Showing posts with label food finds. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food finds. Show all posts

Friday, June 27, 2008

Book Group: YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT!


My brother John gave me the Omnivore’s Dilemma to read while we were traveling in Italy. Let me tell you that this is not a book that you want to read when you are eating your way through a country. However, this book really changed the way I think about food and my relationship to the food chain. I have looked at labels for years but I now felt that I had some science and some insight on how to make future food choices. So, we flew home from Italy and I told everyone about my fantastic and glorious trip and then said, “Oh, but you have to read this book. You will never eat the same again.” I was so enthralled with the book that I started giving it to friends to read and then I pushed to have it be one of our book group books.
However, after a few days of trying to eat more like the book, I found that I still had a dilemma. I felt that the Omnivore’s Dilemma explained the dilemma perfectly but the ‘now what’ was missing from the book.

Michael Pollan answered the ‘now what’ question with his new book, In Defense of Food, An Eater’s Manifesto.


I highly recommend these books. If nothing else, they start a dialogue on what you eat and why.

Here is what Ruth Reichl, editor in chief of Gourmet magazine said about The Omnivore’s Dilemma. “Every time you go into a grocery store you are voting with your dollars, and what goes into your cart has real repercussions on the future of the earth. But although we have choices, few of us are aware of exactly what they are. Michael Pollan’s beautifully written book could change that. He tears down the walls that separate us from what we eat, and forces us to be more responsible eaters. Reading this book is a wonderful, life-changing experience.”

Here is a link for sustainable eating from Michael Pollan’s website.

Bon Appetit.

Sunday, June 1, 2008

Hot and Humid-it must mean Shaved Ice!

For almost the last 9 years, I have looked forward to the return of the Styer brother's CLAYBOYS Authentic Hawaiian Shave Ice pushcart. (Wow, that is a mouthful) One of the brothers teaches Physical Ed. to disabled students during the school year and in the summer he hands out icy goodness.

Clayboy's is mainstay of life in downtown Bethesda and you can find his cart on the corner of Woodmont and Bethesda Avenues right outside Barnes & Noble.

Lots of great flavors.

Great service.

My favorite combination is Tiger’s Blood (strawberry & coconut) and Lemonade. At the end of your shaved ice there is even a surprise.

A frozen Swedish fish! A small is $2.00 and it is so worth it!

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Saturdays in Germantown

Every 2000 miles I head to Germantown, Maryland to get my oil changed. I usually try and go on a Saturday and run some errands and have a little fun on the way. My first stop is one of my favorite places in Germantown,
the Lancaster County Dutch Market.

They have fresh cheese, milk, vegetables, fruit, meat, flowers, and. . .

great old fashion candy,

sprinkles in almost every color,


and the most incredible pretzels!

When my friend Liz was serving her mission in the area, we use to meet each other at the market on her p-days. The market is only open on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays until 3pm. Their pretzels are delicious and once in a while I
splurge (calorie-wise, not money-wise) and get the hot dog and cheese pretzel.

They are delicious and to quote one of my previous houseguests,
"These pretzels are decadent!"
I am not sure if they are decadent but they are sure yummy. If you are going to go, just remember that by Saturday afternoon the market has sold out of a lot of things.