“Féminisme, c’est bon, but we must not jeopardize those flaky pastries!”: Reaction to Pollan’s and Sims’ articles.
Assignment: read two articles, “Out of the Kitchen, Onto the couch” by Michael Pollan and “Food, Place and Authenticity: Local food and the Sustainable Tourism Experience” by Rebecca Sims, then write a blog depicting my reaction to these articles. I would like to begin by stating that the ideas represented by each of these articles were really fascinating to me, but that doesn’t necessarily mean each article captivated me equally.
Pollan’s article described how American culture has degenerated from the lack of home cooking. Pollan argues that Americans spend more time watching people cook on television (i.e. Top Chef or Food Network) than they spend actually cooking in the kitchen. Pollan then explains how this change in our culture has had negative impacts on our society; one example is by increasing the obesity rate in America. I found this article to be intriguing, enjoyable and highly thought provoking. The basic concepts presented in the article weren’t entirely new to me, but the idea that Americans spend so much time watching food on television and so little time preparing it was a bit shocking. I enjoy cooking shows, and I’m an avid fan of Top Chef on Bravo. Pollan puts it simply when he states “the implicit message of today’s prime-time cooking shows is, Don’t try this at home.” This idea had never explicitly occurred to me, but I totally agree. Watching a show like Top Chef leaves one feeling a sense of awe, something like “I’ve never even heard of that ingredient!” or “How can they think of a dish and cook it so quickly?” Overall, Pollan presents his ideas in a conversational and enjoyable format that leaves the reader hungry for more.
Sims’ article, on the other hand, was less enticing to read. The article concerned tourism and local food, mainly that tourists are attracted to eating “authentic” meals when on holiday, and that this appeal can be harnessed to bolster local businesses and food movements. I am a somewhat sluggish reader on a good day, and Sims’ article was like trudging through thick mud. I enjoyed the ideas presented in her study, but I just had one heck of a time getting through to the end. I much prefer the conversational tone Pollan uses in his article, but Sims’ approach is more academic and has its own merits.
Also, Sims’ article seemed less decisive than Pollan’s. It seemed as if Sims seemed to repeat herself throughout the article, and randomly came to a conclusion, without providing much concrete evidence. I agree with her key points, but I feel the ideas could have been explained further, whereas with Pollan’s article I felt the ideas were well expressed and thoroughly presented.