In his essay, "The Pleasures of Eating," farmer and author Wendell Berry writes about the "politics of food." He describes the way food is produced and distributed, examines its content, nutritional value and cost, and explains how all of this affects us.
The way to improve the quality of our food, and thereby our lives, he writes, is to be "responsible consumers."
When we decided to put together the Metro Times' first special issue on food, the goals, in part, were to raise awareness of our relationship to food and have fun with this topic. After all, it is a source of entertainment and pleasure, particularly during the upcoming holidays.
But as the stories were finalized, it became apparent that each had a political dimension, raising questions such as: What if Americans gave up eating meat? How will genetically altered food alter our health? Who does not get enough to eat and why? Hopefully, the issues these stories raise will make us more conscious and "responsible consumers."
So dig in and eat up.
Working poor, working hungry
by Ann Mullen
'You have to pay rent ... you can always eat less'
Making ends meet with hunger
by Ann Mullen
For some senior citizens, hunger is constant companion.
Food for thought
by Metro Times staff
Consumption, calories and calculations.
Where's the beef?
by Desiree Cooper
What if Americans put the meat-eating habit out to pasture?
Fasting down
by George Tysh
The Tao that can be eaten is not the eternal Tao.
Brain fat and feminism
by Jennifer Bagwell
Pounds perturb progressive, whether she likes it or not.
Taste the new
by Alisa Gordaneer
Trends may come and trends may go, but we'll keep eating them up.
Dive-through dining
by Peter Werbe
For many city dwellers, Dumpsters offer a discarded bounty.
Lovin' spoonfuls
by Ann Mullen
A few bites of comfort food can make the world a little cozier.
A natural solution
by Alisa Gordaneer
Going organic is the only way to sure.
Invisible ingredients
by Alisa Gordaneer
Don't look now — you may be eating a plateful of Frankenfood.
Eating in the dark
by Timothy Dugdale
When you put singing and flesh eating together, how can you go wrong?
Past and repast
by Desiree Cooper
The colonists repaid kindness with bloodshed.
