Ground Glass

I saw this on NYTimes.com blog, Dr. Green focuses not only on pesticides but on how foods affect the environment. On his website he goes into detail about the amount of oil used in modern farm production, and the effect on our water supply from pesticide runoff. The idea is to take responsibility for the effect you have on the planet with your eating choices. I also like that he address’s cost, most families (and artists for that matter) can’t afford to go all organic, but he makes it clear that even switching to one or two of the top foods, can make a difference. I will say the production value of the videos is kind of hokey, but it’s nice to see someone making an effort to provide information in such a reasonable, informative manner. I have been trying to be organic for a long time, but higher cost makes it impossible to be 100%. It’s nice to know that I can still make an impact with a few changes.

This is obviously becoming a big issue in our country, there are already 379 posts on the Times site about the article. There is quite a bit of contention in the posts: claims that dairy, potatoes & peanuts are bad for you in any form, debates about the truthfulness in organic labeling, and questions about choosing between organic and locally produced food. There does not seem to be much agreement on this subject. My feelings are that most Americans eat these foods, and it is probably a lot easier to get them to go organic, then to give them up all together. I find it interesting that are culture is equally obsessed with health, eating & external appearances. It seems like we are always having to choose between the 3. It would be nice is food that tasted good, was also healthy and kept us looking good.

Top 10 Organic Foods - Dr. Greene’s Organic Rx

1. Milk

2. Potatoes

3. Peanut Butter

4. Baby Foods

5. Catsup

6. Cotton

7. Apples

8. Beef

9. Soy

10. Corn

11. Wine - Indeed, hard to find good & inexpensive choices.

Edward Weston understood our desire for food was related to other desires, and therefore irrational. Perhaps we will not make better choices, until we stop thinking about food in terms good/bad, indulge/deny.

Just in time for the first sign of fall chill - my version of pumpkin chocolate chip muffins.

Pumpkin Muffins

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or replace 1/2 cup of wheat flour with brown rice or almond flour)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

pinch of fine sea salt

pinch of ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cardamon, ground clove, ground nutmeg to taste

*1/2 stick unsalted organic butter, melted & cooled

*(low-fat version 3/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce or 3/4 cup prune mixture - 1 cup dried prunes in small saucepan, just cover with water, bring to a boil, put whole mixture in food processor and puree)

1 cup succanant or dark brown sugar

2 large organic eggs

1 15 once can of pumpkin puree

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 12 once bag of semisweet chocolate chips

1. Perheat oven to 375 degrees, spray medium/large muffin tray with light coating of non-stick cooking spray

2. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, spices, in medium mixxing bowl - set aside.

3. Whisk together the cooled melted butter(apple sauce or prunes in low-fat), sugar, eggs, pumpkin puree, and vanilla in large mixing bowl. With wooden spoon, stir in the four mixture until just combined. Add entire bag of chocolate chips and mix.

4. Fill each muffin cup 3/4ths full and bake until golden brown, around 20-25 minutes. When toothpick comes out clean they are done. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes.

5. Try not to eat all of them in one sitting.

Adapted from “Mom’s Big Book of Baking” by Lauren Chattman

Check back soon for my famous pumpkin chocolate chip muffin recipe…

I am always trying to find a way to get more vegetables in diet, this seems like an especially yummy way to do it.

http://www.amateurgourmet.com/2007/09/a_piece_of.html

Chocolate & Zucchini Cake

- 1 1/2 C (180 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 C (60 g) whole wheat flour (of course, you can just use 2 C / 240 g all-purpose flour, I was just trying to be good)
- 1/2 C (40 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 C (110 g) butter, softened
- 1 C (160 g) light brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp instant coffee granules (the Nescafé type, the stronger the better)
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 2 C zucchini, unpeeled, grated (about 280 g, two medium)
- 1 C (170 g) chocolate chips

Topping :
- 40 g light brown sugar
- 1/2 C (70 g) hazelnuts, toasted and chopped

(Serves 10.)

Preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F). Grease a 3 quart (3 L) springform cake pan, and flour it or sprinkle with cocoa powder : this is to help the cake unmold easily, especially if you’re not using a magic non-stick pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

In your food processor, combine the sugar and butter, and mix until fluffy. Add in the vanilla extract and espresso powder, then the eggs, one at a time, mixing thoroughly between each addition.

Spoon in the flour mixture, reserving the last half-cup of it. Mix thoroughly, the batter will be thick.

Add the grated zucchini and the chocolate chips to the reserved flour mixture, and toss to coat. Fold in the batter, and blend thoroughly, it’s fun. Pour into the prepared cake pan, and flatten the surface with a spatula.

In a small bowl, combine the topping ingredients, and sprinkle all over the batter. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Turn out on a rack to cool for half an hour, then unmold.

http://chocolateandzucchini.com/archives/2004/04/chocolate_zucchini_cake.php

Another great site for yummy things is http://cupcakeblog.com/

What I like most about the cupcake blog, is the photography. The lighting and framing is creative and unexpected. Most food shots tend to be kind of the same, no offense to food photogs (there are some great ones out there.) I actually think some of the food blogs have better images than many over-produced magazines - the exception being Gourmet.

There is so much imagery in the world these days, much of it very good, it makes me consider what it takes to be a visual artist now. I think depending on your visual aesthetic and acumen is not enough, anyone with a good eye for color and basic tech sense can get pretty great images with a good digital camera, good light and good subject matter. The only way to elevate your work is through conceptual framework. But again, there is a lot of exceedingly well shot and conceptually valid work out there, that is where punctum comes in for me. While my understanding of it is slightly different than Roland Barthes, I know I respond more to work that hits me deeper. It is often hard to describe how or why some images hit or miss, and I certainly do not think all images need to function this way. Photographs must have a lot of things going for them, to make them go from good to sublime.

Some shots from the Cupcake Blog.