Soda Tax

NPR recently posted a segment about a Soda Tax. Soda has, for years, been linked to obesity and other health issues with endanger the individuals and thus inflate health costs for everyone - even those of us who drink soda sparingly. On average Americans drink 50 gallons of soda a year and adults who drink one soda a day are 27% more likely to be overweight or obese.

So it makes sense right? The soda companies end up paying more money - the the taxes are in production - and can provide money for programming for those impacted by soda consumption. Also, if you add a tax on the price of the actual soda it may impact who purchases today.

But there are some glitches, as there are with any tax. Taxes simply make things more expensive and for many soda has become a pig part of their revenue - convenience stores, fast food stores, grocery stores. Also, taxes only partially impact consumption and sometimes fortify an industry. Example? Tobacco. Why do we still have such a large and powerful tobacco industry? I personally believe it is because the government and society will lose a lot of tax money if tobacco goes away

So what do I think? I actually like the idea of a soda tax, as long as the money is funneled back into health care and if never becomes something we are dependent on. But I think beverage companies need to be restricted and not be able to heighten the cost to consumers because of this tax. So maybe a percentage tax would be best - I don't have the knowledge to determine an actual percent, but it seems percentage would reduce the desire for companies to increase costs.

Here is my worry.

A soda tax might help put more money into health care, but I don't think i really prevents folks from drinking soda. Both the left and right talk about taxes limiting consumption (someones for good or bad reasons), but honestly, when we as Americans want something, we want it. Think about gas. When I started driving 8 or so years ago gas cost me 89cents per gallon. Now I am lucky to find 2dollars per gallon. I understand that cares are a little more essential than soda, but even look at other products in the grocery store, fruits, can goods, cigarettes etc. the prices have gone up in the past years, but we still purchase we still consume (I will argue, if we make the price high enough people will slow down, but I doubt we will go to those lengths)

If we want to slow the impact of soda, well FDA step up and regulate how much sugar and other unhealthy items goes into soda. Soda doesn't have to be bad for us - as bad - but we have to alter what is in soda and perhaps make it less ubiquitous - we have entire aisles dedicated to liquid sugar.

I will take a soda tax for now, but it isn't even close to a solution soda's impact on obesity.

Eggs

I have often wondered about why some eggs are white and some are brown. I have heard a number of explanations including the suggestion that white eggs are unnatural and that they are dyed or bleached to look that way . I have also heard the theory that farmers give chickens some some type of drug that changes their egg color.

This week I began purchasing eggs from a colleague of mine - he as free range chickens and allows for the chickens to lay naturally (funny chicken fact, they have to learn to lay large eggs, so this first batch of his were relatively small, my wife thought they were cute). As my colleague and I were conversing about the chickens and the eggs the question of why are some eggs brown and some white arose. So, I did some research. . .

White eggs come from white eared hens and brown ones from red(dark)-eared hens. Grocery store eggs usually come from large farms or factories and the chickens are predominately always white and white chickens always have white ears. Generally, these Chickens are White Leghorns, which are easy to quickly make fat (on feed) and thus ready to lay large eggs. Free-range chickens (Rhode Island Red, the New Hampshire, and the Plymouth Rock) are typically darker-eared and tend to be the ones that are hardy and have low feed to egg ratio (since they will be supplementing their diet with insects and grass seeds). However, theories of egg whitening are not altogether false. Some large farmers/factories may employ a process that further whitens the shells, because they are what Americans have become accustomed to.

During my "research" I also found this NPR piece on the white egg/brown egg debate.

(side track - The whole what came first debate, the Chicken and Egg. Isn't it HIGHLY more probable that the Chicken came first? Who would have sat on the egg and incubated it so it would be able to hatch? Who would have taken care of the chick? And isn't an embryo inside of an egg? Where would have embryo have come from? I am not conclusively saying the chicken came first, but that makes sense to me.

Honey Crisp Apples

If you haven't had a Honeycrsip apple, you need to do so. Soon. My graduate program has snack time in the middle of our class sessions - a wonderful way to form community and keep our minds going. This week it was my turn, I generally purchase healthy food so as I was looking for fruit to Owens (Kroger) I found Honey crisp apples.

At first glance they look a little like Gala or Fugi apples on steroids. They are monstrous sized, about the circumference of a softball. Honeycrisps are actually an cultivar, which simply means an apple - or any plant - that was specifically cultivated and named after the purpose of that cultivation. If you haven't guessed, these apples are sweet and crisp and perhaps one of the best apples I have ever tasted. The first, second, third, . . . bite of the apple gives of an almost movie produced "crunch" and the succulent juice just finds every iota of your taste buds. It took almost 30minutes to eat, but every minute was worth it.

Go buy one, eat it and let me know your response.

Magnolia Foods

In August, my siblings and I converged from Maryland, North Carolina, Illinois and Indiana upon my parents house in Lynchburg Va. Alyssa and I arrived in Lynchburg a day before everyone else, so we decided to go visit Randolph College - a potential employment option - and have a a little lunch.

Magnolia Foods was a great find. In regards to eats, I had a turkey and apples sandwich – yes I broke my pescatarian ways. At first I was a little nervous about the combination, but as I began to eat I realized the genius in the mixture. The tart, crisp, green apples played a perfect complement to the slightly salty and flavorful meat. Additionally, the spicy mustard added a lil’ kick to the sandwich. As a side, I had spicy sesame noodles. They were incredible, although I wish the portion was a little larger, but that was mainly due to the fact the noodles were so good. Think Pad Thai noodles with more kick and more of a thickness. They were great.

As far as aesthetically, the restaurant was a quaint delicatessen. There wasn’t a ton of sitting place, but that played into the atmosphere. The sunlight flowed in from the front window; it was open, but intimate. It was a great place for an afternoon getaway date.

Perhaps the best element of restaurant was the local feel. Not only did it feel like the small, hometown restaurant that embeds memories on one’s heart, it supported local markets. Specifically, the local wines – they also had a good selection of beers.

If you are ever in Lynchburg, VA, stop by Magnolia foods, it’s good eats and a good environment.

Bombilla Tea

Two Tuesdays ago I went into Big Lots to buy new frying pan - one with high curled walls that will make stir frying larger veggies a little easier. One of my favorite things about Big Lots is the random and special food items they sometimes carry. As I was walking through the drink lane
I noticed Bombilla tea. Specifically, they were carrying Yerba Mate tea.

Some clarification for those that don't know. Yerba Mate is a South American type of tea made from a small shrub/tree -ike pant. Traditionally tea is infused in hot, but not boiling water because boiling water will make it bitter. The tea drank in a gourd with a bombilla - which is where the brand gets the name from. At times fruit flavorings are added to sweeten the tea. Yerba Mate usually has a similar taste and texture to green tea. The mate is fairly smooth, specifically if in a bottle or made with bags, and it is quite refreshing when drunk at a cool/cold temperature. However, the best way to drink the tea is not from a glass bottle as it is sold at Big Lots, but through hot water poured over loose mate. It is then that the power and taste of the mate can be found.

Nevertheless, I was very excited to find this tea in my small town of Huntington. Especially for 70 cents - much cheaper than ordering from the website. The version Bombilla sells seems a little Americanized, which is not surprising. But it is organic and certified by the USDA. The cool thing is simply being able to share, even in only partially, with a culture not my own. But that is also the fear I have with this drink.

Yerba Mate is becoming an American fad. Middle class folks are drinking and requesting it whenever possible. The tea is somewhat like coffee and/or chocolate without the downsides - at least from what we currently know. The tea has natural stimulants in it and it seems to have anti-cancer properties, although those are still disputed.

The dangerous thing about Americanizing Yerba Mate is the commercialism that comes with it. Now, it is pretty commercial in South America, don't have images of tribal councils gathering and drinking tea, but Americanization means mass production at another level. In one way this takes away from the uniqueness of Yerba Mate and in another way it may create an unnecessary trade policy with South Americans in which we utilize under-payed workers to feed us our tea - much like what happens with our coffee. This system will probably increase when the tea becomes more popular and more desired in the United States. Instead of having a special tea that comes with a price, we will push for a cheap that we can have at our will.

What I hope, is that we can perhaps use this tea to continue to restore aspects of community within the American culture. The drink is supposed to drank in community and I hope we can begin to have gatherings that center around drinking mate and fellowship. Hopefully, mate can be a drink that brings us together and not one that simply encourages our individualism.

For now I am going to drink my Yerba Mate from a glass, but sometime soon perhaps I can find some loose leaves gather with friends, have good conversation, and beautiful fellowship over a communal drink of Yerba Mate.

Thank God for the pigs!

In the last few weeks as I've been commuting for work, I've noticed a few times that there's this big truck full of pigs! While pigs actually gross me out, the first time I saw this truck, I saw one pig ear that slipped out of a hole and it just flopped around! This little pig ear that flapped around seriously made my day. It made me giggle as I went to work early. It was going to be a good day because I was drinking coffee, listening to Coldplay on the radio, and watched a little pig ear flap around. Thank God for the pigs!

Cookin With the Canada Family

Alyssa and I both love to cook (I probably like to more than she does though). We have decided to create an online archive of some of the meals and recipes that we have made. Feel free to use any of the recipes, modify the recipe, etc. Also feel free to send us any recipes that you have (and pictures) we would be glad to post them and add to this little online collection. This is an open forum for those that love to cook so jump in. A picture will be posted soon.

Chicken Adobo with Rice and Pineapple

I spent a semester living with a Pilipino family in Koreatown, Los Angeles (kind of odd I know). One of the meals we often had was Chicken Adobo, which is really just chick tossed in a pot of seasoning and sauce and them cooked until done. You can use any type of chicken so this is a great way to utilize inexpensive legs and wings. It is perhaps one of the easiest and most savory meals I have ever tasted. It is a recipe well worth mastering.

Ingredients

1 1/4 Pounds of Chicken

1/3 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon veg. oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 teaspoons sugar

Pinch of ground pepper

1 1/2 cup mixed vegetables (you can choose to only use broccoli, snow peas or some other vegetable is you wish)

1-2 cup(s) of pineapple (depends on how much you like it)

Cooked Rice (we prefer brown, but it is up to you)

1/4 cup chopped cilantro (gives it a nice potent taste, but is not necessary if you don?t like cilantro)

Recipe

1. Begin cooking rice before cooking chicken (so the rice is ready and warm by the time the chicken is done.
2. Combine chicken, vinegar, soy sauce, oil, garlic, sugar, and pepper in a either a large sauce pan or a medium sized pot (we prefer a pot).
3. Bring the Pot/Pan to a boil, over medium-high heat
4. Reduce to a simmer; cover and wait for 12-15 minutes, until chicken is done
5. Meanwhile, cook the mixed vegetables and pineapple in a pan (if you are adventurous you can grill them)
6. Place rice on platter and arrange chicken, pineapple and show peas to eat.