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My job is to think about food. As a constant forager
for news that relates to the food we eat and the myriad interconnected
environmental, political, ethical, and health issues in a constantly
changing global economy, I have a lot of stuff swirling around in my head.
For the most part, I am able to sort through the chatter and
compartmentalize accordingly. Lately, though, all I can do is worry.
The trouble started when I got wind of Shaq’s Big Challenge,
the ABC reality-TV show starring basketball star Shaquille O’Neal,
whose mission is to turn six Miami-area teens “from fat to
fit.”
I’m watching for a few minutes, and suddenly it
dawns on me: Fat kids are no longer the exception to the rule, with Fat
Albert or Rerun from What’s Happening!! as fatty novelties of the 1970s. We have become a
nation of young fatties, and there’s enough blubber to justify a
reality show. Sheesh. I turn my attention to headlines about the 2007 Farm
Bill, an omnibus piece of legislation rewritten every five years that
determines food policy for the next five. Now I really have a headache.
I learn that about 70 percent of farm subsidies
appropriated by the 2002 bill went to commodity crops: cotton, corn,
soybeans, and wheat. The incentive for these farmers is to overproduce,
which allows them to sell below the cost of production, which means that
it’s a great deal for the junk-food industry to take corn and turn it
into high-fructose corn syrup for sodas and Twinkie-like school-lunch
snacks that are too darn cheap to resist for a young fatty on Shaq’s
show. If one of those kids had a dollar to spend on dinner
and the choices were a minicanister of Pringles or a zucchini, what do you
think our nation’s future generation would pick? Uh-huh. Speaking of zucchini, the green veg is having a
prolific moment of its own right now. Once that vine gets started, it just
keeps on giving — but during this television season the notion of too
many zucchini is somehow comforting.
Culinary questions? Contact Kim O’Donnel at
kim.odonnel@creativeloafing.com.
I-Can’t-Believe-It’s-Not-Crab Crab Cakes Adapted from John Shields, chef/owner,
Gertrude’s (in Baltimore), as part of Cooking
Fresh from the Mid-Atlantic, edited by Fran
McManus and Wendy Rickard
2 cups coarsely grated zucchini Salt 1 cup breadcrumbs One egg, beaten 1 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon mayonnaise or plain yogurt Juice of half a lemon 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley Vegetable oil for frying
Place grated zucchini in a colander; sprinkle lightly
with salt. Let zucchini sit for about 30 minutes, allowing it to drain.
Squeeze to remove additional liquid — zucchini should be fairly
dry. Place zucchini and breadcrumbs in a large bowl and
mix together. In a smaller bowl, combine egg, Old Bay, Dijon,
mayo, lemon juice and parsley, mixing well. Pour egg mixture into zucchini-breadcrumb mixture and
mix gently yet thoroughly. Form into eight patties and chill for about 15
minutes. Heat a small amount of oil in a sauté pan and
cook patties on both sides, browning well, about 5 minutes on each side. Serve with tartar sauce, chopped capers, fresh basil,
lemon wedges or halved Sungold tomatoes.
This article appears in Jul 19-25, 2007.
