Althouse: "There should be stringent laws, licensing laws, to make sure produce is only used in season and season only."

May 10, 2008

"There should be stringent laws, licensing laws, to make sure produce is only used in season and season only."

Gordon Ramsay.

22 comments:

nina said...: That kind of simple minded "environmentalism" is shameful. Coming from Ramsay, it's beyond shameful.I had a very nice and very pricey meal at the cheapest of his London places last year (Box Wood Cafe). European ingredients up and down the menu. Which is fine. But more importantly, I read that the carbon footprint of an apple, sourced in England, is greater than one imported to England from New Zealand. It's not only the transportation that counts -- it's the days of sunshine, the need for fertilizer, etc etc. He should know better. Indeed, I think he does know better. The man just needs to talk with a loud mouth.; 5/10/08, 8:34 AM
The Drill SGT said...: Got to be a Liberal (UK type)

1. The Problem is people have freedom to chose and they don't make the choices you want? Solution, pass laws to reduce freedom.

2. On a budget, want cheap imported out of season food? Nope, reduce your carbon footprint. Buy expensive local stuff.

Seen the price of Arugula lately :); 5/10/08, 8:36 AM
UWS guy said...: I had an argument with a vegetarian who was also very anti-capitalist and hated large corporations (the type who would go demonstrate at a WTO meeting).

I merely asked him (he from montana) how the hell he thought he was able to eat bananas in February without those hated corps.

but then again, I eat bananas year round too. Only I don't put my "carbon footprint" over some other fellows livelyhood in brazil.; 5/10/08, 8:53 AM
EnigmatiCore said...: Must be mushroom season.; 5/10/08, 8:58 AM
bearbee said...: I don't want to see strawberries from Kenya in the middle of March.

When will this numbskullery infect Washington? Simple-minded thinking is a Washington hallmark.

"He [Ramsay], like all of us, wants to tackle climate change, but it is vital that we ensure that poor people who are already hit hardest by climate change are not made to suffer even further."

Ah, the dilemma of choice.....climate change...poor people.....climate change....poor people...... Oh, I know! We will legislate against strawberries, and we will legislate for global tax.

Oy; 5/10/08, 9:00 AM
UWS guy said...: Some things to keep in mind about Gordon. He has expressed often how silly he thinks Vegetarianism is and also that chefs who plate "winter dishes" during summer are philistines.

This is a case where Mr. Ramsay is probably taking a weapon at hand (peoples fear of global warming) at using it to his Epicurean ends.

I promise you, that if Foi Gras took the crushed horn of a unicorn and the feathers of spotted owls mixed with the blood of a new born baby....Gordon Ramsay would cook it up over a coal burning stove 365 days out of the year.

Gordon is no Liberal. He's not political. He is a myopic chef (not a bad thing...that's his job!) and he could care very little if people consider him a liberal/conservative/facist/or even scientologist if it means making better food.; 5/10/08, 9:25 AM
Trooper York said...: One of my clients was approached to be the first restaurant on the American version of Kitchen Nightmares. I begged them not to do it, no good could come of it and it would be a fiasco. But the owner didn't care because he thought any publicity was good publicity. Luckily the landlord refused permission and Ramsey destroyed another pub as I knew he would. What a f**king donkey!; 5/10/08, 9:46 AM
MadisonMan said...: I agree that chefs who make dishes with out-of-season ingredients, when perfectly wonderful and fresh seasonal ingredients are available, are -- well maybe not philistines, but just unimaginative chefs that I don't want to patronize.

But it seems to me that the market place will take care of such chefs.

Today I bought local asparagus and local spinach at the farmer's market. Yum!; 5/10/08, 9:47 AM
somefeller said...: I agree that Ramsay may be more interested in promoting his vision of seasonal foods and proper diet than highlighting the issue of climate change. That having been said, great tits cope well with warming. Hey, I didn't report that, the BBC did!; 5/10/08, 9:58 AM
somefeller said...: All that having been said, I am not in agreement with Ramsay. If I want some asparagus or mushrooms, I'll get them anytime I want and as I damn well please, carbon footprint be damned. It's a big planet, and as much of it will go into the maw of Somefeller as he desires and can afford.; 5/10/08, 10:03 AM
Jane said...: Does this mean I can't have my Vegemite?; 5/10/08, 10:06 AM
David Foster said...: If "progressives" achieve the political dominance they seek, then there will be no aspect of human life which is not a matter of the police.

Regarding "locality," the energy consumption and "carbon footprint" of a product is a function of many factors, especially the modes of transportation used. See my post tangerines per gallon.; 5/10/08, 10:12 AM
Chip Ahoy said...: What a douchebag. <---word that cracked up my father when I blurted it whilst driving. He asked "Where do you get such language?" He laughed all the rest of way. Finally, a word not learned from him.

Oh yes, stringent. Stringent laws. There ought to be stringent laws forcing douchebag chefs to cook and STFU. Or at least reduce their verbal output by 50%. Have you noticed how much more intelligent the Food Network sounds when put on mute?

Ironic chef; 5/10/08, 10:50 AM
Joe said...: This raises the question of what exactly is ever in season in Alaska, other than venison?

Gordon Ramsey is one the biggest assholes on television. I still suspect it's partly an act since there is no way he could have gotten where he is today acting like he does.; 5/10/08, 11:49 AM
Latino said...: When I read statements like this, my only reaction is to want to tell these people: Fark off.; 5/10/08, 12:02 PM
I'm Full of Soup said...: Chip Ahoy said:
"there oughta be stringent laws that douchebag chefs just cook and stfu".

Good one!; 5/10/08, 12:04 PM
vbspurs said...: I love Gordon Ramsay.

May not agree with him or his methods, but I understand that he wants to make food better, and more authentic. No' bad thing i' tha', as they say in Scotland.

Cheers,
Victoria; 5/10/08, 12:26 PM
James Kelly said...: "No' bad thing i' tha', as they say in Scotland."

Do we really say that in Scotland, Victoria? First I've heard of it, but once again I'll have to bow to your superior knowledge - after all, I only live here. On the other hand, you could be confusing us with Yorkshire - that seems to be a common mistake down south (apologies if you're a Yorkshire girl). The only other possibility I can think of is that I've been unwittingly affected by this Scottish obesity epidemic you were telling us all about the other day, and it's somehow affected my hearing.; 5/10/08, 8:00 PM
Palladian said...: Gordon Ramsay has that cocky-straight-British-male-secretly-worried- about-the-size-of-his-cock brand of macho assholery.; 5/10/08, 10:42 PM
Methadras said...: Gordon's pot finally cracked.; 5/11/08, 1:11 AM
vbspurs said...: Gordon Ramsay has that cocky-straight-British-male-secretly-worried- about-the-size-of-his-cock brand of macho assholery.

That's just the first reading of him, Palladian, I promise you. I mean, I can't speak to that insinuation about penises..., but I can about his assholery.

There are certain British people who feel the nation is currently awash with mediocrity, not the least of which is the "Cool Britannia" stupidity brought in by Team Blair.

And people like Gordon Ramsay want to lift it from this abyss.

(E.G.: He thinks Jamie Oliver and others pander to this newfangled New Agey harmony, where it's better to be innovative as they see it, than to do things intelligently and correctly -- I've gleened from a few interview comments)

I think Americans also believe most people should be nice: it's a major problem in many European countries, where being nice is rather a sign of lack of sophistication (that's why the French are so nasty).

We British are not nice. We're polite, as everyone knows.

And there is nothing that can shake a person out of their complacency more than being withering.

That said, his making actually wanting to make laws outlawing produce out of season is part-conviction, part-assholery.

Cheers,
Victoria; 5/11/08, 1:24 AM
former law student said...: Eskimos don't eat vegetables because none will grow anywhere near them. I guess north central types like Ann will have to live on ham and cheese sandwiches all winter.; 5/12/08, 12:03 PM