Danke kindly

In continuing the Bobble story arc, I got a follow up on their reply to my reply to their reply to my question. Put simply:

"There is no soy or corn material and/or by-products used in the plastic. Filters also do not contain any corn or soy products."


Huzzah! My inner grammar Nazi wants to correct them for using "is" instead of "are", but oh well. There shall be no prescriptivism here!

I'm sorry that I haven't had time to do more active food research for my posts. My computer time has become precious of late so I am finding it hard to sit down and really get into the topics I come up with. That, and since coming home for the summer I haven't come across too many labels in the supermarket that surprise me or are worth writing about. This is probably because I don't have time to go with my mother to the supermarket and also because I know that most of the food in my house contains gluten. We're bread addicts, what can I say? 

Well, that's all for this session. Next week here on G.T. Dave's Theater on the Air, we'll bring you "Oedipus" starring Potato as Oedipus and Tomato reprising her Broadway role as Jocasta. Our star cast also includes Broccoli as Laius and Garlic as Tiresias. We hope you have enjoyed tonight's performance, and as always:

We thank you, and good night.

(image from here. Can I get a "squee" for Orson Welles?)

Thaaaat's more like it

As mentioned in my last post, I wrote a reply to the reply the Bobble company sent after my inquiry about the safety of their plastic for people with corn allergies. I told them that I had looked at the FAQ page and still did not find the answers I was looking for, and was merely wondering if there were any corn derivatives in their product. I made a point to mention that I was not interested in the exact composition of the plastic (to mask my intent to create the Boddle, which would be a sister company of Seasonal Celestials), and underlined the fact that I was concerned about corn allergies.

I got an email back and someone at customer service says that they will look into this and write me back as soon as they find an answer. This email was definitely more personal than the last and felt like it was actually written by a human being instead of being a reply they spit back to everyone who tries to contact them. I get the feeling that the customer service people are trying to answer the hundreds of emails they receive every day as efficiently as possible and simply memorize statements that will hopefully answer any questions. I got the same thing with Coconut Bliss (no news as of yet), so it seems like you have to break down that barrier and send more emails with very specific questions to get what you are looking for. I know this seems like common sense, but I've made sure in my emails to ask if products are safe for people with corn or other food allergies instead of just asking if there are any corn derivatives because this seems to set of a red flag and show that this is a priority question instead of just a flippant inquiry.

As usual, I will try and update any news I get from both Bobble and Coconut Bliss.

Well there's no need to get snippy

I decided to hop on the bandwagon and stop using bottled water. Really, when you think about it you have to wonder why you pay money for something that comes out of the sky naturally. What you are paying for is mostly the convenience of having it right there and chilled in a handy container you can take with you. However, after you pay for that convenience hundreds of times it gets a little ridiculous. On top of that, there's a bunch of controversy about BPA and the safety of plastics being used, as well as the effects on the environment. I'm not trying to preach, but this documentary definitely has me intrigued.


What did I do? I went and bought myself a Bobble. Personally, I really hate those metal bottles that have become the rage because no matter what, to me the water always tastes like when you handle coins and then accidentally put your hands to your mouth. What really drew me to the Bobble was the filter and the fact that I could potentially drink water that might otherwise be deemed unsuitable. It isn't a wonder product and it won't protect you from microorganisms other nasties that might hide in questionable water. However, it does stop most water from tasting like a pool or the inside of the faucet it came out of.

The neat thing is that it's made out of biodegradable plastic and is BPA free. However, I somehow remembered long ago and far away that biodegradable plastics can be made from plant materials; and if there's one thing writing this blog has made me realize, it's that "plant materials" usually means corn. I emailed the Bobble company asking if this was the case with their plastic and if it was made of corn would it be safe for people with allergies. The last thing I want is for me to have my boyfriend have a reaction to my water bottle! I got a rather speedy reply, but it was very unsatisfactory. It said simply:

Thank you for your interest in bobble and making water better

please see the FAQ section on our website for a comprehensive list of questions, answers, facts and information:

http://www.waterbobble.com/#/bobble-water-corporate-information

regards,

bobble

customer service

Wow guys, really? I combed the FAQ section but it was the usual general questions that they think they can weed out of the emails being sent to them. They probably saw the word "safe" in my email and thought I was worried about BPA or other "toxins" in the plastic, not the potential for allergens. A snippy response probably deserves and equally snippy retaliation, so I will probably gather all of my inner snip and type that email up in the next few days.

Don't get me wrong, I am happy with the product and will continue using it. However if I can't get a satisfactory response I may have to switch to another kind of water bottle just to be on the safe side. On the other hand, if you aren't concerned about exposure to corn or other food-based allergens in your diet, definitely check Bobble out. They bottles are relatively cheap and are reusable. After about 2 months, just replace the filter. Wow, I'm really starting to sound like a spokesperson. I'll stop now before I say "now for the low low price of two easy payments of $29.99!"

(image from here)

I SCREAM FOR ICE CREAM!!!

 I absolutely love when companies explain how they avoid cross contamination as far as allergens are concerned. Apart from King Arthur Flour, which makes all of their allergen-free products in a separate facility, most companies either are completely allergen-free or have the “made in a facility which processes…” blurb on their label.

Luna & Larry’s Organic Coconut Bliss found a happy medium. If you aren’t privy to this magic, Coconut Bliss is a brand of ice cream made with coconut milk for those who are unable to eat dairy or soy. Now that the weather has been warming up, my boyfriend and I have been tearing our way through the flavors. I was poking around on their FAQ page and happened to see the question “is Luna & Larry’s Coconut Bliss processed on ‘shared equipment’?” It turns out that yes, they do share equipment for processing flavors with allergens; however they have a very intricate process for making sure that there isn’t any cross-contamination.

First they schedule their processing so that no dairy or soy will be in the plant and they clearly label and store all nuts and other potential allergens for their flavors in a separate area from their other ingredients and only move them onto the production floor when they are ready to make a flavor with ingredients. They also only make the nut and other allergen-containing flavors at the end of the day, so that there isn’t any potential for contamination. At the end of the production day, dismantle wash, and inspect the equipment. The next morning it is inspected again, and then sanitized and rinsed.

I absolutely love this methodical approach. I also love that they detailed it on their website (trust me, you got the short version). I get the feeling that most other companies would simply say “Yes, but we make sure to clean all equipment after making an allergen-containing flavor”. Sure, that would suffice, but Coconut Bliss went a step beyond.

For those of you who are curious, I highly recommend Coconut Bliss. The coconut flavor isn’t overwhelming and doesn’t taste like you’re “eating sunscreen”, as my mom would have it. I have only tried a few of their flavors but they have been excellent so far!

http://www.coconutbliss.com/info/basic-faq

(image from here)

Splendifferous

I think it’s impossible to convey just how much of a sweet tooth I have. I grew up in a house where both my mom and my godmother are both excellent bakers and they have almost a fanatical devotion to butter and anything relating to cheesecake. Therefore, I tend to avoid bitter drinks and use obscene amounts of sweetener even in naturally sweet teas. Since my mom essentially outlawed table sugar for beverage use during one of our diets many years ago, I’ve gotten in the habit of using Splenda.

I get in bit of a sticky situation when I drink tea with my boyfriend. For a while I meant to investigate whether or not Splenda was a safe food but never got around to it. Instead I would end up using a lot of honey as a sweetener and cringing at how “bitter” my chamomile tea was (I’m hopeless, I know!).

Well, it turns out a lot of people are concerned about Splenda’s safety, but for a bunch of different reasons. Their FAQ page is full of questions like “does sucralose cause headaches/migraines?” and “does Splenda Brand Sweetener affect the thymus?” This is understandable because over the past few years there have been some questions as to whether or not a chemically created calorie-free sweetener is the root of several health problems.
http://www.issplendasafe.com/

I can understand that the Splenda company doesn’t want to answer thousands of emails asking if their product is safe for pregnant women, so it’s smart that they actually used their FAQ page to answer some frequently asked questions.

As I scrolled down to the bottom I finally found questions relating to food allergies. The most obvious one was pertaining to gluten. The answer says that they do not use any grain ingredients during the manufacture of Splenda, however they don’t test the final product for gluten. This makes sense because if they weren’t using gluten in the first place, why would they check it afterward? However, some people including myself sometimes get a little antsy about stuff like this, so I’m glad they put it in. There is no information about casein or gluten, however one of the Splenda products, their “Minis”, contain lactose. I would imagine that they use milk as a binding agent for the little tablets of sweetener so that would explain it.

By a bit of luck (if you can call it that) I found that Splenda is derived from corn. Yes, corn is king still. Surprisingly I didn’t find this information under the “What is Splenda made out of?” questions, but rather one asking if it was made from any ingredients derived from genetically modified organisms (GMOs). If you’re worried about that, no Splenda does not have GMOs, however it is derived from the starches in corn. I probably won’t use Splenda around my boyfriend even though his reactions to corn aren’t that severe because I am not really comfortable with using artificial sweeteners. Through my research for this blog and through shopping and cooking with my boyfriend I’ve started to value natural sources of nutrients more than before, so I will probably switch to a raw sugar sweetener soon. Also, I think that I’ve been indulging my sweet tooth too much with Splenda. I need to work on enjoying foods that can’t rot your teeth on contact!

(image from here. Sorry for the gruesome imagery, but I found it horrifying and cute at the same time. That's what I find when I Google image search "sweet tooth"!)

My secret plan is found out

Just like with the Yogi Tea company, I asked the Celestial Seasonings company about their natural flavors to see if the ninja corn could be hiding inside. Apparently, yes.

Their email started off with the usual “Thanks for your patronage” message followed by a very brief answer to my initial question. They wrote:

“In general, the herbs and spices used in Celestial Seasonings teas contain proteins, fats and carbohydrates (which may include naturally occurring sugars). In addition, some Celestial Seasonings teas contain natural flavors, which may contain sucrose, maltodextrins (cornstarch) and corn syrup solids at very low levels. While we ensure that the ingredients of these natural flavors are all natural, the exact amounts in the flavors are trade secrets.”

Ooh dear. For the most part, we’ve found that the single ingredient flavors are safe and as usual the amount of corn isn’t really an issue. However, it will be avoided during stressful times (aka finals…) to make sure my boyfriend doesn’t have a reaction.

I’m glad that the email stated which ingredients are derived from corn even though they aren’t specifically stated in the nutritional information. Most of the time companies just say “there’s probably corn in there”. I was just a little cheesed at the fact that they were apparently concerned that I wanted their trade secrets. Yes, I shall steal all their recipes and make my own company: Seasonal Celestials! Bwa ha ha!



(image from here)

All your oils are belong to us!

In spending more time with my boyfriend, I’ve learned that I have to look carefully at the products I use. I’ve already tried to cut down on my usage of perfume, to the point where sometimes don’t use it when I know we’re going to see each other. I also switched to an allergen-free toothpaste. Now, we’re being even more careful.

It turns out that soybean oil is relatively common in beauty products. I bought a bottle of some “olive oil” hair treatment to help with my winter dry scalp, and found that the first ingredient was in fact soy. I was also looking at BioOil (that seemingly miracle alternative to Mederma for scars and stretch marks) and soy is in that too.
http://www.bio-oil.com/en/ingredients/index.html

The worry is that although the soy wouldn’t be ingested, there is still a risk of the allergens being left on the hand and then getting carried to the mouth. This was the issue with the condoms and now it’s starting to pop up more and more with other products. Curses!

(image from here)

10 Things I Hate About Southwest

I know, this is a food blog. However, due to a recent so-called riot on campus due to the death of Osama Bin Laden, I feel compelled to tell you folks about my life outside the kitchen.

The UMass dorms are split between several areas on campus. There is the North apartment area, Sylvan, Northeast, Orchard Hill, Central, and Southwest. I live in the last one. Each area has its own character and style, which is nice. However, that also means that each area has a bit of a reputation. For instance, since the Northeast area is located near the science buildings, it's known for housing the engineering majors. Central has a lot of brick buildings and grassy areas that make you want to sit under a tree and read a book for hours. Southwest, however, has more of a cityscape. There are five "tower" dorms and several "low rise" buildings surrounded by asphalt and gravel with sparse sprinklings of trees.

The reason I live in this area is because I signed up for a particular program which had us live in Southwest. I could have moved for the second semester, but I thought I could tough it out. Even if I hadn't been placed in the program, I still would have been intrigued by the layout. Being a girl from a cow town in northern Massachusetts, living in something that resembles a city seemed exciting. Now I don't want to live here ever again. The reasons?

10. Ice Cream
You can't walk 10 feet without seeing a dark stain of ice cream on the ground. This is due to the fact that one of the dining commons has a soft serve ice cream machine, and it's handy if you want your dessert on the go. I would be fine if the majority of these stains were from spillage accidents (the prime fear of our youth), however the shattered remains of the cones and the fact that the stains appear on walls is a sign that people are throwing them. Why? Who wastes ice cream? Besides, it's not bad enough that it's all over the ground outside. Oh no, today there was ice cream and cone remains in the stairwell of my building. Again, who throws ice cream? And for what reason?

9. Skateboarders.
Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know I was walking straight through your own personal skate park. No, let me stand here while you try and jump over an imaginary obstacle. It's not like I have a class or anything to go to. You know what, I could go around too but this is the ONLY WAY THROUGH THIS PART OF SOUTHWEST! Yeah, so you try and jump that imaginary trash can. I'll just be standing here.

8. It sucks(and blows)
With the campus being in a valley, we have a lot of wind troubles. There are times when you walk past the library on a windy day and you have trouble standing upright. I've even heard of migrating geese avoiding that particular patch of sky because it's like flying into a wall. Sorry geese.

Since I live in one of the towers, the wind blows pretty mightily. You can hear the annoying whistle and whoosh outside sometimes, but the worst is when a window is open. If you live the door open too, the wind sneaks into the window and slams the door for you. It wasn't a problem during the winter, but once it warmed up you could hear the familiar "ker-SLAM!" all the way from the other side of the building. Similarly, if the wind is really strong you have to force open the door just to get into your room.

7. Stoop Culture
This isn't a complaint about Southwest itself, so much as a complaint about my particular building. You see, my building has a set of concrete stairs which lead up to the front door. Out of a natural instinct to convene, people go out there to smoke and generally hang out. During the daylight hours they normally stick to the sides of the stairs, sitting on the little wall partitions on either side. However, as it gets later they start sitting in the middle of the stairs and blocking the way to the door. There have been times when I've seriously considered hitting people with my bag to get them to move. Or, what's even worse is when it's raining outside and a small group gathers in the overhang near the door. However, this is right in front of the card reader which is the ONLY WAY TO ENTER THE BUILDING. Yeah, I've narrowly missed touching various asses in my efforts to get back to my room. So far no one has sustained backpack injuries.

Also, they get really loud, or so I've heard. I don't live "stoop side".

6. The crowds in Berkshire DC
The Berkshire Dining Commons is one of the more popular eateries on campus (maybe because of the throwable ice cream). This, coupled with the fact that is in the residence area with about 5,000 students means it's packed at eating times. Maybe it's my own fault for eating at the same hours as everyone else. My schedule allows for me to eat an earlier dinner if I wish, but I'm used to between 5:30 and 6. Apparently so is everyone else. Finding a seat is difficult, and then the layout means that there are lines of people getting food that project right into the line of traffic. However, the worst thing is that people walk very slowly. I understand not wanting to rush with a plate full of fries and that skirting the crowds is hard, however that doesn't mean that you can travel at the speed of a narcoleptic snail on a turtle with a limp. You might as well stand still and become part of the Asian food display.

The worst part is when people slow down and talk near the doors. The way the DC is set up, there is a room where you deposit your dishes to get them washed, and then their is a door that leads out into the main entrance area. People tend to halt at this doorway to talk about who knows what, however since it is basically the ONLY WAY OUT, a bottleneck is formed. And then I feel the urge to swing my backpack. Notice a theme in Southwest? Bottlenecks.

5. The smell
As you reach your floor, you smell a distinctive scent. You run through the possibilities in your mind. Well, there's no way a skunk could have made it through the doors and climbed up the eight flights to your floor, and it's near impossible that the little guy could have pushed the elevator button...And then you check the time. Oh, 3 PM. It must be pot.

4. The construction
Right now Southwest is going under some renovations to bring it into the 21st century. Some of these marvels include putting a brick pattern on the walkways, adding more green things, more trash bin areas, and wireless internet. In that order. Most of the renovations can't be done with the students around, so that's why the computers are shackled with Ethernet cables. This didn't take too long to get used to, but most of my peers complain that the construction wakes them up at 9 in the morning. Oh the horror.

My main issue with it is, you guessed it, the bottlenecking. For a while, the middle portion of the main path in the area was fenced off in order to put in that precious brick pattern which is now smattered with ice cream guts. This meant that I couldn't take my usual route and had to chart a different course to the center of campus. It didn't take me any longer to get there, but I hate breaking up a perfectly fine routine

3. Tech-No more music. Please.
For some reason the only music people prefer in the floors above and below me is techno or hip-hop. However, because of the concrete walls only the bass beat penetrates into my room. It doesn't make it any less annoying, especially when you are trying to get to sleep. I know that it's college and that people are going to party, however at least in Central it's Led Zepplin. I'd rather fall asleep to "Kashmir" than the constant "BOOMF. Boomf-boomf" from the floor above me.

2. Piano Man
At 3 AM. The night before my 8 AM math final. Sung very poorly by drunken football players. The same goes for "Don't Stop Believin'".

1. The reputation
UMass has a bit of an inexplicable reputation as "ZooMass". Yeah, crazy stuff went down in the past but now we don't even make the list of top 20 party schools in the country. Maybe we're trying to look badass. Anyways, out of all the areas, Southwest has the reputation for being where the parties are. If you tell people you live in Southwest, they nod and smile knowingly. Or when you tell them that you were required to live their for a program, they start to pity you.

Simply by living in Southwest, people assume that I party. I've heard advice like "once you move out, you just keep going back!". Well, no. It's as if people can't tell by looking at me that I'm the shy bookish type. Even my parent's friends all laugh when I say that I'm in Southwest because they've heard stories either from their kids or their own wild exploits.


Don't get me wrong, I don't hate every portion of Southwest. I like how you can see the hills from the windows or that you can see all the way across campus if you live on a high enough floor. I like the unusual layout of the rooms and the fact that there are more than 2 shower stalls per bathroom. When it's quiet, Berkshire DC can be a cool place to eat with a lot of interesting options. Of course, there's Yen the lady at the card-swiping station who always puts a smile on my face. She made it into my roommate's list of 75 favorite things, so she deserves a spot on my blog dammit! I'll also miss the guy who works at the pizza station who knows me as the girl who always has a book in her hand. However, the small doses of awesome cannot outweigh the large doses of fail. I can't wait to live in Central next year with all my fellow bookish types.

(image from here)

By the way, in the video of my roommate's favorite things, that little stud of a fig tree behind her is Cal. He's waving hello.