Comments on: Tales from a D.C. School Kitchen: Epilogue http://www.theslowcook.com/2010/01/25/tales-from-a-d-c-school-kitchen-epilogue/ An urban insurgent's guide to real food for life Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:22:02 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Diane http://www.theslowcook.com/2010/01/25/tales-from-a-d-c-school-kitchen-epilogue/comment-page-1/#comment-3548 Diane Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:39:26 +0000 http://www.theslowcook.com/?p=3908#comment-3548 Most of the food transported historically consisted of luxury items like spices which were used only by the elite and not vital, also very light weight. I'm not suggesting that we live without any imports but that something as necessary as fats and/or oils should be available from local sources and all I can come up with are animal fats and butter. I just wondered if there is any reasonable vegetable oil from a temperate plant. Most of the food transported historically consisted of luxury items like spices which were used only by the elite and not vital, also very light weight. I’m not suggesting that we live without any imports but that something as necessary as fats and/or oils should be available from local sources and all I can come up with are animal fats and butter. I just wondered if there is any reasonable vegetable oil from a temperate plant.

]]> By: Ed Bruske http://www.theslowcook.com/2010/01/25/tales-from-a-d-c-school-kitchen-epilogue/comment-page-1/#comment-3546 Ed Bruske Mon, 25 Jan 2010 19:58:19 +0000 http://www.theslowcook.com/?p=3908#comment-3546 Diane, what's happening with the farm-to-school movement is a slow dance. Local government's have to decide whether to fund, then local farmers have to come up with the produce. Rest assured, if there was funded need for local produce in all the local schools, people would start growing it. I don't think size is really the issue. Up to now, though, this is happening in isolated districts, not on a huge scale. I don't share your definition of locavorism. Humans have been transporting comestibles long distance for trade for thousands of years. Marco Polo? Diane, what’s happening with the farm-to-school movement is a slow dance. Local government’s have to decide whether to fund, then local farmers have to come up with the produce. Rest assured, if there was funded need for local produce in all the local schools, people would start growing it. I don’t think size is really the issue. Up to now, though, this is happening in isolated districts, not on a huge scale. I don’t share your definition of locavorism. Humans have been transporting comestibles long distance for trade for thousands of years. Marco Polo?

]]> By: pansypatch http://www.theslowcook.com/2010/01/25/tales-from-a-d-c-school-kitchen-epilogue/comment-page-1/#comment-3545 pansypatch Mon, 25 Jan 2010 19:53:26 +0000 http://www.theslowcook.com/?p=3908#comment-3545 I found your original post in Grist and am glad I did! Really enjoyed this series and I am still hopeful that things will get better. I'll add you to my favorites and check in from time to time. Happy Gardening! I found your original post in Grist and am glad I did! Really enjoyed this series and I am still hopeful that things will get better. I’ll add you to my favorites and check in from time to time.
Happy Gardening!

]]> By: Diane http://www.theslowcook.com/2010/01/25/tales-from-a-d-c-school-kitchen-epilogue/comment-page-1/#comment-3544 Diane Mon, 25 Jan 2010 19:36:37 +0000 http://www.theslowcook.com/?p=3908#comment-3544 I read with interest your whole series of posts on school food and discussed them with my family. At a local food conference last year the head of Cranston, RI's school food service described his work on incorporating local produce into the lunch program. Do you think this is easier in smaller districts? The sheer volume of food required in a large school district might be very difficult to source locally, especially if everyone has to be eating the same thing on the same day. (Do they?) As for coconut oil, like olive oil, I don't think it could be considered local for most of the U.S. which brings up the issue of fats and oils for locavores. It seems to be a neglected subject much like grains. I read with interest your whole series of posts on school food and discussed them with my family. At a local food conference last year the head of Cranston, RI’s school food service described his work on incorporating local produce into the lunch program. Do you think this is easier in smaller districts? The sheer volume of food required in a large school district might be very difficult to source locally, especially if everyone has to be eating the same thing on the same day. (Do they?)
As for coconut oil, like olive oil, I don’t think it could be considered local for most of the U.S. which brings up the issue of fats and oils for locavores. It seems to be a neglected subject much like grains.

]]> By: nguppyRD http://www.theslowcook.com/2010/01/25/tales-from-a-d-c-school-kitchen-epilogue/comment-page-1/#comment-3543 nguppyRD Mon, 25 Jan 2010 14:44:03 +0000 http://www.theslowcook.com/?p=3908#comment-3543 I enjoy this series you are writing. I have worked around, an in, institutional kitchens all of my life. Many improvements in food quality in schools, hospitals and nursing homes can be made in both of our countries and that could keep you busy for the rest of your writing days...... I was a cook and food service supervisor and later became a dietitian. I have a software package ESHA (Food Processor) and it has a database of various foods. 12 fl oz of Coke Classic has 150 calories, 41 g carbohydrate and 41 g of sugar. Coke classic has 45 mg more caffeine per can apparently. I find it most useful to just talk about grams of sugar as that is what is on the food labels. Also, I think that the tropical fats have been identified as problem fats due to their high saturated fat content and even the heart associations group them with animal sat fat foods and don't recommend them. It has occurred to me if they are so dangerous and bad for you then there should be high rates of heart disease in the countries that eat a lot of them - there isn't! I enjoy this series you are writing. I have worked around, an in, institutional kitchens all of my life. Many improvements in food quality in schools, hospitals and nursing homes can be made in both of our countries and that could keep you busy for the rest of your writing days…… I was a cook and food service supervisor and later became a dietitian. I have a software package ESHA (Food Processor) and it has a database of various foods. 12 fl oz of Coke Classic has 150 calories, 41 g carbohydrate and 41 g of sugar. Coke classic has 45 mg more caffeine per can apparently. I find it most useful to just talk about grams of sugar as that is what is on the food labels.

Also, I think that the tropical fats have been identified as problem fats due to their high saturated fat content and even the heart associations group them with animal sat fat foods and don’t recommend them. It has occurred to me if they are so dangerous and bad for you then there should be high rates of heart disease in the countries that eat a lot of them – there isn’t!

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