In addition to being concerned about the use of chemicals in agriculture, like many of you I worry about the existence of what I call “ethical food.” The biological revolution of the twentieth century has opened the door to such developments as “genetic engineering” of our foods. I find this troubling, because it diverts attention and effort from the preservation of the vast and diverse gene pool that nature has already provided us with and that we are allowing to become extinct. In commercial animal husbandry, as another example, we’ve all become increasingly aware of the use of growth hormones, massive doses of antibiotics, and other means to raise animals in ways that are occasionally inhumane, that homogenize the flavor, and that have health consequences only beginning to be understood. Happily, consumer demand can have a positive effect on how meat is produced. I remember a time in my restaurant when we didn’t serve beef because we couldn’t find a supplier who raised and processed it “naturally.” We finally found one and have used him ever since.

This concern about wholesomeness was an important reason Sid Goldstein and I wrote a book called American Game Cooking. One of the basic tenets of the book was that farm-raised game was one of the few remaining meat sources that was not manipulated genetically or chemically and therefore was still a wholesome food.


How food is grown, harvested/slaughtered, fumigated/packaged, stored and handled should be of concern to us all, as cooks and eaters as well as residents of the planet. One sensible response is to eat seasonally and locally. We don’t really need tasteless tomatoes for salad in December, which come from halfway around the world. Cabbage, fennel, and citrus can make an equally interesting salad, more in harmony with the season, the ecology, and our appetite.

Another way to cast your “vote” for ethical forms of agriculture is to patronize local farmers’ markets that showcase locally farm-raised seasonal foods. If your city or township doesn’t have one, it should. You can help nurture this important movement along by working with the local Chamber of Commerce or your state’s Department of Agriculture or agricultural extension.


Alaskan Salmon—How to Manage Sustainably

Links for more information on seafood sustainability
The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Consumer Guide can be downloaded at this site

The Environmental Protection Agency posts advisories on all kinds of fish and recommendations on both what to eat and what not to at

Sea Web is a non-profit public education organization whose aim is to raise awareness of the ocean and the life within it

Aquaculture Network Information Agency includes a comprehensive list of links and organizations

Environmental Defense Fund has a list called “Which fish is best?” plus other data

The Seafood Choices Alliance is a free subscriber service providing current information on environmental issues in the seafood industry. It includes the Seasense database, a handy tool in making sustainable seafood choices.

The National Audubon Society is active in supporting sustainable practices and publishes a beautiful and informative book called “The Seafood Lover's Almanac.”

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