S510.

the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (S 510) is going to be voted on tonight. the house voted on its version in 2009.

michael pollan and eric schlosser did a nice op-ed in the nytimes yesterday about the whole thing (no surprise there). they actually mention that americans were outraged about the Wright County Egg inspection and salmonella scandal of late summer, which i don't really believe.

but they ended with a super quote from teddy roosevelt (who is always awesome):

“Unfortunately,” he said, “the misdeeds of those who are responsible for the abuses we design to cure will bring discredit and damage not only upon them, but upon the innocent stock growers, the ranchmen and farmers of this country.”

pretty sure that says it all.

joe's bakery.

austin adventure, day two.
(yes, i realize that i have yet to discuss day one.)
blake took me to joe's bakery for breakfast tacos. and mexican pastries. i had two tacos: potato, egg, and cheese & miga taco con todo (migas, tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, and cheese). i am pretty sure that most people in the place were regulars. LOVED it.

of course.

i ate tacos 3 mornings of my austin thanksgiving eat-a-thon. also, treats from 2 food trailers. and 2 texas cameo apples. and thanksgiving, with pinata!

posts to come.

wah.

the insane cookies at the biweekly policy seminar. the size of my head. maybe bigger.

please note that someone actually placed each individual m&m into the top of the cookie. they are not mixed into the batter. the whole experience was silly.

the hens.

there are hens at casey's house. in raleigh. in the city.

lady city chickens. including one named elvis.

i am really excited about these hens, mostly because they are literal egg-making machines. casey likes eggs at least as much as me (maybe more, it's unsure) and sometimes he brings eggs to my house. yes.

they are all different colors and sizes and are super good. LOVE.
so i photographed/videoed them for y'all.

bake. it. up.

so it begins. the baked explorations adventure. this morning, nutella scones. no skimping in this book--dark cocoa, lots of nutella (they even tell you how to make your own!), toasted hazelnuts, heavy cream. mmmm.

this was a pretty easy recipe; you don't even need a stand mixer. or a mixer at all. but, the dough was especially dry and wouldn't stick so i added some extra cream. i know, the problems of the first world...

but really, they are pretty awesome. see everyone's here.
this adventure is going to be really fun. i have to make sure i don't stop riding my bike; my belly is going to get HUGE.

writing writing writing

i spent the last month(ish) writing a literature review on food safety. it makes a person the opposite of hungry. i continued to eat my way through the assignment, but with lots of meals like this one: grilled cheese on rye with lots of arugula and sauteed kale and turnip. it's done, and i am baking.