Grinding It Out

I have gone kind of library crazy the past few days.

One of the books I just got out is called Grinding It Out and it is the story of Ray Kroc who took over the McDonald's Corporation and made it into what it is today. I am only on the first chapter, but I was quite taken with how he started the book out:

" I have always believed that each man makes his own happiness and is responsible for his own problems. It is a simple philosophy. I think it must have been passed along to me in the peasant bones of my Bohemian ancestors. But I like it because it works, and I find that it functions as well for me now that I am a mulitmillionaire as it did when I was selling paper cups for thirty-five dollars a week and playing the piano part-time to support my wife and baby daughter back in the early twenties."

I found the first sentence in particular to be almost ironic. Here is a man who says that we should each be responsible for our own happiness and responsible for our own problems. Yet, so many of us in this country blame McDonalds for making us fat and unhealthy. Is it really their fault? Is it not more my fault if I choose to drive up to their place and order a supersized meal of everything?

I am interested to read this book. It was published in 1977, so before the supersized generation sprung up. I stopped going to any fast food restaurant 6 years ago and I have no plans to start up again. But, I am curious to read the history of McDonalds.

For supper here, it's leftovers. Left over Indian chicken, vegetable biryani and naan bread. All homemade, from scratch, from last night. Yummy tummy!

Food and my mood

I escaped from the house yesterday and headed over to the library. I love the library because I can check out a million books (or as many as I can carry) and it's free!

I found a book on mood and food that I checked out. Not that I'm pissy all the time, but I certainly have my moments. I had already decided my morning coffee ritual was making me crankier rather than happier. I went to a lecture at Kipalu about food and mood and found it fascinating.

I also checked out a Marian Keyes book to balance things out.

A Social History of Corn

After 2 years of being sidetracked by other books and things, I picked up my copy of Michael Pollan's book The Omnivore's Dilemma this weekend. I am having to go through it slowly as I'm finding there is so much to absorb I often have to put it down, walk away and spend some time thinking about what I've read.

I spent a great deal of time this weekend reading lines from the chapter on corn to my poor husband who just wanted to hang out and be Superbowl ready. I found it fascinating. From entertaining tidbits such as the fact that the phrase "cornhole" comes from the fact that people used the husks as toilet paper, to the importance that corn has played throughout our history. I knew that for the native Americans it was an extremely important source of food (although, I do not recall learning anything about its importance in my Canadian history classes - I understand that in many areas it would have more difficulty growing - but I am curious to find out what role it played in Canada).

I was not aware that corn played an important role in the slave trade. Although, to be honest, the longer I live in the States, the more I am aware of how ignorant I am of American history - that may be something that is common knowledge. I didn't know that when it made its way to Europe that it made many people sick. Or, that on the frontier it was a great "source of fiber and animal feed, a heating fuel and an intoxicant."

This is such a superficial account of corn and its ties to American (and world) history. It has left me intrigued to find out more.