Inspiration: Quotes

My project continues to move toward production time.  To combine all the concepts I already have into a solid message, I looked to the passionate food experts for quotes.  I found dozens of inspiring ideas from the quotes, but stuck to a few that I might actually utilize within my project.  The concepts are simple and meaningful, and lead to specific visuals.

I might rearrange or downsize some of the quotes, but here they are in all their glory...

"Food history is as important as a baroque church.  Governments should recognize cultural heritage and protect tradition

al foods.  A cheese is as worthy of preserving as a sixteenth-century building." -Carlo Petrini, Slow Food

"The whole experience of buying fast food has become so routine, so thoroughly unexceptional and mundane, that it's now taken for granted like brushing your teeth or stopping for a red light.  It has become a social custom as American as a small, rectangular, hand-held, frozen, and reheated apple pie."-Eric Schlosser, Fast Food Nation

"How can a nation be called great if its bread tastes like Kleenex?" -Julia Child

"You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces--just good food from fresh ingredients." -Julia Child

NYT Food Issue: California Food Banks Go Fresh

Across the United States, many Americans continue to drive through McDonalds or search for the cheapest frozen entrees in the isles of monster stores like Wal-Mart.  It would be challenge, to say the least, to turn the people of the Midwestern states that I call home into eco-gastronomic eaters.

I spent my summer in San Francisco and learned California is quite ahead of the game when it comes to eating quality food.  From farmers markets to Slow Food implementation, the way the Bay eats is much more farmer, environment and health friendly.

In a NYT Food Issue article Douglas McGray said even California's food banks are looking to local farms for more fresh food.  Since 2005 the California Association of Food Banks has made deals with farmers across the state to gather fruits and veggies for food banks that are too small, ripe, etc. for grocery stores

If the food banks' consumers are eating fresh and local, maybe fast foodies should take a stab at it too.

NYT Food Issue: Michael Pollan's Favorite Food Rules

In March Michael Pollan requested reader's favorite eating rules on Well, Tara Parker Pope's health blog.  From the 2,500 responses Pollan picked his 20 favorites.  Pollan's favorite rules were presented in the NYT Food Issue in simply designed formats.

NYT Food Issue: Jamie Oliver

In the New York Times Magazine, The Food Issue, Alex Witchel wrote, Putting America's Diet on a Diet.  From Alex' article I found Jamie Oliver, a British guy with a passion for food and a mission to go with it.  Witchel says, "this British celebrity cook has made his mission in recent years to break people's dependence on fast food, believing that if they can learn to cook just a handful of dishes, they'll get hooked on eating healthfully."

A timeline outlines some of his significant food moments and accomplishments.  One I find most inspiring is his impact on British school cafeteria food.  In 2005 Jamie did a four-episode series, "Jamie's School Lunches," to fight junk food in British cafeterias.  When he convinced schools to replace processed poultry and fries with his food, teachers noted less manic behavior, an increase in concentration and a reduction in ashma attacks.  In 2005 he also started the Feed Me Better campaign to continue to improve school food, a problem the British government addressed.

Thankfully, Jamie is bringing his mission to the United States with his most recent project, Food Revolution.  The new ABC television series will be based in Huntington, West Virginia, which has been called the least healthy city in America.  The focus will be on school lunches and family dinners, which will serve as a model for people across the country with eating habits not far different from Huntington's.  According to Jamie, "Wonderful stories will unfold in Huntington.  I think their people will inspire the rest of the States to reconnect with food and get cooking too."  Want to support the cause?  Sign his petition for healthier food for American children.

McDonalds' Similar Messaging Attempt

I stumbled upon a McDonalds' online ad encouraging consumers to "Honor Angus in two words."  It reminds me of the concise six word messaging we are using in class, but with a contradicting message.  

Our concentration is on improvements to healthcare in the United States via the food chain.   McDonalds is looking for consumers help promote the mass consumption of a sandwich in two words.  The sandwich of 750 calories and 39 grams of fat does not seem like it deserves phrases like "mouth watering" or "high quality."  I think McDonalds should try something like "mystery meat" "heart attack" or "trans fat." 

Some current Angus advertisment slogans include:

"So thick and juicy, you're gonna need an extra napkin" 

"Bigger is better"

"The more the meatier"

These slogans seem like the heart of every food chain, and therefore healthcare, dilemma in the United States.  McDonalds may want to stick to apples and coffee promotions for now.  Until then, I can't wait to see the final two-word phrase.

Webby meets SMITH: Concise Messaging

Similar to SMITH Magazine's Six-Word Memoirs discussed in class, the Webby Awards limit award winners' speeches to only five worlds.  While they might lack the emotion of some of the memoirs, they are faced with the same challenge of creating a brief and dynamic message.  The creatively concise five-word speeches leave a strong, lasting impression...and spare the audience from a whole lot of 'thank yous'.  The Webby Web site says, "the famous 'five-word speech' keeps our celebrations vibrant and exciting."

A few examples include:

NYTimes.com: "Honor. Grateful. Thank you. Corny."

Invisible Children: "Angelina Jolie can't do everything."

Will. I. Am.: "Now we know we can."

Victoria Secret Fashion Show Online Series: "Victoria Secret, sexy lingerie.  Yeah."

Lisa Kudrow: "Well, thank you.  Oh God."

Check out all archived speeches or the 2009 Webby Awards videos.

Slow Food Saving the Food Chain

This spring I studied abroad in Florence and Paris.  From daily farmers markets to sidewalk cafes, I quickly became obsessed with tasting the local Italian and French flavors.  In a European Studies class in Italy we focused on the Slow Food movement, as it originated in Italy.  Carlo Petrini started the movement in 1986 in strong opposition to fast food.

They call their movement 'eco-gastronomy.'  The Slow Food philosophy states, "Slow Food is good, clean and fair food.  We believe that the food we eat should taste good; that it should be produced in a clean way that does not harm the environment, animal welfare or our health; and that food producers should receive fair compensation for their work."

When my J553 class first discussed our semester-long food chain project, Slow Food is what I first envisioned.  It's philosophy fits hand-in-hand with our class' focus on changes in the food chain that have the potential to positively affect the health of Americans.  Unfortunately, Kansas is one of four states without a Slow Food chapter...

Not only do I support the good, clean and fair motto, but I like the consistency of the Slow Food designs.  While various nation's Web sites differ, the snail (clearly representational of slow) is consistent across the board.