Podchef's Gastrocast Podcast

Welcome to the Podchef's Gastrocast!
The podcast about cooking, food, and the politics of what we eat.

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Gastrocast Cookbook

Gastrocast #90

In this, the last Gastrocast of 2006, we celebrate Christmas with a spectacular ham, say goodbye to the old year, and look to the new.


Flickr Photos

The Gastrocast Forum

by: ChefNeal at 12/27/06 23:38 | link | comments |
food, cooking, podchef, gastrocast, christmas, culinary podcast, gastrocast forum, ham

Merry Christmas!

by: ChefNeal at 12/24/06 19:22 | link | comments (2)|

Digg Me!

I'm in the kitchen today preparing the Christmas Ham and helping get the bakes goodies ready for tomorrow. I'm also deep into planning next week's show. . .

Meanwhile, if you want to give the show a boost, or a Christmas Present which will cost you nothing, other than a few minutes--than why not Digg it!  While you're there, go head and digg your other favorite podcasts. (Thanks to Heather of WIggly Wiggler's, who's now been dugg!).  If you really want to show your appreciation in more, err. . .tangible ways. . .there are links on the page to a paypal donations box, amazon.com wishlist and honor box. . . .

As well, please visit The Gastrocast Forum--soon to be the pulsing heart of the show. Make your suggestions for what we should do on the 100th episode, suggest shows for the upcomming year and join in the political food discussions already underway.

Many Thanks!

by: ChefNeal at 12/24/06 15:43 | link | comments |
wiggly wigglers, gastrocast forum, digg

Gastrocast #89

No, that outhouse isn't on fire! It's the Smokehouse we build on this week's Show.  Yes, join me for a Christmas time DIY Smoked Ham special. Along the way we will talk about hams, discuss what's happening on the Gastrocast Forum and talk about some news items.

Hope you enjoy the show!

Flickr Photos
Defeated McDonalds
The Kitchen Garden Company

by: ChefNeal at 12/20/06 23:17 | link | comments (3)|
food, cooking, podchef, gastrocast, smoking, cooking show podcast, culinary podcast, meat, diy, food preservation, gastrocast forum, smokehouse, ham

Extinction

It seems as diseases run rampant through our food system, the USDA threatens the very existence of diversified farming, and the Global Corporations corrupt the meaning of consumer-known terms, that there is little other bad news that food, agriculture and the politics of what we eat can stand.

Not so. It turns out that over the last 15 years Livestock has become one of the biggest contender for "Endangered Species", with over 190 breeds of Barnyard Critter disappearing forever. That's one breed a month, with another 1500 in grave danger of going the same way.

Blame the Globalization of the food market for the reduction of 7600 different and varied breeds down to only 14 providing 90% of the human food supply. This loss of diversity and genetics is horrible and will have grave consequences if not stopped soon.

Unless local, small farms are allowed to thrive and become a pool of resources for rare and heritage breeds than all the bio-security, livestock tracing, disease erradication methods and other attempts at provinding a "safe and secure" food system (yah, right. . . ) will not only be for naught, but will also, more likely, have exacerbated the problem.

Now is the time to act. Globalization is destroying agriculture and the rural character of our nation. The assult against farming is mounting and there are those who wish to do away with all farms and return all rural (and many urban) lands to the wild. What will we eat then, when there is no livestock and all wild animals are protected?

If we want to protect our food supply and the biological diversity which will carry it into the future for our benefit, our children's and future generations benefit and for the animals than we must encourage and support local rare-breed farmers. If we don't start creating a demand for rare-breed livestock by eating it, they will surely disappear. Most of the reason for their demise is that they take longer to grow to slaughter weight, are harder to handle, don't take well to intense rearing methods, or--as in the case of wool-only breeds of sheep--modern technology has replaced the need for them. However, in most instances these breeds of livestock not only taste better than modern, commercial breeds but also have more character and hardiness--including disease resistance, heat tollerance and forage adaptablilty.

I encourage you to not only eat and source local foods, but also find farmers who raise rare-breed and heritage livestock. You will be doing them and yourselfs a flavor. I am commited to this myself in that I raise Dorking Chickens, Scottish Highland Cattle, Cotswold Sheep, and have an English Shepherd. We are also hoping to get into the rare Leicester Longwool Sheep.

by: ChefNeal at 12/19/06 16:24 | link | comments |
english shepherd, livestock, animal extermination, extinction, endangered species, rare breeds, heritage breeds, dorkings, costwold sheep

Outbreaks

There seem to be an unlimited number of food-borne disease outbreaks lately--or is it just that they are getting more press coverage?

This list of 32 problems in 4 months is just the tip of the iceberg. Most of the problems have led to wild speculation as to the source and causes of the outbreaks with fingers pointing in all directions. It is unfortunate for those made sick, but just as problematic for innocent farmers caught in the cross-fire with unsalable produce.

In listening to NPR's Science Friday episode on Food Science and Agriculture (hat tip to Bill for the link) I was struck by the conversation at the end of the show on E. Coli 0157: H7. I have been led to believe that the rise of this killer bug was due to the intense nature of the Beef Industries feedlot operations, the consumption of grain which leads to acidosis and the right sort of conditions for this strain of the normally occuring bacteria, and poor hygene practices in slaughterhouses. However, I was reminded of the outbreaks of 0157 in Scotland in the mid-1990's. Most Scotish Beef isn't rasied or slaughtered in the same negligent ways as American beef, so if what I have just said is true, how can Scottish Beef be such a leading source of the problem?

What is it about the cattle being bred for consumpton today which are growing this killer bug? Why aren't the majority of grass-fed cattle afflicted by E.Coli 0157? If it is more than just grains and standing around in manure in the feedlots that's causing the increase, than why aren't other ruminants getting us sick as well? Is it the genetics of the animals? A specific breed trait which allows this to happen?

I am left with the conclusion that more needs to be done to study how E. Coli 0157:H7 came into being, which breeds are most susceptible to it and how resistance to it can be bred out through natural selection and dietary change. All other research--methods which range from giving medicine to cattle to kill the bugs to irradiating the meat  coming from slaughterhouses (which has been proven not to kill all the bugs)--are all just temporary fixes until the bacteria mutates yet again.

Check out the Forum for some more interesting discussion on Food Safety Issues and Food Processing.

by: ChefNeal at 12/19/06 15:31 | link | comments |
cattle, food contamination, beef, food safety, e coli, feedlots, foodborne illness, food science, grass fed revolution, food politics, gastrocast forum

Gastrocast #88

The penultimate Christmas Show is here. In #88 we discuss some current food politics and make Candied Peel and Great Gran's Mincemeat.

Links:

Anti-Organic Today Show Video

Eric Schlosser's NY Times E. Coli Piece

Food Security Agency Bill

Oyster Recall
E. Coli News--one, two, three, four

Flickr Photos

The Kitchen Garden Company

by: ChefNeal at 12/13/06 16:38 | link | comments |
cooking, forum, podchef, gastrocast, food contamination, food safety, christmas, foodborne illness, cooking show podcast, culinary podcast, food politics, fda, food preservation, gastrocast forum, mincemeat

Eat Locally or Die

My headline may seem a bit sensationalist--"Eat Locally or Die" but it is unfortunately very serious.

The food news this morning is full of headlines about the e.coli outbreaks, imported Oyster contamination, and haphazard food safety protocals. All of this is centered around either imported foods, or foods which have passed along a long chain of processing for shipment around the country from central distribuition points.

Rarely do you hear of contaminations from local sources of local people by local foods. I am sure it happens, and perhaps it stays out of the press because it doesn't involve more than a few individuals  or small, tight-knit communities look after their own. I don't know. But it is interesting and something very worth thinking about next time you go to the produce department. Ask yourself how far has this item travelled, where has it come from and what has been done to it in terms of processing--has it been plucked from the field, rinsed off and brought straight to the market, or has it undergone countless levels of handling--and who has been responsible for the food up until the moment you are standing there asking these questions?

If you cannot find the answeres to these questions, if you cannot know the person who rasied your food for you, if you cannot believe or trust the answers given to you, than you are taking your life and the lives of those you cook for in your own hands and should bear full responsability for your actions.

The practices of modern agriculture have let us all down. Factory farming, feedlot practices, lax labor standards, etc have allowed dangerous strains of bacteria to develop unchecked. Graft, paybacks, corporate campaign financing and other corruption have led to waste and destruction of vital food supplies and plates of sickness.

Sure more regulations, changes in government structure and increase corporate vigilance may correct these problems, but the safest and best course is to take responsability for the foods we eat ourselves--to forge relationships with the people who provide us with life-giving nutrients and stop buying heavily processed foods from around the country from sources we cannot know and cannot trust. Buy Locally, Organically and in Season, and Live!

by: ChefNeal at 12/12/06 16:10 | link | comments |
food contamination, food safety, foodborne illness, food politics