The Gastrocast

Here is a very clear explanation about CSA’s on Plant Raw Milk. This is the same thing I was burbling on about in Gastrocast #6.

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Jamie Oliver’s bid for the UK to reform it’s school lunch program is admirable. We should be doing something similar here in the States–however, I do think that many school systems already are ahead of the curve in this, especially in California.  Nevertheless it seems to be meeting a bit of opposition. 



The old regime doesn’t seem to like the changes–"what, cook real food in the same amount of time and for the same pay we were getting for the pre-prepared slop, you must be off yer ‘ed, mate. . . .?"  Too bad corporate profit, and employee union pettiness cut across the rights of children to be fed a proper nutritious meal at school.



A few years ago I took over a Senior Citizen Lunch Program.  The price stayed the same–$5 for a hot lunch. I was given the same amount of time to prepare the food. But I changed the menu from reheated, un-nutritious garbage (I was actually told by the organizer to make sure the old dears got their veggies and juice, never mind these people could run circles around me. . . .) to simple, fresh "home cooked" meals. The cost worked out for less, which meant more profit for me and the time was the same. I think I was able to make $30 per hour–just me cooking and serving 40-60 adults for lunch–for the three hours it took me. Leftovers were sent to people who couldn’t make the lunch. The menus were sometimes complex, yet easy to execute–Seared Ahi Tuna Sandwiches with a Salad, Fresh made soup and bread,  Rice pilaf and pork chops and veggies, etc.  I did this for over a year.



Granted this is not the same as reforming an entire system stretching back to Dickens (Please, sir can I have some more. . . .) And my food costs could go as high as $2.00 per person, which is close to the 60 Pence the British reforms are calling for (dang near equal given the buying power of the government). So good luck Jamie, Mate–can’t wait to see how it goes!

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So, I’m loading up my iRiver before I head outside to work. As I’m doing this I’m listening to the latest Daily Source Code and there is Adam saying something to the effect–the more podcasts there are the shorter they will have to be.  What is this? The newest trend on the newest trend? So much for me. A dinasour by my tenth podcast. How much content can there be in 5 minutes? Sure, some, if you do it every day. A windbag like me can’t fathom it.  Well, they may have speed, but I have duration! I frequently listen to podcasts between 17 minutes and over an hour. If the content is good, then it doesn’t matter how long it is–you will listen to it. And what is Curry’s obsession with getting everybody podcasting? Slow and steady Boyo. Saturation at this point could kill the puppy. Sure, more podcasters equal more credability, and more cool content. However, in the general public’s mind it also means more people dribbling into microphones about working over a holiday weekend. . . .Wait until they can get a handle on it. Of course more podcasters must mean more Uff for someone. . . .

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