Secular religions

I watch an interview with Alice Waters, the slow food proponent, last night on the Bill Maher show. Both of them have made the concept of local fresh food a new secular religion. I love fresh local food, but it doesn't have any magical properties. Food is texture and taste for the mouth; and fat, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals for the belly. Eating fresh and local and organic is not magically going to make you thinner or healthier.

These secular religions are replacing the traditional religions. People who think its silly to believe in talking snakes and walking on water, are eager to embrace new magical beliefs like organic food having magical properties.

These tree onions I found in Piscataway, New Jersey last year when I was attending the Greek Festival. A woman had them in her back yard growing wild. She told me her mother, Olga Faco (1924-2009), brought them from Zahirja, in the Ukraine when she emigrated here. I planted them near the fence in my back yard and they doubled this year. I use the green tops as scallions and leave the bulb in the ground. I thought I had written the story in my blog already but I can't find it. I will visit her again and find out more about her mother and what village she came from and what year she brought them to the United States.