KEY POINTS:
Controversial British food critic A.A. Gill says in his latest book, Table Talk, that although he applauds and supports the aims of environmentally careful producers he thinks organic has been polluted with cynicism, sentiment, sloppy practice and lies to the point that it's intellectually and practically bankrupt.
In his opinion, organic does not mean additive-free - it means some additives and not others. Organic does not mean your food hasn't been washed with chemicals, frozen or kept fresh with gas, or that it has not clocked up huge food miles.
It does not mean the food is healthier, or that you will live longer, or that it's fresher, tastier or better. Organically farmed animals didn't necessarily have a happier life and death. Organic does not mean that the people who sowed, picked, packed and slaughtered were treated fairly, paid properly or were free from artificial exploitation.
Gill maintains that organic has become a them-and-us story - them wot eats cheap battery rubbish and us who eat expensive, snobby, pure food.
Organic is a conceit of the well-heeled. Even the British Government's official line is that organic is simply a lifestyle choice and there is no proof to the contrary.
But wait. Just after Gill's book was published, a bombshell hit British newspapers - the biggest organic food study ever undertaken had found it is indeed more nutritious than ordinary mass market produce and may help to lengthen people's lives.
The evidence from the four-year, European Union-funded project is that organic fruit and vegetables contain up to a whopping 40 per cent more antioxidants.
And they have higher levels of iron, copper, zinc, vitamin C and flavonoids, all of which cut the risk of cancer and heart disease. Levels of antioxidants in milk from organic herds were much as 90 per cent higher than those in milk from conventional herds and had higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids.
And Newcastle University found this out how?
They divided a 300ha farm in half so organic and conventional produce could be grown side by side. It stands to reason that if your food has more food value your health will be better.
What is obvious is that organic food has more good things in it - now they have to isolate the agricultural practices responsible for making it like this.
Another extensive research project offers more on nutrition and health: Japanese eat little fat so have less heart attacks than we do; Mexicans eat a lot of fat and have less heart attacks than we do. Chinese drink little red wine and have less heart attacks than we do; Italians drink gallons of red wine and have less heart attacks than we do, and Germans stuff themselves with beer, sausages and fat and have less heart attacks than we do.
The conclusion of this research is obvious - eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is what is killing us.
RABBIT WITH EGGPLANT
Serves 4
2 large eggplants
150g bacon in one piece
extra virgin olive oil
1 organic rabbit cut into pieces, keep liver
12 cloves of garlic in their skins
a good sprig of fresh rosemary
1 cup dry white wine
2 dsp of tapenade
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Wash the eggplants and cut into 3cm pieces.
2. Cut bacon into lardons, or matchsticks.
3. Heat a little oil in a heavy based pot and brown the rabbit pieces.
4. Remove to a plate. Put in lardons, garlic and eggplant and brown, then add rabbit pieces, wine, salt, pepper and rosemary. Bring to the boil, reduce and simmer covered, for 30 minutes.
5. Dice liver and stir in with the tapenade.
6. Cook gently for five minutes, then serve in a colourful bowl with steamed new potatoes.
- Detours, HoS
