by John Russell
Several weeks ago various media, including CJ’s Column, reported the fact that several food and snack manufacturers were “downsizing” their portions, product count and package sizes to help with the obesity problem facing North Americans. This sounded wonderful and made for great sound bites and articles for the press to capitalize upon during the evening news and makes one feel all warm and fuzzy inside that “Big Business” cares about our health doesn’t it. Well, I read several articles, talked to a few friends and family members, and comparison shopped several product sizes, packaging changes and related issues and discovered that indeed many Companies had downsized their package sizes, product count etc. just as the press articles stated. What wasn’t stated in any article or “sound bite’ was the fact that the Prices didn’t shrink with the smaller portion/package size. Surprised? You shouldn’t be. Companies are in business for profit, bottom line
1 Comments JohnR submitted 48 days ago

by John Russell
In most cases it truly is a wonderful experience shopping the Market for fresh, locally grown and produced products. Over the years I have visited some great Farmers Markets across Canada; from Ottawa’s Lansdowne Park, London and Kitchener/Waterloo Markets (the source of the best 5 year old Dry Salami I have ever tasted), Portage la Prairie’s Market, and even one on Granville Island in B.C. selling, among the fresh and smoked seafood, some wonderful exotic mushrooms and herbs. All were an amazing experiences filled with boisterous noise, aromas, bargains, entertainment and so many varieties of products it would give any Supermarket a run for their money.
1 Comments JohnR submitted 92 days ago

by John Russell
Organics has been set aside for progressive greed. Individuals and companies within the Ag-food Industry are naturally in business for money, and safe food has taken a back seat with the quest for a higher yields and profits, better looking, easier-to-grow-and-transport food. If you don’t agree, reflect on the fact that most tomatoes, and many other vegetables and fruits, are picked green, boxed and treated with chemicals or sprays to ripen and arrive at the Supermarket looking “fresh picked”. Beef cattle are finished in huge feedlots on enhanced rations in tight quarters. Chickens are raised in cages so small they can’t move and just eat, drink and grow into Fryers in about six weeks. Apples are harvested in the fall but we can still get “fresh” BC apples in May. Our grandmothers couldn’t duplicate that feat in their day.
5 Comments JohnR submitted 119 days ago

by John Russell
Speed kills; and not only on the roadways. The need for speed in the kitchen is what has led the modern world to adopt all the processed crap we now eat because it is “quick” to prepare. Given that the average modern day child will have his/her life shortened by 11-14 years due to poor diet and related illnesses they get as a result of that diet, is their any real choice but to make time? You decide, next time you go shopping, or have the urge to cook with the telephone!
1 Comments JohnR submitted 147 days ago

Meat is the catch word we use for everything from a roast of beef to fowl, fish, ground meat, sausages and whatever else comes from animals. Where does your Meat come from? A Supermarket Styrofoam tray, a brown paper wrapped package from your local Independent Butcher shop or local Organic Farm? Wherever it comes from, it is often just popped in the oven at 375F or in a pan, and cooked the same way we were taught by our Mothers, or read in a cookbook once, without much thought as to the cut, age of the animal or how it was raised, or processed, or even the species.
2 Comments JohnR submitted 182 days ago

by John Russell
The $320M Canadian flax industry is on the verge of being destroyed forever due to some individuals or companies growing and selling a genetically modified variety called Triffid, which was ordered destroyed 10 years ago.
1 Comments JohnR submitted 217 days ago

By John Russell
Who, Why, How Much and When should we Tip, Who gets the Tip, and do we have a choice?? Definitions of “Tip” are varied. From Wikipedia, “Tips may refer to a gratuity left by the guest(s)”. Webster’s Dictionary defines a Tip as “wages we pay other people's hired help, a gift, a sum of money tendered for a service performed or anticipated “. Some Food Service Industry workers expect a Tip as part of their wages, because they feel that their employers don’t pay them enough.
8 Comments JohnR submitted 239 days ago