I was just reading something over on Tracy's blog about her frustration with (among other things) the poor quality of fabric available in most fabric stores. The Very Fine fabric store is something that's on the way out, I fear, which is especially distressing for those of us who have just taken up sewing.
Tracy's post reminded me of hearing Michael Pollan (The Omnivore's Dilemma, etc.) on Fresh Air last night. He was talking about how we love watching the Food Network, but fewer and fewer people actually cook anymore. In fact, a marketing expert he talked to told him that cooking is on its way out. In the same way we can't quite get our heads around our grandparents going out back to kill a chicken for dinner, our grandkids will find the idea of cooking from scratch as very strange indeed.
As it turns out, Pollan just published a long article on this very subject (prompted, I believe, by the upcoming release of the film Julie and Julia, which I can't wait to see, Julia Child being a hero of mine) in last Sunday's New York Times Magazine. Here's the link if you want to read it. It's interesting and insightful, and in its way horrifying.
Anyway, I just wanted to mention this and to let you know that like sewing and chicken slaughtering, cooking dinner is about to become a thing of the past. One day you'll go into a store to get a new set of measuring cups and be flat out of luck. "I don't think they make these anymore," the clerk will say. "What did you say you use 'em for?"
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5 comments:
Hi LHH! I hope your trip was fun!
I HOPE people will take up cooking now that times are tough. We need to start a movement called Invite Friends Over For Dinner. I would way rather meet people at restaurants because I'm lazy, but having someone in your home and making them something tasty is a huge act of love, don't you think? I bet we could make some money teaching young brides and grooms how to make a heavenly pot roast. I know at school, I sometimes bring my rice cooker and make the class that meets before lunch a HUGE pot of rice and they come back for seconds. Then we play Free Rice . com and earn grains for the hungry as we try our skill with new words. Some of them never get homecooked meals. I can't wait to see that Julia movie. We need to keep cooking and leading the way. I agree about fabric. I'm going to start wearing clothes made from the fabric at quilting stores because it IS so hard to find good fabric. Have you read The Irresistible Revolution: Life as an Ordinary Radical? It's so good. I'm glad you're back! I was supposed to go to the library today to get my Frances books I reserved. I hope they held them for me. Good to hear from you!
I want to see that movie too!!! I can't wait til it finally arrives here.
Ah yes, cooking from scratch means something quite different now, to what it did 20 years ago. I hope I've managed to instill in my children a love of good food that will inspire them to cook for themselves.
Meanwhile, a Busy Boy needs disciplining, in between that fabric weaving we have so much time for LOL.
Pom Pom--Not only have I read The Irresistible Revolution, I actually went to see Shane on his Jesus for President tour. Very inspiring!
Tracy--One of the interesting things Pollan mentioned is that nowadays people think it's cooking from scratch when they assemble ready-made stuff and put it in the oven. So a homemade pizza is dough from a can, sauce from a jar, pre-shredded cheese, etc. It's a big shift in perspective, for sure.
I remember walking into a Costco for the first time with my sister. (Think country mouse goes to see city mouse) I was truly astounded to see rotisserie chickens that you could bag up and take home. I, on the other hand, butchered chickens.
I know many children who live not far from me who do not know where milk comes from. Sad.
I am lucky with the Good Fabric Store. Our Small Town has one. Oh, it's so much fun to go there and I intend to throw all my sewing business her way and send all my friends.
Jody
I printed off that Pollan article and read it in bed over the course of a couple of nights. It was worthwhile! Thanks for the link.
It wasn't that long ago I was making my own graham crackers and even soy milk--the latter only once, though!
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