"Just imagine what Madison Avenue could do if they wanted to sell home cooking,” he said. "

[cali]

That last line from the article I link to, really struck me. The article is about Michael Moss and Michael Pollan cooking a simple lunch and it's about how Americans don't cook anymore. Not that that is anything new. For the last 50 years or so, ever since the introduction of prepared and semi-prepared "convenience" food, Americans as a whole have abandoned cooking. Yes, there's a small segment of foodies and people who are concerned by what they eat, but generally people don't really cook very much. The thing is if you simply avoid convenience food and prepared snacks and sugary drinks and don't eat a lot of meat, you'll find yourself cooking and eating pretty healthy meals.

<snip>

The Dining section had brought together Mr. Pollan (whose latest book, “Cooked,” was published last week) and Mr. Moss to make a tasty, reasonably healthy lunch. But there was a stipulation: they had to use ingredients that could be found at just about any grocery store. There would be no farmers’ market produce, no grass-fed beef or artisanal anything.

It’s not so tough a task for someone with basic cooking skills and savvy about the products on the shelves. But, as both men suggest in their books, that’s no longer a given among Americans.

<snip>

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/01/dining/making-lunch-with-michael-pollan-and-michael-moss.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

[SoCalDem]

1. At least a few "crops" of kids grew up without learning to cook

It used to be a given that kids learned to cook, wash & dry dishes, clean the kitchen etc.

Kitchens used to be separate rooms where busy Moms incorporated their kids into the chores so they could have extra hands, teach them to cook and keep an eye on them all at once..

My boys loved to knead bread, chop veggies (yes they all retained their digits), and they learned to read coupons and helped with shopping.

They grew up allergy-free...lean & healthy and all their wives LOVE the fact that they are excellent cooks..

[Javaman]

2. I can't even count the times, my mom would have me "stir the gravy" when we

had pasta.

Before my mom passed away, it took a few years, but I had recorded all of her recipes that I know would vanish with her, when she was gone.

As a result, I make my moms egg plant parmesan. It's not hers but it's close.

[SoCalDem]

4. When each one left the nest, I sent with them

a handwritten notebook of family favorites...

They still call occasionally with a question about something they ate as a kid

Our oldest married a woman who could not cook, so the first time they did the turkey & trimmings, he called a bunch of times to check in & get reassurance that it's practically impossible to ruin baked turkey

[Javaman]

5. Passing the torch. :) nt

[Brickbat]

3. While our attitude toward food and cooking is indeed warped, there's a lot of class privilege in

this article.

“There’s just a cultural problem of persuading people it’s a valuable way to spend their time.”

While a lot of people profess to be busy, there are a lot of others who do truly do not have time to do this kind of shopping and food prep every day, three times a day. Multiple jobs, food deserts, transportation challenges and money all factor in.

“By the way, what are we engaged in now?” Mr. Pollan deadpanned, as he tended to the pot. “This supposedly impossible drudgery that is just soul-crushing?”

I see this as a dig at early feminism, frankly. Making a pizza with a famous author isn't drudgery. Planning 27 meals a week for a family of four on a limited budget and multiple tastes can be. And not only that, some people just don't like cooking and find it a drudgery. That's OK, Pollan!

“If you develop the right attitude about onions, cooking becomes more interesting.”

I don't find chopping onions to be a chore, and this still makes me roll my eyes. It's all about attitude, people!

And so on. There is a problem with food in this country. This isn't the way to solve it. It's simply another NYT-centric article used to cross-promote what it finds important and what has little to do with the rest of the country outside the newspaper's core cultural audience.