SJM0225
“Kick it up Another Notch!” The national pastime is changing. No…
“Kick it up Another Notch!”
The national pastime is changing. No longer are Americans waiting on the Super Bowl or the World Series to stir their competitive juices; Kitchen Stadium offers sports drama that they can really sink their teeth into…literally. Or maybe they like “Beakman’s World” revisited in Alton Brown’s “Good Eats.” Those with a taste for the truly exotic may prefer Tony Bourdain’s “A Cook’s Tour.” And those who prefer good ole southern flavors will not want to miss “Paula’s Home Cooking” or “Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee.” The ubiquitous reality shows of this century must share the screen with shows like “30 Minute Meals” and “Emeril Live.” Move over Julia Child and Graham Kerr: Mario Batali and Bobbie Flay are turning up the heat. There’s no doubt about it: The nation’s gone nuts about most anything that contains nuts…as well as where nuts are grown…and what nuts are best for tart crust and what nuts are best with bleu cheese, purple onion and arugula and….. The new focus on food is truly a phenomenon that will change America’s culture forever. That change translates into enterprise in the way of products, education, and jobs.
Just ask the manufacturers of Le Creuset cookware what the impact an entire television network has had on their sales. Cookware, however, be it enameled cast iron or fine-grade stainless is only a piece of the pie. Super markets are experiencing great booms in sales of produce such as cilantro, leeks, mango, shallots, garlic. If they have the time, these days, Americans want it fresh. Lamb, veal, tuna, mahi mahi, are replacing fried chicken and pork chops on American tables. And the vegetable oil isle has more space devoted to olive oil than the traditional corn, safflower, and canola while the lard industry should buy stock in Emeril Lagasse. Ten years ago most grocers’ shelves offered up spaghetti, lasagna, elbow macaroni, and egg noodles as pasta choices. Angel Hair was not to be found in smaller towns. Nowadays orcchiette, fusilli, penne, and countless others in dried and fresh varieties taunt the low-carb fanatics, who, by the way, have their own pastas from which to choose. And what can Americans do with all these new choices? Television teaches them all they need to know.
Thanks to the popularity of cooking shows, Americans are learning about food. Practically every cooking celebrity has his own cookbook filled with recipes and food trivia to unload. We are learning about blueberries in Maine and chilies in Mexico. Food TV has taught us that many American towns boast their own Little Italy, that peppercorns and nutmeg should be ground and grated fresh, that salt was the first seasoning, that dried herbs have a short shelf-life, that a Béarnaise begins with a Hollandaise, and most importantly that good food begins with good ingredients. In addition, however, Americans are learning that being a cook is a noble occupation. Food preparation is an art form, and television has made it a performing art. The result: Youth across the nation are choosing culinary schools to provide their higher education. The work is hard, needless to say, but the results will melt in your mouth.
So with all this food knowledge simmering in America’s melting pot, are Americans abandoning their much loved recreation of dining out? Absolutely not! The restaurant industry is as big and varied as ever. Food trends change almost monthly. While restaurants must offer something special to stay ahead, one pearl in their oyster is that Americans are not only learning how to cook, but they are looking for jobs that permit them this labor of love. And these jobs are only the tip of the iceberg–do I dare say–lettuce. Catering, cookbook authoring, baking, serving, selling, teaching, all provide career opportunities for want-to-be gourmands and their associates. Although the majority do not make it to celebrity chef status, those same chefs will tell them that if they work hard, the rise to prominence is fairly fast.
Why, then, has food become such a fixation in America? Well, it’s certainly more fun than the fitness craze of the 70s; smoking is, of course, passé; and, most of all, people have to eat. Breaking bread is an ancient tradition. Enjoying the bread is almost as ancient. Will the trend pass? Perhaps the cooking show trend will have its day and follow in the footsteps of the variety show or the western but probably not to that extreme. After all, once you’ve had popovers, pop tarts® just aren’t the same.
Questions:
Consider the following questions and address their answers in your response.
What point does the sample essay make?
Does the above essay focus on causes of, effects of, or both?
What are the causes/effects listed?
Is the relationship between the causes/effects valid?
What organizational structure is used to present the causes/effects? (i.e., chronological, spatial, order of importance, climactic, etc)
Is this order the most effective order? If not, suggest a more fitting order.
How does the essay demonstrate the causes/effects?
