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10/1/13

Room for Cheetos


People in Boulder take their food seriously. Our Whole Foods Market makes the store in Columbus Circle look ghetto. Just to give you an idea of how committed they are to stocking only the healthiest nosh, an entire aisle is dedicated to gluten-free noodles. Another aisle is nothing but freshly squeezed juice. Here, a single serving of beet-and-other-stuff juice sets a girl back 10.99+tax. Believe it or not those puppies were flying off the shelves. 

The restaurants we've been to (and we've been to many since I am pathetic excuse for a housewife) all feature local cheese, cage-free eggs, organic doughnuts. At one place they served deep fried pickles, which, according to the menu, were local right down to the acetic acid used to pickle the cucumbers. Is that even possible? If the proprietors of the establishment didn't look like they take themselves SO seriously I'd be certain they were messing with people. 

I get why people take food seriously. We all gotta eat, and the things we put in our mouths have a big impact on our health and our moods. Food can be a way to connect, to comfort, and to create memories. So I get it.

But sometimes I just need to cut loose and eat crap; Cheetos and candy made from high fructose corn syrup by Sweetums in Pawnee, IN. It's the kinda stuff you can't find at Whole Foods Market (which is pretty much the only game in town if you live in BO,CO).

I'm really glad to know that a person can still be thoughtful about food, without taking themselves too seriously.Take for example, food guru Michael Pollen and Maira Kalman, the artist he commissioned to illustrate an edition of his book "Food Rules." Here is her response to his request to participate in the project:  
 


Two things:

First, I think Maira Kalman is one of the most delightful, thoughtful, talented writer/artists out there. 
If you aren't familiar with her work you should get your duff in a chair and look her up.

Second, if Michael Pollen is down for cheese doodles, maybe Whole Foods should consider devoting an aisle to what I like to call "a balanced diet." It's feedback I plan on giving management next time I'm there for overpriced beet juice and local vinegar. 

11 comments:

Unknown said...

i love you!

Unknown said...

oh and i miss you too!

Unknown said...

badly!

Mercedes said...

oh mango. i miss you too. i am coming for a visit real soon. we'll have to go on one of our epic walks and drink big gulps.

Louise Plummer said...

Have you ever watched Portlandia? They have a heyday with this kind of food obsession.

Janae @ Bring-Joy said...

Did Louise Plummer really leave a comment on your blog?? She is such an amazing writer, I love her.

So, about the cheetos. It's funny because that's one of Joseph's favorite foods & I encourage that. I mean, I don't want him eating them all day, but if it makes him happy, I say, go for it. As sort of a moderate health nut & vegan, I get why food is so important. But I agree, you've got to have a balance of eating well, but not taking yourself too seriously. Life is short, after all.

I don't shop at Whole Foods. I can't afford it. End of story.

Mercedes said...

@janae isn't louise the best!!! we are friends. i also love her husband tom. he is an artist and did the most beautiful mixed media portraits for my husband and me. i really like how honest you are about food. I feel like you are flexible with yourself and try to be true to yourself and what your body tells you it needs. i think its such perspective.

@louise i gotta watch that show stat. i've been reading depressing novels and need something funny before i do something really dramatic, par example stick my head in a stove. i probably shouldn't write stuff like that on my blog. i know you get this stuff though.

Bonnie White said...

Mercedes I am so glad you are blogging again. You keep life real. Your Gma has a diet of cookies and cheezies these days. She's 86 tomorrow, can walk for an hour and can complete a 1500 jigsaw puzzle in three days. So go ahead eat the yummy stuff. @janae is right Life is too short.

LiNds said...

Haha I totally hear you girl and have been craving good-old-Schneider-style 'junk food stew:)' we have a fro you place across the street here in LA with plenty of fun gunky toppings like Sweetums would make;) dangerously close... and yet, hits the spot

Mercedes said...

@linds junk food stew followed by a ben and jerry's fest sound like the antidote to my afternoon blues. you schneider's know comfort food.

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