Friday, October 19, 2007
What's Edible
Eating, well, really NOT eating, has been on my mind lately. Since a Trader Joe's opened up in our area, we, along with the other new food stlings lemmings in our area, streamed off the cliff to their only store in the First State. Along with the various coffee offerings we were intrigued with the Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds, Greek style yogourt and frozen vegetables and frozen berries. After the recent lead 'n' toy related news came out, we started reading our food purchases' packaging more closely. Turns out the frozen green beans we'd purchased from Trader Joe's came from China. Now, most folks know that water pollution in China is pretty much an accepted thing. With minimal environmental controls and ludicrously low penalties for any violations, manufacturers can preach that they're following the laws as regards pollution and not be lying. Unfortunately, while these lax laws are one of components in keeping the cost of manufacturing low in China these laws have a direct effect on the agriculture grown there. Irrigation source water is this same, by US and European standards, polluted river water.
So, we threw out all of the frozen green beans one day. Thinking back, I hit myself in the head. Why didn't we just take all of the stuff back to TJ's? It has their brand name on it; it's not as if they could say we bought it elsewhere. Unless there's an underground market for Trader Joe's foodstuffs...
Eat Less. Pay more. It's as simple as that.
Other things I won't be eating any time soon would be Polh Stew, a delicacy in certain parts of Europe, including Slovenia.
Polh, you ask? What is it? It is this,the humble dormouse. In Italy, some folks are serving jail time for having poached these furry little things.
Thanks to Michael over at Glory of Carniola and Piran Cafe for some of the dormouse-related links. Dobar Tek!
Labels: Effluvia, Only in America, Slovenians
Comments:
<< Home Verging on Pertinence Just some more disposable thoughts clogging up the hinterlands
Chinese produce ... man, I dunno. Out here, it's the Chinese garlic that seems to be predominant in most grocery stores. Makes me a little crazy, especially when I see it in the "Organic Foods" section! I see no point in spending the extra loonie on "organic" if it's from China. Makes me wonder just how the "organic" is defined...
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<< Home Verging on Pertinence Just some more disposable thoughts clogging up the hinterlands
