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Will You Miss Vanilla?
Happy Friday! It has been too long...
Quick Question: What would you do if vanilla disappeared?
A few weeks ago (I've been meaning to write but haven't had the time) I read this fascinating article in possibly my new favorite magazine called Gastronomica. The article was called "Climate Change and the Future of Taste" written by Michele Field, so if you happen to find a back issue of the journal (the article is not posted online so far) please read it. It is incredibly well researched and detailed, but I will summarize some of the key points made in the article. Instead of the usual debate over who or what is at fault for climate change, she catalogued the foods that may suffer the most in the long run, many of which we take for granted...
(Please note, this is not to be taken as an alarmist-type post, just something to consider and discuss)
Just Desserts
Imagine a world without "cold weather crops like strawberries, wheat, apples, and oats". Um, I can't at the moment, particularly because that affects two of my favorite desserts: my strawberry cupcake and apple pie. Some countries have already begun to adapt to the rising costs of wheat. Peru has supplemented their bread with one-third mashed potatoes and two-thirds wheat.
Fun Fact: Did you know wheat makes up for 20% of our food calories worldwide?
As I alluded to in the title, the vanilla bean is extraordinarily sensitive to pests and soil temperatures, making it very vulnerable in the next coming years. I often feel the pinch of shelling out $5 for a few ounces of the pure extract. Ironically, we would probably miss chocolate too since about 80% of our chocolate is flavored with vanilla, and it doesn't help that the cacao tree is super sensitive to pests. And forget about chocolate chip pancakes; maple syrup is being afflicted too.
Natural vs Nature Identical
Now instead of saying "imitation" vanilla, someone coined the term "nature identical" which really bothers me. The mere labeling of any food in that manner automatically implies the falsehood. Would you eat the "nature identical" half-cousin of a banana, the banono? Didn't think so. Call it like it is people. We've been accustomed to seeing "vanillin" and other ridiculous imitative forms of names, so please buyer beware. If it ever comes to the point where natural vanilla doesn't exist and "vanillin" is all there is, then it won't matter anyway. I'll be on a raw food diet.
Chain Reactions
Back to wheat for a moment. Some livestock farmers have had to increase millet (sold mostly as birdseed in the US) in their grains to bolster the loss of wheat. The taste difference is probably minimal to us for now, but it will alter the fat content of our meaty friends. I love seeing those pretty marbelized cuts of meat at the farmer's market. I could totally have a juicy steak right now. But I won't. I'll finish writing. Sigh.
It's a good thing we can find other grains to feed those animals. The point here is fairly obvious: the more fixed an animal is to its diet (or exclusively dependent on another animal), the more likely we are to lose that species. If you couldn't adapt to another food source, you'd be out of luck. Hooray omnivores, I guess.
Other potential proteins would be sheep, goats, yaks, and wild game, especially those that survive in non-arable land and rocky, cold, mountainous climates. Geese can roam on land that can't support vegetation and chickens have little unrecyclable waste, so it's likely that our poultry would shift a little, but not too much.
It's Getting Hot in Here
We think we are pretty tough on the top of the food chain, but we are linked by an undeniable truth: mammals (and many birds) begin overheating at around 107 degrees Fahrenheit. Certain plants can adapt but we haven't been able to make any evolutionary headway in that arena just yet.
Just Keep Swimming
The rising temperature has a triple affect on seafood. The acidity rises, the oxygen dispells faster, and (obviously) it gets hot. The more active fish like salmon and tuna bear the brunt of this since no oxygen means less movement, and we all know salmon swim upstream, which takes a ton of energy. Not to mention the mating that takes place once they get upstream. TMI?
Though we may end up consuming much more freshwater fish, some restaurants and flavor companies have begun developing a potion that gives the aroma and taste of the sea to trick our senses into being satisfied with our not-from-the-sea food.
Shake It Like a Salt Shaker
Speaking of salt, it was suggested in the article that tomatoes may need to be grown in areas with higher salt content in the soil, and by cross breeding (which I will touch on later) with cress, we could have pre-salted tomatoes in stores. I personally wouldn't mind that, but we have to be careful since there are so many with dietary restrictions that even slight increases in certain minerals and chemicals could mean eliminating that option from one's diet.
Whining About Wine
I chuckled when it wine came up in the article, particularly because I had just seen a "Champagne only comes from Champagne, France" ad attacking the sparkling wine companies who misuse the term for their product. In the coming years, England could have an analogous climate to the current French wine country. Could we see a migration of those revered vineyards? The detriment right now is that higher temperatures cause the wines to be more alcoholic (the article got into the science of the sugars and breakdown of the grapes, but I won't attempt it). Yes, I guess for most of us more alcoholic wine is not necessarily a bad thing...
Rice Rice Baby
Besides our gassy livestock, the article did mention the rice paddys in China as a large source of methane release, but since the percentage of the global rice supply that comes from that area is some astronomical number, I doubt anyone would be super successful in winning that battle of rice paddys vs. ozone.
Whose Genes Are These?
Now, genetic modification and hybridization have been hot button issues for some time, but I think that depending on the manner in which it is implemented, a little tweaking may be worth it in the long run. An adjacent article on baby carrots (which you know I read considering I buy carrots in 25lb monster bags) discussed the potential of infusing baby carrots with other vitamins that do not occur in their genetic make-up. Red carrots would contain lycopene (like tomatoes), of course. There was consideration of purple carrots containing nutrients similar to those found in dark chocolate. Red carrots I think I could do... not sure about purple though. I wonder if bunnies see in color? I guess the taste is what would matter.
Follow the Mushrooms
Mushrooms are incredibly intelligent. If you haven't seen this video on how mushrooms can save the planet, please do so after you finish reading. Some mushroom species have begun migrating. You know those expensive truffle mushrooms? They have begun kissing their homes goodbye and moving to northern regions. In that same issue of Gastronomica, there is an article called "Truffle Wars" that had some interesting information on the economic side effects of the mushrooms' decisions. You can read that entire article online.
Fun Fact: Did you know some mushroom species only existed on this planet after they were found in craters of asteroid impacts? Cue Twilight Zone music... (and no, I don't want to hear that some of you are too young to know what the Twilight Zone is. Go back to watching Gossip Girl! Said with love.)
Stop and Smell the Sunflowers
Some good news! Those amazing photos you see of endless sunflower fields in Tuscany would probably remain. I almost exclusively use sunflower oil in my baking so that's awesome. This also means sunflower seeds will be here, a good source of calories, though a pain to eat. And I guess sunflowers don't particularly smell that great, so scratch that first statement, ha.
Stock (Up) Options
So what can we expect to stick around? Good old potatoes are strong, and buy into navy beans. Seaweed? Check. Mint? Check. Thyme? Check. Chickpeas? Check. Soybeans? Check.
So we will still have sushi, chewing gum, mojitos, hummus, and tofu. I can live on that diet :)
We could prevent the loss of some tempermental plants like basil, black pepper, and bananas if we tackle the problem early. Gradual relocation and adaptation is a possibility.
As for cupcakes? Well, I'll figure something out. I am pretty creative.
Until Next Time...!
PS - a lot has happened with the business, but to get that info you have to visit the site.
Quick Question: What would you do if vanilla disappeared?
A few weeks ago (I've been meaning to write but haven't had the time) I read this fascinating article in possibly my new favorite magazine called Gastronomica. The article was called "Climate Change and the Future of Taste" written by Michele Field, so if you happen to find a back issue of the journal (the article is not posted online so far) please read it. It is incredibly well researched and detailed, but I will summarize some of the key points made in the article. Instead of the usual debate over who or what is at fault for climate change, she catalogued the foods that may suffer the most in the long run, many of which we take for granted...
(Please note, this is not to be taken as an alarmist-type post, just something to consider and discuss)
Just Desserts
Imagine a world without "cold weather crops like strawberries, wheat, apples, and oats". Um, I can't at the moment, particularly because that affects two of my favorite desserts: my strawberry cupcake and apple pie. Some countries have already begun to adapt to the rising costs of wheat. Peru has supplemented their bread with one-third mashed potatoes and two-thirds wheat.
Fun Fact: Did you know wheat makes up for 20% of our food calories worldwide?
As I alluded to in the title, the vanilla bean is extraordinarily sensitive to pests and soil temperatures, making it very vulnerable in the next coming years. I often feel the pinch of shelling out $5 for a few ounces of the pure extract. Ironically, we would probably miss chocolate too since about 80% of our chocolate is flavored with vanilla, and it doesn't help that the cacao tree is super sensitive to pests. And forget about chocolate chip pancakes; maple syrup is being afflicted too.
Natural vs Nature Identical
Now instead of saying "imitation" vanilla, someone coined the term "nature identical" which really bothers me. The mere labeling of any food in that manner automatically implies the falsehood. Would you eat the "nature identical" half-cousin of a banana, the banono? Didn't think so. Call it like it is people. We've been accustomed to seeing "vanillin" and other ridiculous imitative forms of names, so please buyer beware. If it ever comes to the point where natural vanilla doesn't exist and "vanillin" is all there is, then it won't matter anyway. I'll be on a raw food diet.
Chain Reactions
Back to wheat for a moment. Some livestock farmers have had to increase millet (sold mostly as birdseed in the US) in their grains to bolster the loss of wheat. The taste difference is probably minimal to us for now, but it will alter the fat content of our meaty friends. I love seeing those pretty marbelized cuts of meat at the farmer's market. I could totally have a juicy steak right now. But I won't. I'll finish writing. Sigh.
It's a good thing we can find other grains to feed those animals. The point here is fairly obvious: the more fixed an animal is to its diet (or exclusively dependent on another animal), the more likely we are to lose that species. If you couldn't adapt to another food source, you'd be out of luck. Hooray omnivores, I guess.
Other potential proteins would be sheep, goats, yaks, and wild game, especially those that survive in non-arable land and rocky, cold, mountainous climates. Geese can roam on land that can't support vegetation and chickens have little unrecyclable waste, so it's likely that our poultry would shift a little, but not too much.
It's Getting Hot in Here
We think we are pretty tough on the top of the food chain, but we are linked by an undeniable truth: mammals (and many birds) begin overheating at around 107 degrees Fahrenheit. Certain plants can adapt but we haven't been able to make any evolutionary headway in that arena just yet.
Just Keep Swimming
The rising temperature has a triple affect on seafood. The acidity rises, the oxygen dispells faster, and (obviously) it gets hot. The more active fish like salmon and tuna bear the brunt of this since no oxygen means less movement, and we all know salmon swim upstream, which takes a ton of energy. Not to mention the mating that takes place once they get upstream. TMI?
Though we may end up consuming much more freshwater fish, some restaurants and flavor companies have begun developing a potion that gives the aroma and taste of the sea to trick our senses into being satisfied with our not-from-the-sea food.
Shake It Like a Salt Shaker
Speaking of salt, it was suggested in the article that tomatoes may need to be grown in areas with higher salt content in the soil, and by cross breeding (which I will touch on later) with cress, we could have pre-salted tomatoes in stores. I personally wouldn't mind that, but we have to be careful since there are so many with dietary restrictions that even slight increases in certain minerals and chemicals could mean eliminating that option from one's diet.
Whining About Wine
I chuckled when it wine came up in the article, particularly because I had just seen a "Champagne only comes from Champagne, France" ad attacking the sparkling wine companies who misuse the term for their product. In the coming years, England could have an analogous climate to the current French wine country. Could we see a migration of those revered vineyards? The detriment right now is that higher temperatures cause the wines to be more alcoholic (the article got into the science of the sugars and breakdown of the grapes, but I won't attempt it). Yes, I guess for most of us more alcoholic wine is not necessarily a bad thing...
Rice Rice Baby
Besides our gassy livestock, the article did mention the rice paddys in China as a large source of methane release, but since the percentage of the global rice supply that comes from that area is some astronomical number, I doubt anyone would be super successful in winning that battle of rice paddys vs. ozone.
Whose Genes Are These?
Now, genetic modification and hybridization have been hot button issues for some time, but I think that depending on the manner in which it is implemented, a little tweaking may be worth it in the long run. An adjacent article on baby carrots (which you know I read considering I buy carrots in 25lb monster bags) discussed the potential of infusing baby carrots with other vitamins that do not occur in their genetic make-up. Red carrots would contain lycopene (like tomatoes), of course. There was consideration of purple carrots containing nutrients similar to those found in dark chocolate. Red carrots I think I could do... not sure about purple though. I wonder if bunnies see in color? I guess the taste is what would matter.
Follow the Mushrooms
Mushrooms are incredibly intelligent. If you haven't seen this video on how mushrooms can save the planet, please do so after you finish reading. Some mushroom species have begun migrating. You know those expensive truffle mushrooms? They have begun kissing their homes goodbye and moving to northern regions. In that same issue of Gastronomica, there is an article called "Truffle Wars" that had some interesting information on the economic side effects of the mushrooms' decisions. You can read that entire article online.
Fun Fact: Did you know some mushroom species only existed on this planet after they were found in craters of asteroid impacts? Cue Twilight Zone music... (and no, I don't want to hear that some of you are too young to know what the Twilight Zone is. Go back to watching Gossip Girl! Said with love.)
Stop and Smell the Sunflowers
Some good news! Those amazing photos you see of endless sunflower fields in Tuscany would probably remain. I almost exclusively use sunflower oil in my baking so that's awesome. This also means sunflower seeds will be here, a good source of calories, though a pain to eat. And I guess sunflowers don't particularly smell that great, so scratch that first statement, ha.
Stock (Up) Options
So what can we expect to stick around? Good old potatoes are strong, and buy into navy beans. Seaweed? Check. Mint? Check. Thyme? Check. Chickpeas? Check. Soybeans? Check.
So we will still have sushi, chewing gum, mojitos, hummus, and tofu. I can live on that diet :)
We could prevent the loss of some tempermental plants like basil, black pepper, and bananas if we tackle the problem early. Gradual relocation and adaptation is a possibility.
As for cupcakes? Well, I'll figure something out. I am pretty creative.
Until Next Time...!
PS - a lot has happened with the business, but to get that info you have to visit the site.
Tags: chocolate, climate change, gastronomica, looking glass cupcakes, vanilla
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