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Ok, yes.... I do understand that the "cash crop" economy, while enriching certain local farmers, isnt the best for ordinary working people in a lot of countries. I just mean that, for example you can grow most fruit in a greenhouse most the year round in the south of the UK. Of course, its nice to grow your own food. When I lived with my parents we had about 1/3 acre and nothing can beat the satisfaction of just going picking some of your own veg, cooking it up and eating it... but at the same time the obsession with "seasonal" food just for the sake of it is just a form of snobbery. I think thats the term you used and its a good one to describe the trends I dislike.
What really annoys me about this movement, or parts of it is the way they treat to make cooking real quality food as out of the reach of ordinary people. To me, a really nice wholesome stew with good brown bread is more satisfying than any meal I have ever eaten in a restuarent, however intricate or clever.
Cooking good, simple, honest food is NOT difficult. This is the core of the whole "food challenge" that I initially was talking about. I dont think that I know as much about food as a guy who works as a cook or has done in his life, obviously. The angle I was coming at it from is that I dont need to. I really dont think you need any special skill or knowledge to cook well and make good food.
To me, I would state that food can NEVER be art in itself, in the same way as cleaning cannot be. I have a friend who decorates cakes for living and some of the stuff she does is amazing - but its not the food itself that is, but the things she can make out of icing. At the end of the day, as impressive as the decoration is, underneath it you just have an ordinary sponge cake. And I'd apply the same judgment to real gourmet cooking. Sure, some of it takes skill, some of it can look or taste special, but underneath it - its just something to eat.
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As for the stuff about pornography, that reminds me of a video I saw one time when I was a youngster featuring these two girls, a big tub of ice water, and a banana... and that also, while it was something to look at, I wouldnt call it art.
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