Give Me Some Food

OMG!

I was innocently flipping though the channels last night and I saw the most atrocious thing in food history. I saw someone telling me how to follow the instructions on the back of box of brownies! Can you guess that it was Sandra Lee on the Food Network's Semi Homemade?  Did I just link to her? Don't click on that link! It's toxic! And I don't mean in the good way that Brittany Spears sings about. I'm talking about the the kind of toxic that is associated with food poisoning...the kind that makes you want to barf.

Our nation is kind of weird right now food wise. On the one hand- the foodie craze is totally in.  Average Joes are making their own sausage, everybody's mother is remodeling their kitchen (mine included...but that's another blog...or maybe a novel), and even being 'organic' is not cool enough anymore- you have to be 'local' too. But then there are the people who watch Semi Homemade. Semi Homemade makes me worried about the future of America. If we really need someone to tell us how to follow the instructions on the back of the brownie box, I think our chances of solving the problems in the Middle East are about as likely Paula Deen ridding herself of that cute southern accent.

The problem I have with Semi Homemade is it's saying "cooking is really hard and time consuming so don't concern yourself with mixing together some flour, baking power and cocoa- it's too difficult for you...just go get the box mix." That is not the message we should be sending about cooking and baking because we all know it can be really easy and quick. 

I think what needs to be made apparent instead is that there is a middle ground between Semi Homemade and making your own sausage. A middle class we might say.  You don't have to be a foodie, but if you buy some nice tomatoes and mozzarella, that could be dinner. Maybe you don't follow The Chronicle food section- but you could learn how to roast a chicken (I promise you they taste much much better than the ones on that weird hot table in the grocery store). I propose a rise of the middle class foodie.  You probably don't even realize that many people in your life are middle class foodies. Think about your grandma. Yes, the woman who made amazing homemade pie and jello molds in the same day. She is a middle class foodie.  And we love her and her food. So don't be scared- embrace your past!  And for the love of Pete, stop watching Sandra Lee.