Grounded Grub Weeklies! 04.14.2020
Hello Grounded Grub Community!
Every week we’re sent amazing articles, books, podcasts and other content from our community. We love hearing from everyone and having these resources, so we decided to start pooling together these recommendations, as well as some of our favorites, and sharing them once a week on Tuesdays. We hope you enjoy and feel inspired to share with us if you see/hear/try something that inspires you in the future!
Today: April 14, 2020
What happened on Grounded Grub last week:
On Wednesday did a short and sweet feature on our Instagram about the classic goodness of asparagus and how delicious this in-season veggie is!
On Thursday we published an amazing interview we were lucky enough to have with Daniel Rosenfeld, a graduate student researcher at UCLA that studies the intersection of things like food choices, shame, disgust, and social identity… Could it get any cooler? Our interview with Dan showcases some of his research on food identity and how people make the change to becoming vegan and vegetarian, and more importantly, how they actually can stick with that change in a healthy way.
And then over the weekend Ben took us on a full kombucha tour, first starting with Fizzy Funky Fresh: Kombucha 101, an article breaking explaining and demystifying all the processes involved in Kombucha making! Then, with our Kombucha Master Brew Guide, Ben laid down the framework for you to make the perfect Kombucha for you. This article-recipe combo may-or-may-not just get you brewing some of your own during these weeks of quarantine…
Coming up on Grounded Grub…
It has been a flurry of activity in the Grounded Grub email inbox, and we are thrilled about all the different things we have in the works...but we’ll just stick to what we have going on this week:
We have a recipe for a delicious Kale and White Bean soup from a new contributor, Max Aronson! Max is a fellow Cornell graduate who has worked in the kitchens and dining rooms of multiple Michelin-starred restaurants as well as on screen when he competed and won on a teen edition of Chopped on the Food Network. Max currently works in the Dining Room of Eleven Madison Park in New York City, and is working towards opening his own restaurants! We can’t wait to feature one of his amazing recipes!
Hannah takes a deep dive into CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) programs! As the COVID-19 has forced most of to live and think more locally, especially in the context of supporting local business and eating fresh foods, there has been a global rise in the popularity of CSAs. In this article, Hannah breaks down what they are, how they work, why they can be so important for small-scale farms, and how you can get involved!
We feature an article from a new contributing author, Tara Hammonds! In her article, Tara offers her perspective on the intersection of animal consumption and sustainability, drawing on her experiences living in the Karamoja region of northern Uganda.
Ben takes a look at a particularly famous herb and the notorious effect it has on those who indulge in it: “The Munchies”. On this herb’s psuedo-holiday, Ben looks at The Munchies, why it happens, and how you can prepare yourself for the next time you find yourself in its grip!
Have any other ideas for things we should cover? Reach out on Instagram, Facebook or email. We love hearing from you and some of our best articles have been from community suggestions.
Media articles of the week:
“Cowboys, Impossible Whoppers and the stories that sell food” Carl Segerstrom, High Country News. “Plant-based burger ads offer a new twist on the cowboy icon while perpetuating industrial food culture.” This are discusses the way branding is being used to alter peoples notion of plant-based products, and tries to reframe them (specifically in the context of plant-based meats) in a way that speaks to traditional “meat-eating themes” of ruggedness and freedom. More specifically, these companies are capitalizing on the iconography of the Cowboy. “The West is not only a source of beef, it’s a source of American selfhood. Its iconography is tied strongly to corporate food systems, like the Arby’s cowboy hat, Western burgers and ranch dressing.” Read more here.
“The Food Expiration Dates You Should Actually Follow” J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, The New York Times. “The first thing you should know? The dates, as we know them, have nothing to do with food safety”. This article looks at food expiration dates, the weird, complex systems that drives them, the factors they consider from “peak quality” to safety, the ones you should listen to, and the ones you definitely shouldn’t. Read this interesting piece here!
“Passover in the Age of Isolation” Eric Kim, Food 52. “Solitude is an unprecedented visitor in this year’s Seder celebrations. Here’s how observers are making do.” This past week hosted two big holidays, Passover and Easter. Holidays like these are known for the congregation of families and friends around dinner tables all across the globe. While traditions like these mass-gatherings must be temporarily set to the side in the reality of this pandemic, not all traditions have to take the back seat. In this article Eric looks at how people across the world have been preserving the traditions and familial warmth of Passover from the solitude of their homes. Check out this article here!
Book of the week:
The Encyclopedia of Spices & Herbs: An Essential Guide to the Flavors of the World - Padma Lakshmi
“Award-winning cookbook author and television host Padma Lakshmi, inspired by her life of traveling across the globe, brings together the world’s spices and herbs in a vibrant, comprehensive alphabetical guide. This definitive culinary reference book is illustrated with rich color photographs that capture the essence of a diverse range of spices and their authentic flavors. The Encyclopedia of Spices and Herbs includes complete descriptions, histories, and cooking suggestions for ingredients from basic herbs to the most exotic seeds and chilies, as well as information on toasting spices, making teas, and infusing various oils and vinegars. And no other market epitomizes Padma’s love for spices and global cuisine than where she spent her childhood—lingering in the aisles of the iconic gourmet food store Kalustyan’s, in New York City.”
Borrow from a friend, check it out from a library, or buy it here!
Podcast of the week:
What Happens When Everyone Stays Home to Eat?
“Covid-19 has shocked our food-supply system like nothing in modern history. We examine the winners, the losers, the unintended consequences — and just how much toilet paper one household really needs.” This podcast does an awesome job of explaining our behaviors in this strange time! It also explains how much of an impact these behaviors can have on those that are less fortunate than others, and shed’s light on what we can all do to watch out for our fellow community members. Listen to the podcast here, or wherever you stream your podcasts.
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