Food Inc. Response
Late September 2012 was the first time I had seen this documentary and I can honestly say that still going into November I think about this film constantly. Not only ordering out but also when we go to the grocery store. I find that what I think about the most in reference to this film is the meat. Where does it come from? Is it safe? Were the animals treated the same way they were in the film? Food Inc. showed me that the answers to these questions are not what you'd expect. The things that they showed us were shocking and an eye opener. For example Tyson foods and Smithfield basically have meat monopoly in the states. These companies control the prices, the farmers, what the animals are given for food and they also control the hardest thing to control in business, supply AND demand. Whether you realize it or not these colossal corporations control you in reference to what you eat and how much of it you eat. One farmer had it right, he said "You the consumer control everything. We grow what you wanna eat. So you tell the companies that you don't want a genetically modified cheeseburger and we will do that for you." That's how simple it is. I everyone who went to McDonalds everyday went one less day a week it would make a huge difference in not only your life but also the world. I'm glad we were shown this movie in our Culinary Skills class, it made me and others more wary of what we are putting in our bodies and what mess we are causing for the world in doing so.
Late September 2012 was the first time I had seen this documentary and I can honestly say that still going into November I think about this film constantly. Not only ordering out but also when we go to the grocery store. I find that what I think about the most in reference to this film is the meat. Where does it come from? Is it safe? Were the animals treated the same way they were in the film? Food Inc. showed me that the answers to these questions are not what you'd expect. The things that they showed us were shocking and an eye opener. For example Tyson foods and Smithfield basically have meat monopoly in the states. These companies control the prices, the farmers, what the animals are given for food and they also control the hardest thing to control in business, supply AND demand. Whether you realize it or not these colossal corporations control you in reference to what you eat and how much of it you eat. One farmer had it right, he said "You the consumer control everything. We grow what you wanna eat. So you tell the companies that you don't want a genetically modified cheeseburger and we will do that for you." That's how simple it is. I everyone who went to McDonalds everyday went one less day a week it would make a huge difference in not only your life but also the world. I'm glad we were shown this movie in our Culinary Skills class, it made me and others more wary of what we are putting in our bodies and what mess we are causing for the world in doing so.
Field Trip Response
For our culinary class field trip we made a quick stop to Sobey's to look for some ingredients that Ms. Dixon gave us to find. I had to find Mayo, Kabob Skewers and frozen yogurt it was pretty easy to find. Then we went back to the bus and went to Kevin Jewell's farm in Cornwall. We got to see a lot of cows and see what they were fed, the facility where they were kept and we also got to see where and how they are milked. I've seen the machine before at a farm with my dad and it's pretty advanced compared to old fashioned milking. Then we got to see a baby cow it was really cute. But the place did stink even though Ms. Dixon said it wouldn't. After that we wemt to the Holland College culinary institute. Chef Austin made us feel at home right away by explaining the program to us and then having chef Kevin do a demo for us. He made us muscles and it was my first time eating them and they were pretty good. Then we had lunch, I had the soup and it was really tomatoey but I liked it. Then I had the salmon even though I've never had fish before but Ms. Dixon wants us to try new things so I ate it. I didn't like the salmon it tasted fishy. The potatos and asparagus were amazing though it was well cooked and well seasoned. For dessert we had chocolate creme bruler but I gave mine to Maddy because there was too much chocolate and the top was burnt. Then we got a tour of the kitchens and we got to see the first and second year programs and the students that were in them, it looked like a difficult program to go through, very strenouous and requiring a lot of time and effort. I don't think the culinary program is for me because I'm going into business and I would need a business degree from university to do that. One of the only reasons I'm in Culinary class now is because Ms. Dixon's one of my favorite teachers.
For our culinary class field trip we made a quick stop to Sobey's to look for some ingredients that Ms. Dixon gave us to find. I had to find Mayo, Kabob Skewers and frozen yogurt it was pretty easy to find. Then we went back to the bus and went to Kevin Jewell's farm in Cornwall. We got to see a lot of cows and see what they were fed, the facility where they were kept and we also got to see where and how they are milked. I've seen the machine before at a farm with my dad and it's pretty advanced compared to old fashioned milking. Then we got to see a baby cow it was really cute. But the place did stink even though Ms. Dixon said it wouldn't. After that we wemt to the Holland College culinary institute. Chef Austin made us feel at home right away by explaining the program to us and then having chef Kevin do a demo for us. He made us muscles and it was my first time eating them and they were pretty good. Then we had lunch, I had the soup and it was really tomatoey but I liked it. Then I had the salmon even though I've never had fish before but Ms. Dixon wants us to try new things so I ate it. I didn't like the salmon it tasted fishy. The potatos and asparagus were amazing though it was well cooked and well seasoned. For dessert we had chocolate creme bruler but I gave mine to Maddy because there was too much chocolate and the top was burnt. Then we got a tour of the kitchens and we got to see the first and second year programs and the students that were in them, it looked like a difficult program to go through, very strenouous and requiring a lot of time and effort. I don't think the culinary program is for me because I'm going into business and I would need a business degree from university to do that. One of the only reasons I'm in Culinary class now is because Ms. Dixon's one of my favorite teachers.
My Cooking Philosophy
For me food is a way for everyone to express themselves in a way so that they cannot be judged. It is an easy way to make others and yourself happy. Cooking is something where if you make a mistake it's not the end of the world because you can try again and get it right the second time and you learn from your mistake. When I cook at home I love to experiment with different spices and different foods to try and make something new that tastes extraordinary, something that I can say I made and call mine. And finally cooking is a way for you to expand your knowledge of the world and learn about different cultures through their food.
For me food is a way for everyone to express themselves in a way so that they cannot be judged. It is an easy way to make others and yourself happy. Cooking is something where if you make a mistake it's not the end of the world because you can try again and get it right the second time and you learn from your mistake. When I cook at home I love to experiment with different spices and different foods to try and make something new that tastes extraordinary, something that I can say I made and call mine. And finally cooking is a way for you to expand your knowledge of the world and learn about different cultures through their food.
Class Reflexion
In a lot of ways Culinary 801 was what I expected in that we’d be cooking more difficult recipes and would be cooking more often and I expected to be challenged more so than in Foods and Nutrition. But for some reason I didn’t feel like I belonged with the group, I’m not sure if it’s because I have low confidence in my cooking abilities or whether my group lacked chemistry at times. Unfortunately I’m questioning whether I’m taking the course again next year. I just felt what seemed like unnecessary stress at times. It’s not Mrs. Dixon’s teaching because she’s great, she’s the reason I took the Culinary course. I don’t know if there was a difference between last years course and this years but I just don’t think it’s for me. The amount and requirements of the projects were fair and they weren’t at all hard to complete, though they did take time which was provided for us in the computer lab. Which is something else I would change is the amount of time we spent in the lab, I didn’t feel that it had anything related to cooking or the culinary arts. The course was a great experience for teaching how to cook, we learned about a variety of different foods and cultures and we have the recipes so we can make those same meals whenever we want. The meals were great for teaching us about the business behind food and how to serve food to the public. I wish the course had spent more time on the business side of the food industry. Finally I think the course was a great way to teach the students involved how to deal with stress albeit from projects, the meals or the final exam (which I would say caused me the most stress). There were a lot of times where we had to figure things out on our own and manage our own time and that is a skill that I will have and can use for the rest of my life.