Soohwan has worked for Food for the Hungry in south-east Asia, so she was an invaluable contributor to our discussion. While she acknowledged the relief that food aid brings to hungry communities, she identified some downsides of foreign (usually western) aid: that the seed supplied was often patented (so local farmers were not allowed to save seed but had to buy it for subsequent crops); the seed provided through aid programs often wasn't appropriate for the local growing conditions; food aid often altered the local diet (sometimes to the detriment of general health and well-being); and that political arrangements sometimes meant foreign food was sold below cost, so local farmers found it difficult to sell what they were able to grow.
I must admit that this discussion got us all a bit glum about world food supplies and how our governments sometimes contribute troubles to those already suffering from hunger. Although I can't vouch for its practices, if you want a free opportunity to contribute rice to an aid programme, click the "free rice" link on the right-hand side of this blog. It takes you to a little game where you can 'earn' rice by correctly identifying word meanings. The rice is paid for by the sponsorship banners at the bottom of the game, and the words are interesting too. My highest vocab level was 46.
Our reading for this class was to browse the coffee-table-book Hungry Planet, by Peter Menzel and Faith D'Aluisio. Each photograph showed a family's food for a typical week, and was accompanied by an essay describing the family, their occupations, eating habits and culture. My quote comes from the interview with an Equadorean family from a village in the Andean mountains.
“Has anyone in the family ever eaten fast food?”
“One time, when I was at a course of study in Ambato,” says Orlando. “It was meat on bread [a hamburger]. It was okay, but a bit strange. And I wasn’t able to see how it was made” (p. 116, my italics).
“One time, when I was at a course of study in Ambato,” says Orlando. “It was meat on bread [a hamburger]. It was okay, but a bit strange. And I wasn’t able to see how it was made” (p. 116, my italics).
Is being able to see how our food is made an important part of our food culture?
After the heavy discussion, the day ended with a celebration of American culture as another group (all American) presented their mindful meal: Food From the New World. Each dish was accompanied with a reading (myths and legends, information about its source or original development, poems, etc.).
Their menu consisted of:
- New England Clam Chowder in a Sourdough Bread Bowl
- Mixed Greens (some wild) with Apple Cider Vinaigrette
- Haida Sugar Salmon (Wild Pacific Sockeye)
- Black Krim Heritage Tomatoes with Herbed Polenta and Goat Cheese Ricotta
- Rosemary Roasted Red Potatoes
- Steamed Asparagus with Butter, Cracked Pepper and Salt
- Apple Pie and Hand-cranked Vanilla Ice Cream
- Cafe au Lait with Roasted Dandelion Root
The clams were local and the salmon had come from Siberia. Loren took note of Robert's hand-carved spatula, too. 
The tomatoes were beautiful and delicious. We were all blessed by this group, who saved the tomato seeds, dried them, and gave us each some. (After a bit of research, I was able to take them (legally) through NZ Customs and give them to my grandad. Hopefully he'll get them to grow this summer!) 
The asparagus was divine (as it always is)! The "pie a la mode" was great, too, with that beautiful creamy icecream. The dandelion coffee would take a bit of getting used to, if I was to drink it all the time, but the story behind the similar use of chicory root during the Civil War was fascinating.
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