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A Brief Intermission.......

Naturechair

You may have noticed that posting has slowed down here at Green Parent Chicago. Life happens, kids grow and we have to portion our time differently. So in the next few weeks, this blog will take a brief hiatus to give me some personal time to reboot, refresh and rethink the next steps for Green Parent Chicago as we head into our 5th year online. Don't worry, there are lots of good ideas on tap. You will surely see us again very soon. Thank you for your loyal readership and for sharing your eco-friendly and off the mainstream days in and around the city with us. 

-Christine

Posted on January 04, 2013 at 01:36 PM in Media, News, Opinion | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: Green Parent Chicago

Book Review and Interview: "Vegan is Love" the newest children's book from Ruby Roth

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Author/illustrator Ruby Roth's newly released children's book, "Vegan is Love", has drawn plenty of praise from notable figures such as Jane Goodall, Gene Baur and singer Jason Mraz. Building on the success of her first book, "That's Why We Don't Eat Animals", Roth offers a more detailed description of vegan living in "Vegan is Love", complete with information for children to make cruelty-free choices at home, in school and in their communities.

Some critics of Roth's book say it is inappropriate for children because of its subject matter and the book's references to animal testing, factory farm pollution, and animal cruelty. Roth has been making the rounds on the air addressing the media "controversy". This past week, I talked with her about what parents can expect from the book and how she developed its intriguing illustrations.

With "Vegan is Love" you've gone more in depth on vegan life choices that children can make, from simply focusing on eating a vegan diet in "That's Why We Don't Eat Animals" (published in 2009) to making a choice to avoid zoos, circuses that use animals, choosing cruelty-free products, etc. When did you decide to take this message further and what age range do you believe the book is best suited for?

The official age is seven and up, but I believe that children even younger can relate to the illustrations. Where my first book was about the “why’s” of a plant-based lifestyle, “Vegan Is Love” is about the “hows”—how to send our love across the world through the choices we make everyday. This book discusses the far-reaching impact of veganism. I wrote it because America has had a very hard time in the last couple of years. Instead of worrying or “occupying,” I decided to write this book for a new generation of children who will have to think, eat, and live differently if we are to solve some of the world’s most pressing issues.

Are children ready to handle the responsibility of making the consumer choices you describe? Some reviewers say that the subject matter may be too "controversial"? What is your take on this?

 There is nothing more graphic in my book than what any child might see in a deli case or on the myriad fishing, hunting, or cooking shows on TV. I think it’s never too early to begin teaching your kids how to love deeply, think critically, and act responsibly. We do not give kids enough credit for their insight and ability to make inferences and draw conclusions. When we give kids the information they need to make educated choices, they choose wisely—for health, animals, and the environment. For example, if children are educated about animal testing, they are excited to help their parents look for cruelty-free logos at the grocery store. The PG versions of reality in my book are a child-friendly way to begin discussions.

Your newest book is quite an empowering guide for young people, have you received any notable letters of admiration or support from young fans of your books?

Absolutely! Parents around the world send me news about their children’s thoughts and reactions to my books as well as the “controversy” in the media—the notes are always hilarious and insightful. In response to the negative critique of “Vegan is Love” by a child psychologist on FOX, one mother told me her young vegan daughter said “Why is that expert so ignorant?” I also have letters about the activism my book inspired—children doing presentations, science projects, and placing signs in their neighborhood about the benefits of veganism. Kids feel empowered by information.

The subject matter of "Vegan is Love" is serious, but needn't be frightening to children who are ready to comprehend it. What were the biggest challenges you faced when creating the illustrations for the book? What was your creative process like when deciding on the look and feel of the book?

Thank you, I’ve never once seen a child overwhelmed by my books—only adults. The purpose of the text and illustrations is not to instill fear but inspire action. The animal testing spread, for example, shows only the most minor slice of the reality inside labs. To kids, the illustration appears simply as animals in cages, some with “ouchies.” Children don’t have the context that adults do when we look at an image like this, which reminds of us exposed organs, syringes, restraints. I made sure every page was manageable for a child’s capacity and contained an affirmation about action. The most important lesson for kids to learn is that we don’t have to fear anything we have the power to change.

For more information on Ruby Roth's books visit http://www.wedonteatanimals.com/

RubyRothHeadshot_web

-Christine

Posted on April 30, 2012 at 02:42 PM in Ad watch, Books, Food and Drink, Green Living, Healthy families, Learning and Education, Media, Opinion, Parenting | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: books on vegan diet kids, books on vegan lifestyle for kids, books on veganism for children, Green Parent Chicago, Ruby Roth, vegan children's book author, vegan children's books, Vegan is Love, vegan kids

EarthTalk: A Kid's Life--Marketing Messages and Sales Pitches

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Dear EarthTalk
: Are all the commercial messages kids are bombarded with today having any noticeable negative effects? And if so what can a concerned parent like me do to limit my own kids’ exposure to so much advertising and marketing? -- Jason Baldino, Somerset, NJ

No doubt, marketers are hard at work targeting our children with their messages and creating young demand for their products.
Companies in the U.S. today spend some $17 billion yearly advertising to children, a 150-fold increase from just a few decades ago. Some cash-strapped school districts have even started selling ads on and sometimes in their school buses as a way to bolster sagging education budgets. To be an American kid today is to be bombarded with marketing messages and sales pitches. It’s no wonder that, given the amount of advertising and marketing they endure, young people in our society are experiencing record levels of obesity and problems with credit card debt.

According to the non-profit Center for a New American Dream (CNAD), a leading proponent for more ecologically sustainable and community-oriented lifestyles in the United States, this incessant marketing is turning our children “into little consumers, alienating them from nature, getting them used to unhealthy diets filled with junk foods, and making them want ever more stuff.” The group points to several disturbing studies, such as one that showed how U.S. children could recognize more Pokemon characters than common wildlife species, while another found that the average American kid is exposed to more than 25,000 television ads spanning some 10,700 minutes over the course of just one year.

The result of all this aggressive marketing to kids is not just excessive materialism and obesity, but also a host of other problems including depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, eating disorders, increased violence, and family stress. “Economically, societally and ecologically,” CNAD reports, “this is unsustainable and not the best path for children.”

Against this backdrop of media and marketing saturation, what can be done to help steer our kids in a more healthy direction? Given that shielding American kids from these messages would be nearly impossible, the next best thing is teaching them how to parse through the different come-ons and solicitations they are exposed to these days at nearly every turn. CNAD’s free, downloadable 32-page booklet “Tips for Parenting in a Commercial Culture” offers loads of useful information on how to limit kids’ exposure to commercial influences that come via the television, computer or mail slot, and replacing those lost hours with new opportunities for more beneficial activities. Examples abound: playing board or card games, going on a walk or hike, riding bikes, and much more. The booklet also elaborates on how to limit or rid commercial influences in schools and other places where kids spend time away from home.

Another great resource for parents and teachers looking to reduce commercial influences on kids is the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, a coalition of more than two dozen other groups started by consumer advocate and author Susan Linn. The coalition advocates for the adoption of government policies that limit corporate marketers’ access to kids and works to mobilize parents, educators and health care providers to stop the commercial exploitation of children. Teachers love the coalition’s free downloadable Guide to Commercial-Free Book Fairs while concerned parents can download the Guide to Commercial-Free Holidays in order to help themselves and their kids resist the hype.

CONTACTS: Center for a New American Dream, www.newdream.org; Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, www.commercialfreechildhood.org.


EarthTalk® is written and edited by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss and is a registered trademark of E - The Environmental Magazine (www.emagazine.com). Send questions to: [email protected]. Subscribe: www.emagazine.com/subscribe. Free Trial Issue: www.emagazine.com/trial.

-photo credit: iStockPhoto

Posted on April 02, 2012 at 10:45 AM in Ad watch, EarthTalkTM, Global News, Green Living, Learning and Education, Media, Simpler Living, Television | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood, Center for the New American Dream, children and advertising, EarthTalk, effects of advertising on children, facts about advertising to kids, Green Parent Chicago, kids and advertising, kids and marketing messages, marketing to kids, Susan Linn

"Windfall" Documentary Explores Controversy Behind U.S. Wind Farms

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Directed by Laura Israel, and screening this week in Chicago at Facets Cinematheque, "Windfall" tells the story of residents of Meredeth, NY, a town of approximately 1500, many of whom are organic farmers and excited about the prospect of contributing to the proliferation of clean energy.

The residents agree to have wind turbines installed on their land, but soon learn that industrial wind farms have been associated with "health problems, accidents and damage to local ecosystems and wildlife." Adding to the residents' individual struggles, the existence of the turbines pits neighbor against neighbor  threatening to break down the tiny community. 
 

Showtimes:
Fri., Feb. 3 at 7 & 9 p.m.
Sat. and Sun., Feb. 4-5 at 3, 5, 7 & 9 p.m.
Mon. to Thurs., Feb. 6-9 at 7 & 9 p.m.

Tickets:
 $9.00 general admission, Free for Facets members

 

Posted on February 08, 2012 at 11:57 AM in Arts and Entertainment, Film, Green Business, Green Living, Local News, Media | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: Facets Cinematheque, Facets Multimedia, Green Parent Chicago, Laura Israel, problems with wind turbines, wind farm documentary, wind turbines controversy, Windfall the movie screening Chicago

The Green Stork Recommends: Open Books

OpenbookslogoAfter nutrition, and before manners (yes, Emily – even MORE important than manners), is reading. Literacy can save a life and, more than that – a soul. Books are a companion, a passport to far off lands, a magic mirror into which we can peer into the past or future, the things of revolution, the things of a rainy afternoon. If you love books, you will never truly be alone. If you can read – you can achieve anything. You can toss every bloody telly and computer into the Thames – we will continue with out them. But without the written word – the Dark Ages again.

So, let’s say that you just had a baby. You will receive, at the very least: 3 copies of Harold and the Purple Crayon, 6 of Goodnight Moon and doubles of every single Dr. Seuss book ever published.  These, along with those cookbooks that you tend to buy after the latest Top Chef series and perhaps those exercise books that you order every January, are collecting dust somewhere in your house, unused and unloved. Is that fair to the books?

It is not.

And now that you have OnDemand or AppleTV, do you really need that DVD collection anymore? I mean should any self respecting woman have more movies than shoes?

I thought not.

But to whom to donate these books and movies? It’s really not the sort of thing you usually drop off with those bags of clothes.

Well, in Chicago, the answer is Open Books! Open Books is a resale bookstore that sells your used books and DVD’s and then employs the profits in offering wonderful literacy programs to thousands of students across the Chicagoland area. Honestly. Can you think of a nicer place for those extra copies of Goodnight, Gorilla and the G.I. Diet to end up?

Not only will Open Books take your unloved books and DVD’s – they will pick them up!  So lovely of them, really.

My two large bags are by my door.

You’re it.

-"The Green Stork" Claire Douglass is a first time Chicago mom, concerned with ever increasing data connecting childhood health issues from asthma to autism to exposure to common household toxins, chemicals and air quality – seeks to detoxify her nest, and create as green a nursery and playroom as possible.Without driving herself, or her husband, crazy. The former is going far better than the latter.

Posted on April 25, 2011 at 12:29 PM in Books, Green Business, Green Living, Learning and Education, Media, Opinion | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: Green Parent Chicago, literacy programs Chicago, Open Books, The Green Stork Recommends, used bookstore Chicago, used kids books Chicago, where to donate books Chicago

Don't Miss Earth Day Family Fun at The Green Metropolis Fair

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The Green Metropolis Fair, an all-day fair for conscious living and eco-curious minded families will take place Saturday at The Irish American Heritage Center in Chicago from 10 a.m to 4 p.m.

The event is sponsored by Mindful Live!, the Mindful Metropolis magazine community event series and Green Parents Network, the online network "where green families meet" based in Chicago.

Workshops and presentations on eco living will be offered as well as hands-on family activities. Local, sustainable food and drinks will be available for purchase. A green marketplace will highlight the latest in eco living products and services available throughout Chicagoland and the Midwest. 

Admission to the fair is free, a non-perishable food donation is requested. All ages are welcome.

 

Posted on April 12, 2011 at 01:00 AM in Car Free Living, Film, Food and Drink, Green Business, Green Celebrations, Green Living, Healthy families, Learning and Education, Local News, Media, Play More Spend Less, Things to Do, Transportation | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: earth day celebration chicago, earth day events chicago, green family events chicago, green living fair chicago, green living kids event chicago, Green Metropolis Fair, Green Parent Chicago, Green Parents Network, Irish American Heritage Center, Mindful Live!, Mindful Metropolis magazine

"Radical Homemakers" Review and Interview with Author Shannon Hayes

Radicalhomemakers It took just over half a century for the U.S. to shift from an agricultural model to an industrial based society. All the while, the balance of societal focus solidly turned toward the view that only through work outside of the home, in an increasingly corporate dominated society, working for the advancement of a commodity or product finely tuned and crafted to ultimately detract from the value of one’s home life, could men and women find absolute personal and career fulfillment.

Shannon Hayes, author of the book, “Radical Homemakers” (Left to Write Press 2010) believes the cause of this major shift lies with the acceptance of the idea that American society exists and thrives for the betterment of the capitalist corporate economy.

Hayes’ book (much like Kalle Lasn’s timeless 1999 analysis of global consumerism “Culture Jam” ) functions as a manifesto, a hard examination of the stagnant creed that the “global economy” is the be all-end all of human existence. The book is an historical account of how American women and men came to accept this self-defeating and dehumanizing view throughout the 20th century. But also, in its second half, it serves as a detailed account of couples, singles and families with young children who have renounced this view and chosen homemaking instead, to promote, as Hayes describes, a “life-giving economy based on the principals of social justice, democracy, care for the planet and its inhabitants.”

Much more than merely caring for children’s daily needs, cooking and cleaning house, being an active participant as a radical homemaker allows one to “take a constructive role in society”, a much more fulfilling goal than that envisioned by the 1950’s tradition of the mentally and psychologically suppressed housewife. Hayes makes clear time and again that her book is not an attack on the many working professionals whose vocations help cultivate a life-serving economy. Attacks like these, such as the so called “war” between the working mother and the stay at home mother, more often originate from the mainstream media, providing further evidence of how a society that exalts corporate success must undermine the value of the home worker and homemaker in order to survive.

This past spring, Green Parent Chicago spoke with Hayes on the origin of her journey into radical homemaking:

Shannon-200x300How did you come into the idea of homemaking? Did you have doubts about your own abilities to carry out your decision and the merits of this choice?

I grew up in the hills of West Fulton, NY, which lie in the northern foothills of the Appalachian Mountain chain. I loved my life with my family, neighbors and farm, but no one thought that a young family could make a viable living here, as there were no economic opportunities. But I was so physically, spiritually and emotionally connected to this place, the idea of leaving left me in a state of distress. My husband had a job in a nearby town, so we thought we could live here and commute to outside jobs.

Thus, we bought our house while I was still in grad school. I shared an apartment w/another girl, then came home on weekends. Two weeks into this arrangement, when the first mortgage bill came, he was fired. When I came home from grad school that weekend to talk about what we should do next, I saw that he had saved the chicken carcass from the bird we'd roasted the weekend before, and he'd boiled it and made a simple soup. He'd lit the fire, pulled a chair up close for me to warm up (it was a cold November night), and handed me a bowl of soup, saying nothing. I cried and cried, then realized that we'd manage.

We talked a long time, and came to the conclusion that we had been at our most economically vulnerable when we were counting on full-time jobs to pay for the roof over our heads. One angry boss, and the income stream was gone. We were engaged and had been planning a wedding the next summer. We eloped instead, and used our savings to support ourselves and began working odd jobs and developing our homemaking skills. My parents gave us a wedding gift of $5000 as well, which we figured we could rely on, until we got back on our feet. I still have some of it sitting in an account. We lived frugally, our mortgage was paid off in three years, and we never looked back.

When you talk to people about Radical Homemaking, are they skeptical about the egalitarian nature of it? You write about an egalitarian dynamic between men and women that is one of the cornerstones of Radical Homemaking. What are your thoughts on naysayers that believe this is unrealistic given society’s entrenched views of gender roles?

Generally the naysayers aren't directly in front of me. So far, they seem to be far removed, hapless internet bloggers who’ve read some article about the book, written by someone who hasn’t actually read the book, and are coming to conclusions about the book based on, well, as best as I can surmise, e-gossip. I think that people who come into contact with Bob and myself, or who have contact with any other true radical homemakers, or who have read the stories of the folks profiled in the book, understand that egalitarian relationships are possible. For certain, we all know of families where the balance of power is out of whack. But, I think that most American couples have come to see this as the exception, rather than the norm, unless they are committed for some reason to not believing it.

You profiled urban homesteading radical homemakers, Nance Klehm from Chicago and Kelly Coyne and Eric Knutzen, who live in Los Angeles. What have you found are special factors that radical homemakers must consider in an urban setting?

We rural homemakers have it a lot easier. Many of us living out in the country have family and community traditional knowledge to draw from for support. This way of life also doesn’t bear the stigma that “homemaking” in the city does. Lots of rural folks get by using subsistence living skills. It’s not unusual. Nance, Kelly and Eric had to rediscover and reinvent technologies and methodologies for working in their unique urban ecosystems. They also have a culture around them that may not support or understand their values (although I hope that is rapidly changing). They must deal with ridiculous city ordinances that keep people dependent on a consumer culture, such as codes that forbid keeping poultry.

That said, I think that this is where things are really exciting. Radical Homemakers in urban areas are coming up with phenomenal innovations, and are doing tremendous work to increase the sustainability of urban landscapes, without requiring that they over-tax the surrounding rural areas. They also must be teachers, writers and spokespeople, active agents of change in our culture, helping urban folks to understand that soil is not dirty, that we all bear some responsibility for supplying some of our own sustenance, without relying on simply the dollar to buy everything.

What has feedback from readers been like?

It has been from rural, urban and suburban folks, and it has come from all over the world. I am surprised by how many people have been living this life for a long time, guided by their ideals, but have felt ashamed or somewhat invisible in this culture, because they didn’t bear a “job label” that enabled them to be counted and seen as contributing members of their society. From those folks, I receive a lot of thank yous. I get letters from couples who have used the book as a way to talk about their lifestyles and true sources of happiness, and as a starting point for changing their household dynamics. That’s pretty amazing. I also get letters from folks who are Radical Homemaking in situations with even less money, and in even more improbable conditions. Those really make me smile, because they are showing me the great expanse of possibility.

Learn more about Shannon Hayes and her husband, Bob Hooper, and read online stories from readers of the book here.

-photo credit: RadicalHomemakers.com

Posted on June 02, 2010 at 12:26 PM in Ad watch, Books, Friday Green Gathering, Green Living, Media, Opinion, Progressive Politics, Simpler Living | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: Culture Jam, Eric Knutzen, Green Parent Chicago, Kalle Lasn, Kelly Coyne, Nance Klehm, Radical Homemakers, radical homemaking, radical homemaking in chicago, Shannon Hayes, urban homesteading, urban homesteading in chicago

Green Kids and Family Highlights of This Weekend's Green Festival Chicago

Helptheearth

Another year, another weekend full of Green Festival excitement begins tonight. Kicking off the weekend will be The Green Carpet Gala, hosted by Mindful Metropolis magazine at The Marmon Grand. For green moms and dads looking for a great date night, this gala will include food, music, drinks and more to celebrate all that is green and eco-friendly in Chicago.

The Green Festival, now in its 4th year in Chicago will run Saturday and Sunday at Navy Pier's Festival Hall with another outstanding lineup of speakers, workshops and exhibitors showcasing local non-profit organizations, sustainable products and eco-friendly businesses, and green information and education.

Kids and teens age 18 and under are FREE at the Festival and parents with young kids will definitely want to check out the Green Kids Zone. This year's programming is organized by The Green Parents Network, an online community of green families from across the U.S. and internationally. 

Some of the Green Kids Zone activities over the 2 days will include: storytelling, a traveling bug show, recycled craft projects, rescued animal exhibits, a family sing along and yoga for kids. 

For newbie parents, grandparents or moms and dads wishing to learn more about the philosophies behind green parenting, The Green Mama's Cecelia Ungari will present Green Parenting 101 on Sunday at noon. Download a full schedule of speakers and the complete Green Festival guide here.

For the full schedule of kids programming visit: http://www.greenfestivals.org/chicago/kidszone/


Posted on May 21, 2010 at 01:13 PM in Biking, Food and Drink, Green Celebrations, Green Living, Learning and Education, Local News, Media, News, Parenting, Progressive Politics, Recycled Crafts, The Green Mama, Things to Do | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: green events chicago, green events kids and family chicago, Green Festival Chicago, Green Kids Zone, Green Parent Chicago, green parenting, The Green Carpet Gala, The Green Mama

A Good Friend of Ours Needs Your Help

May_Cover2 The story of Mindful Metropolis is a story that captures the unwavering, independent spirit of Chicago.

Just one year ago, a longtime magazine in circulation around Chicago called "Conscious Choice" (started in town but later nationally owned) ceased publication. Its Chicago staff soon took matters into their own hands, "freed from corporate tyranny".

Through a sort of fortunate twist of fate, I learned of this turn of events through a good friend of mine, who is also a writer.

Excited for the prospect of an entirely Chicago-focused print magazine covering sustainable living, sustainable business, alternative health and mindful living among other topics, I was more than eager to lend my assistance to the magazine as a writer.

Since then I've become a regular contributor to Mindful Metropolis over the short year they've been in existence. Throughout this time, the magazine's small but mighty staff never cease to amaze me with their enduring commitment to fostering community among their readers through thought-provoking articles and innovative Mindful Live events that are helping Chicagoans connect and learn about and from one another, brought together by common interests and ideals.

I write this post to ask that as a reader of Green Parent Chicago, you seriously consider supporting Mindful Metropolis by becoming a Mindful Citizen which will help sustain this important local, employee owned independent magazine and growing media collective. From coverage of Chicago's Olympic bid to city composting initiatives to local eco fashion houses to high speed rail, they've covered topics that impact Chicago in new ways and uncovered lesser known people and places working toward a more sustainable city.

If you are the owner of a local business who may benefit from the broad reach of Mindful Metropolis' 40,000+ circulation, you may want to consider a Mindful Citizen Business membership, with added benefits to help you grow your business.

In this age of corporate controlled media, we at Green Parent Chicago, strongly support the mission of independent local media like Mindful Metropolis and we hope you will too.

-Christine

Posted on May 08, 2010 at 04:12 PM in Green Living, Local News, Media, News, Opinion | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: Green Parent Chicago, independent media chicago, Mindful Citizen, Mindful Citizen membership, Mindful Metropolis

Future Food: Chicago Chefs Premiere New Series on Planet Green

"Future Food" debuted Tuesday on the Planet Green network and follows chefs Homaru Cantu and Ben Roche as they set out on weekly quests to create dishes in new ways using innovative and advanced technology in the kitchen of their Fulton Market restaurant MOTO.

A recent screening event at MOTO unveiled the Chicago-based series featuring the "molecular gastronomists" who meld science with haute cuisine.

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The restaurant regularly features edible menus, made from various grains. On this occasion the menu tasted like a very well seasoned corn tortilla with a food based print.

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One of the tastes of the night (below) was a s''mores bomb, with a liquid graham cracker center covered in chocolate with a marshmallow wick.

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Cantu and Roche (above) chef and executive pastry chef respectively, are likable enough both on-screen and off, which adds to the appeal of the show, with no over-sized egos apparent and good friendly chemistry.

A youthful kitchen staff keeps the show's vibe hip. The first episode shows the pair embarking on a mission to somehow address the problem of overfishing by creating dishes that taste like fish, but have no fish in them.

This premise sounded like a green start, and left me wondering if the two might try vegan versions of fish-tasting foods molded into traditional seafood dishes. But as the episode wears on, we see the chefs create a mock tuna dish from chicken. Mock scallops made from tofu and mock sushi made from watermelon both fail taste tests by shoppers (who presumably know their seafood) at Mitsuwa Marketplace, the Japanese super mall and market in Arlington Heights.

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During the kitchen tour portion of the evening, a member of the kitchen staff (below) prepared a vegan "cigar" for a member of Oprah Winfrey's staff with edible ashes served in an ashtray. The standard version being passed consisted of pulled pork wrapped in an edible paper, which I found myself reaching for a second and third serving of earlier in the night.

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Using an array of vacuum equipment, liquid nitrogen and other items (beakers, test tubes and pipettes) more commonly found in high school science labs than restaurant kitchens, Cantu and Roche create stylistically appealing and tasty dishes in disguise.

While there is no doubt Cantu and Roche have an inventive and appealing range of ideas for food, there was little talk, in the first episode at least, of how MOTO deals with kitchen waste, or whether the restaurant makes a consistent effort to incorporate local, seasonal or organic ingredients in their dishes, though the show is based on the idea that the chefs will attempt to tackle environmental food issues.

Later episodes appear to touch on sustainability a bit more, with discussion of Cantu's experiments in food packaging and cooking with weeds. Pairing actions like these with the fun and fast paced missions would give the show more staying power and less reliance on novelty.

-Christine


Posted on April 01, 2010 at 10:36 AM in Food and Drink, Local News, Media, News, Science, Television | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: Ben Roche, Chicago restaurant cooking show, cooking show Chicago, Future Food, Green Parent Chicago, Homaru Cantu, MOTO restaurant, Planet Green

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