"It'll never be perfect."

"It's about getting better." That's Chef Vinita's opinion of the USDA program for organic food labeling, authorized in 1990 and implemented (finally!!) in 2002. The program, overseen by the National Organic Program, authorizes four levels of "organic" labels, and it's worth knowing the difference between them.



The first level, "100% organic," means that all ingredients are certified organic, except any included water or salt. A product can be labeled "organic" if between 95% and 99% of the contents are certified organic. Only these two levels can display the organic seal.

The other authorized labels are "Made with organic ingredients" — between 70% and 94% of the total ingredients, and "Organic ingredients listed" — where any organic ingredients are less than 70% of the total. Again, smart consumers read labels.

And to review, "organic" means: not treated with chemical fertilizers, pesticides, hormones, GMOs (genetically modified organisms), or radiation. It takes three years of farming with organic methods before a farm (or field) can obtain certification. This is one of the reasons that organic products are usually more expensive than non-organic. Another significant reason (and a whole can of worms) is the fact that much "traditional" agriculture in the US is federally subsidized.

Ah, but on to the real drama. Jim was sent home today, for being out of uniform. He complained that he'd have to drive all the way to Hayward and back "just" to change his shoes, and Chef Vinita said politely, "We'll plan on seeing you tomorrow, then." And Sarah (new to our class this session, but at the same place in the program) got a major dressing down for her fingernails: a fancy French manicure on acrylic nails, with black tips. She had to wear gloves while cooking today, and Chef told her to cut her nails to an acceptable length before coming to class tomorrow. (Acceptable means that your nails are not visible when you look at the palms of your hands.)

Before leaving class today, Chef called us to order and advised that anyone out of uniform tomorrow would not be allowed into the classroom. She was clearly distressed at having to enforce the uniform code in the face of lax behavior, reminding us that we've been in class for four months and none of this is news.

It's really really really really really really boring, going through this all the time. Uniform. Attendance. Uniform. Attendance. I just wish the offenders would get the message, or quit, or be ousted. So that the rest of us can just get on with the cooking.