I think I've found my passion

So here it is. The beginning of my honest attempt to keep a blog - something I promised a friend I would do, and something I have been wanting to do for some time. Why now? It could be that after 8 months in my new apartment, my interior decorating projects are coming to an end and I need a new focus. It could also be that it's July 3 and we're getting into the thick of summer with the promise of more time off work, more outings with friends and new summer flavors to explore and document.

And why food? Anyone who knows me will probably be surprised that I plan on making food the central theme of my blog, so allow me to explain. Last fall, I moved to Belmont, MA into the first place I could call 'my own', after an emotional roller coaster of a summer - fresh out of college, unemployed, living with the parents, then under-employed, moving out of state, living with the boyfriend's parents, then getting my dream entry-level job but living in a friend's closet with a 2 hour commute. As soon as I was settled, I decided to take advantage of the town library just down the street. I happily signed up for a card and checked out a book I had been meaning to read for a long time:

I knew nothing about The Omnivore's Dilemma, or about Michael Pollan, but I remembered my close friend and vegan roommate reading it while we were in college, and I was intrigued by the title and admired the rich colors of the cover photo. That's where it all began. This book opened my average-consumer eyes to the hidden world of industrial food production in the U.S., as well as to the varied food cultures that exist throughout the country. Nothing I had ever read previously had made me so equally appalled, enraged, intrigued and inspired. Appalled and enraged because I felt like I had been deceived; that the true stomach-churning origins of so many common commercial food items - beef, chicken, soda, salad dressing - had been hidden from me and most other consumers, the ones who trust that a chicken nugget is made with chicken, cornmeal and oil, and don't consider investigating the matter further. But I also felt intrigued, as I became desperate to explore this hidden world of food production and the disjointed food cultures of America's many diverse consumers.  I was also inspired to make a radical change in the way I approach food, and to encourage my loved ones to do the same.

Therefore, to ensure health and happiness, to respect nature and my body, and to reject the corrupt and inefficient industrial food system, I've now made it my goal to purchase and prepare real, whole, unprocessed and organic foods as much as possible. Okay, there's my crunchy statement. I've really never been an activist, and I've never waxed poetic about the environmental or health benefits of a vegetarian meal, but with all that I've learned, I'm really pissed off. Reading Michael Pollan's books and Eric Schlosser's classic Fast Food Nation, along with watching Food, Inc. and Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution, has proven to me that it is a social, political, economic, cultural, medical and environmental struggle to eat right in this country - and it shouldn't be that way. How sad is it that children these days are the first generation to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents? Or that 3 (#1, #2 and #7) of the top 10 leading causes of death in America are largely caused by poor diet? Something is seriously wrong, and I need to at least make it right for myself and my family, if not for everyone.

And making it right is fun and easy, and means you get to eat! To get away from frozen burritos and pizzas I've had to teach myself to cook. That has led to exploring and experimenting with different cuisines and ingredients, and that has led to my learning tons about cultures, traditions, nutrition, health benefits, cooking techniques, wines, restaurants, politics, science, farms, animals, plants, flavors, textures, the list goes on! I'm loving it. I have re-discovered food, its beauty, its mystery, its excitement, and all of the rippling effects of choosing what to put on your plate and in your body. Food is personal - its what keeps us alive, so we should celebrate it, share it, and frankly, not let anyone f*** it up (as unfortunately they have).

My new-found passion also excites and encourages me, as I am in that phase of life where I need to figure out what I want to do and who I want to be (not that either of those should ever be definitive). I've known for awhile that I want to go to law school and my interests and academics had been steering me toward immigration law. But now with this fire in my belly, I'm thinking that public health may be more my style. I'm eager to do whatever I can, for whomever I can, to represent the cause for responsible, sustainable policies and practices that safeguard and encourage a healthy populace.

So there you have it. For months I've been filled with mounting 'positive anger' as Jamie Oliver would say. I've attended a couple of food-related events and webinars, have begun networking with like-minded individuals, and have inundated myself with books, articles and documentaries, and I only want to do more. This blog will be a place for me to share how I progress with my food passion - what I'm reading, what I'm cooking, what I'm feeling - along with random posts about the interesting bits of my everyday life. I hope you'll enjoy reading!