Food, in Perspective

I've written about food a bit on this blog, and I imagine I will continue to do so in the future.  Over the summer, cooking evolved into a pastime of mine, and even amid 1L, I've made time to cook myself (and Jill, too) dinner just about every weeknight.  Some meals aren't so hot (see: botched chicken and biscuits attempt), some weeks are much better (see: last night's smashed roasted potatoes with cheddar and roasted garlic), but it's about the process as much as the product--how lawyerly.  

Of course, between my celebrations of oyster stew and applewood-smoked bacon, it's easy to lose sight of the fact that I am incredibly fortunate to both have access to fresh groceries and means to afford a relatively healthy and varied diet.  When the priority is chicken thighs over chicken breasts to save a few bucks, rather than chicken or Chicken Ramen or nothing at all, I remind myself that life is dealing me a winning hand.   Even just dedicating an hour to prepare, cook, eat, and clean up after a home-cooked meal is a luxury that far too few can enjoy for various reasons.  

Needless to say, this article in the New York Times put my growing foodie habit in perspective. 

I had seen articles covering shortages at food banks earlier this year, but they had focused around the impact that improved efficiency in grocery store ordering had on donations to food banks/Second Harvest-type organization (this one touches on it, as well).  The back end, in other words--which, given my past work experience, remains interesting to me.  This article also captures the experience from the front end, causing me to think about the fortune that has allowed me to view new interests.

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To give credit where it is due, the Bush administration's shift in policy to have the government provide more fruits and vegetables to food banks is admirable.  Low-income areas (particularly urban ones) often face a dearth of grocery stores offering fresh produce.  Hopefully, this shift can be expanded upon in the next administration, perhaps under the new auspices of the White House Office of Urban Policy.