I just wanted to let you know I really enjoy reading your views on the food industry (i.e. farm to market and processed foods).

Your essays are quite articulate and well written out (even if you don’t think they are–THEY ARE).

You’re take on the Jamie Oliver lamb issue was an excellent critique of the hypocrices (I can’t spell, Argh!) in our modern relationship with food.

I have similiar issues with the food industry, but my thoughts are too muddled at this point to publish them (maybe at some point). Living in an urban environment full time has made it quite a challenge at times to find good nutritious fare on a student’s budget.

Anyway, keep it up. I look forward to future critiques!

I hope you are felling well again?

I just wanted to say that your new kitchen look so lovely and fine you’d have much fun cooking in it, won’t you?!

leaving very warm greetings from vienna *without any snow now*
Astrid

Have no fear–I will keep writing my critiques and essays–I still have in mind several that I haven’t gotten around to writing yet.

The issue of Jamie Oliver and the lamb just hit me in the middle of my forehead, and made me wonder why in the world people are willing to eat meat, but not come to terms with the fact that it comes from a once-living animal. I cannot conceive of such a viewpoint–it goes against my own experience. And I suppose, that because my family experiences were all very close to the source of food, I get confused by people who do not have similar understandings because they never saw or heard about the process of how a lamb is turned into lambchops.

I guess I was lucky to grow up as I did, with one foot in the city, and one in the country, so that I did learn that food does not originate in the grocery store! A lot of other people do not have the benefit of those experiences.

I guess that is why I feel so compelled to write about thees things–so I can share out my own experience, and give people a taste of it, I suppose. I think that being ignorant of where food comes from and how it is processed is sad–knowing these things is valuable to all people.

Anyway–I am glad to know you are enjoying my essays and writings. Have no fear–I will keep writing on these subjects–they are near and dear to my heart.

She is very hopeful that she can go back to school tomorrow–she doesn’t want to miss another day.

As for the kitchen–I cannot wait to start cooking in it! Yesterday, and the height of the sickness, when I couldn’t even sit up to type, I laid in bed and was very sad that I couldn’t even conjure up a tiny speck of enthusiasm at the though of cooking in the new kitchen.

However, today, I feel well enough that I can imagine it.

And I am sorry you have no snow–we have a sprinkling of it over ice from the frozen rain.

Which is pretty enough, as it coats all the bare tree branches in crystal, but is awful to walk or drive in.

About the Jamie O. thing: you’re right. People do not want to know where their meat comes from and that it was part of a living creature bevore it became a “steak” or something else.
In my childhood we had animals ourselves and they were slaughtered to be eaten too. But as we were children my granpa told me that this is the way of life and he was a very kind and handsome person. We did not like it, but we accepted it as a part of lifecicle.
I do not eat very much meat these days, but I thik we should all keep in mind where our meat comes from!

best whishes and happy cooking in your new kitchen )