Summer 2001
Fear of Eating
Fear of eating is coming to America! As Executive Chef/Partner of the White Dog Cafe, I take notice of food trends during my travels. This past February when I arrived in London for a visit, I could not believe what I was seeing and reading. Outbreaks of Hoof & Mouth and Mad Cow Disease have led to entire herds of animals being slaughtered and burned, farm communities quarantined, and widespread fear of eating meat. Experts suspect that the industrial factory farming of animals is the leading cause of this catastrophe. Now it has appeared in France and the Netherlands. Where next?
As of yet, no cases of these diseases have been reported in the U.S. While our government tells us we are safe, our local farmers are telling a different story. All over the region, farmers are taking precautions. Events - from county fairs to farm conferences - are being canceled for fear that outsiders may carry the virus onto the farm. Some farmers will not leave their farms, afraid that they might bring the disease back to their herds. We had been looking forward to our annual summer farm tour, where we bring customers to visit the family farms that supply the Cafe. Unfortunately, the farmers feel that this summer’s tour is a risk they are not willing to take. And we agree.
As part of a commitment to support our local economy and help preserve Pennsylvania's agricultural landscape, we anticipate purchasing 80% of our food from local farmers this summer. When purchasing from outside our region, we are conscious of buying in a way which supports other farm communities. The farmers who supply all of our meat and produce year round have spent generations using traditional practices of raising animals in a humane and caring way. Their good stewardship of the land and respect for their animals produce the high quality ingredients that you have enjoyed at the White Dog for years. Now our commitment takes on a new urgency - food safety.
The traditional farming practice of small herds on green pastures with access to healthy food, fresh air and pure water prevent many of the problems associated with factory farming including Mad Cow Disease, Hoof & Mouth Disease, E. coli and Salmonella. Unfortunately, factory farming has eclipsed most of Pennsylvania's traditional family farms, limiting everyone's access to a healthy food supply.
Out of our concern, the White Dog Cafe founded the Philadelphia Fair Food Project, dedicated to bringing locally produced food to the Philadelphia marketplace and supporting regional, small-scale farmers. With an office upstairs in Judy's house and a grant from a White Dog customer, the project is under way. Project Director Ann Karlen and I are working on creating the distribution system necessary for other restaurants, retailers and consumers to buy their food locally - especially their meat. We are joined in our effort by members of the Philadelphia Chapter of the Chefs Collaborative who share our commitment.
On Saturday, June 30th from 10am-3pm, the Fair Food Project will hold a fundraising canning workshop to promote traditional ways of celebrating the season and capturing its bounty. The workshop will be taught by Christina Pirello, host of the PBS series Christina Cooks. Christina and I are also co-chairs the Philadelphia Chapter Chefs Collaborative. During the workshop, we will tour Philaberry Farm, pick our own berries, and participate in preserve-making and canning. A White Dog Cafe lunch will be served on the farm. $40 per person includes all supplies, instruction and lunch.
This workshop is just one of the many events we plan for the Philadelphia Fair Food Project. For more information about the Project, to contribute funds through the White Dog Cafe Foundation, or to reserve your spot in the workshop, call Ann Karlen at (215) 386-9224 ext. 122.
"Bone” Appetite!
Kevin von Klause,
Executive Chef/Partner
