Food Fightby
Vivian Britton Now that Christmas has come and gone, I can finally take in a little grocery shopping unhindered by the holiday hordes who cramp my style every year. Granted, I live in rural area whose population couldn’t fill a New York subway, but I need relative calm to scrutinize every detail of a food selection that’s becoming increasingly compromised – compliments of our tyrannical Corporatocracy. Yes, thanks to collusion between the state and Monsantos of this world, my grocery-shopping excursions demand more vigilance then ever. If the response to my first Sovereign Cook article is any indicator, many of you are thinking along the same proactive lines. And why wouldn’t you? The state’s progressing onslaught against real food is nothing less than a war on it’s own people; but apparently, it takes the independent spirit to recognize, much less care about this clear and present danger. How else does one explain its apparent success in fooling most of the people, most of the time?
Not to be outdone by the Nanny State, my once favorite grocer has taken it upon itself to post blue labels next to foods deemed nutritionally superior – no doubt based on the USDA model. "Blue is Better" the store says. I say the labels should be ripped off and burned beyond recognition, along with Rachel Ray’s infernal grin and the Nanny State’s evil mandates. And I’d personally do the honors were it not for the security cameras that menace every intersection. Yes, they’ve found their way into rural America too. But not to worry. The Sovereign Cook is not led astray by inanimate objects, other shoppers, or the state. Fact is, the whole ordeal can actually be quite fun if approached from a Sovereign State of Mind. Think of your grocery-shopping excursion as a culinary treasure hunt, of sorts. Within the store’s isled labyrinth lies the booty you seek, but a diabolical cast of tricksters and hustlers stand between you and your treasure – some of them downright deadly. Aspartame-riddled "diet" soda effortlessly reels in the drone. Pasteurized, hormone-laced udder pus masquerading as milk ambushes the uniformed. And "heart healthy" canola margarine ensnares the sucker. Armed with my anarcho-grocery list, I’ve managed to avoid most of the usual pitfalls while maintaining optimum health – without a doctor. Although, dodging the drug-pushing medical establishment for much of my life may have a good deal to do with my disease-free existence. Lately, my list is a reflection of products and ingredients I avoid more than anything. Take rice milk. I often find Rice Dream a worthy milk substitute, but the company is now adding canola oil (LEAR oil) to some of its varieties. Soon, I fear, Rice Dream will be struck from my list for including this over-hyped, refined oil. Removal of many commercial food brands has forced me to become friends with my grocer’s bulk food bins, where foods in a relatively unadulterated state can be had in any quantity I like. Including the following whole, unrefined foods in my grocery list appears to keep me running on all cylinders, all the time:
Red Wine: Recently under attack by the Nanny State, I can’t imagine culinary life without it. Along with the usual salt and pepper, splash a little wine in your soup and lasagna for added warmth and character, and while you’re at it, splash some down your thirsty gullet. Raw Cheese: Don’t settle for the pasteurized, BGH-laced variety the FDA force-feeds the masses. Vote with your wallet, and support local farms that still craft real dairy products. In lieu of domestic availability, I often purchase Swiss Emmental. Real Salt: Real Salt is essential to your health. No wonder the state hates it! I use it every day and benefit from its iodine and 50 trace minerals. Steer clear of the refined variety unless you also want sugar and chemicals with your salt.
Raw Apple Cider Vinegar: Enzymes and potassium are removed during the pasteurization commercial vinegars undergo, so pick up a bottle of good old-fashioned vinegar. Fill a jar with sliced cucumbers, add salt and whatever spices you fancy. Pour in vinegar a quarter of the way up, then fill the rest with water. Let it sit in your fridge a week or so and you’ve got pickles! You can repeat this process with other veggies and even hard-boiled eggs. I find myself reaching for a shot glass of the stuff when I run out of pickles. Nuts: Prepackaged nuts often harbor refined oils and preservatives, due in part to their short shelf-life. Buy them raw in small quantities from the bulk food bin, then roast them in the oven for a high-protein delight. Brown Basmati Rice: It took a while, but I finally found a brown rice worthy of recommendation. Indian brown basmati can be had in the bulk bin, Costco, and even Wal-Mart. For great rice at the touch of a button, invest in a rice cooker. White rice may have a longer shelf life, but it’s so short on nutrition it must be "enriched" by US law, and qualifies as yet another refined starch Unrefined Coconut Oil: The American Heart Association vilifies it, so I make a point of ingesting it often. With its high flash-point, it can’t be beat for stir-fries. Local Eggs: I hesitate to use terms like "free range" as viable alternatives in the hellish realm of commercial egg farming. Fact is, the USDA has a long ways to go with full disclosure of production methods, and you’re better off buying from small, local sources. In lieu of this, Organic Valley is a respected name in humane egg production, and widely available. Why do I mention their humane philosophy? Because what’s good for the birds is good for you.
January 7, 2008 Vivian Britton [send her mail] is an American misanthrope, writer, musician, and editor of vivianbritton.com. Copyright © 2008 Vivian Britton |
Prozac-induced
stupor aside, the dumb-downed minion stoops to witless lows behind
the steering handle of a shopping cart. I see her whenever I visit
the grocery store, or rather, she sees me analyzing the imported
beer selection and decides it looks pretty interesting – even though
she doesn’t drink. You know the type. The parasitical drone led
through the isles apparently more by your shopping cart than her
own grocery list. But then, the sheeple among us rarely bother themselves
with grocery lists, as that actually requires a spark of individual
forethought. Much easier to let a fellow shopper or Rachel Ray’s
cardboard display decide what’s for dinner. 
Lentils:
The ancient legume deserves a place in everyone’s pantry. Versatile,
cheap, easy to cook and readily assimilated by the body, this protein-dense
powerhouse is hard to beat. I purchase them in 20-lb bags as a ready
base for soups, stews, chili, you name it. They’ll store for months
in a cool basement or pantry.
Bottle
Conditioned Beer: Typical commercial beers are filtered and
pasteurized. In a word, they’re dead. I’m fond of the hoppy
Steel-Cut
Oats: These whole-grain groats have superior flavor, texture,
and nutrition over the garden-variety rolled oat – but they take
longer to cook. That’s not a problem with a slow cooker. Before
going to bed, simply toss three parts water, one part oats and a
dash of salt in a small slow cooker, set on low, and wake up to
a delicious breakfast. I like to stir in butter, toasted walnuts,
and raisins to tide me over till lunch. Find steel-cut oats in your
bulk food bin, or look for McCanns Irish Oatmeal in the cereal isle.
Detailing
my entire list would comprise the better part of a book, but you
get the idea. Seek out sources of real food whenever possible, and
do your homework before stepping foot onto the Nanny State’s battleground.
As for me, I’m in the process of revising my grocery list…again.