Friday Five: Food

How to participate: 1) Join holy memes and kosmic blog starters
and check it out every Friday for a different set of five questions. 2)
Copy and paste those questions (and this message!) into your blog. 3)
Tag your entry with the words "Friday Five" and post it. 4) Come back
to the pod and tell us about your post. 5) Message suzanne with ideas for next week. Let's spread the seeds! 

1) What is your philosophy on food?
Food is the body's fuel, a way to nurture ourselves and become closer to the earth.  The farther from the earth the food product is, the less likely it is to be nurturing.  That doesn't stop me from eating all sorts of things, of course, but I do try to be conscious of where things come from.  I worked for a while at an organic foods company, and I learned some important lessons about food politics, conventional farming, flavor, and health.  

 2) What's your favorite kind of food? Why?
Oh, tough one.  I'm a big fan currently of South Asian (Indian, Thai, Bangladeshi) and Ethiopian food, although cheese will always be a huge favorite of mine.  I am learning an appreciation of subtle spices.

 3) What qualities do you seek in the food you eat?
Fresh, locally grown when possible, organic when possible (and affordable).  I try to avoid lots of pre-packaged stuff, especially from conventional companies who load it down with chemicals.  I must avoid high fructose corn syrup for my own health, and that puts a big damper on how much packaged or restaurant food I can enjoy without worry. 

4) How can you use food in worship/ritual/spiritual practices?
Well, food is a part of my ritual practice, as "Cakes and Wine" are part of every circle.  It's a wise thing - chewing and digesting helps ground us back to the earth after ritual activity, and communal sharing strengthens the bonds within the group. 

5) What is missing in today's eating habits? What's missing in your eating habits?
A sense of proportion and a respect for the origin of the food.  I'd like to see a world where every child understands that beef comes from a living, breathing cow, a cow that has to be fed on enough grain to feed a small village in the Third World.  I'd like to see a world where quality was valued about quantity, and value given for value.  So many people, especially in America, eat three or four times the amount they need at a single meal.  Meat portions especially are often overdone, and no balancing vegetable consumed.
I'd like to see a world where local farmers were supported by their communities, and genetic diversity was maintained in traditional farming techniques, with no megacorporations trying to "trademark" a particular strain. This ensures a vibrant and healthy crop, and would bring more colors and flavors to the plate of any average person.    

Optional: 6) Have any favorite recipes you want to share? (Even if you don't cook…)
My best friend makes this one.  

Mushroom-Lima Bean Risotto
Slice several mushrooms.   Rinse one cup of large fresh lima beans.  Cook one cup risotto to preferred tenderness.  Shred two wedges of parmesan cheese (approx 1/2 pound) into risotto, stir until melted and well-mixed.  Add mushrooms and lima beans.  Simmer until beans are tender.  Serve with white wine or sparkling juice.  Serves 2, I think, although usually we just eyeball the measurements, to be honest.