Just another tangential comment having to do with language use. I came across piece by a food writer/historian named Robert Moss about trying to recreate the dish called "Hoppin' John." He starts with observations that were similar to mine when I've tried to make it. Its not very impressive for a holiday dish. So he begins to dig thru old records. 1st he finds that the modern recipes call for black-eyed peas, but the earlier text use words that can mean any of 3 different kinds of beans. He eventually narrows down the choice to a similar bean called Pigeon Peas, which when cooked turn the cooking water slightly purple. Then he gets into the rice. Most modern rice raised in the US is not anything like what was originally used. If you want something similar today, the closest is Carolina Gold from Anson Mills, which requires cooking methods quite different that what is now standard. And finally, he gets into the bacon, and mentions that what is widely sold as bacon today would not have been recognized in the old days. Or at least it is such an inferior product that long ago a buyer would have felt cheated.

I've read any number of things like this. No one cooks like great-grandma not because the skills or recipes have been lost, but because the ingredients have changed so much that they no longer produce food anything like what was originally eaten.

And then there's processed food... Is that bread? Well, not really. Its highly refined wheat with additives put in so that it is vaguely nutritious, then puffed by air, not raised by yeast, and coated with a sugar-like substance which browns at a low temperature so it can be cooked with less energy.

So for me, I'd much appreciate if food was called as plainly as possible, but specifically. If its wheat gluten clumps mixed with cultivated and extracted amino acids added, and has a few herbs tossed in, call it that, and not "vegan sauce bolognese" or something in that line.

HeavyG said:

caliking said:

@HeavyGI didn't say I was offended by fakon - 

Didn't really mean to say that you, per se, was offended.

However, "bothered" is probably the better word to have used.

Try "bewildered" and you'd be pretty close.

Great post! I haven't even heard of jack fruit. 

Very creative cook!  Thanks for sharing!

HeavyG said:

I think anybody looking at "The China Study" as a guide to "the way" should be sure to read the voluminous criticism of that book/study.

I have.  At the end of the day you need to find the day to day diet that works for you and allows you to be healthy.  Again, we're not vegan, but we have been on a plant strong meat light diet for close to 3 yrs.  Feel great.  No regrets.