Someone from Australia asked me on the flight to the colonies what I though of President Obama. I said he was pretty good, being literate and all, but that he was disappointing.

She said he was great.

I don’t dabble in the genetically engineered food nonsense anymore because there are 48 million Americans sick from food poisoning every year, and the public discussion of GE hasn’t changed in 15 years.

But when a science-evidence-based President has a chef and chief gardener who proclaims, “there are no genetically modified crops in our garden,” then I am more than disappointed.

It’s embarrassing and goes to the root of all that is wrong about food porn, placing fashion above facts. Sorta like Obama.

All foods are genetically modified in one way or another; if Mr. Kass means genetically engineered, that’s something different, but why is it we want our medicine current, our technology current, but food we seem to want in the 19^th century.

And somehow, that’s cool.

I garden, but I’m not good at it. My relatives are. Every time Michelle Obama and every other food fashionista says grow your own food, cook your own food, they say it’s easy and the solution to various societal woes.

I’ve worked with a lot of farmers over the years and have nothing but respect. It’s not easy.

I’ve cooked my family’s food for 30 years; that doesn’t make me cool; it’s practical.

Fashion doesn’t feed people; food does, especially when it’s produced safely.