Robert Kenner’s documentary, Food, Inc., was a recent viewing for me. Just as US-backed multinational corporations (MNCs) have been conducting incursions into third-world countries in search of solutions to these problems of shortage of food, Americans have realised that food and health are inextricably connected. To learn more about the United food manufacturing industry, I found the film to be enlightening. In fact, this isn’t your typical boring propaganda documentary, thanks to the film’s crisp editing and eye-catching graphics. Food, Inc. begins with the meat industry, and as I watched with my meat-eating companion, I felt a sense of piety wash over me. It was fascinating to note how nearly every product’s nomenclature incorporates some sort of soy or corn extracts in the next chapter, which dealt with grains and vegetables. Corn and soy are prominently used in American agriculture. Surely that’s what the industry would prefer.
To be forced to eat soya and corn without a choice, well, that makes me a little uneasy. Food, Inc., like any film of this type, big or small, generated some criticism. Monsanto’s agro-industrial conglomerate, which is always in the headlines. Monsato and Mahyco in India work together to promote their BT cotton seeds with different brand names in the country. One of many reasons behind farmer suicides in India, according to some reports, is the entry of multinational corporations like Monsanto many into the Indian agrobusiness.
Hence, my modest corn just on cob lies in wait for me; I have no idea what it contains, but I will make it through another day on food that hasn’t been labelled with precision. When it comes to the labelling of food, I have a few questions. Surely, it should have been the other way around. Cynthia’s Guyanese-style corn-on-the-cob inspired this recipe.
- You just need a few ears of corn, and if they’re too big, you can cut them in half.
- coconut milk in half a can
- salt and peppercorns crushed
- 1/4 of a cup of liquid
Method
All of the ingredients should be brought to a boil in a large pot, and then simmered until the corn has absorbed nearly all of the liquid. The vegan coconut butter spread went on top. To finish the corn cob, simply suck on it until it is completely dry. Yum!