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Simplicity & nature’s way of creating future food possibilities
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Friday, 15 July, 2022, 16 : 00 PM [IST]
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Cyrille Lecossois
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From the point of view of a cook who has learned the basics of food, eating well, respect for products, seasons and proximity, there is no denying that the current state of food production has gone too far to feed an ever-growing population. Consumers from countries with high purchasing power have got used to having unlimited access to certain products regardless of calendar or geography.
However, Mother Nature conceived food according to the seasons in order to feed human beings correctly with the right vitamin, minerals and anti-oxidants at the right time. The assimilation of these nutrients is essential for a balanced diet and good health. It cannot be a simple coincidence that allergies, intolerances, severe reactions to the absorption of some foods have shot up in recent years.
These are serious issues that present a real global food problem not only for consumers, but also for the culinary professionals who must constantly adapt.
Going back to simpler methods in food production, cooking and consumption, along with the use of technology helping to improve food innovation are complementary approaches that need to be harnessed today. We have the technology, but we use it for profit and not to regain control of this mass overconsumption.
Instead, this technology should be used to enhance the production of seasonal and sustainable food products that do not require an incredible energy mass. Returning to the simplicity and seasonality of our ancestors means changing certain habits like eating strawberries in January, avocados all year round or overly processed foods; it also implies making more informed decisions that could lead to better health and a more sustainable future in the long term.
Cooking at the right, basic temperature is a very good method for preserving food by pasteurization and for cooking a piece of food evenly, thoroughly and deliciously. This process, known as Sous Vide - the French term for "under-vacuum," is a method of precision cooking in which food is vacuum-sealed, then submerged in a water bath at a specifically regulated temperature and gently cooked.
This technique goes back to Blaise Pascal’s 17th century research on the laws of atmospheric pressure, and today involves some very modern thermometers and gadgets that make the process scientifically foolproof. More recently championed by French food scientist Bruno Goussault, sous-vide has many positive aspects, notably maintaining food textures and flavours without compromising natural integrity.
He discovered that if beef was vacuum-sealed in a specially designed pouch and cooked slowly at a lower-than-usual temperature, it turned out softer, juicier and full of natural flavors compared to when using conventional methods involving more heat and less time. Whether a carrot or a chicken breast, food cooked in this slow and low-heat method – sometimes even over a few days – comes out bursting with natural flavours and juices.
Fermentation has been used to preserve food for thousands of years as a simple, inexpensive, and effective method before the advent of refrigerators. Traditional lacto-fermentation involves simply submerging vegetables in a brine solution of salt and water and waiting for the beneficial bacteria to develop. Today, it’s encouraging to see a slow return to the consumption of fermented foods such as sauerkraut and kimchi for example.
These products are not only tasty, but are essential for healthy gut bacteria. They facilitate the assimilation of proteins by reducing them to more easily absorbed amino acids. Lacto-fermented vegetables contain more vitamin C than the same fresh vegetable; they are boosters for our brain and contribute to better memory. Essentially, they boost our second brain: the gut.
Fermentation extends the shelf life of food and reduces waste, while adding flavor, texture and aroma. It is a wonderful example of an ancient method of producing healthy food that more and more people are beginning to practice in their own kitchens.
In recent years, we have seen the arrival on the food market of products based on vegetable proteins. On one hand, this is a magnificent step forward in terms of innovation, and furthermore, the term ‘plant based’ reduces the consumption of animal protein which is certainly a step in the right direction. But some of these plant-based ingredients that go to make the standard veggie burger are still highly processed and altered from their natural state.
The question remains: can we assimilate them correctly, is our body ready to digest them, are we getting the right nutrients?
Reputable plant-based food producers such as the Swiss company, Planted, pride themselves on using basic ingredients such as pea protein, pea fiber, water and sunflower oil, and they warn consumers that the food item cannot be cooked in the same way as meat since it lacks real meat properties like fat, collagen and other complex animal substances.
They use a biomimetic approach (copying nature’s systems) to understand how meat-like structures can be copied and improved from a natural biomaterial perspective. There are no exotic substances or techniques involved, which keeps production simple. Their ‘meat’ is created by making a fibrous dough with the ingredients mentioned, then a special extrusion machine recreates the structure of muscle fibers typical of animal protein.
However, some would argue that going back to our ancient past and consuming plant products without any significant transformation made in a laboratory or factory remains the best option.
As a source of inspiration for making any vegetable dish as delicious, if not more, than a meat dish, shouldn't we look to traditional Indian cuisine, known throughout the world for its spices, colours and perfumes? Not only is use of these spices known to have health benefits thanks to their antioxidant, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, but the richness of the dishes composed of multiple vegetables, grains and dried fruits makes it a cuisine of choice - a type of cuisine to follow when imagining new possibilities of how food is treated and seasoned.
Similarly, Asian cuisine with its use of mirin, dashi, tamari and miso. These cultures that put natural flavours and seasoning processes at the heart of their cuisine are being increasingly referred to by culinary professionals.
More and more people are choosing to renounce the over-consumption of certain products such as processed meat, intensely farmed salmon, dairy, gluten or refined carbohydrates. Some do it for medical reasons, others to follow health trends or by ethical conviction.
Consuming food products full of saturated fats, empty calories and additives is regrettable for our digestive system. On one hand, we must drastically reduce our consumption of animal protein of all kinds but not for this to be replaced by a new type of processed food on the other.
The basic rules are simple: eat reasonable portions based on local and seasonal ingredients. Reset your mindset for a return to natural, unprocessed foods that respect the food chain and good health, so that the journey from the food’s conception to your plate is minimal. It is necessary to eat well: a good diet helps you feel better mentally and physically, and it’s possibly the best preventative medicine available without a prescription!
"May your food be your only medicine"
Jean-Pierre Coffe (French food critic and author).
(The author is senior lecturer - Culinary Arts
at EHL Hospitality Business School)
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