Gardens. . . and Twinkies

Last night I attended a benefit dinner for GardenShare, an organization that works to increase community and household food security, support local agriculture and connect low-income families with regionally grown produce and meat. It was a lovely, sell-out evening.

The first email I opened this morning was my on-line version of Utne magazine, with this beautiful deconstruction:

This excerpt from the Utne piece:

Depending on your perspective, Hostess Twinkies are either a) a tasty treat or b) a disgusting abomination wrapped in plastic. But have you ever wondered what makes these spongy snacks so yummy/horrific? Photographer Dwight Eschliman decided to find out. For his 37 or So Ingredients project, he individually photographed each component. Raised by a “health nut,” Eschliman says he never saw a Twinkie until he left home for college. Now a father, he thinks a lot about what makes up the foods that we eat. Check out more of his work at his website.

So, I’m taking an NCPR poll. Have you now, or have you ever, eaten a Twinkie? Fed one to a child or family member? Do you like them?

On a recent evening, as we sat on the porch having dinner, several of us admitted to our (secret) junk food favorites. If not Twinkies, what? I hate Twinkies. I’m much more a salt and crunch kinda gal. Give me popcorn–yes, even that awful bagged stuff from the supermarket–over just about anything else. Or straight chocolate.

What’s your closet indulgence? Please please please, don’t make me feel bad by saying you munch on organic carrots or yogurt made from your goat’s milk…I already know that’s what you usually eat…Hey, is that a bag of M&Ms I see in your briefcase?

Want to know what you should and shouldn’t be eating? Find out at David Sommerstein’s In Box entry about the latest USDA recommendations…but you can still leave your favorite junk food choices in the comment section here. No one said you’re going to actually eat those nasty tidbits.

Tags: gardenshare, junk food, twinkies