Comments on: The Case of the Troubling Scallions http://www.gastronomeg.com/2008/07/the-case-of-the-troubling-scallions/ Live to Eat * * * Wine is Food Too Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:46:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Meg http://www.gastronomeg.com/2008/07/the-case-of-the-troubling-scallions/#comment-4 Meg Tue, 08 Jul 2008 18:56:53 +0000 http://www.gastronomeg.com/?p=6#comment-4 Hey Adam -- thanks for your comment! My intent is in no way to put any sort of onus on the produce store owner. In this case in particular, the store, which is just the type you describe, offers a valuable service -- affordable fresh vegetables in a neighborhood where they would not otherwise be available. I agree that in this case, untraceable vegetables are better (nutritionally speaking) than none at all. The fault lies in our distribution chain, which has decided for us that information about origins does not matter. In London, where I lived 10 and 15 years ago, similar small produce stores existed. But the produce in those stores was all labelled with country of origin as well as price (it is the law there, has been for years). Under the current system in the US, no one (neither store owner nor consumer) can easily find this information out in order to make a choice about what to buy (or not). The only way we can be sure where stuff came from is to make a considerable commitment in time, lifestyle, and/or money (ie to buy local) that is not possible for everyone. What I'm saying is not that Korean grocery store owners need to make a similar commitment. However, wouldn't it be nice if Country of Origin was information that was necessarily supplied when produce changed hands? I'm imagining a system like they have in Europe and Britain where this information is supplied as a (legal) matter of course. Hey Adam — thanks for your comment! My intent is in no way to put any sort of onus on the produce store owner. In this case in particular, the store, which is just the type you describe, offers a valuable service — affordable fresh vegetables in a neighborhood where they would not otherwise be available. I agree that in this case, untraceable vegetables are better (nutritionally speaking) than none at all.

The fault lies in our distribution chain, which has decided for us that information about origins does not matter. In London, where I lived 10 and 15 years ago, similar small produce stores existed. But the produce in those stores was all labelled with country of origin as well as price (it is the law there, has been for years). Under the current system in the US, no one (neither store owner nor consumer) can easily find this information out in order to make a choice about what to buy (or not). The only way we can be sure where stuff came from is to make a considerable commitment in time, lifestyle, and/or money (ie to buy local) that is not possible for everyone.

What I’m saying is not that Korean grocery store owners need to make a similar commitment. However, wouldn’t it be nice if Country of Origin was information that was necessarily supplied when produce changed hands? I’m imagining a system like they have in Europe and Britain where this information is supplied as a (legal) matter of course.

]]> By: Adam Pollock http://www.gastronomeg.com/2008/07/the-case-of-the-troubling-scallions/#comment-3 Adam Pollock Mon, 07 Jul 2008 21:36:06 +0000 http://www.gastronomeg.com/?p=6#comment-3 Way to go, Meg! Great first post. We're all eagerly anticipating more of your explorations of food-consciousness. I can't help but think of the grocer. Your typical NYC Korean* grocery is run by first- or second-generation Asian Americans who don't have a lot of time on their hands. They've come here for the best reason to come to America: the opportunity to build a future for their families. They are responsible for childcare, education, support of elders, and the repayment of considerable debts; all this in addition to running a labor-intensive business to what, to look at the groceries of this kind that I've seen, are unusually high standards of service and hygiene. In my career as an IT guy, I learned that a problem outsourced is a problem halved. Not having to worry about the supply chain on a whole additional level of data -- origin -- removes a considerable administrative burden. I tend to think that the time freed up not thinking about it is spent on admirable things. You and I willingly spend extra in administrative costs to get the food we desire -- witness your schedule-juggling to get to the CSA, or my weekly trip to the farmer's market, in addition to my other grocery shopping; but the grocer may have more pressing expenses. As much as I like the access to local produce that farmer's markets provide me with, I see Korean grocers as a valued service: clean, convenient, and high in quality relative to much else. Can the supply chains required to serve such a grocery be relinked to local producers without prohibitive cost? Or do places like this require a consistency that local production cannot provide? ___ * All such groceries are by no means Korean, but, in NYC at least, many small groceries are Korean-owned. Way to go, Meg! Great first post. We’re all eagerly anticipating more of your explorations of food-consciousness.

I can’t help but think of the grocer. Your typical NYC Korean* grocery is run by first- or second-generation Asian Americans who don’t have a lot of time on their hands. They’ve come here for the best reason to come to America: the opportunity to build a future for their families. They are responsible for childcare, education, support of elders, and the repayment of considerable debts; all this in addition to running a labor-intensive business to what, to look at the groceries of this kind that I’ve seen, are unusually high standards of service and hygiene.

In my career as an IT guy, I learned that a problem outsourced is a problem halved. Not having to worry about the supply chain on a whole additional level of data — origin — removes a considerable administrative burden. I tend to think that the time freed up not thinking about it is spent on admirable things. You and I willingly spend extra in administrative costs to get the food we desire — witness your schedule-juggling to get to the CSA, or my weekly trip to the farmer’s market, in addition to my other grocery shopping; but the grocer may have more pressing expenses.

As much as I like the access to local produce that farmer’s markets provide me with, I see Korean grocers as a valued service: clean, convenient, and high in quality relative to much else. Can the supply chains required to serve such a grocery be relinked to local producers without prohibitive cost? Or do places like this require a consistency that local production cannot provide?

___
* All such groceries are by no means Korean, but, in NYC at least, many small groceries are Korean-owned.

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