Time to talk organic food again. Last time we did that I was making organic green smoothies. Summer is here, as of yesterday, and it’s hot. Too hot. Wilting-flower hot. I just produced a bowl of fresh fruit for my guests. At Chez Sven, we try to serve as organic as possible. Anyone who has been reading this blog for a while knows that organic trumps non-organic any day. The problem is that obtaining organic fruit, in summer, in Wellfleet, can be a challenge. Hatch’s secures a nice selection, when their food source offers it. Wellfleet Marketplace also has a few organic bins in the produce department. It's more expensive, I hear you call? If we all ask for more, there will be more and the price will come down. (While you’re at it, ask Paul to put up a larger sign on the door to remind customers to bring their own tote bags!)
When I see guests return to the B&B with a couple peaches, I cringe, because I know they are laden with pesticide residue. Now the Environmental Working Group has published a new food summary in time for summer. This year strawberries drop down to #5. (Anyone remember how many pesticides non-organic strawberries can contain?) Peaches screech in at #4 on the Environmental Working Group ‘s Dirty Dozen. Number 3 is red peppers. Two is celery. (Always buy organic celery, especially if you have children.) This year the biggest offender is apples. Americans eat so many apples and often forget to peel them. I buy organic apples and peel them. I was surprised to see domestic cantaloupe on the Clean 15 list. Read all about the conclusions and their consequences on Global Post.
Have you been heeding my warnings and buying more organic food? Do you choose restaurants that serve organic food?
PS. The Senate is voting on the Sanders amendment today to require the labeling of genetically-modified foods. Please call your senator's office and make your opinion known. Everyone living in Massachusetts can use this easy formula from Food Democracy Now.
Update: The labeling bill was defeated. Check out how your Senator voted and voice your opinion on his/her vote, again. I just called Senator Brown and told his office I'm voting for Elizabeth Warren in the fall.
Akaka (D-HI), Yea Alexander (R-TN), Nay Ayotte (R-NH), Nay Barrasso (R-WY), Nay Baucus (D-MT), Nay Begich (D-AK), Yea Bennet (D-CO), Yea Bingaman (D-NM), Nay Blumenthal (D-CT), Yea Blunt (R-MO), Nay Boozman (R-AR), Nay Boxer (D-CA), Yea Brown (D-OH), Nay Brown (R-MA), Nay Burr (R-NC), Nay Cantwell (D-WA), Yea Cardin (D-MD), Yea Carper (D-DE), Nay Casey (D-PA), Nay Chambliss (R-GA), Nay Coats (R-IN), Nay Coburn (R-OK), Nay Cochran (R-MS), Nay Collins (R-ME), Nay Conrad (D-ND), Nay Coons (D-DE), Nay Corker (R-TN), Nay Cornyn (R-TX), Nay Crapo (R-ID), Nay DeMint (R-SC), Nay Durbin (D-IL), Nay Enzi (R-WY), Nay Feinstein (D-CA), Yea Franken (D-MN), Nay Gillibrand (D-NY), Nay Graham (R-SC), Nay Grassley (R-IA), Nay Hagan (D-NC), Nay Harkin (D-IA), Nay Hatch (R-UT), Nay Heller (R-NV), Nay Hoeven (R-ND), Nay Hutchison (R-TX), Nay Inhofe (R-OK), Nay Inouye (D-HI), Yea Isakson (R-GA), Nay Johanns (R-NE), Nay Johnson (D-SD), Yea Johnson (R-WI), Nay Kerry (D-MA), Yea Kirk (R-IL), Not Voting Klobuchar (D-MN), Nay Kohl (D-WI), Nay Kyl (R-AZ), Nay Landrieu (D-LA), Nay Lautenberg (D-NJ), Yea Leahy (D-VT), Yea Lee (R-UT), Nay Levin (D-MI), Nay Lieberman (ID-CT), Yea Lugar (R-IN), Nay Manchin (D-WV), Yea McCain (R-AZ), Nay McCaskill (D-MO), Nay McConnell (R-KY), Nay Menendez (D-NJ), Nay Merkley (D-OR), Yea Mikulski (D-MD), Yea Moran (R-KS), Nay Murkowski (R-AK), Yea Murray (D-WA), Yea Nelson (D-FL), Nay Nelson (D-NE), Nay Paul (R-KY), Nay Portman (R-OH), Nay Pryor (D-AR), Nay Reed (D-RI), Yea Reid (D-NV), Nay Risch (R-ID), Nay Roberts (R-KS), Nay Rockefeller (D-WV), Yea Rubio (R-FL), Nay Sanders (I-VT), Yea Schumer (D-NY), Nay Sessions (R-AL), Nay Shaheen (D-NH), Nay Shelby (R-AL), Nay Snowe (R-ME), Nay Stabenow (D-MI), Nay Tester (D-MT), Yea Thune (R-SD), Nay Toomey (R-PA), Nay Udall (D-CO), Nay Udall (D-NM), Yea Vitter (R-LA), Nay Warner (D-VA), Nay Webb (D-VA), Nay Whitehouse (D-RI), Yea Wicker (R-MS), Nay Wyden (D-OR), Yea
