I don't know if it was by chance or planned, but the Sunday New York Times of March 26 presented a fascinating series of food articles.
On the front page I was introduced to the concept of meal assembly centers. You place your order and schedule a session. At the session you assemble 12 entrees in less than two hours by rotating through 12 workstations that have been prepped with ingredients and easy-to-follow instructions. All the chopping and dicing has been done for you. There is no cleanup. You leave with 12 entrees for your freezer.
These assembly centers are being marketed as programs designed to save moms (and dads) time and effort in serving great meals to their families. Additionally they provide a sense of community for those busy with assembling their meals. Music in the background, shared stories and probably shared recipes and cooking tricks. Well, at least for two hours.
Easy-meal preparation business is the fastest-growing franchise business in the country. It has its own trade group, Easy Meal Prep Association, which provides immediate support for developing a Web site, back-office support and marketing and research materials.
Searching the Web and finding names like Super Suppers, Main Dish and Dream Dinners, I was overwhelmed by the nationwide extent of this concept. However, probing a little deeper on some of the sites, you find there is little use of organic foods, no guarantees about sodium levels, MSG found in some sauces along with canned soups and vegetables. Yet, by all business growth measures, the concept is starting to snowball.
In the New York Times Magazine section, Michael Pollan's article "The Conscious Carnivore" details his introduction to hunting and gathering. He asks: "Is hunting a last refuge of authenticity? Is it possible to prepare a meal without ever encountering barcodes? Why do the entrails of a dead animal fill us with disgust?"
Pollan states that he is "seeking a better understanding of his place in nature and the food chain." It is a dense article, with references to philosophers, writers, well-known chefs, scientists and friends. The ending is an evocative paean to a full day spent in the kitchen and then the joys of being at table with friends.
In the Travel section, Mimi Sheraton asks: "How does Rome taste?" She then proceeds on a romp through the open-air markets and best espresso and wine bars, followed by reviews of restaurants devoted to the unique Roman cuisine, and wine selections from the Lazio region.
Hopefully, I will be able to secure my tickets to Rome before I make this Sunday's meatloaf with roasted potatoes and fresh spinach with garlic and olive oil. I believe the olive oil is the only ingredient with a barcode, except of course my chosen bottle of wine from the Northwest region.[[In-content Ad]]
