Hi. My name is Lisa and I’m obsessed with food. Not just what to eat for lunch today (though, yes, that too), but where it came from, how and by whom it was produced (and with how much processing), and how far it had to travel to get to me, and what kinds of privilege it takes to be able to even make an issue out of all these things in the first place.
I also grew up cooking (thanks, mom!), and am kinda shocked by how many people have told me that they “can’t cook.” Seems to me these folks think of cooking as this great big daunting project that they need all sorts of knowledge to undertake. But here’s the truth: making wholesome, healthy, delicious food is totally easy.
So Cook Food and this blog are about two separate but intertwined things. One: showing people just how easy it is to make good food from fresh ingredients. Two: exploring the politics of food and figuring out just how it all translates into the everyday decisions we all have to make.
‘Cause let’s face it, we’re juggling a lot of issues while figuring out what and how to feed ourselves—our ecological footprint, from the chemicals used (or not) to grow our food to the fuel that ships it to the packaging it’s wrapped in; the health and safety of the workers who produce our food; the welfare of any animals involved; our own health; and our budget of money, time, and energy. There’s hardly ever a perfect choice, but we all need to eat.
So we make these imperfect choices and do the best we can for ourselves, our communities, and the larger world, three times a day, every day.
