God's Serving Integrity and it Tastes Devine

If you're passionate about anything at all, you hope to inspire those most dear. Remove all ignorance and be known. There's no denying my passion for food and service so long as I can remember. Some of my fondest memories are of  fishing with my grandfather. I'd hover over his shoulder as he filleted our catch. I peeled vegetables with my grandmother and baked bread with my mother. Everything we made was from scratch.

My grandmother schooled me on which silver to use and my mother on my manner. My grandfather provided all the charade, our dining room the fanciest of restaurants. He'd inspect my glass against the light then pour a third of a glass. He'd snap my napkin over my lap, and confirm his perfect pour, "2% sir?" I often wonder who I'd be if it wasn't for the time we shared? For the time it took to prepare good food was the time we knew each other.

It hardly takes a keen eye to know that times have changed. I can stand in a checkout at the grocery store and be horrified by what I see. Chicken nuggets, hot dogs, frozen pizza, ready made sauces, powdered juice, canned pasta, processed meat and more. I wonder where all the ingredients have gone? Hot dogs alone are a multi-billion dollar industry in North America and if you're from the U.S.A, you celebrate, "National Hot Dog Month".  Every July is a special time to honor it's contents of mechanically separated chicken, pork and beef. It's a delicious batter of meat, skin and bone laced with massive amounts of salt. Thickening agents are used to bind its contents that are also known to include snouts, ears, organs, vegetarian meat substitutes and preservatives. The only people that should celebrating "Hot Dog Month", are the people that sell them!

I'm hesitant to think it was God's intentions when he appointed Noah to build an ark. Preserve all species two by two, so they may walk the earth once more. Depicted by artists, Jesus stands over the 12 apostles and God's  bounty of fresh ingredients. "The Last Supper", as it were. A feast! A blessing of nourishing food. Blasphemous it would be if it were written of 5000, that Jesus fed them til their bellies were full, but only 2 chicken nuggets and 5 pizza pockets.

I count my blessings today for the many chefs and food lovers that protect the integrity of food. I'm hopeful when I see food forums and food communities that have so many recipes to teach. They're full of passionate people that post their beautiful images. It's easy to feel inspired when so many learn from each other. So many families will benefit from their passion about good food.

Jamie Oliver on taking processed food away from our children. -"It's like taking away a pair of David Beckham Adidas football boots and giving them a pair of Jesus sandals."

Nothing could be closer to the truth.

If you've never heard of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution, I strongly urge you to watch his documentary called Jamie's School Dinners. It chronicles his plight to ban processed food from London schools. It's a shocking  series that follows a celebrity chef's efforts as he moves to convert children's eating habits, gain the confidence of school boards, increase funding from government and keep the support of parents.

Obesity
Heart & Stroke
Depression
A.D.D.
Diabetes
Anorexia
Mental Illness

Only to mention a handful of ways that our children won't live with dignity. There's crucial few years that young bodies and minds will have to develop and grow. It's the only chance we have to influence their standard of life. Entire Nations suffer from famine and disease. A starving child will never have a choice to eat with integrity or not. It's horrifying to think it's appropriate, the gut wrenching image it is. A child deserves the necessities of life. A child deserves good food.

I certainly don't live perfectly. Not by any means a medical authority. I'm just a cook that knows good food that's made with real ingredients.

Jamie's School Dinners:

Episode 1 part 1
Episode 1 part 2
Episode 1 part 3
Episode 1 part 4
Episode 2 part 1
Episode 2 part 2
Episode 2 part 3
Episode 2 part 4
Episode 3 part 1
Episode 3 part 2
Episode 3 part 3
Episode 3 part 4
Episode 4 part 1
Episode 4 part 2
Episode 4 part 3
Episode 4 part 4
Episode 5 part 1
Episode 5 part 2
Episode 5 part 3
Episode 5 part 4
Episode 5 part 5