Kitchens are special places. They’re hot and steamy, a little fraught with danger… and of course they yield delicious and nourishing food. Gourmet cooks pride themselves on their kitchen tools and equipment. Interior designers have been reported to spend tens of thousands (if not more) on kitchens that the owners hardly touch (we don’t count only microwaving food).
We’ve all also heard the saying, “If you can’t stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen.” It’s flung about in politics and business, and other contexts where things get a little rough. The folks who take on challenging positions — especially ones that threaten established business-as-usual — are often attacked, outspent and ostracized with the crassest of tactics that use massive propaganda campaigns to spread lies and quash threats. (After all, aren’t those who condemn high-fructose corn syrup just a bit nutsy, never-mind that pancreatic cancer stuff?) Thankfully, there are folks in the kitchen who have been speaking out, like the Center for Food Safety and others, helping to ensure what we eat improves.
We all should also be thankful that we have kitchens and the opportunity to take control of what we eat. We can prepare our own food and wake up to where it comes from and its larger implications for the health of ourselves, our communities and our planet.
So, next time you’re fixing something to eat, take some time and thank the kitchen help.