Pollan Painting #4: The Golden Arches

The blast-from-the-past Pollan Painting series celebrates the release of Michael Pollan’s new book Cooked. Some five years ago, my own little Frederick, 5 years old at the time, sat with me one rainy weekend as I read Pollan’s Omnivore’s Dilemma. I read chapters to him and he painted a related painting. This painting was posted on the Ethicurean back in 2008. (See Pollan Painting #1 — “Children of the Corn,” Pollan Painting #2 — “Chicken Little at Magic Mountain, and Pollan Painting #3 — Sequoia National Pork. .)

From the Ethicurean:

To counteract billions in marketing dollars, parents must start young.

When the subject of McDonald’s came up during a Christmastime car journey with the in-laws, Frederick chimed in: “McDonald’s food tastes good because they put chemicals in it.”

Gasps were audible. I took the opportunity to discuss some of Eric Schlosser’s information in “Fast Food Nation.”

During a recent snowy weekend, I reinforced the message with some more “Omnivore’s Dilemma” storytelling. Here is Frederick’s version.