Comments on: Food: the destiny of our nation http://www.tracingpaper.org.uk/2008/07/11/food-the-destiny-of-our-nation/ A piecemeal investigation into the origins of our food Fri, 21 Nov 2008 14:52:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Nick http://www.tracingpaper.org.uk/2008/07/11/food-the-destiny-of-our-nation/#comment-4523 Nick Mon, 14 Jul 2008 10:16:48 +0000 http://www.tracingpaper.org.uk/?p=109#comment-4523 Alex - yes, I admit it was a cheap shot. It's just disappointing that the government allowed the publication of such an important report, and the discussion of the food crisis at the G8 summit, to become an opportunity for this sort of cheap shot. Looking at the media coverage, the leftovers issue and the G8 leaders' menu clearly distracted attention from the other, very real issues. I like your suggestion. Imagine how powerful a message it would send if global leaders resisted the temptation to show off (as hosts) and indulge (as guests) and instead ate a meal typical of those eaten by most of the planet. Or if they sent a clear message by eating an exemplary meal of sustainable food. Alex - yes, I admit it was a cheap shot. It’s just disappointing that the government allowed the publication of such an important report, and the discussion of the food crisis at the G8 summit, to become an opportunity for this sort of cheap shot. Looking at the media coverage, the leftovers issue and the G8 leaders’ menu clearly distracted attention from the other, very real issues. I like your suggestion. Imagine how powerful a message it would send if global leaders resisted the temptation to show off (as hosts) and indulge (as guests) and instead ate a meal typical of those eaten by most of the planet. Or if they sent a clear message by eating an exemplary meal of sustainable food.

]]> By: Alex http://www.tracingpaper.org.uk/2008/07/11/food-the-destiny-of-our-nation/#comment-4492 Alex Fri, 11 Jul 2008 18:03:55 +0000 http://www.tracingpaper.org.uk/?p=109#comment-4492 I don't really disagree with anything you're saying here. However, I do think that your second to last paragraph is something of a cheap shot at Gordon Brown. There is no suggestion (that I've come across) that Brown sat down and planned the breadth and depth of the menu. He's essentially a guest of the G8 summit and its hosts - the Japanese. And we all know how we'd feel if we'd prepared a meal and a guest arrived and announced that he or she wasn't about to eat our food because it hadn't been sourced sustainably/wasn't organic/didn't fit in with the latest fad diet/etc. As a guest you turn up and eat your food graciously. Secondly, my personal experience has been that there is far less waste when dining from a well executed tasting menu. Yes - many courses sounds indulgent, but often the dishes are small, and I leave feeling a lot less full than if I've been presented with three courses of huge plates of stodgy food. It would be more appropriate to take a pop at the organisers of these meals. But then, as hosts, the Japanese will, naturally, want to showcase the best they can offer. Perhaps it would have been interesting to see the world leaders spend a day at their discussions nourished by only that available to the poorest people in the world as a counterpoint. I don’t really disagree with anything you’re saying here. However, I do think that your second to last paragraph is something of a cheap shot at Gordon Brown.

There is no suggestion (that I’ve come across) that Brown sat down and planned the breadth and depth of the menu. He’s essentially a guest of the G8 summit and its hosts - the Japanese. And we all know how we’d feel if we’d prepared a meal and a guest arrived and announced that he or she wasn’t about to eat our food because it hadn’t been sourced sustainably/wasn’t organic/didn’t fit in with the latest fad diet/etc. As a guest you turn up and eat your food graciously.

Secondly, my personal experience has been that there is far less waste when dining from a well executed tasting menu. Yes - many courses sounds indulgent, but often the dishes are small, and I leave feeling a lot less full than if I’ve been presented with three courses of huge plates of stodgy food.

It would be more appropriate to take a pop at the organisers of these meals. But then, as hosts, the Japanese will, naturally, want to showcase the best they can offer. Perhaps it would have been interesting to see the world leaders spend a day at their discussions nourished by only that available to the poorest people in the world as a counterpoint.

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