Label GMOs: The 2012 Ballot Initiative Campaign

If you live in California like I do, it is very important that you visit this website: http://labelgmos.org/

This website contains information regarding the 2012 Campaign for the mandatory labeling of GMO's (genetically modified foods) here in the state of California!

QUICK FACTS:
Currently, our government does not require the labeling of genetically modified foods!

GMO's are created through gene-splicing. This process removes and inserts the genes of different species like bacteria, viruses, plants, or animals and combines the DNA into one species to create a new one!

We have no scientific data yet to prove that GMO's are safe. The FDA relied on safety data obtained from studies conducted by the very same companies that created these new "organisms".

Polls consistently show that the American public want GMO's labeled. According to the 2008 CBS News poll, 87% of the people want to know if they are purchasing genetically modified foods!

What can you do to help?
Visit the website and become a food activist! We need you to help spread the word and educate others about GMO's. If you live in the San Diego area and would like to volunteer locally then please email me at: thefoodanthropologist@gmail.com

It's our right to know what is in our food!

Fermentation Friday: How to brew your own kombucha - Part 1

How to brew kombucha at home is a great first post for Fermentation Fridays! Why? Because it is so very simple. I have been brewing it for many years now with great success. The hardest part is finding the kombucha "mother" or SCOBY which stands for symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast.

Kombucha is considered to be a healthy tonic in many cultures. This bubbly and refreshing fermented beverage has a long list of health benefits. Kombucha is an immune booster, detoxifying to the liver, and it can also strengthen digestive functions.

Kombucha is thought to have originated in China during the Tsin Dynasty around 220 BC. Doctor Kombu brought the special tea from Korea to Japan to help cure the Emperor who was having digestive issues. Kombucha was known in China as the "tea of immortality". The word kombucha consists of two parts; "Kombu" is taken from the Doctors name and "cha" meaning tea.

How to brew your own at home:
Remember kombucha is a health tonic so use filtered water and organic ingredients!

You will need:
A large pot - at least one gallon size
Organic green tea or organic black tea (2-5 tea bags)
1 cup organic sugar
1 cup starter tea (contains some bacteria and brewed tea from a previous batch)
1 SCOBY
1 non-metal spoon
1 large glass jar - at least 1 gallon size with a wide opening
1 large cloth to cover the jar

1. Heat 1 gallon of clean filtered water and bring it to an almost boil. NOTE: You don't want rapid boiling water!
2. Add the sugar and stir until it dissolves. At this point turn the burner off and remove from heat.
3. Steep 2-5 tea bags depending on how strong you usually like your tea. Steep the teas bags for at least 5 minutes and for up to 30 minutes.


4. Let the tea cool to room temperature. This is very IMPORTANT! Do not add the culture until the tea has cooled completely or the heat will kill it.
5. Add the starter tea and the SCOBY. Then cover to keep the dust and flies out. I use dinner napkin-type fabrics to cover the jar because they keep the fruit flies out of the brew!
6. Now wait at least 1 week to 30 days. Taste it after 1 week. Is it still too sweet? If you prefer your kombucha to taste a bit more tart...then wait. As the bacteria feeds on the sugar the kombucha becomes more acidic. It is done when you like the taste.

I will follow up soon with another post on where to obtain a SCOBY, trouble shooting tips, more photos, and some additional notes on mold!

Emergency Preparedness: Food Supplies

I live in California so I have to be prepared for earthquakes in addition to any other emergencies or ecological disasters. The recent earthquakes in Japan have disaster preparedness on my mind. Emergency/earthquake kits are supposed to have food and additional supplies to aid in survival for at least 72 hours. In my opinion that is way too short. What if help or aid does not arrive for weeks in my area and I should have to remain in my home?

Do you have enough food to survive until help does arrive? Or should you have to evacuate your home do you have food and supplies that you can easily take with you?

I like to keep my pantry stocked with bulk food items in containers and jars. These are items I use on a daily basis. Obviously I do not stock my pantry with bulk items I won't end up using. When they don't get used they don't get rotated and eventually go rancid. Should I need to remain in my home during a disaster I prefer to have about a two week supply for myself and one other person. Generally most bulk items like pasta and rice will last for a year or two when stored correctly (like in jars with tight fitting lids) and are easily obtained at most health food stores. Good items to have on hand in addition to pasta and rice are beans, rolled oats, and quinoa. I also keep in mind how I will cook these items if I am left with out electricity so I keep a small stove and fuel on hand. A camping stove is perfect for this!

Emergencies are another reason to grow and keep a organic garden! Not only is it fun it increases my fresh food supplies. I have only a small balcony garden but it would definitely give me another week of food supplies easy (See previous post: Balcony gardening). Sprouting and or microgreens are other great ways to increase food supplies (I shall post more about these topics later).

My "grab and go" emergency kit contains supplies I will take with me if I need to evacuate my home (again a two week supply). I was dissatisfied with the emergency kits I found in stores and online. Most kits contained foods that did not appeal and they probably contain GMO's (see previous post: Natural Products Expo West) and foods grown with pesticides. So I made my own. This allowed me to choose the type of food items I enjoy. I purchased many organic canned food items because of the long shelf lives they have and the protection the can provides. This did not leave many options except for canned beans and soups and as I am sure you know cans contain cancer causing BPA's (Bisphenol A). However, I was excited to find a newly launched company that makes storable organic foods and superfoods! The foods are organic with no GMO's and a BPA free bag enclosure! Finally, another option!
Check out: Health Ranger Storable Organics at
http://www.storableorganics.com/Index.asp

Be prepared and stay safe!

Check back on 5/20 for Fermentation Friday: How to brew your own kombucha!

Fermented Foods

I have long been fascinated by food preservation and transformation techniques in other cultures and past populations. Specifically, food fermentation! During the past few years I have been experimenting with food fermentation in my own kitchen. What is fermentation? Fermentation is a transformation process that uses bacteria and or yeasts to convert molecules (starches and sugars) that then produce lactic acid and alcohol. The introduction of Lactobacilli into foods through fermentation not only increases the length of time our food is preserved, the good bacteria also makes our food more nutritious!

How does good bacteria help us? A large portion of our immune system is located in our digestive tract where all the healthy bacteria (microflora) live. The healthy microflora helps keep our immune system nice and strong so that we can defend ourselves from harmful bacteria and viruses. So it stands to reason that if we consume a large amount of fermented foods that contain good bacteria they help stimulate our immune systems and make us less prone to disease and infections! Lactobacilli surrounds us on the surface of all other living organisms so as I am sure you can imagine, it should be relatively easy to "capture them"!

All over the world many human cultures practice fermentation. In fact, there is archaeological evidence that humans have practiced the art of fermentation since the Paleolithic period and consistently for the last 12,000 years. There are cave paintings across the world in South Africa and India that depict humans collecting honey. What do you get when you ferment honey? Mead! T'ej is mead that is traditionally brewed at home in Ethiopia. Of course honey is not the only thing that can be fermented. Germans ferment cabbage to make sauerkraut. In Korean food culture, spicy kimchi is still part of daily meals. Fermented breads such as idlis or dosas and chutneys are made in India. Other fermented foods such as tempeh and beverages such as kombucha and kefir are consumed as well. Even sourdough breads (my favorite) are traditionally made with a fermented yeast starter. Pictured below is a sourdough bread I made at home from a fermented starter!

Stay tuned for Fermentation Fridays! Every Friday (I hope) I will post something informative regarding food fermentation and or instructional which will include my own food experiments, successes, and or failures!