautiful purple kale or the firm sweet potatoes that are on offer seasonally at my local organic market. Where is the joy in eating foods that are already made, prepackaged, preserved? How have we lost the joy of fresh foods, good company, a nice glass of merlot over steaming pasta and candlelight? If it takes me anywhere from ten to sixty minutes to cook dinner (and usually closer to the shorter end, unless I'm cooking very fancy for very special company), how can we say that our 'rush-rush' lifestyle doesn't allow us the time to eat well?
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