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An Underground Farm Delivering Rare Herbs to New York’s Top Chefs

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21–27 of 27 posts

Re: An Underground Farm Delivering Rare Herbs to New York’s Top Chefs

#22
If you liked this, Ian Purkayastha is worth a read, all about sourcing exotic foods (truffles, caviar, etc) to top chefs.

Munchies episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sJ6IJZJhUU

https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/how-a-texas-teen...

The name of his business is "Regalis Foods": http://www.regalisfoods.com/welcome

Re: An Underground Farm Delivering Rare Herbs to New York’s Top Chefs

#23
post #8

As cool as the operations part of this is, I can't help wishing they were growing food that mattered on scale to make a difference. Lowering the carbon footprint of putting expensive garnishes on the plates of the 1% is a start, I guess.

You're right! They could absolutely be growing food that matters on a scale to make a difference! There is the minor potential issue that doing so might be cost-prohibitive for all but the wealthiest. And also the minor consideration of what you might do to poor farmers in poorer countries by taking away their access to rich, first-world markets.

Re: An Underground Farm Delivering Rare Herbs to New York’s Top Chefs

#25
post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

well this one probably doesn't have dog pee on it

Or copious car exhaust...

Don't you know? It adds to the flavor. NYC pizza is the best because of the delectable italian sweet-palm-sweat mixed with copious amounts of soot-smog-smoked flavor. You just can't get that kind of cuisine where the air is clarified. I mean, who likes clarified anyways? Clarified butter? Please!! Your ingredients have to marinate, what better way than mixing with the NYC's gastronomous gas molecules?

Re: An Underground Farm Delivering Rare Herbs to New York’s Top Chefs

#26
post #23
post #8

As cool as the operations part of this is, I can't help wishing they were growing food that mattered on scale to make a difference. Lowering the carbon footprint of putting expensive garnishes on the plates of the 1% is a start, I guess.

You're right! They could absolutely be growing food that matters on a scale to make a difference! There is the minor potential issue that doing so might be cost-prohibitive for all but the wealthiest. And also the minor consideration of what you might do to poor farmers in poorer countries by taking away their access to rich, first-world markets.

That is how all farming started take any fruit, spice or grain it was first grown for the nobles/kings/rich as they learned more about and grew larger quantities they became commodities that everyone uses.

Re: An Underground Farm Delivering Rare Herbs to New York’s Top Chefs

#27
post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're right! They could absolutely be growing food that matters on a scale to make a difference! There is the minor potential issue that doing so might be cost-prohibitive for all but the wealthiest. And also the minor consideration of what you might do to poor farmers in poorer countries by taking away their access to rich, first-world markets.

That is how all farming started take any fruit, spice or grain it was first grown for the nobles/kings/rich as they learned more about and grew larger quantities they became commodities that everyone uses.

You're completely correct. This applies to basically every technology - very few things are cheap enough to make available to everyone when first introduced.

With that said, it's often difficult to make this point successfully to people who resent that those with greater resources at their disposal have greater access to new, expensive technologies. Telling such people that today's technology that puts expensive herbs on the plates of the 1% today can grow food for the poor tomorrow is of little avail when they have visions dancing in their heads of food for the 99% being grown cheaply in basements today.

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