Julia Belluz has a long article over at Vox on Why fruits and vegetables taste better in Europe. Compared to the US, that is. Here’s the bottom line. Or lines:
- American farmers put an emphasis on yield and durability, not flavour
- American shoppers favour access over seasonality
- The US government regulates for safety — but not quality
- Finding flavourful food is a matter of priorities
I’m really not sure whether like is being compared with like here, and, if it is, whether one can generalize to this extent anyway about American or European farmers, shoppers and governments. Ms Belluz seems to agree, in a tweet, that she might be winging it a bit:
I know, I know. No systematic reviews on this one. More a matter of perception and lowly anecdote
But read the whole thing for yourself, and join in on the discussion on Twitter.
Hey, @juliaoftoronto! Let's talk. Is there evidence that Euro produce actually does taste better? https://t.co/Ds0ZVcOAv3
— Tamar Haspel (@TamarHaspel) February 12, 2016
“I know, I know. No systematic reviews on this one. More a matter of perception and lowly anecdote.”
With this, she rendered her entire piece null.