grandpa ray’s tidbits
Food for thought in 2024
We are proud to give you access to Grandpa Ray’s tidbits. Each week, something new and interesting is posted for your enjoyment.
THE WESTERN DIET:
BURGER DIPLOMACY GONE BAD?—
The exporting of the American lifestyle to the world, for the most part, has been well received writ large: Levis, Hollywood, pop music, and McDonald’s, etc. What could go wrong? (after all we are the envy of the world).
Hamburger “diplomacy”, or the exporting of the American diet has recently come under scrutiny because of its fast food aspect. Fast food, meaning, fast but unhealthy. In the long term, the Western diet may be dangerously unhealthy. The immune response may be where the damage is done.
Autoimmune disease is on the rise worldwide. Incidents of autoimmune disease have increased over the last fifty years or so. Its prevalence was initially in the West; now it has become more and more prevalent in Asian and Middle-eastern countries as well. What has changed? Our DNA hasn’t changed—an external factor must be at play here. The culprit according to researchers may be the Western diet.
Aurelio Duran
Autoimmune disease causes the immune system to wrongly see it’s own cells as invaders and attacks them. The lack in the Western diet of essential health-promoting ingredients results in our gut bacteria (our microbiome) being altered and depleted, thus, directly affecting our immunity in this self-destructive way. It is important to note here that having a genetic predisposition to autoimmune disease plays a significant role in who gets it and who doesn’t. In other words, it doesn’t matter how bad your diet is—without being genetically predisposed, you won’t get it. Play it safe. You can watch a good movie while wearing your favorite jeans, just don’t eat fast-food while doing so.
What will become of cows as we know them? First their milk, then their beef—I suppose that they will figuratively be “let out to pasture.” “
IMPROVING ON MOTHER NATURE?
BY: AURELIO DURAN
In the past, I briefly touched on the up-and-coming faux proteins and their increasing prevalence. 2022 seems to be on track to accelerate the availability of a host of these substitutes—case in point: Animal-free dairy. Apparently, bovines have fallen out of favor with some groups; vegans, vegetarians, and Flexitarians, to name a few. (not to mention environmentalists)
A specialized fermentation technique is used to create these animal-free products which are, in their own right, legitimate proteins, but are not plant-based. People with milk allergies will also be allergic to animal-free dairy products. That aside, as the taste and affordability improve, the higher the likelihood of their overall acceptance.
Already, Animal-free dairy ice-cream is in circulation and gaining in popularity. Smitten Ice Cream brand debuted in 2020, and followed shortly there after by the Brave Robot brand. In 2021 Modern Kitchen introduced its patented form of cream cheese. Later this year, a whey protein ersatz is expected to hit the market. It appears that we are in the throes of a food revolution. I just hope it ends well—“it doesn’t pay to fool with Mother Nature!”
“ORGANIC” FOODS: REAL OR FRAUD?
Unfortunately, the hyper-politicization of everything in our culture, has given rise to confusion and uncertainty about issues that should be exempt from partisanship. Case in point, while researching for this week’s Tidbits, I found conflicting and contradictory information about all things “organic”. Glaringly on display, was advocacy for sustainability and “green” concerns in the pro-organic camp. The contrarian view insists that the majority of the pro-organic information is mostly hype. Both sides, all the while, adamantly proclaiming that “science” supports their position.
After a brief period of contemplating the conflicting data, I arrived at a personal conclusion which makes sense for me. If such things as the weather, health, and food are seen through an ideological prism, we have a bigger problem than the negative affects of pesticides. I have never knowingly eaten (or have sought to eat) anything organic my entire life. As far as I can tell, eating non-organic produce hasn’t ill-affected my health in any appreciable way (the same goes for parts per million ingestion of; rodent parts, plastic residue, and heavy metals). The bottom line here is you decide for yourself, if eating “organic” is essential to your health and well-being—even if it’s only psychologically comforting…it’s your call!
Some products such as snack foods are designated as organic—this is where suspicions arise. The fact that some “organic” foods aren’t subjected to the same rigorous processing that produce undergoes is problematic. The coveted designation of organic on labels is, often, justification for higher prices.
NOAH’S ARK FOR SEEDS
— In the biblical account of Noah’s Ark and the Great flood, a faithful remnant (or “seed”) was saved via the ark in order to re-seed humanity in a postdiluvian world. Over a few millennia, the multi-generational offspring of the “original seeds” burgeoned into a worldwide population approaching 8 billion souls—and they all have appetites!
In the future, should there be a man-made catastrophe that poses an existential threat to humanity, guaranteeing the replenishment of the food stocks would be of paramount importance. Accomplishing that is only feasible at the level of seedage —a store of seeds that could repropagate the food supply. The likelihood of such a cataclysm is taken very seriously—enter seed arks, otherwise known as seed vaults.
Seed vaults are repositories of seeds from many geographic regions—there are currently 1500 such regional vaults worldwide. The mother lode of all seed vaults is the Global Seed Vault in Svalbard, Norway. Situated in the side of a mountain (somewhere above the Arctic circle) this gene bank is the most impervious to natural disasters and is the “back-up of last resort.” The interior is cooled to -18 degrees and houses nearly a million different seeds of every variety. Pray we never have to invoke their use.
Scary fact: the source of much of the world’s “food seeds” is in control of four corporations.
PRESERVATIVES: THE EMBALMING OF FOOD—
The inevitable growth of microbes in most foods is the primary reason food spoils—with air being the primary enabler. In this week’s Tidbits we will take a brief look at what has historically been done to slow down this aerobic assault. Our primary focus will be on the three basic types of additives used in the preservation process.
Microbial breakdown of food can be arrested to varying degrees by drying, salting, use of air-tight containers, and by chilling. (yes, salt is number one in the preservative pantheon).There are three primary reasons why preservatives are incorporated in food—there are preservatives that; extend the shelf life of food, others enhance its flavor, and some cosmetically augment it—make it pleasing in appearance. Let’s take a look at the premier example in each category.
-Monosodium glutamate, or MSG: is a common food additive used to intensify and enhance the flavor of savory dishes. MSG is used to enhance the flavor of many processed foods. Some people may have a sensitivity to MSG, but it’s safe for most people when used in moderation.
-The most widely used dyes are Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 – accounting for 90% of all dyes used. They contain carcinogens and may cause allergic reactions. Each year, about 15 million pounds of synthetic dyes go into the U.S. food supply (actually, the “processed” U.S. food supply).
-Sodium Nitrate—Frequently found in processed meats, sodium nitrite acts as a preservative to prevent the growth of bacteria while also adding a salty flavor and reddish-pink color.
Perhaps the most famous single example of a long-lasting processed food still on display is the last McDonald’s Big Mac ever sold in Iceland; McDonald’s closed its only restaurant in the country in 2009.
got sour milk – say cheese!
One of the oldest processed foods known to man is cheese. Historically, the use of cheese by early farmers predates pottery, writing, and the use of tools, but not the domestication of sheep and goats which these protofarmers harvested for milk. These ancient farmers soon discovered that milk soured when left in warm conditions. (the lactic acid in the milk congeals the proteins into edible curds.) It was just a matter of time that curds would be creatively processed in various ways to form a variety of cheeses—the byproduct of this process became known as whey. The most auspicious characteristic of cheese was that it could be preserved, stored, and eaten in the winter or when times were lean—think of it as the beef jerky of dairy products.The minerals, fat, and protein in cheese made it a valuable life-supporting commodity.
Over time, through maritime exchanges, this newfound commodity soon became the object of trade and commerce throughout the then known world. As the knowledge of cheese making spread, each culture that adopted it added its own peculiar variation. The most influential and impactful of all the cheese practitioners were Europe’s medieval monks. Their nonstop experimentation with different milk types and aging techniques yielded amazing results—Roquefort, Munster, Parmesan, and early varieties of Swiss.
After the perfecting of cheeses through the Renaissance and the manufacturing advances of the Industrial revolution, cheese making became so profitable that in the modern era, worldwide consumption approaches 50 billion pounds of cheese annually.
This is a picture of 2 of our seniors eating our Food at a Fund Raiser this year 2024
RESTAURANT INDUSTRY OVERVIEW
Up until recently, fast food (i.e. McDonalds) and fine dining (i.e. Olive Garden) were the mainstays of the restaurant industry. Fast food is characterized by affordability, quick in-and-out service, low quality ingredients, and food loaded with preservatives. Fine dining, on the other hand, offers fresher ingredients and an ambiance with table service—and let’s not forget the customary gratuity. However, “Things they are a-changing.”
Now, there is a new and rapidly expanding phenomenon in the industry—fast casual dining. Fast casual dining is a hybrid of fast food and fine dining—the fast casual concept incorporates affordability with quality and convenience. Chipotle grill and Panera are examples—with the emphasis on fresh and healthy food in an upscale fast food setting. “Fresh” is the industries new mantra, with “organic” a close second. Typically, any menu offering which touts fresh and organic is inevitably more expensive. Understandably, fast food chains have caught on to the trend and their renewed focus is on freshness—with a token cut back on preservatives. Wendy’s and Subway are examples of fast food chains with multimillion-dollar Ad campaigns proclaiming their newfound dedication to freshness—primarily because of fast casual cutting into the fast food market share.
So where does Senior Supper Services fit in the scheme of things? Our menu is what sets us apart from all of the fast casual players. For starters, we offer one-meal-a-day in our multiethnic menu, which on a rotating basis includes all the various popular cuisines. For example, high quality; Italian, Mexican, Chinese, Thai, German, French, et al on a constantly rotating basis—with the exception of hamburgers and pizzas, which we don’t consider fine dining. Secondly, others utilize delivery services as an adjunct to in house dining; whereas our model does not currently include in house dining—and we do our own meal deliveries. Thirdly, most places do not offer the convenience of accommodating individual dietary preferences. And most important of all—Our exclusive “Seniors only” business model, in no uncertain terms, renders us as unique in the marketplace.
Location
Senior Supper Services
2055 Elks Dr.
San Bernardino, CA 92404
Contact
Need additional assistance? Please contact us:
sssdelivery@yahoo.com
909-915-5765
Hours
We are open Monday to Friday, from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm.
Saturday from 11am to 6pm
Sunday: Closed
Senior Supper Services an exclusive meal Service for Seniors
WE DELIVER TO:
CALIMESA, YUCAIPA, MENTONE, REDLANDS, HIGHLAND, DEL ROSA, SAN BERNARDINO, COLTON, GRAND TERRACE, LOMA LINDA, RIALTO, BLOOMINGTON & FONTANA
