Big Cheese Eats The Bunny
By VeggieVal | January 19, 2010
Today Kraft Foods agreed to buy Cadbury for about $19.6 billion (with a B!) which is about 11.9 billion pounds worth in the UK. This conglomerate will create the world’s biggest confectioner. I chose to express my feelings about this takeover with my first political cartoon, proving only that I can photoCHOP with the best of them.
You will recall my earlier post praising Cadbury UK for going Fair Trade with some of their chocolate. Considering Kraft’s legal troubles surrounging their idea of what percentage of cheese makes for ‘real’ cheese (They believe it can be zero and settled out of court on the last one), I am hard-pressed to be hopeful that the Fair Trade and organic markets will stand up to American capitalism at its most humungous. Perhaps CEO Irene Rosenfeld considers this a move to further the company’s stake in health-conscious foods. Who am I kidding? The world loves a good sweet and as long as Consumer Lemmings follow the lead of advertising rather than seeking out healthful chocolates that help them and the planet, Big Brother… er… I mean Big Business will be able to dictate what we eat. They know what’s best for us after all, don’t they?
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Obama’s Vegetarian State Dinner
By VeggieVal | November 29, 2009
Veggie Dinner & Sustainable Local Decor
A few thoughts about Obama’s hosting Prime Minister Singh and his wife for a state dinner for 320 last night. Veggie fare and sustainable local decor. How insightful. There is a reason he won the Nobel Peace Prize for his ‘tone’ and ‘intention’. How lovely that the United States might start to be seen as a leader in what affects the world once again. I am speaking about reducing the # 1 source of greenhouse gas emissions – cattle feed lots – by eating fewer cows. This is especially pertinent as the Copenhagen Environmental talks are this week. Here are a few quotes from The New York Times article that centers strictly on the reporting rather than any hopeful implications about which I might opine. Ya’ gotta dream.
“The meatless menu included a mix of Indian and American favorites, including some African-American standards. Collard greens and curried prawns, chickpeas and okra, nan and cornbread were served to the 320 guests.” “They hired a new florist, Laura Dowling, who bedecked the tented outdoor dining room with locally grown, sustainably harvested magnolia branches and ivy. Marcus Samuelsson of Aquavit was the guest chef.”Yes, I know most of India is vegetarian and so such a menu would only be proper when the dinner is given in India’s honor, but isn’t it interesting to see this type of situation rather than one where the vegetarian has to ask for the ’special meal’? I wonder if a guest could have special ordered a slab o’ dead red ahead of time at that dinner? Doubtful. How about if it were medically necessary? <grin> Okay. The prawns made it not vegetarian, but the exception used to be the rule. Go host your own vegetarian dinner for your visiting dignitaries. It’s good enough for the President.
Click here to see the entire group of photos from Luke Sharrett of The New York Times.
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Fetch Me A Stick!
By VeggieVal | November 27, 2009
Ever have Grandma threaten you with that? Well, this post is about a different kind of stick you hunt for – the perfect marshmallow roasting stick. Maybe it’s the Girl Scout in me, but it’s tradition around a campfire. Now the task has gotten all citified and sterile by the offering of Read the rest of this entry »
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Le Cordon Vert veg quiz
By VeggieVal | August 28, 2009
I have always wanted to take veggie cooking classes at Le Cordon Vert in the U.K. I just perused their bright new website and thought I would share some of what I found. Read the rest of this entry »
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Julie & Julia – A Generous Helping of Inspiration
By VeggieVal | August 5, 2009
The audience at the pre-screening of “Julie & Julia” in Atlanta last night cheered, applauded, wept, laughed and sat in amazement at not only two magnificent acting performances, but at the movie’s inspirational power. I was happy to be among them. It’s because of this type of inspiration that, Read the rest of this entry »
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