Fourth and Food

For many years now, one of the departments where I work hosts a cookout in celebration of the Fourth of July.  The cookout is usually held on the first or second of July.  When the calendar allows, it is often held on July 2. July 2 is perhaps an appropriate day, as while it is not the official independence holiday, it is the day that the Continental Congress adopted a motion declaring independence from Great Britain. If it had been up to some of the members of that august body of American revolutionaries, the date would have been June 7. However, not unlike the doubts in the current Wisconsin legislature about adopting a state budget, at that time there were doubts that a unanimous vote could be secured. Those assembled thought it best to have a unanimous vote for such a drastic move. Debate was delayed until July 1. On June 7, a committee of five was appointed to draft a formal declaration. History seems to teach us that it was the work of Thomas Jefferson. Like class projects of today, one person took the reins, and that was Jefferson. The other members of the drafting committee were John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Sherman, and John Livingston.  It is left to history as to how much input these lesser known members had on that revered document.

John Adams, who always seemed to play second fiddle
to Thomas Jefferson

Debate resumed on July 1, but the vote was delayed one more day, until July 2 in an attempt to still obtain unanimity. When the vote was taken on that early July day, 12 of the 13 delegations voted in favor, with the New York delegation abstaining. Perhaps portending his status as the first Vice-President, John Adams, would say that July 2 would be celebrated as one of most memorable events in the history of America. Not unlike the marginalized powers of the Vice- President, July 2 has been marginalized to July 4. As occurred through much of their careers, Thomas Jefferson would again trump John Adams, as the Continental Congress would meet again on July 4 to formally adopt the Declaration of Independence, of which Jefferson was the lead author.  While adopted in July, the formal signing did not occur until early August.  Jefferson and Adams often butted heads, but in an unusual occurrence, both would die on July 4 in 1826. Just so you know, while the New York delegation abstained on July 2, and again on July 4, they did grant approval on July 19.  Because of the adoption of the formal document on that day, we celebrate July 4 and not July 2 as the day of our nation's independence from Britain.  

The Committee which drafted the Declaration of Independence

Today, we celebrate the 4th with family gatherings, picnics, parties, festivals and fireworks. Likely many other places of work have had some type of event over their noon hour to recognize this most important of holidays for our nation. With such celebrations comes food. While waiting in line to make a choice among the grilled chicken (breasts or thighs), burgers, and brats at the work cookout today, I made an observation. Having been present for many of these events I noticed a couple things. First, not unlike July 2 and John Adams, the brats and burgers have been marginalized from when this event was first held some 15 years ago. Perhaps this is owing to the health craze, perhaps it is the aging of the work force, and the health problems that develop from eating too much fat and processed meat, but chicken seemed to be the grilled item of choice. At least for the older members. Younger members of the work force, and those in the Fire Dept., and Public Works still tend to burgers and brats, but office workers gravitated to chicken. This is consistent with our family picnics over the past twenty some years as chicken is now much more prevalent than it was when that started.

Fireworks are common aspect to celebrate the 4th

My second observation was that healthy food choice only goes so far. Eating lunch in the break room as I do, I see how the choice of lunch for many is healthy food. Thinking that people would choose healthy, I brought a fresh mixed green salad with lettuce, a greens mix, and pea pods picked from my organic garden during the evening of July 1. It could not have been much more fresh.  Who would pass on a nice fresh salad, topped off with my wife’s delicious basil salad dressing? Apparently many did, because I had a whole bag left over, of the one and one-half bags brought to help feed the near 90 persons that showed up. Other than me, I only noticed two others having grabbed my mixed greens salad. If the brats and burgers have been marginalized chicken as was John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, the salad of greens is Robert Sherman and John Livingston, two long forgotten men of the Continental Congress.  The mixed greens I brought were marginalized more than John Adams ever was.  Instead the items of choice were the omnipresent cheesy potatoes, even more ubiquitous baked beans, and a sausage laden pasta dish, perhaps reminiscent of Benjamin Franklin. Perhaps the only other salad that may be considered healthy was a Raman noodle type broccoli slaw salad.  Much to my surprise even the weight-conscious women in the Senior Center did not choose the salad. Perhaps, the feeling among the group was that today is a day to enjoy something less than fully healthy, not unlike the way we celebrate our other holidays, and that more healthy choices can come again next week. Healthy eating, even among the generally healthy, weight conscious eaters apparently has its end point.

Enjoy Independence day, whether it be July 2 or July 4

In that way, what we eat is much like our celebration of the fourth of July. The real date of when independence was declared is not recognized in our collective memory and July 4 now rules.  Burgers and brats may now be less common at our work cookout than before, but not as much as my mixed green salad was ignored.  Rather, the thought among those attendees was to celebrate with butter, cheese and cholesterol. However, while Thomas Jefferson may get the bulk of the credit for the writing of the Declaration of Independence, let us not forgot the others who participated.  While chicken is becoming more common at cookouts, let us not forget the mixed greens.  As you enjoy your grilled chicken, burgers,or brats have some greens, and at the same time think of the others who contributed to the nation’s independence.  But, more importantly, let also think of those less fortunate than ourselves. Just like my mixed green salad was less enjoyed than cheesy potatoes at today's cookout.  As for the greens, the people at work did not know what they missed, particularly when topped with that great basil salad made by my spouse.

 Images from Google images