Monday, November 28, 2011

The Concept of Local Food

With the advent of globalization and mass production techniques, we have seen a rapid increase in imports of basic necessity commodities. However, many people are waking up to realize the importance of local food. If you have not yet caught up with the trend, then my article will definitely enlighten you about the concept of local food.

 Technically speaking, local food refers to regionally or locally produced food. Buying food products from mass scale producers is one thing, but in recent years we have seen a major awareness and local food movement to give more importance to locally manufactured food products. This movement lays importance on economic and environmental benefits associated with local food as well as its general health benefits to the consumers.

Buying from Local Markets
Believe it or not, transportation distance for local food is on an average 1500 miles lesser than the distance crossed by food products from mass scale producers. Farmers and local producers are now encouraged to sell their produce in large quantities directly to big supermarket chains or these products are made available on retail basis in many smaller outlets as well. One of the most popular variety of foods available in local foods includes organic food products, organic dairy products, organic poultry, organic meat and fish, etc.

Economic Benefits of Local Food
Buying and selling of local food is beneficial not only to the producers and buyers but also for the nation as a whole. With a rise in local food movement, there is a sharp rise in demand for organic food products. The total sales doubled in a span of 4 years from $3 bn to approximately $6 bn by the end of 2006. This gives an assurance of ready markets to the local producers. Local food manufacturers have reported that selling their produce to local supermarkets is more viable than selling products to local farmer markets. Similarly local food purchases happen to be cheaper because there is slashing of expenditure on transportation and warehousing. As far as the national economy is concerned, there has always been an impetus to local food markets since it helps to curtail the drainage of cash reserves on account of import payments. By year 2007, producer to customer sales of local foods accounted for approximately 0.4% of the total sales. Increasing popularity of local food has created a sharp increase in job opportunities in this field too.

Environmental Benefits of Local Food
Local foods are produced keeping in mind the environmental sustainability issues. Here, farming activities take place without usage of any chemical fertilizers, hybrid seeds or chemical pesticides. A natural farming method devoid of any contamination of fertile soil is the main plus point of local food as it helps to keep land pollution under check. This also has long term benefits to the health of the consumers. Similarly, there is a sharp fall in transportation distance between farm and consumer's kitchen. This helps reduce carbon emissions that contaminate the air during transportation. Some biodiversity issues give a 'thumbs up' to local food. This is because food products like fruits and vegetables manufactured under commercial agriculture banner use hybrid varieties of plants for faster and larger quantity of food production. These hybrid plant varieties may yield larger quantities but nutritional value of these products is poor.

Health Benefits of Local Food
The quality and health benefits of local foods are so high that many of us keep wondering as to why we stopped their consumption in the first place. It is like looking out for health and nutrition all around the world and then discovering that, all that you wanted was right there in your backyard. Local food products are definitely fresher due to their proximity of farms to their markets. Similarly, consumers vouch for their better taste too. There are no traces of artificial fertilizers in these foods, thereby making them safer for human consumption. Organic meat and poultry products are produced, keeping in mind animal welfare. Organic poultry farms are maintained without the usage of harmful chemicals.

Rising Local Food Movement
Local food movement is also known as food patriotism. While all those people who stress on consumption of local food are known as localvores. Here's more...
  • There has been an increased awareness about local food movement since the past 10 years. Many local manufactures pack their food products with specific tags stating 'Certified Organic'. Many supermarkets have demarcated sections or aisles specifically selling organic food products.
  • We can see a steep rise in farm to school sales for school meal programs with numbers having crossed 2000 schools by the end of year 2009.
  • There is a growing importance for organic milk products with dairy industries engaging in maintenance of organic pastures for producing better quality milk.
  • New York state has even passed a legislation in the year 2001 stating "The legislature hereby finds and declares that farmers' markets provide a vital and highly effective marketing mechanism for thousands of New York farmers, improve the access of consumers and wholesalers to New York farm products, and contribute to the economic revitalization of the areas in which the markets are located."
  • A closely related but a sister sector of organic food farming is growing importance of organic clothing wherein natural fibers like cotton are produced by strictly following organic practices.
They say, it's better late than never. It is always a welcome idea to shift to a healthier lifestyle and opting for the local food movement in your personal life is like crossing a new milestone. I cannot end my article without mentioning the words of late President John F Kennedy. He said, "Our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air. We also need this planet to provide us with food. Maybe we ought to figure out some way to take care of it.

American Recipes and Food

This is my salute to the good ol’ U.S. of A. – food wise. American foods have a reputation as being “junk foods.” This is simply not true - some companies may have turned them into junk food, but the basic recipes are most definitely NOT. The best American recipes may have come out of a mixture of many other cuisines, or even been imported from Europe at some time in the past, but they are so ingrained in the culture, it’s difficult to think of them as anything other than American. After ten years living in the US, I have developed a strong affinity for American food. Prepared at home, I would stand it up against any other cuisine in the World. America was built on hearty, wholesome, simple meals made from basic, home-grown, fresh ingredients. You don’t go out and lay ten thousand miles of railroad track by hand after eating granola for breakfast.
It was really hard to narrow my list of favorites down to only ten, and I am sure I will have missed a few un-missables. Barbecue, for instance; there is no way I can cover all my favorite BBQ recipes in ten and still have room for anything else. Maybe I will do a whole separate list just for barbeque. Feel free to add any comments and suggestions for another “top ten.”


 Here's  the other  link; http://www.familyoven.com/recipes/search/american?&filters=-pic:%28empty%29
                         http://visualrecipes.com/recipes/american/

Indian Recipes

Free Indian Recipes for all occasions and from all regions of India.
Here's the link;  http://www.freeindianrecipes.com/ 
                         http://www.indianfoodforever.com/
                         http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/world-cuisine/india/main.aspx

Filipino Recipes

Filipino Recipes

Welcome to the Filipino recipes site. Featured on this site are free Filipino recipes that have become all time Philippine favorites. Traditional Filipino food recipes that are simple to cook and always a pleasure to serve and eat... dishes that are always welcome on the dining table. Filipino food consist mostly of vegetables, seafood, dairy, meat and rice. Like Philippine fiestas, Filipino recipes are rich in flavor & color.

Filipino culinary arts is greatly influenced by Chinese, European, American, Arab and Asian cuisines. A fusion of various recipes adopted from earlier traders, Asian immigrants and former colonizers.
Before the Spaniards colonized the Philippines, the country's cuisine consisted of root crops, game, vegetables and seafood. Filipino food recipes then was almost always either boiled, roasted or broiled. Foreign trade brought in all kinds of spices and plants to the Philippines. And like the Filipino today, its cuisine is a gastronomic feast from different countries and cultures - from east to west.

Filipinos have embraced as their own cuisines form other countries like the noodles from the Chinese, rice and meat dishes from the Spaniards, fast-food from the Americans and even spaghetti from the Italians. All these now form part of the Philippine cuisine - with the Filipino touch, of course.
There are however many Filipino recipes from each region of the Philippines with each region having its own unique specialty. The Ilocanos from the north are known for their Pakbet - a simple but nutritious vegetable dish. While the Bicolanos are famous for their Bicol Express a hot and spicy dish simmered in coconut milk. Overall, nothing beats the fame of the tasty pork and chicken Adobo, a dish the Philippines is known for throughout the world.
Experience the tastes and colors of Philippine food. A gastronomic delight that has been savored through many generations. Enjoy the free Filipino food recipes on this site and happy cooking!

Here's the link ; http://www.filipinofoodrecipes.net/

Different Foods

Food is any substance  consumed to provide nutritional support for the body. It is usually of plant or animal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals. The substance is ingested by an organism and assimilated by the organism's cells in an effort to produce energy, maintain life, or stimulate growth.
Historically, people secured food through two methods: hunting and gathering, and agriculture. Today, most of the food energy consumed by the world population is supplied by the food industry, which is operated by multinational corporations that use intensive farming and industrial agriculture to maximize system output.
Food safety and food security are monitored by agencies like the International Association for Food Protection, World Resources Institute, World Food Programme, Food and Agriculture Organization, and International Food Information Council. They address issues such as sustainability, biological diversity, climate change, nutritional economics, population growth, water supply, and access to food.
The right to food is a human right derived from the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), recognizing the "right to an adequate standard of living, including adequate food", as well as the "fundamental right to be free from hunger".










Sunday, November 27, 2011

Eat-All-You-Can Places in Manila

UPDATE: Check out Eat All You Can Places for updates on restaurants and pricing.
My officemate gave me this list of eat-all-you-can places in Manila, Philippines.
  1. Something fishy, (breakfast time) Eastwood Libis. 12am-10am
  2. Kamay Kainan with bottomless Iced Tea, Market Market, P295/head.
  3. Chinatown’s Best, Banawe QC, P400/head FULL MEAL! (Already ate here!)
  4. Saisaki/DAD’s/Kamayan, P500/head
  5. Dragon Prince, BF homes Pque. (Lunch Buffet) P180 per head.
  6. Cabalen – all branches,? P275/head.
  7. RCBC Plaza Food Center, Makati 95/head (Breakfast) & 65/head merienda.
  8. Blue Bay, Quirino Grandstand, 350/Head.
  9. Brazil brazil – Metrowalk & Powerplant Mall (meat all you can P650/head)
  10. Dimsun ‘N Dumplings @ Shopwise (cubao) – Unlimited Siomai either P99 or P125 lang
  11. Sweet Inspirations along Katipunan, eat-all-you-can Mongolian Buffett P300/head
  12. Seafood Club(Red Crab) Greenbelt3 – dinner 275/head
  13. Chubby China(Greenbelt) – dimsum(fried & steamed) breakfast at P88/head. with yang chow rice, crisp noodles at single serve iced tea. order all you can lunch – P295, merienda – P88, dimsum all you can w/pancit canton, noodles and congee
  14. Red Crab (Greenbelt 3) – alimango(crab)-all-you-can
  15. Circles, Shangri-la Makati, expensive but very large buffet!
  16. Spiral, Westin Philippine Plaza
  17. Cravings, salad all you can Katipunan infront of Ateneo, Katipunan
  18. Siamese Grill, Pasta all you can, P85/head Bluewave Marquinton, Marikina
  19. Tramway, Banawe, Chinese eat all you can, P160/head
  20. Kamay Kainan, Kalayaan Avenue, P199/head
  21. Red Kimono, The Fort, 499++/ head
  22. Mandarin Palace, Ongpin, P150/head
  23. Tokyo Tokyo, Rice all you can (all branches)
  24. Yamcha Teahouse in Timog (Lunch/Dinner Buffet P349)
  25. Aling Nene’s BBQ/Ihaw, Eat all you can (Fridays & Saturdays), Magallanes, P200+/head.
  26. Alba’s Restaurant – Tomas Morato, Libis, Jupiter St., P550
  27. Jestine’s Restaurant, Jupiter Street Makati, Breakfast all you can, from 12AM to 12PM (tapa, tocino, varies) P99.00
  28. Emperor Villa – ongpin st., binondo – lunch P180-P200, dinner is seafood buffet at roastings (asado, lechon de leche) @ P350.
Food prices are in Philippine Peso. The exchange rate today is around US$1 = P50.
So guys, anybody up for a flash mob eat-all-you-can?