Archive for the ‘Film/Food Reviews’ Category
A Film/Food Review
Food Inc.: A Hearty Buffet
Forget about buying popcorn before you see this film. Or at least hold the butter. The documentary Food Inc. sets out to feed viewers the truth about the food industry and you might find some of the footage hard to digest.
Cows struggling on a conveyor belt. Chickens screaming and spewing blood after their necks are slit. Children dying from E. coli in a hamburger. The graphic shots in this film are stomach-churning. But they are necessary.
Food Inc., directed by Robert Kenner, confronts viewers with a behind-the-scenes look at farming practices, or rather, the mass production of meat using heavy machinery. Authors Eric Schlosser and Michael Pollan, of “Fast Food Nation” and “The Omnivore’s Dilemma,” respectively, narrate this tour into the inner workings of our food industry. Using interviews with such food experts and also with consumers, farm owners, and owners of socially responsible companies, like Stonyfield Farms, the documentary brings the texts of the aforementioned books to life.
Corn in Coca-Cola? “This Land is Your Land”? Children dying? Click to read more.
It’s Time to Face the Fat, Massachusetts
Massachusetts, 2nd State to Pass Calorie-Count Regulations for Fast-Food Restaurants (Boston Herald article)
It’s time fast-food customers stop pretending that taste trumps health. A Big n’ Tasty at McDonald’s really does have 560 calories. Just as a Grande Caramel Frappuccino at Starbucks really does have 380 calories. These facts might be shocking and unfortunate, but the numbers aren’t going down any time soon. (And neither are the numbers of obese Americans.)
So it’s time customers look up.
Thanks to a bill passed today in Massachusetts, you won’t have to do any extra research to find out what’s in what you’re eating. According to the BostonHerald.com, “The Massachusetts Public Health Council today approved new statewide regulations that will require restaurant chains with 20 or more in-state locations to post calorie counts next to each item on their menus or menu boards, including those at drive-thrus.”
For those of you opposed to being informed about calorie content: You have about a year and a half before this bill will go into effect (until Novermber 2010, precisely). So go enjoy a Big Mac while you can still hide from the truth. And make it a meal while you’re at it! (over 1000 calories!)
CuchiCuchi: A Committment to Conviviality
Listen to Montmartre while you read this review (Django Reinhardt).
You don’t have to knock on a hidden door to gain access to this Speakeasy. The roaring spirit of the 1920s blares into the streets outside of Cuchi Cuchi at 795 Main Street in Cambridge, MA, making it a welcome stop for anyone who is looking to celebrate an era of partying that ended too soon. The lights are low as soon as you step into the restaurant, but there is no shortage of energy here. A lively atmosphere of waitresses dressed as flappers, combined with Early Hollywood, eclectic, elegant decor brightens the dining area. (There is also one interactive light-up table that sparkles as you slide your plate across it. Sit there, if possible.) The bar area is a little more crowded, or cozy, and lends itself to being confused for a private party simply because there is a congenial display of comaraderie that accompanies the 1920s style vintage cocktails. A drink menu with names such as, “Some Like It Hot,” and “Satan’s Whiskers,” also contributes to it feeling somewhat like you’ve walked in on a costume party. This is great because something about entering into another decade makes it a suitable occasion to speak to strangers. And, if you’ve been trying to find a place special enough to sport your finest vintage apparel, it will surely be appreciated here. The dress code on the website defines casual elegance as pearls and designer jeans; however, I wore my own flapper dress, and feather hair piece, and I didn’t feel ostracized at all.
Since the restaurant does not take reservations after 6pm, you might have to have more than one round of drinks while you wait for a table. But, once you embrace the unhurried style of dining that circulates amid decorations of glamour at CuchiCuchi, you can allow yourself to get lost in the moment. With its red-lipsticked waitresses, romantic draperies, and satin table cloths (not to mention shining strands of jewels, twinkling candles, and jazz music) Cuchi Cuchi will swoon you.
And its charm continues past the decor.
