On September 28 last year I went to the screening of “Ingredients: A Documentary Film” which was filmed largely in Portland with mostly Portland foodie stars like:
- Chef and Owner of Higgins Restaurant, Greg Higgins,
- Alan Sprints of Hair of the Dog Brewery, and
- Laura Masterson, farmer and owner of 47th Ave. Farm.
And non-Portland foodie stars like:
- Joan Gussow, matriarch of the food movement
- Alice Waters, owner and founder of Chez Panisse
It was a great documentary chalk full of interviews about the power of good quality ingredients, especially focusing on the new trends where people are starting to recognize the desire for good ingredients and for knowing where their ingredients are coming from.I also felt like it was a great to hear about so many food people I didn’t know about before (I may be a foodie, but I haven’t been around in the food movement as long as a lot of the people in the movie). I remember watching it and wanting to find out more about Joan Gussow, but all I could remember was “grows all her own veggies, has carrot earrings”. See the blog post about Joan.
It reminded me of a conversation I had with a CSA Farmer (“Farmer C”) I had the week before, about how people don't appreciate CSA food because they don't know what to do with food that isn't processed, unless they can eat to fresh, people have lost touch with processing food. She said that the sustainability food movement has as much to do with farming as it has to do with a sharp knife and a cast iron pan.
The film was good, but it was too pretty, focused on the raw ingredients, like if we can just get enough farmers growing and enough consumers that know where their food comes from, and know how much more flavorful and nutritious local food is, then our problems will be solved.
There is still a big gap, not just in knowing that your food comes from water, soil and sun, but knowing how (and valuing) to prepare and eat unprocessed food...and the movie didn’t explore how that transition is going to happen.
People are so out of the habit of preparing their foods, that they think they are cooking even when they combine prepared ingredients (e.g. making bread using commodified wheat and yeast).
There's a big different between "cooking" fresh veggies and processing/preparing all other foods that make up the modern diet (crackers, ice creams, salsas, sauces, dressings, etc).
After I asked a question of the panel about consumers relearning how to process foods, another PSU student approached me to talk about community kitchens, and ask about my graduate program. I promised to send her info about CSS SySc sustainability discussion, and gave her my email address.
There are a lot of processes that can be done, but you have to want to eat them too (changing your own tastes and making foods that you honestly enjoy)
All in all, the movie left me wanting to make my own salsa, which I did a week after seeing the movie, with fire roasted tomatoes and chilies with fresh onions and cilantro, sautéed garlic.
___
___
I also bought the movie and had my own screening with a group of friends in my living room, with a local food potluck (including Burgerville fries and milkshakes).
