The Ketchup Conundrum by Malcolm Gladwell

Last week while meandering through Target I was seduced by Malcolm Gladwell's book "What the Dog Saw" - a collection of his articles written for the New Yorker. So far its an absorbing read. One of the articles included in the book is "The Ketchup Conundrum" and its a marvelous examination on marketing, food science, and how food tastes. It tackles the very interesting question of why there exists dozens of varieties of mustard, but when it comes to ketchup - only one "flavor" is king.

Underdogs such as Jim Wigon have attempted to rival the likes of Heinz ketchup by developing fascinating hand crafted varieties - with maple syrup substituted for corn syrup, and hand chopped basil, red peppers, Spanish onions, garlic and a high-quality tomato paste - but to no avail.

The article gives a little dose of ketchup history too, as well as bringing to life some fascinating and quirky characters.

Published in Sept. 2004, I'm a little late in the game. But if you have not read it - read it now!

Nicolette Hahn Niman "Righteous Porkchop"

I think I am going to add Nicolette Hahn Niman's book, "Righteous Porkchop" to my food reading list.  Niman is an environmental lawyer and a cattle rancher. She has no qualms whatsoever eating - or raising - animals for food, yet she makes a very impassioned plea for humane treatment of animals along with (so I'm told) clear and concise methods of achieving that goal.
Get a taste of her by reading her New York Times article entitled
"Pig Out"










She also has an interesting article in the Huffington Post with tips and straightforward information for those who are interested in avoiding products from factory farms and want to find alternative sources for meat, dairy, and eggs.

Hungry Planet: What The World Eats by Peter Menzel and Faith D'Aluisio

Hungry Planet Is an amazing book, with some really provoking pictures, some of which can be seen online by checking out Peter Menzel's photography gallery.


The book presents some awesome photography on - you guessed it -- what people eat. In the gallery online you can find a sample from an in depth series of pictures in which families from all over the world are photographed, in their homes surrounded by all of the food that they eat in one week (This includes everything from groceries to fast food and snack food). The contrast from family to family is striking both in the extreme differences and the similarities, as each photo reveals a bit about not only the nutrition of a family, but also their economic standing, the make-up and size of their family unit, and even the decor and architecture of their home. From a single picture one gets a very private and intimate glimpse into the home and family life of cultures all over the world, in a way that I feel is easily relatable and identifiable. Regardless of where we come from, or how we live - we all have to eat.

Check it out! Look! Look! Look!