Confessions of a (Not so much)Food Purist

I had not even given it any thought till this afternoon. People throw around the word "purist" all the time around here, most of the time its in relation to those who preach from a soapbox.

I never considered myself a Food Purist per say. If I ad my choice between using something packaged or fresh from the ground I would be all over the fresh stuff in a heartbeat, no question there. But to think of myself as preaching on a soapbox about purist ideas and ideals was a thought that never crossed my mind..till today.

Now, I want to make it clear I will not go all preachy about purist ideals here. I may sound off from time to time sounding like one (I know I have in the past) but I refuse to bash the whole of modern society for functioning. Honestly, Id prefer if it did not function the way it does in regards to food.. but the most I can do is offer suggestions, recipes, and ideas to try to counter our dependence of "Convenience Foods".

I was sitting in the schools cafe eating my margarita pizza (Which is really not bad at all I must say) browsing the latest issue of Food Product Design when it struck me. I think the moment it struck me was when I was reading about the award they gave to Michigan State University during the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Annual Meeting and Food Expo for "creating a new food idea and develops the concept through marketing and production". The product developed was "Chicken Noodle Bites, a microwavable snack based on a whole-grain pasta shell stuffed with ground chicken and vegetables."

I stopped reading and looked around for a second, looked back down and read it, then almost shivered as a voice in my head said "What the F....".

I proceeded to browse the advertisements of the magazine and realized how much artificial flavorings and tastes we are creating in the R&D sector.

I had the sudden urge to run outside, dig a carrot up from the ground and gobble it down, dirt and all.

I wonder if all Food Purists go through the same process?.. regardless I make my bed in the camp that believes that we should eat healthier, rely less on additives, and strive for a better relationship with our land and our surroundings.

If the purists mail me a soapbox..would it be rude to Return To Sender?