Thought About Food Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

This is Part 2 of an interview with Josh Milburn about his new book Just Fodder: The Ethics of Feeding Animals. In this part of our conversation, we talk about our responsibilities toward and for wild animals that come under our care, such as in zoos or when we rescue wild predators.

Show Notes:

• Follow us on Twitter at @FoodThoughtPod, and you can drop us a line at ThoughtAboutFood on Gmail. Rate our podcast and leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts! It helps people find the show.
• We have a YouTube channel! It features more conversations about the meaning of food in our lives, and includes some great recipes to boot. Check it out here and subscribe!
• Dr. Josh Milburn is a Lecturer in Political Philosophy and a British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow at Loughborough University. You can learn more on his website or by following him on Twitter.
• Josh's new book is Just Fodder: The Ethics of Feeding Animals from McGill-Queen's University Press. Check it out! 
• I was a guest on Josh's podcast Knowing Animals. If you haven't heard it before, take a listen to episode 157, in which we discuss Precision Livestock Farming.
• The intro and outro music is "Whiskey Before Breakfast" which is both a great traditional song and at least one thing that should definitely not be served to our companion animals. It was performed and shared by The Dan River Ramblers under a Creative Commons license.
• Appropriately, this time Josh shared a recipe with us for a vegan suet feeder from the book Happy Vegan Christmas, though as he warns us, results may vary depending on the ambient temperature where you are (specifically, is coconut oil solid where you live). Take a look! "Suet Cups for Winter Garden Birds 500g / 1lb. 2 oz. coconut oil 100ml / 3 1/2 fl. oz. / a generous 1/3 cup canola oil 700g / 1lb. 9oz. / 5 cups mixed wild bird seed Melt the coconut oil in a pan and stir in the [canola oil] and seeds . Scoop the mixture into old cups (or other vessels such as milk bottles or plastic containers). To make sure the birds can sit and enjoy picking their seeds, I insert a stick into each cup. Leave the fat to set. Tie string or a ribbon around the cup's handle and hang it up in a tree or at a bird feeding station. For my chickens, I make seed cups without inserting the sticks."

This is Part 1 of an interview with Josh Milburn about his new book Just Fodder: The Ethics of Feeding Animals. In this part of our conversation, we talk about his inspiration for the book, and focus on ethical issues with what we feed the cats, dogs, and birds that live with us.

Show Notes:

• Follow us on Twitter at @FoodThoughtPod, and you can drop us a line at ThoughtAboutFood on Gmail. Rate our podcast and leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts! It helps people find the show.
• We have a YouTube channel! It features more conversations about the meaning of food in our lives, and includes some great recipes to boot. Check it out here and subscribe!
• Dr. Josh Milburn is a Lecturer in Political Philosophy and a British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow at Loughborough University. You can learn more on his website or by following him on Twitter.
• Josh's new book is Just Fodder: The Ethics of Feeding Animals from McGill-Queen's University Press. Check it out! 
• The intro and outro music is "Whiskey Before Breakfast" which is both a great traditional song and at least one thing that should definitely not be served to our companion animals. It was performed and shared by The Dan River Ramblers under a Creative Commons license.

This episode we spoke with Jennifer Molidor about food justice and sustainable agriculture, and how that can be pursued in public policy, activism, and changing individual diets. We also talk about pursuing alternatives to academic careers. It's a lot of fun, and really interesting.

Show Notes:

• Follow us on Twitter at @FoodThoughtPod, and you can drop us a line at ThoughtAboutFood on Gmail. Rate our podcast and leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts! It helps people find the show.
• Jennifer Molidor is a senior food campaigner at the Center for Biological Diversity. That organization also has a website devoted to food issues called Take Extinction Off Your Plate, and you can follow her on Twitter @JenniferMolidor
• Jennifer was kind enough to share a recipe with us. It's a family-favorite vegan sandwich, and I can report it's great! Here's what she had to say:

  "I had a hard time choosing something, from power bowls to smoothies to my renowned guacamole, but I’ll go with a simple sammich because mom-life means a lot of sandwiches that are packed with protein and deliciousness. It’s a smushed chickpea sandwich and measurements are all to taste:

  • Toasted bread
  • Plant-based mayo
  • Lightly toasted mustard seeds
  • Dijon mustard
  • Small chopped red onion
  • Small chopped leek
  • 1 tsp Himalayan salt
  • 1 pinch black pepper
  • 1-2 cans of chickpeas, drained
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 1 cup chopped pickles
  • 4 cloves minced fresh garlic
  • 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • Pinch of cayenne

   

  Use flavors to taste, but be generous with salt and mayo. Mash chickpeas, mustard and mustard seeds, add in onions, garlic, leek, pickles, celery, and other spices (mash with fork or masher). Add in mayo, lemon juice, vinegar. Taste, adjust as necessary. If you want, you can add nori sheets or yeast to make it more savory/tuna-like. Add parsley or cilantro if you’re into that kind-a thing. This is great alone or in sandwiches and lasts a few days refrigerated. I add avocado slices and tomatoes on my sandwiches with this to keep it juicy."

• The intro and outro music is "Whiskey Before Breakfast" which is both a great traditional song and a great starter before a chickpea sandwich in the morning. It was performed and shared by The Dan River Ramblers under a Creative Commons license.

This episode we spoke with Shanti Chu about the ways our identity and what we eat interact. We also talk about the different ways philosophers can talk about philosophical issues inside and outside academia.

Show Notes:

• Follow us on Twitter at @FoodThoughtPod, and you can drop us a line at ThoughtAboutFood on Gmail. Leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts! It helps people find the show.
• Shanti Chu is a philosopher living and working in Chicago. To see some of the cool things she's working on, you can visit her personal page, her vegetarian/vegan blog ChiVeg, her YouTube page, and her Instagram.
• Shanti was kind enough to share a recipe with us that's meaningful to her -- Hearty Tofu Paprikash. As she says,

  "Being half Hungarian, I grew up eating delicious and flavorful Hungarian food.  My Hungarian upbringing has influenced me to the extent of using Paprika in most of my dishes because I can’t live without the flavor.

  While some Hungarian classics are meat-heavy, they can easily be veganized.  For example, chicken paprikash is a staple of the Hungarian diet and it is a very remarkable, comforting dish but it has a lot of meat and dairy in it.  Just because you are vegetarian or vegan doesn’t mean you have to stop eating your Hungarian favorites.  Why not make this Hungarian staple vegetarian friendly with all the scrumptious tomato/paprika flavor?"

• The intro and outro music is "Whiskey Before Breakfast" which is both a great traditional song and a great way for me to express my identity. It was performed and shared by The Dan River Ramblers under a Creative Commons license.

This episode we spoke with Tony Chackal about "supper clubs" -- how you can start one, and the political, social, and cultural implications of the practice of providing food as a host or receiving food as a guest.

Show Notes:

• Follow us on Twitter at @FoodThoughtPod, and you can drop us a line at ThoughtAboutFood on Gmail. Leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts! It helps people find the show.
• Tony Chackal is a philosopher and Visiting Assistant Professor in the Philosophy Department at Miami University.
• Tony kindly agreed to create a playlist to listen to with your supper club. Take a listen, and if you start a supper club, let us know!
• The book I couldn't come up with the name of was obviously Bowling Alone
• The intro and outro music is "Whiskey Before Breakfast" which is both a great traditional song and a possible inspiration for a "pre-breakfast club" that you could also consider starting. It was performed and shared by The Dan River Ramblers under a Creative Commons license.

This episode we spoke with Ilana Braverman about the Better Food Foundation and how to affect people's choices around food.

Show Notes:

• Follow us on Twitter at @FoodThoughtPod, and you can drop us a line at ThoughtAboutFood on Gmail. Leave us a review! It helps people find the show.
• Ilana Braverman is Director of Outreach for the Better Food Foundation, and leads the DefaultVeg campaign. You can listen to Ilana's Tedx talk here, Moving Beyond a Hamburger Default World.
• You can visit the Better Food Foundation's website to get involved, or the direct site for their project DefaultVeg.
• The intro and outro music is "Whiskey Before Breakfast" which is both a great traditional song and an interesting morning default. It was performed and shared by The Dan River Ramblers under a Creative Commons license.

This episode we spoke with Keith McHenry about Food Not Bombs, Anarchism, and the radical potential of feeding people as a political act.

Show Notes:

• Follow us on Twitter at @FoodThoughtPod, and you can drop us a line at ThoughtAboutFood on Gmail. Leave us a review! It helps people find the show.
• Keith McHenry is one of the founders of Food Not Bombs
• Keith has written a number of books, including Hungry For Peace: How you can help end poverty and war with Food Not Bombs and The Anarchist Cookbook (not the one you're thinking of, but a "real anarchist cookbook" as Keith says).
• To find a local Food Not Bombs near you, or for resources on starting one, check out the Food Not Bombs website. The one nearest to me is the Food Not Bombs RGV branch.
• The intro and outro music is "Whiskey Before Breakfast" which is both a great traditional song and not an impediment to getting served by Food Not Bombs if you're hungry, because they serve anyone, sober or not. It was performed and shared by The Dan River Ramblers under a Creative Commons license.

This episode we spoke with Christopher Carter about faith, black veganism, and soul food.

Show Notes:

• Follow us on Twitter at @FoodThoughtPod, and you can drop us a line at ThoughtAboutFood on Gmail. Leave us a review! It helps people find the show.
• Christopher Carter is an Assistant Professor and Assistant Chair of the Theology and Religious Studies department at the University of San Diego and a Faith in Food Fellow at Farm Forward.
• Christopher's forthcoming book is The Spirit of Soul Food: Race, Faith, and Food Justice from the University of Illinois Press.
• Christopher mentions that his use of Black Veganism is directly inspired by Aph Ko and Syl Ko's book Aphro-ism: Essays on Pop Culture, Feminism, and Black Veganism from Two Sisters
• Christopher shared a recipe for red beans and rice, one of the first that he successfully "veganized." This also counts as a teaser for his book, since this recipe and others are included throughout the text (something I wish more academic books on food would do!): Red Beans & Rice For me, a Black man whose American ancestry begins in Mississippi and Louisiana, the foundational soul food dish will always be red beans and rice. This recipe was a staple in my childhood, something we could eat on special occasions and when our budget for food was slim. For me, red beans and rice feels like home. When the pervasive reality of racism knocks me offcenter, red beans and rice can be the ground from which I can regain my sense of self and remember myself as beloved by my community and beloved by the Ultimate source of compassion. Despite all the stress, micro, and macro aggressions I may face, sitting down at the dinner table and eating red beans gives me a little something to help me keep-on-keeping-on, as the elders would say. If we think about the history of Black foodways as a window into the racism that was and continues to be foundational to our domestic food system, we realize that Black foodways have a deeper meaning that can easily be overlooked. Knowing this history and finding ourselves within this story prompts theological reflection and response. Decolonial analysis seeks to unsettle the notion that theory and praxis are necessarily separate from each other—theory is thinking, and thinking is doing, and praxis necessarily requires thought-reflection on actions. Both my Christian faith and my identity as Black man influence the analysis, arguments, and constructive proposals that I put forth in this book. What some might see as a provocative suggestion, black veganism, is rooted in these two identities. However, what follows in this book is not a straightforward argument for veganism. My own path to veganism was not straightforward, it  was a complicated and challenging transition and it would be foolish to expect otherwise from anyone else but especially Black people given the ways that our foodway is racialized. Black veganism is a process of being and becoming, knowing who we are and what tools we need to use so that Black foodways can be a source of abundant life for Black communities. When I became vegetarian and subsequently transitioned to veganism, I feared that my evolving diet compromised my ability to feel like I was a part of my community when we sat down for meals. Moreover, if I could not eat red beans and rice, I wondered, “what kind of Black person would I be,” could I still claim to be standing on the culinary shoulders of my ancestors? Finding a vegan version of this dietary staple opened my eyes to the creativity one can have cooking soul food. Preparing it and serving it to my family revealed that this delicious version conjures the same familial memories as its nonhuman animal meat-based alternative, and thus possesses the strength to become a foundational family dish too. Because of this, red beans and rice is the first dish we set out upon our vegan soul food table. Ingredients: Two 15oz. cans of Kidney beans, rinsed and drained 4 cups of broth made from Better than Bouillon Vegetable base 4 vegan sausages (I highly recommend Field Roast Apple Sage, Italian, or Mexican Chipotle) 1 tablespoon of grapeseed oil (or any high heat oil) 1 large white onion, diced medium 6 six-inch celery stalks, diced small 6 garlic cloves, minced 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped ½ cup of green onions Directions Heat a 4-5 quart stew pot over high heat, add the oil and wait until it shimmers. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook about 2 minutes more. Add the sausage, chili powder, thyme, broth, beans, and bell pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt, pepper, and your favorite hot sauce. Serve over a bed of rice, garnish with the green onions.
• The intro and outro music is "Whiskey Before Breakfast" which is both a great traditional song and an interesting interpretation of "praxis." It was performed and shared by The Dan River Ramblers under a Creative Commons license.

This episode we spoke with Megan Birk about the history of "Poor Farms" in the US.

Show Notes:

• Follow us on Twitter at @FoodThoughtPod, and you can drop us a line at ThoughtAboutFood on Gmail. Leave us a review! It helps people find the show.
• Megan Birk is an Associate Professor of History at UTRGV.
• Megan has written the book Fostering on the Farm: Child Placement in the Rural Midwest, and her new book is The Fundamental Institution: Poverty, Social Welfare, and Agriculture in Poor Farms which is under contract at University of Illinois Press.
• The main article about Poor Farms which we discussed in the interview was The better the farm, the better the food: institutional diet, agricultural practices, and nutrition in U.S. almshouses
• Megan shared a recipe for Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake (!) Here's what she has to say about it:

  "This is a cake that my mom used to make regularly when I was a kid, and I make it for friends, family, and holidays because it's delicious and people love it.  It's also very Midwestern to use mayonnaise as a shortcut in baking 

  Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake 

  1 and a half cups white sugar

  1 and a half cups mayo (do not use miracle whip) 

  4 TBS baking coco 

  ---- mix together 

  3 cups cake flour

  3 tsp baking soda

  1/4 tsp salt 

  ----- add these to mix above

  1 and a half cups warm water

  2 tsp vanilla

  ----- add to above and mix ---- the mixture will be pretty loose (or runny) that's ok

  I grease and flour a cake pan before pouring in the mix and baking at 350 degrees for 25-30 on the top rack

  Frost with whatever you're into, I don't make my own frosting because I hate the texture of powdered sugar on my hands (I know I'm a weirdo) "

• The intro and outro music is "Whiskey Before Breakfast" which is both a great traditional song and a good thing to try before baking Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake. It was performed and shared by The Dan River Ramblers under a Creative Commons license.

This episode we spoke with Paul Thompson about some of the possible futures for farming in the US.

Show Notes:

• Follow us on Twitter at @FoodThoughtPod, and you can drop us a line at ThoughtAboutFood on Gmail. Leave us a review! It helps people find the show.
• Paul Thompson holds the W.K. Kellogg Chair in Agricultural, Food & Community Ethics at Michigan State University
• Paul has written a number of excellent books, including From Field to Fork, and his new book Sustainability: What Everyone Needs to Know
• Paul shared a recipe for migas; check out the recipe because he included a great story at the end:

  "Here’s a recipe for migas. 1 cup chopped onions; 2 cloves minced garlic; 1 medium tomato chopped; 4-6 tomatillos, chopped; ½ to 1 ½ cup chopped peppers (jalapenos, poblanos, serranos, anaheims—your choice depending on desired heat—in pinch I’ll use green peppers, but I won’t like it); 8 eggs, lightly beaten; 2 cups broken corn chips (not too small) 1½ cup mild melting cheese (Colby jack, you add queso fresco, too, but you need a good melter); peanut or safflower oil to cover the bottom of a large skillet.

  Heat skillet and saute the peppers, onions, garlic and tomatillos

  Lower heat and add eggs, stirring constantly. When the mixture starts to thicken add chips and continue to stir; after all chips are covered add cheese and keep stirring. When the eggs are solid (but not rubbery) turn off the heat, add the tomato, stir briskly and cover. They will be ready to eat in two minutes. Serve with tortillas. Some people add chorizo, but I’m usually cooking for a vegetarian or two (not vegan, obviously) and I’ve come to prefer it without meat.

  Here’s a story to go with the recipe: One of legendary San Antonio restaurants is Mi Tierra, open 24 hours a day in Market Square next to the wholesale farmers market. When I first started going there in the early 80s, breakfast between 5:00 am and 9:00am was their busy time. I always ordered their chiliquiles and fresh squeezed orange juice. (It’s mentioned in Gary P. Nunn’s “What I Like about Texas”.) As Market Square has become more and more of a tourist destination, Mi Tierra has  been upgraded several times and they introduced a simplified and gringofied menu. Now you stand in line anytime between 11:00 am and midnight. When I was there eating alone at 7:00 am in about 2005, the place was almost deserted, but there was a table of about eight mid-30s white guys pestering the waitress with numerous questions about the menu (which no longer mentioned either chiliquiles or fresh squeezed orange juice). When the poor waitress got to me I said I’ll have chililquiles and fresh orange juice. She just wrote it down and didn’t say a thing. Before she could get back to me with my food (and Yes, I did get chiliquiles and fresh orange juice), a gentleman with a graying mustache at the table near mine poked me on the shoulder and said, “We don’t need no stinking menus!”

   

  One of the great moments in my life.

   

  You can get into the difference between migas and chiliquiles, but as you probably know, there are about as many theories on that as there are on barbeque, and like barbeque, everyone is completely convinced that their theory is the right one.

• The intro and outro music is "Whiskey Before Breakfast" which is both a great traditional song and a nice thing to keep you occupied while you make those migas. It was performed and shared by The Dan River Ramblers under a Creative Commons license.