Food News 10.30

• The Great British Bake Off's Japanese Week faces a backlash (DigitalSpy)
  
• Here is America's oldest candy company (CBS News)
• The trouble with Trump's food box letters (Politico) 
• Here are Instagram's most popular recipes for October 2020 (HuffPost) 
• Goop getting into the coffee business (Fox Business)
  

Expository: The Omnivore's Dilemma

Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma examines the ways in which we have become disconnected with the foods we eat. In fact, it is a dizzying illustration of the journeys plants and animals take their way to our dinner tables. Still, reading Pollan's book can be an overwhelming experience, one in which readers invariably examine their own eating habits—for better or worse. In a concise essay, highlight three practices offered by Pollan that consumers can adopt to help both themselves and the environment. 

Use specific examples from the book to support your thesis. 

Mechanics:

• Approximately 750 words
• MLA Style, plus works cited

Due: Wed 11.4 (via Canvas)

Week 11: Devil's Food Cake

Nigella Lawson's Devil's Food Cake from Nigella Kitchen (BBC, UK)

Week 11: Devil’s Food Cake
Mon 10.26/Wed 10.28
Read: OMNI—12- Slaughter: In a Glass Abattoir - 14- The Meal: Grass-Fed
Class: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations
Due: REFLECTION 3

Upcoming:

Week 12: Saffron Spinach Risotto
Mon 11.2/Wed 11.4
Class: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations
Due: EXPOSITORY

 

Food News 10.24

• What to cook and bake for Dia de lo Muertos (Delish) 
• Can avocados lower your blood sugar? (MSN) 
• How wildfires have devastated California's wine industry (Guardian)
• Report: Chocolate industry rife with child labor (Business Insider)
• Impossible foods working on dairy-free milk (Fast Company)

 

Reflection 3: Be My Guest—Creating an Annotated Menu

Whether we intend it or not, feeding people in your own home in an expression of how we feel about them. This is especially true for those times in which we invite people to our homes for a special occasion. In fact, the thought and effort we put into what we serve our guests can almost entirely set the tone for your gathering. Thus, it is important to carefully consider what one feeds his or her guests. For this reflection, you will create an annotated menu for a social event in your home. You will write out a menu (appetizers, main course and sides, dessert, plus drinks) and under each item, briefly describe your rationale for including it (in at least four sentences).

Based upon your birthday month, you'll create a menu for one of the following events:

January/December: A Baby Shower

• No. of guests: 20
• Time of year: Mid-January 
• Scenario: Jimmy and Diane are having a baby boy next month. As one of their best friends, you’re throwing them a co-ed baby shower at your home. Will you choose a theme? And, if so, how will that affect your menu? Also, in addition to being a coed event, guests are also invited to bring their kids. It’s important to include kid-friendly items on the menu, including some nut, dairy, and gluten-free options.

February/November: An Oscars Party

• No. of guests: 10 
• Time of year: February 
• Scenario: It’s time for your annual Academy Awards party. Your friends still rave about your Joker-themed menu. What will you come up with this year? Remember, this party is less about serving main dishes and more about small plates and appetizers. Finally, your boss—who is vegan—has RSVPed as a "maybe."

March/October: 50th Anniversary Dinner Party 

• No. of guests: 20
• Time of year: March 
• Scenario: Grandma and Grandpa are celebrating 50 years of marriage. You’ve decided to mark the occasion with a family dinner. To make the event a little more special, you’ve put together a Mexican menu to remind them of their honeymoon in Acapulco. Keep in mind that Grandpa is a diabetic and Grandma is doesn't drink anymore.
  

April/September: Summer Luau 

• No. of guests: 12 
• Time of year: August 
• Scenario: You’ve invited a few friends over for an old-fashioned backyard Hawaiian luau. You’re being especially ambitious by tackling a kālua pig. What else will you serve to set right mood? Poi? Pokē? Also, how will you accommodate your Muslim neighbors so that they feel included? 

May/August: Thanksgiving Dinner

• No. of guests: 15
• Time of year: Late November 
• Scenario: You’re in charge of Thanksgiving dinner. The whole family (including many elementary school-aged kids) is coming over, and to put your own twist on the holiday, you’ve decided to cook a New Orleans-inspired dinner. What will you include on the menu? Deep fried turkey? Crawfish étouffée? Gumbo? Maque choux?

June/July: Holiday Dinner Party

• No. of guests: 22
• Time of year: November-December 
• It’s time for your annual holiday dinner party. This year, in anticipation of your upcoming Parisian vacation, you’ve chosen a French Christmas-themed menu. Additionally, Aunt Jenna and Uncle Patrick don’t drink and least two of your cousins are vegetarians. 

Considerations:

• For the purposes of this reflection, let's pretend Covid-19 is over.
  
• Assume that money is not an issue. However, the cost of your menu should be reasonable for the event.
• Your food should reflect the spirit of the event. Small details matter and can enhance your guests' enjoyment.
• Each of the events has specific details (e.g. types of guests, dietary needs) to consider. Do your best to accommodate these details.
• You are free to include alcohol in your menu, but it may or may not be appropriate for your event. If included, be thoughtful about the right amount and type.
• Consider how labor-intensive your menu is. For example, what can be made ahead of time?

Mechanics:

• 1-1.5 pages in length
• MLA Style

Due: Wed 10.28 (via Canvas)

Week 10: Egg Fu Yung with Roasted Red Pepper and Sweet Chili

Egg Fu Yung with Roasted Red Pepper and Sweet Chilli from Ching-He Huang's Chinese Made Easy (BBC, UK)

Week 10: Egg Fu Yung With Roasted Red Pepper and Sweet Chili
Mon 10.19/Wed 10.21
Class: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations
Due: LETTER TO THE EDITOR (SPECIAL SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS TBA)

Upcoming:

Week 11: Devil’s Food Cake
Mon 10.26/Wed 10.28
Read: OMNI—12- Slaughter: In a Glass Abattoir - 14- The Meal: Grass-Fed
Class: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations
Due: REFLECTION 3

 

Food News 10.17

• Can kids safely trick-or-treat this Halloween? (USA Today)
  
• Hot Cocoa Bombs are the latest food trend, thanks to TikTok (Glamour)
  
• Thanks, Covid: Expect smaller turkeys this Thanksgiving (CNN)
• It's fire: Dunkin’ debuts a spicy, ghost pepper donut (MentalFloss)
• How do you favorite fats food chains spend their political dollars? (LAist)

 

Letter to the Editor: Food Matters

Dating back to the 18th century, letters to the editor (LTEs) are a time-honored tradition in American newspapers. Even in the 21st century, LTEs remain a fixture in every major publication in the country. For readers, they represent an opportunity to publicly voice their opinions, to be recognized on a local or even national stage. For news organizations, it is an opportunity to gauge public opinion on a current event. Though typically brief, LTEs remain an invaluable component of any democracy's free press.

For this assignment, you will write an LTE to a major American newspaper about a recent article pertaining to food. Follow these instructions:

1. Choose one food-related article from any of the newspapers belonging to the ten largest cities in the country (New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Tribune, Houston Chronicle, Arizona Republic, Philadelphia Inquirer, San Antonio Express-News, San Diego Union-Tribune, Dallas Morning News, and San Jose Mercury News). The topic is up to you, but the article should pertain to a serious food issue. In other words, a story about how Covid-19 has ravaged restaurant industry is more appropriate than one about a new Starbucks drink.
2. Decide on your position on the issue presented in the article, as well as what you have to say about it.
3. Study your newspaper's submission guidelines—and follow them precisely.
4. Read other published LTEs from that newspaper, paying close attention to the types of letters that get published.
5. Following your newspaper's specifications, write an LTE about your chosen article—be sure to cite the precise title of the article, as well as its date of publication
6. Email your LTE to the appropriate address at your newspaper—VERY IMPORTANT: BCC on me this email (daniel.hendeldelao@sjsu.edu). This assignment will NOT be submitted via Canvas.

Notes:

• Word count depends on the submission guidelines of your chosen newspaper 
• You will only receive credit if I am BCCed in your email to your newspaper

Due: Email your newspaper (and me) by 5PM on Wed. 10.21