Last week, some restaurants began pulling tomatoes from their menu because of an outbreak of salmonella. How do tomatoes get salmonella, you ask? Good question. The one-word answer, as reported by Slate: poop. Salmonella is a bacterium that lives inside the intestines of animals.

Says Slate, "Livestock animals, especially when kept in large numbers in confined spaces, can contract salmonella and carry the bug without showing any symptoms at all. Infected cows, pigs, and chickens shed the bacteria in their waste, which is sometimes used to fertilize nearby fields." Essentially, large-scale factory farming is what's making your tomato make you sick.

Check out this interesting article from the New York Times food section entitled Chef's New Goal: Looking Dinner in the Eye. The piece discusses the push by chefs, most notably Jamie Oliver, to better educate the eating public about where we get our food, how the animals we eat are raised (and killed), and how much we're willing to pay for our dinner.

MadInteractive Food Panel at High Noon Saloon, tvol, BY-NC-SA

Last Thursday, May 31st, Underground Food Collective member Jonathan Hunter participated in a panel on food blogging for the MadInteractive series. There were numerous food bloggers present showcasing Madison's online food writing community. The panel was moderated by the Eating in Madison A to Z duo Nichole and JM. The panel was interesting, with questions concerning Madison restaurants and the food blogging culture.

"Foodie" debates aside, the panel really showed a great opportunity for further involvement in not only restaurant-reviewing, but in expanding blogging to incorporate a more in-depth analysis of local food issues.

...does not exist.

I went to the Farmer's Market this past Saturday looking to see what spring produce is in, this being the second to last week in April. I'm doing some cooking with Neil this weekend for Erin' graduation party, and we wanted to cook some seasonal spring things.

Fresh produce available = 0.

ok, there was some lame, overpriced spinach in plastic bags.

I miss Madison and the farmer's market, even if the counterclockwise slog is a bit overwhelming at times.

Check out Michael Pollan's recent article in the New York Times. He discusses many of the issues he touches on in Omnivore's Dilemma within the context of America's "Byzantine" Farm Bill. Corn, supermarket design, and school lunches...

We're anxiously awaiting Michael Pollan's new book called "The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals." Pollan is a champion of locally-grown, sustainable agriculture, and helps show us the real cost of industrial agriculture. He helps dispel some myths about organic foods and free range livestock practices. Please check out an interview with Pollan from Salon or listen to him speak with Terry Gross on NPR's Fresh Air.