Deflowering the blog: Why this?

Why? Why not? I could say something cliche about being a foodie and trying to spread some message about cupcake based social justice, but that isn't true. I like writing. I especially like writing thing other people like to read. Everyone loves food, and I love talking about food. It seems like a good choice. Really, though, think some things that every person on this green earth has in common. We all breathe, eliminate, and EAT!

Food may be universal, but it is also individual. A person's food preference can probably tell you the most about a person without spending years getting to know them. What we eat is a reflection of who we are. One's diet is shaped by culture, region, past experiences, in some cases health concerns, socioeconomic status, and even personality. The experience of eating can be personal and private or something generously shared with family, friends, and strangers.

Pardon me for so suddenly changing the topic, but there's one other topic I feel I need to put in my opening post: ethics. I'll try not to sound preachy; it's not my intent to use this blog as a soapbox. This is how I feel, and it is likely to inform some of the opinions I'll share here.

1. Life is Divine: I don't believe in the Abrahamic tradition of a creator god, but I do believe in divinity of all living things, and this divinity is what all life has in common. The food you eat is a sacred gift of life, one life being sacrificed to support another. I figured out my feelings on divinity through studies of Hinduism and Buddhism, so it may seem odd that I hold alcohol (any fermented products, to be honest) in equally high regard. The microbes that turn grapes into wine, milk into cheese, and flour into bread are also divine. Spiritually, we are one, and when we eat we physically become one with the organisms we take into our bodies.

2. Life deserves respect: The next logical point, of course. I am personally not opposed to killing and eating animals, or collecting their milk and eggs. What I am opposed to is treating them poorly while they're alive. The same goes for produce: I feel as strongly about ethical choices and transparency of practices with my plant based foods. I'm far from perfect, but it's something I try to always think about when making choices about what to eat. Sometimes, however, I just want chicken fingers and I don't give a damn about anything else. It happens.

3. Know where your food comes from, and be at peace with your choices: It's none of my business how people feel about my above points, but this is the only one I urge others to take to heart. Be an informed consumer, try to learn about where your food comes from, and (if you can) make an effort to only consume what you are comfortable with. At the very least, take the time to think about what's important to you in terms of food and ethics.

So, unless the protesters come back to H&F, this will probably be the heaviest post I'll make for a while. In the future, most of this will be rambling about things that are awesome to eat and drink.