{Appetizing Event} Taste 15: What’s a Dairy Farm, Part II

Dried Corn, this variety grown for feed, leftover on one of Spirit Farms fields
Dried Corn, this variety grown for feed, leftover on one of Spirit Farms fields.

During my mid-twenties, I stopped drinking and eating dairy products. My circle of friends declared it evil. We thought it had too much hormones and antibiotics. Furthermore, so-called health experts said dairy products were bad for people of color, because milk wasn’t consumed in Africa. It wasn’t until a trip to Europe changed my views about dairy products. After all, who can resist European cheese, yogurt and butter? The day my dietary restrictions were thrown away, was the moment I was guiltily eating fresh baked bread from a danish bakery. It was a moment when a soothing thought crossed my mind, “Please eat everything. When is the next time I will visit Europe, again?” My guilt disappeared, as I feasted on European dairy products to discover I didn’t have a milk allergy. The irony? During the summer of my European feast, I lost weight. And, I fell in love with dairy-based ice cream.  Read more

{Appetizing Event} Taste 15: Come with an Open Mind, Part I

Strawberry Pecan Galette

“Come with an open mind.” It was one of the few requirements Best Food Facts requested when they emailed an invitation to take part of their Taste 15 program: Unearthing the Art and Science of Food. I approach their program with skepticism. Their sponsor is The Center for Food Integrity, and their membership include brands and organizations to support and boycott. Here’s the disclosure: My recent trip to Sacramento, California and two additional trips in the future including all expenses are sponsored by Best Food Facts, and all opinions in this series are my own. Follow the hashtag #Taste15 to read about other food bloggers and farmers participating in the same program. Read more