Will Work for Free

10:48a, Soon I feel that industry will have every single resident working for everything they need to have. The ammount of work that has now been delegated to the owner of a product is seemingly nearing more than 50%. What happens when a product is faulty ... contact the manufacturer ... then contact their outsourced repair center who needs each of the other two to confirm where and when you purchased it. you $15 toaster has now cost you $175 in man hours and mailing costs. This said its ard work to decipher HFCS on every single product and as well to ask someone else (i.e. Waiter) to ask the chef/cook/producer ... its the telephone game you played when you were kids. you start with 'I want to go to the circus.' and at the end of the circle comes out 'I baked fresh bread this am.'. I have recently been faces with High Maltose Corn Syrup as a replacement for HFCF ... Hmmmm. This is a curious instance. i am enjoying looking at labels and seeing 'Sugar' as an ingredient ... sugar is sugar, isn't it. Then why is there all natural or Raw sugar? What is in the powdery substance that would make it unnatural. I've heard that the Raw sugar is just caramelized to get its natural color. I have done no research in this. I have never looked at the Sugar Label ... perhaps its time. Flower comes in all levels of processing, bleaching, natural, unnatural, whole gran ... the list is endless. But as I recall from the supermarket the bags of sugar all just say sugar. Perhaps the word 'refined' comes to mind.

At a recent pass the rough party for Jacob someone brought EZ Cheese. I thought for sure that it would be off limits ... but to my surprise the Wheat Thins contained HFCS ... not the EZ Cheese. amazing. Just sneak it in there wherever you can eh? put it on the list. While shoppping as a bachelor I found that the Cinabon Grands Cinnamon buns from Pillsbury were laden with the sauce. but the regular ol Pillsbury did not ... but the Cinabon tasted so good ... of course they did.

Throwback

8:50a, In recent travels we have found ourselves increasingly challenged to discover the HFCS in a manner that is independent of engaging with the institutions that use it. It is easy to control self when there is a second guessing put in place as a ritual of sorts. I have yet to hear from the largest manufacturer of HFCS on my inquiry of a tour/visit. I have also not heard back from others, this as it is similar to filing village complaints, is typical. it seems that most accountable items of recent are being farmed back to us as the ones who need the assistance. Will the framework of future business, local government, and other institutions be based on a residents' Customer Relations Management system of management.

Something must be going on in the offices above as Pepsi products have begun an experimental push of their throwback sodas containing 'real sugar'. WOW! Real sugar. At a gas station in southern PA to celebrate this occasion I had to purchase the first Mountain Dew I have had in probably a decade. It worked Pepsi.

This posting may become weekely as I can compile more information and less yammering on.

Rheb a dub dub

10:34p, Its official, no Rhebs Candy (unless as below):

Hi Mr. Smith,

Sorry it took a couple days to get back to you, but we had to do some investigating. Instead of giving you a list of what does contain HFCS, it's easier to let you know what you would be okay eating. The list is as follows:

Nuts
Raisins
Wafers

Everything else contains HFCS. It's in all the creams, cherries, patties, caramel.

Hope this helps.

Sherri L. Owens
Office Manager
Rheb Candy Co.
410-644-4321

I am deduced to nuts and wafers and fruit. oh my. i replied with the question of the chocolate base and it does not in any case contain HFCS. a bit of a paper cup conundrum ... cover the HFCS in some vessel that will disguise it (i.e. chocolate) and avoid the question. Life will settle in without the HFCS but indeed the public sector is about as tame with the stuff as a meth addict. It seems that the case holds true that you can almost feel th euse of a substance as much as you might taste it. an energy of commitment that an institution shows in itself ... like a good dressed professional versus one that dresses from Marshalls. Both achieve the task but the one in teh Marshalls suit knows its different and may be able to look the aprt but does not feel the part when surrounded by a institution of brooks brothers clad boys.

In the effort to not portray the initiative when not so appropiate, im sure i consumed mass quantities of the stuff at teh Shamrock tonight. a prepackaged bailys irish cream cheese cake and a white bread grilled cheese with ghetto sauce. very tasty but left me skeptical. I think in the instance of communicating your story it must be done in the proper manner at the proper time else you become a over zelous uber freak of a missionary. The stuff will nto kill you and is in almost everything associated with something so pace yourself and develop a lingo and an dialogue with both intitutions and individuals to gain support ... then let them assist you in a healty manner socially.

I did find that in Eat and Meet that they carry the Mojo Creole maranade that Matt suggested is perhaps best imported from NYC as to search for it up here might be a dead end. That place continiously suprises me. The level of quality in a business might never achieve the one they put out on their web site, 'We offer a free meal to anyone who can not afford one.' ... that is class.

no way its in there

6:57p, After a great evening at the 7444 Collective show opening we took it to Blue Moon Cafe for a little after party food and wine. This was our first night in their new wine bar. Previously held suspect, the Blue Moon proved again to contain HFCS but they were quick to remedy the situation of a genuine statement of 'No way its in there' dipping sauce to a home made soy sauce based organic mixture. Ken was mistaken when he remarked the previous words and held his own in the face of ridicule. This is a quality place with good intentions. Just prior to inquiring i did sneak a taste. Too good to be true I thought. Sarah suggested that by years end i could have a taste for the stuff like she does for Aspertaime.

Throughout the day we chose a variety of items homemade and from Nori's that were orchestrated specifically for HFCS free eating. And ending the day with thsoe delictable Kahula brownies was for sure a welcomed treat. Kathy catered a grand event. I see the ideals of this commitment lending themselves greater than the daily recording of events related to the efforts of an HFCS free year. It has brought about great evening of discussions that lend themselves to topics more advanced than the solution itself.

The evening did not end at the Blue Moon but instead led us across the street to support our good friends Pat Macavoy and Scott Renderer in their blues band. A few drinks to look into will be those more sugary but so tasty: Chartruse, Jager, and Sambuca. All leaving their sugary stickiness residue in the glass following their consumption. It was -12 on our walk home. So says the Adirondack Bank.

We cleansed the cupords today of all things HFCS related (and outdated). We will give new items to those less concerned with the HFCS inclusion and move foread with replenishing our Ketchup stock with somsething a littlel more organic. I may have to develop a side bag of HFCS free items (i.e. Ketchup) as I could have used it today on my cheese omlet. A bit too much but after a few months without the stuff i think it may be necessary.

Liquor

11:17am (with good social reasoning for late posting: Dewey Mountain Ski Jam featuring Steve Langdon), Each day I wonder if something made is on the cheap. Im thinking of Aldi ... the new grocery in town. An original concept from Germany that takes the TJ Maxx approach with bulk items and signature never heard of lines for cheapo process. I will make a special trip to get a general consensus of HFCS in those items. Many may think that 'no one will ever know if i go to Aldi and use their brand so long as I dot show with the container. The ol paper cup trick. Smoke and mirrors. It is so tempting to shop and exist this way but not healthy at all and fooling no one but yourself. After pizza last night I will have to make it a point to see which of the two pizza establishments we frequent uses, if any, the HFCS. This is essential.

I had my first preview in public forum last night read aloud by Leslie to our group of post Dewey Mountain Jam go'ers after first reading her journal from 1983 and I questioned making the blog a bit more edited and refined but reminded myself that this is indeed a blog, a record of instance. I will continue to record in blog format with limited editing.

We have our first reply form major industry. And of all the industries we wonder why alcohol is so successful. They earn it. Regardless of your product you need to follow models of customer satisfaction and need. The booze industry does do this. So I get to eat the Kahula brownies tonight and I am quite ecstatic about this. I did also learn, from their attached info, that Kahula has a shelf life of 4 years (open or unopened) ... I always wondered this. Kathy asked in the exact manner I have been posting my questions to the industries:

Hello,

I love to cook with Kahlua and have several fav recipes...I need to know if there is an high fructose corn syrup in Kahlua. Can you provide ingredient
information/answer? I couldn't find any information on your website.

Thank you,

Kathy

the Reply:

Dear Kathy,

Thank you for taking the time to contact us. We always enjoy hearing from loyal customers. Kahlua does not contain any corn sweetener (HFCS) and there are no artificial sweeteners in Kahlua. We appreciate your continued patronage of Kahlua and hope you continue to enjoy our products.

Best regards, Pernod Ricard USA Kahlua Consumer Relations

in the hood

9:30p, Let the searching process begin. we are now full force into exploration and navigation of ingredients listings. This a.m. with Shamim at the Blue Moon Cafe I took an order of homemade white toast (HFCS FREE) it arrived pre-buttered but with jam jam on the side. I would no have been suspicious had it not been for my investication into the bottle of 'House Recipe' (a sysco brand) of katchup. It had HFCS. So whent he toast arrived with a small little paper cup of jam ... i was suspicious. I asked. Together with the owner we looked into the ingredients. voila. HFCS. On my way back Shamim suspected that I was looking into the jam beacuse it was so good and i wanted to find the source. Then realizing at the same time I had told her of my resolution. Her look immediately morphed into understanding. After perhaps suspecting herself that I was devistated, she offerred the jam she brough home from JC's mom in Normandy France. I accepted. I presume that all sysco products on the cheap will contain HFCS, wonder if they have an organic label (they must if they want to keep up with the Jonses). A true test will be if restaurants proudly display the jam jars or desguise it in paper cups.

At the GU (Grand Union) I did a little recon tonight into hot dogs. We were there to get late night Chocolate icecream (most just contained regular ol corn syrup. We chose Bryers all natural because it was well ... all natural. I quickly jetted back to the hot dog section and found no HFCS but did find that our local hot dog manufacturer (of red dogs) Glaziers had nothing of the sort of sweetners. Ball Park and Hebrew National were also HFCS free and all others contained at least CS or Corn Syrup. On the way to the check out, deciding that whip cream was a must, foins that Hood contained HFCS, Reddi Whip contained CS and the store brand, Nada. We bought the store brand 'Best' but was unsatisfactory in sweetness. Go Figure. One final check by Hilary into Little Debbie found corn syrup present but no HFCS ... I think I will let those go and for the most part (the CS's).

On the way home from the GU I asked the question "Will we keep the items with HFCS in the house?", Hilary said depends (i.e. no need to waste pita but the new 52 oz Heniz Ketchup ... out). I will use her as the sounding board for what she deems keepable before I throw it out.

The best conversation happend today on email with Kathy Ford (who is preparing the food for our opening on Saturday at teh 7444 Gallery). She disclosed that in lieu of me getting hold of her when I was supposed to, to confirm savory or sweet, that she preparred Kahula brownies. I told her of my resolution and seemingly without a beat she loggged on to the kahula web site and found nothing so she took the liberty of emailing the contact page. I'm very impressed. In her reply she gave her main ingredients of King Arthur Flower from VT, Local eggs, and all natural ingredients. I think she is on the same page. There are now four inquiries out and no responces. Patience could be forever.

awash

9:30p, After watching 'The Cove' tonight, a documentary on the slaughter of dolphins, I think of what it will take to have items containing HFCS removed from the menus of all children and eliminated from adults temptations. Will take drastic devotion to fight a huge industry. Give me the funding and I will go for it. Until then I will succeed on my own path.

I have received no mails in return to my inquiries as of yet. Tonight I posted to Rhebs Candies. Man I hope they give my inquiry (Can you please forward me a list of candies that contain HFCS. This is a personal inquiry due to a recent dietary restriction?) a big negative. Ciocci Margie is the supplier of this goodness for many a holiday and that would be a blow to my own consumption needs at the celebration times the candies are sent.

I wonder if this becomes an instance of greater exposure how many institution will baltently lie to your face in reguards to the inclusion of HFCS in our food. People are rutheless when their business is on the line. Bigger Better Faster More. Everyone is suspect and everyone is suspecting. Makes it not really fun. The only one not lying about the food they serve you is you from teh food you grow yourself. This we will do more of in summer 2010. We did have a go at our first garden last summer. Yeilded many a vegetble and mmmmmm the savorie taste of anythign fresh off the vine that was grown with no pesticides or chemicals. For the price of a seed and some water (and an 8' deer fence) we are eating pure. Jiffy peanut butter is still alive in my menu, thank god. Interestingly i have not run into a new addition in the past day ... I expected the HFCS to be in everything i touched but alas I will have to search. I think Chinese food is out for the year, not for lack of asking but after watching the cultural differences in how I might expect a questiosn to be answered from Asia and how it was in the cove ... perhpas they will just lie. At this point in am only, as stated above, suspecting. I think throughout the year I will become more aggressive in my stance and interactions.

In all things successful I find that it really hinges on finding the sole person that is true to themselves to come forward and make a difference. Not to fight for it from the bottom like a greasy wheel but to be in power and stand tall. So. Why not achieve power expressing democratic ideals and instill them with republican authority. Seems to be the only way things are getting done. Its not a flip flop ... its the poor way the system is set up. The general consensus is too large to make sound collective decisions ... therefore humans are forced to deceive. But that trust enroute is the hardest. Will they make the right decisions in the end. True.

The HFCS 42.90.55 Journal has been purchased. Its a 'Whitelines' brand out of Sweden, purchased at teh Bookstore Plus of all places in Lake Placid. Identifiable and unique. Not overly stated but understood. Designed but not a redesign. This journal will record the clif notes of my HFCS journey. I think of purchasing this in my rural existance and recall the quote of a man in Lake Clear who's new years resolution was to quit smoking. He stated that he had tried three times prior but it tough living up here and some times you gotta do what you gotta do. Apparently he hasent seen teh Whitelines brand and does not realize that Sweden iscloser than he thinks ... that and the real tough part of living in the Adirondacks is living surrounded by the mentality that its tough livign up here. If everyone stopped looking to big dad for the answeres and created them themselves ... well we would not be having this conversation as every inhabitated spot on this earh is successful only as far is the people who live there make it.

"it's probably full of the shit."

10:16p, This title quote was repliedjust after presenting my HFCS concerns over Matt Burnette's holiday chocolate (He confessed Amy made it all and it was his idea). I kept to myself with similar inquiries regarding his 'everything in the fridge' soup as that's what was for lunch and I also did not profess my dietary restriction before declaring "I'm in.". Was very tasty regardless. The only questionable item would be the hot dogs ... not because they are sugary but rather that they are just full of all sorts of good tasting nastiness. With out going overboard and checking every label in the grocery store I think hot dogs will be at the top of my short list next time we go to the store.

So thinking more about the idea that reducing consumption on any level just controlling an addiction ... whether Coke or Crack, I believe that the process of ingesting a substance ... even purchasing a substance can be more than 50% of the addiction. Take booze. We can drink a bottle of wine a night for dinner, for a week, to the point that you wake up tasting wine as a major source of want and look forward to the nights meal for you will get some more. But stopping is as easy. Is it just in my particular mind or is the association to things even as mundane as the pop of a can top before you have a drink addictive. This association is most often with a break or distraction from the norm. When you make the association it you lose something else that needs losing. The idea of a cup of coffee is so much more pleasing when we head to Adirondack Bean-To Coffee House than it is to make it at home ... is that preposterous? Its the addiction to the action, or rather in this instance the interaction (and all that much more pleasing that you get you own birch bark wood chip that hangs on the wall as a frequent buyer incentive. Your int eh club now. Bravo.

When searching for HFCS manufacturers I came across Golden Bridge International Traders who claim: "We provide good quality Fructose from China with both human and animal feeding use". Nice ... humans and animal feeding. Guess we are just to be fed then. The grist.org asks "Why is the FDA unwilling to study evidence of Mercury in HFCS?" (The chlorine industry reports that HFCS manufacturers are the largest end-users of mercury-grade hydrochloric acid and caustic soda) ... so? And Dr. R. Craig Lefebvre, a public health communications and marketing researcher believes a tax on high fructose corn syrup could help in the fight against America’s obesity epidemic and the same search notes a fact that sugar is in short supply and will be on a price spike in the near future so acting now is probably the best idea.

Archer Daniels Midland (in IL ... so looks like i do get a trip to the mid land) is indeed the worlds largest producer of HFCS (according to numerous Google articles searched). Wondering, after my father suggested, if perhaps my Grandpa Harry could have participated in HFCS development after teaming up to invent MSG. He was with Allied Chemical though. Ill start with Archer Daniels Midland (I think an NPR supporter ... wonder how much they give?). So I mailed them ('I'm interested in a tour of your facility in 2010 to learn more about the manufacturing of HFCS? This is a personal inquiry not a professional or media related interest.'). Here's a Mayo Clinic Article on HFCS even they avoid a stance.

big dad

5:03p, So is big dad in control? Are we marching to a beat that is something akin to a dog whistle (i.e. only humans can hear that we need to not be wasting our time looking into our health but rather moving along the path provided?). Stop and question I say. Use the idea of [re]solve to question. I think also of the idea that a family can feed themselves off the dollar menu at McDonald's for cheaper than purchasing broccili. And that food stamps can purchase more HFCS than any other product. Perhaps the government should just deliver bottles of the stuff to low income homes rather than subsidizing the industry by means of uncontrolled give aways.

Today at lunch, actually much there after as i was very hungry I, in my mind, prepared to head to the newer of local chain sub shops, Jrecks. But before I went I logged on to their site and looked into nutritional info. They did provide this info but only inthe form of % value nutirion ... not ingredients. So I contacted them and asked them to provide me with the information I needed. Not holding my breath but we will see how they respond.

Instead I headed to Nori's Natural Food Market downton Saranac Lake. I grabbed a flaffel wrap and a homemade zuchinni bread but enroute to the counter I decided that after hearing that our pita had HFCS that perhaps the wraps did as well. Sarah in teh kitchen settled my nerves by pulling out the package and simultaniously stating that 'We try not to make anything with that crap so I would highly doubt it'. HFCS free. Then I let her in on my mission. She liked it.

I presume that most of all the preparred foods at Stewart's will be loaded with the Sauce but i will inquire as they are the closest instution for grabbing a quick bite. I did find out last night that Red Bull Cola is allowed ... no HFCS ... amazing. Its an aquired taste that is not free of sugar for sure.

In writing the first statement above I did begin to think about instutions that both support the use of this in their ingredients when they may have a choice and as well the manufacturers of the substance. I think it is only proper that i reserch into the history and manufacturing for my mission to be complete. That and I would like an adventure to a random plant in the middle of the US. On it.

rest au rant

3:30p, So after being rejected at the Brown Dog Cafe in Lake Placid, NY for lack of reservations we took it to the Caribbean Cowboy in the same town. My first restaurant experience as an HFCS free individual. It was more of an observation of sorts to see how the predicament could be presented to the server and staff of a busy saturday night. I'm thinking that perhaps a call before hand would be in my best interest as to nit pick over things such as common as HFCS when the chef has 12 orders staring at him may invite us a trip outside. Careful as I was, I suspected everything. Waiting for the restroom to become available I did notice that the restaurant sold their famous raspberry vinaigrette ... nothing but wholesome goodness in there as per the ingredients label. Perhaps I could sneak into the kitchen and begin rummaging through the ingredients list myself. This will bring me to my next adventure of post restaurant inquiry. I will send a note requesting information on my meals this time to see what , if any, HFCS was in this particular meal and begin to access my game plan of edited asking (i.e. does this empanada wrapper have HFCS, specific items and specific questions rather than is there any HFCS in my meals). These next couple months will prove beneficial in establishing my protocol and seeing if a restaurant actually replies to this type of inquiry will be interesting.

This am the Blue Moon Cafe in Saranac Lake, NY reminded me that i have to ask if they have real maple syrup before ordering pancakes else I eat them with butter only ... may as well order toast. Seeing that they put bacon on Hilary's 'NadaBurger' (a vegetarian bean burger) after the waitress was joking that that actually happened once ... i'm not sure I trust the interpretation of my HFCS question will be made properly to any kitchen. I am glad to have Hilary on my side of this adventure as she has the mind of someone who, for 14 years, has had to question about meals. She noted this afternoon that I will not be able to eat our pita bread ... I will get the name of it and put it on the list. I didn't really like pita that much anyway.

I think that I will have to make available to myself a small notebook in which to take notes as recalling the days experience could become overwhelming and without it would lead to an obsession of sorts in this documentary. This I will find but I have in mind a small series of journals called white lines (of course designed in Scandinavia). I also have a custom moleskin journal found in D.C.. Its the 'Fuck Off' journal. So far inside are only a few notes taken while traveling the 'friendly' skies ... because I could have filled the journal I think that the frustrations of my HFCS adventure will prove similar and I will have to develop standards for what can make it into that particular journal well.

In the drink

11:00 am, In our first social setting my new resolution received unanimous approval amongst our peers. I feel I will be tempted to crack, or better yet tricked, by the likes of Mark Hofschnieder. He successfully lured me into breaking my previous years resolution by cutting through the American Village Laundry en-route to home after the Wind Down lounge at the 7444 Gallery. "felt good didn't it?", he asked. Following an evening of avoided desserts (good by all Entenmann's) for fear of HFCS contamination we wound down by the stove with a vodka and [tonic]? ... nope. HFCS sighting. Fail. The mixed drink took a trip down the drain and was re-poured with a low sodium soda water. In the next year this instance, I feel, will occur more often than not as we realize how many items contain the sauce.

Our evening then took a turn into a justification and conversation as to the repercussions and affirmations of this adventure. Hilary suggested even that perhaps it will not be healthy to forgo the HFCS as we navigated through a mental list of all the things that contain it. I suggested that rather only the last 30 years had the substance and we will have to look back. It led us into reading any label at hand (finding a surpassing animal fat or lard in jiffy corn muffins ... a shock to the vegetarian in the room). The first penalty was dealt with a realization that the Pepperidge Farm Whole Grain Farm House Fresh Baked Bread was laden with HFCS. Come on in big letter to fool who ... i guess me ... written words like 'fresh', 'farm', 'grain'. I stand the fool. But it is indeed on the list. Today we have added the rolling list of common items presented with HFCS. Our conversations led us into challenges and priorities, what ifs? What if you had to choose between Ketchup and Mayonnaise? Salt and butter? Tough choices. Understanding that these items do not have HFCS, less the ketchup, but the conversation was sparked none the less.

How will we present this challenge to restaurants when we are out? How much of a burden will we cause with our inquiries of HFCS? I believe that this question will spark conversation each place we present the challenge, as it has thus far in our settings.

fres[h]ca

4:30 am, the evening ends and a proper new year begins. Awash in the concept of avoiding this substance called High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) I already find myself reading into the contents of the evenings remains. All the alcohol is gone and its Coke or Fresca. I choose the latter. And so it begins.

12:30 in the afternoon. Awoke to a percolating coffee (no HFCS there) but presented immediately with a choice. To eat the yogurt we just bought with Fructose (a major ingredient in HFCS) or to pitch the purchase. There does indeed have to be limits. So that was my breakfast. A transition period is allowable as I learn the balance between the challenge at hand and being neurotically obsessed with this mission . I will indeed go forward with this idea of not consuming HFCS for one year. Generations before me never even had this cocktail of sweetness. It was essentially born with me but I refuse to die with it.

There are many reasons to re[solve] at the new year. Resetting of the clock. Creating a mental path in which you can reward or punish yourself as a result of veering from it. But through these most recent years of resolutions I have found them more rewarding than, for instance, the cliche - 'push ups and sit ups every day' ... then come march and you are mentally going crazy as the thought of having to rise from bed to meet the floor for another round. I have more recently chosen tangible goals. 2009, no cutting through (decidedly based on watching unfit and unhealthy residents take short cuts through parking lots rather than stick to the side walk ... i did not want to be that person), 2008, no plastic bottles (after reading that 98% of drinking water is just as safe to drink. We had been shunned from the public fountain for fear of contamination of the water or the machine. Additionally the photographs of the 3 mile wide plastic island floating in the pacific as a result of this oil based container). 2007, eating vegetarian ... this was a huge success in setting my mind in the proper direction for healthy eating habits. I have now again integrated meats but for sure find myself a step ahead in the grocery and planning meals. Looking back I should have documented that experience as it brought many things to my attention about self and health in a roller coaster of mini addictions to bread and sugars as well as an equal fluctuation in weight and body mass. (reason ... Hilary, now my wife, has been vegetarian for 14 years ... we were essentially living separate lives at meal time. This separation in lifestyle had been integrated to the point where we only had the side dishes to discuss. Three years of cooking magazines and countless evenings in the kitchen together was the result that continues today).

These types of resolutions provide not only self education but continue with you regardless of the end of the year. They are non-confrontational and create social interactions that are on a conceptual level rather than on a potentially threatening level (i.e. you are working out and someone else is not, so they will not engage in that conversation beyond ... 'i should be doing that too').

And So it begins, as i previously wrote, I rather only continues with a new ante to up.