Interview with David Kessler

For almost all of us, there's at least one food that we can't help but overeat. For David Kessler, former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (and foe of the tobacco industry), it was the dumplings in the food court of the San Francisco International Airport. His investigation into why otherwise sane, self-assured, competent people like himself lose their will in the face of dumplings, Chili's latest dessert concoction, or dark chocolate M&Ms encompassed the chemistry of modern food production and the newest discoveries of neuroscience. In The End of Overeating (Rodale, $25.95), he argues that the extraordinarily high levels of salt, fat, and sugar in the American diet reward our brains and thus encourage us to overeat.

You said the idea for the book came from watching Oprah Winfrey's show?
Yes. Dr. Phil was on, talking to this woman, Sarah, who was highly educated, well dressed, and very successful in all aspects of her life. But she said, "I eat when I'm hungry. I eat when I'm not hungry. I eat when I'm happy. I eat when I'm sad. I don't like myself." I was sitting there trying to listen as a doctor, but I could also relate to what she was talking about from my own experience. I needed to understand what was driving her behavior.

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If you're looking for something to do this summer, catch Food Inc. at a theater near you.  Food Inc is a documentary film that takes a close look at mass food production. It is based on two books, Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma and Eric Schlosser's Fast Food Nation, both best sellers.

Through a series of vignettes, Food Inc. shines the spotlight on:

• Pastoral illusions that hide the truth about agribusiness.
• The handful of companies that control America's food system.
• Farm subsidies that favor overproduction of corn, which drive down the price of processed and fast food, leading to obesity.
• Inhumane treatment of livestock and poultry, as well as the illegal immigrants recruited to work in the plants.
• Chemical giants that bully farmers to buy their products and then use 'veggie libel laws' to silence them. (Remember Oprah's mad cow lawsuit?)
• 'Mainstream organic' companies like Stonyfield Farm that will push for corporate change if we vote organic with our food dollars.

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Watch the trailer

This movie will change the way you look at dinner.

A few months ago Gary & I took a knife skills class at our local Whole Foods Culinary Institute. It was a FANTASTIC class! I cook a lot, and I knew that I wasn't doing some things properly. Also, I knew that I could be quicker when it came to slicing, dicing, chopping & mincing. I highly recommend that if you haven't taken a knife skills class, that you should! It will make cooking MUCH easier & enjoyable.

One of the recipes that we made in class was this Jicama Orange Slaw. It's great for summer because it's light & refreshing. If you've never had Jicama before, it looks similar to a potato, but tastes like a cross between a potato & apple. You've probably had it in a salad before & never realized it.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup peeled, julienned jicama
• ¼ cup green onion, sliced on the bias
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 2 oranges, cut into suprêmes
• 2 kiwi, peeled and cut into 8 lengthwise
• 2 jalapeno chilies, seeded and chopped
• 3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• ½ tsp ancho or cayenne powder, or to taste
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
• Kosher salt

Directions