whats the food like in canada?
Aug 22nd 2013, 9:35 pm
#136
limey party pooper
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 9,982
Re: whats the food like in canada?
Good food in Canada.
Beef, the chicken tastes better too but costs more.
Bison
Corn, fresh corn from the farm is delish
Butter tarts
Mexican food, does that count? It's "in" Canada rather than Canadian.
Nice goats cheese made around here
Peaches from Niagara
Beef, the chicken tastes better too but costs more.
Bison
Corn, fresh corn from the farm is delish
Butter tarts
Mexican food, does that count? It's "in" Canada rather than Canadian.
Nice goats cheese made around here
Peaches from Niagara
Aug 22nd 2013, 9:41 pm
#137
Yo
Joined: Nov 2012
Location: UK
Posts: 24,474
Re: whats the food like in canada?
This is oversimplifying things a bit.
Risks to human health of GMO foods, per se, are indeed negligible. But Dashie has touched on a couple of peripheral issues that are not so easy to dismiss.
First, engineering food crops to be resistant to herbicides and pesticides encourages the overuse of such herbicides and pesticides. It encourages large-scale monoculture, too - both these things (monoculture and overuse of chemical weedkillers/pesticides) are bad for the environment, in that they limit biodiversity, pollute watercourses, and end up poisoning great swathes of the Gulf of Mexico, for example.
Second, and I think this is actually much more insidious, is the IP licensing and enforcement by the big seed companies - AC mentions this above. Many (most?) varieties of GMO arable staples are engineered not only for resilience, but also for infertility. Farmers (especially those in poor and developing nations who could really do with the increased yields) cannot save seed from one year's crop to plant the next season. Fair enough, you might think, they're only protecting their investment. And while this isn't such a huge issue in the relatively affluent Western world, it is unconscionable to price susbsistence farmers and small growers in developing countries out of the market. They do not make enough money out of selling surplus grain to buy the seed stock for the next year, so either end up permanently in debt to the likes of Monsanto, or simply go out of business. This is, frankly, evil behaviour for a company that makes as much money as the seed manufacturers do. Despite repeated pleas from NGOs and international agencies to amend their commercial arrangements with farmers in sub-saharan Africa, for example, they repeatedly refuse to do so.
Risks to human health of GMO foods, per se, are indeed negligible. But Dashie has touched on a couple of peripheral issues that are not so easy to dismiss.
First, engineering food crops to be resistant to herbicides and pesticides encourages the overuse of such herbicides and pesticides. It encourages large-scale monoculture, too - both these things (monoculture and overuse of chemical weedkillers/pesticides) are bad for the environment, in that they limit biodiversity, pollute watercourses, and end up poisoning great swathes of the Gulf of Mexico, for example.
Second, and I think this is actually much more insidious, is the IP licensing and enforcement by the big seed companies - AC mentions this above. Many (most?) varieties of GMO arable staples are engineered not only for resilience, but also for infertility. Farmers (especially those in poor and developing nations who could really do with the increased yields) cannot save seed from one year's crop to plant the next season. Fair enough, you might think, they're only protecting their investment. And while this isn't such a huge issue in the relatively affluent Western world, it is unconscionable to price susbsistence farmers and small growers in developing countries out of the market. They do not make enough money out of selling surplus grain to buy the seed stock for the next year, so either end up permanently in debt to the likes of Monsanto, or simply go out of business. This is, frankly, evil behaviour for a company that makes as much money as the seed manufacturers do. Despite repeated pleas from NGOs and international agencies to amend their commercial arrangements with farmers in sub-saharan Africa, for example, they repeatedly refuse to do so.
Second issue is interesting and not something of which I was aware. Will have to learn more about it. As usual, good post
Aug 22nd 2013, 9:42 pm
#138
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Oct 2007
Location: British Columbia
Posts: 1,371
Re: whats the food like in canada?
Food in Canada is regional. The country is the size of a continent, after all. Different growing seasons, different climates, population/immigrant demographics, etc. This all influences food.
After spending some time in the Prairies and now back in Vancouver, it's shocking to see what I take for granted here (fresh local produce, fruit, seafood, cheese, etc.), which is clearly not available (to the same extent) all over Canada.
Rule of thumb: large urban areas (Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal) will have better sources (diversity) of food than smaller urban areas (Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax).
Smaller towns? Good luck!
After spending some time in the Prairies and now back in Vancouver, it's shocking to see what I take for granted here (fresh local produce, fruit, seafood, cheese, etc.), which is clearly not available (to the same extent) all over Canada.
Rule of thumb: large urban areas (Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal) will have better sources (diversity) of food than smaller urban areas (Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax).
Smaller towns? Good luck!
Last edited by Lychee; Aug 22nd 2013 at 9:52 pm.
Aug 22nd 2013, 9:49 pm
#139
Born again atheist
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: Europe (to be specified).
Posts: 30,259
Re: whats the food like in canada?
I'm still trying to come to terms with the wild bores.
I think they're quite common.
I think they're quite common.
Aug 22nd 2013, 9:50 pm
#140
Oscar nominated
Joined: Jan 2008
Location: Moncton, NB, CANADA
Posts: 50,861
Aug 22nd 2013, 10:01 pm
#141
Oscar nominated
Joined: Jan 2008
Location: Moncton, NB, CANADA
Posts: 50,861
Re: whats the food like in canada?
I'm still not used to the idea of paying for them rather than picking them at the roadside or cyclepath, but they are delicious.Nice to have seedless water melon that is actually seedless. All my previous seedless water melons (in England) had water melon seeds in.
Aug 22nd 2013, 10:09 pm
#142
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2009
Location: Calgary, AB
Posts: 487
Re: whats the food like in canada?
I could have got VERY used to the food we had in California in July - wonderful fresh fruit and veg, delicious salads, excellent seafood etc., etc Mediterranean climate that does it....
Aug 22nd 2013, 10:13 pm
#143
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Oct 2007
Location: British Columbia
Posts: 1,371
Re: whats the food like in canada?
BC (especially the Okanagan) is a slice of California in Canada. If you get a chance to visit in July/August/September, do so... the peaches are !!!
Aug 23rd 2013, 1:07 am
#146
Account Closed
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 0
Re: whats the food like in canada?
but I grew up 7 miles from Mexico, so I might be expecting too much.
Aug 23rd 2013, 1:12 am
#147
limey party pooper
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 9,982
Re: whats the food like in canada?
Aug 23rd 2013, 1:19 am
#148
Assimilated Pauper
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: Ontario
Posts: 40,018
Re: whats the food like in canada?
I think of Toronto as the place where you can buy a passable example of any kind of meal, cooked by natives of the country of the cuisine, except Mexican. The head of the Mexican high commision when asked where one could get a meal that fairly represented his country could offer no better than "my house?".
Aug 23rd 2013, 1:22 am
#149
Assimilated Pauper
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: Ontario
Posts: 40,018
Re: whats the food like in canada?
On the GMO food issue the thing that offends me in Canada is that it's not lawful to advertise a product as being "GMO free" even if it is. The neighbours all have signage on their fields, "non GMO crop" but, by the time that crop is on the shop shelf, the biggest marketing advantage is lost.
Aug 23rd 2013, 1:46 am
#150
limey party pooper
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 9,982
Re: whats the food like in canada?
I think of Toronto as the place where you can buy a passable example of any kind of meal, cooked by natives of the country of the cuisine, except Mexican. The head of the Mexican high commision when asked where one could get a meal that fairly represented his country could offer no better than "my house?".
I have never been to Mexico and this is my only knowledge of 'real' mexican food so I suppose I am on shakye ground, nevertheless those who know more tell me it's pukka.
http://lahaciendamexico.com/menu/