Im not a student that is fond of English classes, but during this

semester it was different. I think a lot of it had to do with the experience of

this class being a food passed class that really seemed to take the edge off
and it made my writing more personal, even fun. I will be sharing a pieces of
my work here. Bon appetite. Listed below: Argument Essay, Annotated
Bibliography, and Recipe Memoir.

Manuel Maez
04/27/2016
Argument Essay

Maez VS. Zinczenko, its Personal.

I will be reviewing David Zinczenkos essay, Dont Blame the Eater, by
listing his personal beliefs and suggestions for the reader /eater in all of us,
along with his warnings and personal struggles with fast food/ obesity as a
teenager. After reading Dont Blame the Eater, I have created my own
personal opinions and arguments against Zinczenko and his essay. I believe
the eater and or the parent / legal guardian of the eater, they are the main
party to be blamed for the growing health issues in America of early child
hood diabetes and obesity. My main arguments will be backed with personal

first-hand experience. Along with other arguments against Zinczenkos theory

the Fast food industries is to blame.
By focusing on fast food industries being the main contributor to the early
childhood diabetes and obesity problems in America, Zinczenko overlooks
the deeper problem that is lack of personal responsibility and choice when it
comes to our eating habits as an individual person.
In his essay Dont Blame the Eater, David Zinczenko warns the reader /
eater about the dangers of fast food, starting that it is bad for ones body.
Through his argument, he shows the reader that the consumer is not
necessarily at fault, the fast food industry is the culprit here. with use of
questions throughout the text, personal stories battles with fast food as a
teenager, and his tone, Zinczenko is able to effectively persuade the reader
that his point of view is the only one that matters because he paints them to
a true statement is not built around personal ideas when in fact his essay is
solely built around the personal change Zinczenko would like to see and
rather than change that is the best fit for this country, which is self-discipline
and personal responsibility. Zinczenko asks questions throughout his essay to
state his arguments to guide the reader in the direction he believes to be
actually true. Zinczenko lays his argument out by asking a question to get
the reader thinking about who he really believes is to blame and at fault of
obesity. Is it simply the consumer or is there another force affecting these
children? He asks the question. The children who sue McDonalds for their
obesity the same as middle-aged men suing Porsche for their speeding

tickets? He compares two very different subjects that in turn hurts his cause,
he does this to debunk the main arguments against his essay and personal
beliefs. He is quick to build his arguments through personal first-hand
experience and battles with childhood obesity, while frequenting fast food
restaurants in his teenage years. His personal views begin to overshadow
facts which blind the truth and tightens his grip on the readers emotions. By
using those techniques Zinczenko puts the reader in the palm of his hand
which allow him to build this wall of his personals feelings and beliefs in the
readers minds.
After reading Zinczenkos, Dont Blame the Eater, I was left with a bad
taste in my mouth. His statements are filled with personal beliefs about the
cause of the early childhood diabetes and obesity issues in America, with the
cause being fast food restaurants. Yes, I agree some of that may hold true
because it takes two- to- tango, if you will. But nowhere did I find that
Zinczenko put much thought into the main issue that these overwhelming
issues could fall on the shoulders of the consumers and or their legal
guardians. Zinczenko seems to not believe that personal judgment, choices
and responsibility play any role in these rising health issues in America today.
As far as I know, fast food industries are still an honest business that has to
follow rules when it comes to what they sell to consumers (and) nor do they
force people to eat what they provide as a service. Its all personal choice on
what the consumer decides to put into their bodies, with that being said the
consumer must deal with the outcome of those choices and the only person

to blame for those outcomes are the consumers themselves. Thats where
Zinczenko differ and I when it comes to cause and effect in regards to this
overwhelming childhood diabetes and obesity issues across America.
By focusing on fast food industries being the main contributor to the early
childhood diabetes and obesity problems in America, Zinczenko overlooks
the deeper problem that is lack of personal responsibility and choice when it
comes to our eating habits as an individual person.
I find that Zinczenko and I see this problem from two different points of view I
think. I feel like I may just have to agree to disagree because I will never
place blame where blame should not be placed in order to feel better about
myself. Zinczenko is looking for a scape goat for bad personal choices in
order to gain self-worth and pity for those whom have no self-discipline.

Zinczenko, David. Dont Blame the Eater. They Say I Say. W.W. Norton and
Company, 2012

Annotated Bibliography

Graff, Gerald, Cathy Birkenstein, Russel K. Durst, and Radley Balko.

"They Say/I Say": The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing: With
Readings. New York: W.W. Norton, 2012

Balkos argues that obesity is the responsibility of the individual/ person not
the government. He says instead of the government trying to force the fast
food industries and supermarkets to make healthier food options available to
American customers. Our government should be working on a plan that helps

change the Americas state of mind to one that is a sense of responsibility in

the ownership of our own health and well-being.
Graff, Gerald, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel Durst. They Say, I Say:
With Readings. 3rd Ed. New York: W. Norton, 2009. Print. Food as
Thought: Resisting the Moralization of Eating. By: Mary Maxfield

Maxfields article had a very different perspective and feel than the others
we read in class. Maxfield points out an idea that its not exactly what we
eat, but instead its how many times we eat and the amount we eat each
time. We as adults can eat how we want, if we keep in mind the portion size
and that we can eat whatever type of food we want. We just cant eat it for
every meal and need to keep it smaller size portions, basically giving our
body what is needed to sustain it. At the beginning of the text Maxfield asks
the reader How do French people eat so unhealthy? Maxfield explains that
even though French people have been said to eat lots of cheese, bread and
wine. Yet, the French people seem stay very health as a whole on average,
they seem a lot healthier than Americans. That being her main idea, she
states that all of these food experts are just another group of hypocrites that
say we need to eat more of this and less of that. All pushing for their
ideas, and preferred foods. In some chases if pushing for a change of life
style.

Andelora, Jeffrey, Melissa Goldthwaite, Charles Hood, Katharine N.

Ins, Angela L. Jones, Christopher Keller, and Marion Nestle. The
Norton Mix: A Custom Publication: Food Writing: A Ready-mix. New
York: W.W. Norton, 2013

Nestles main idea is that the first thing you see when you walk into a
supermarket isnt health food, the first things you will most likely see are all
the sales, and mark downs, with most being junk food. There is a reason all
stores are set up the way they are, with purpose and planning. Their
planning is all around, how to make more and more money. The stores
reason for doing this is to get customers to stay at the store for as long as
possible. The idea is if the stores can get you to stay longer it is more likely
you the customers are to spend more money. Studies show that the longer
you stay in the store the more likely you are going to start to shop on with
your emotions, such as you are tired, and then something sweet you have
passed numerous times begins to sound good. Which causes people to buy
food that is already prepared and ready to eat at that moment, which is
highly likely to be food that is not good for you junk food. According to
Nestle, a lot of people bring lists into supermarkets, but only about 10%
follow them. That is because when you go to buy simple everyday items on
your list, then you begin to be filtered through many different isles along the
way to your items and by having you walk through these different isles and
arrangements. Stores makes you see more items and spend more time in

there establishments, the more items you see, the more likely you are to buy
something off of the list. Which seems to be the case with most everyday
shoppers across America.
Graff, Gerald, Cathy Birkenstein, Russel K. Durst, and Michael P.
"They Say/I Say": The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing: With
Readings. New York: W.W. Norton, 2012

Pollens main idea of this article is that the Western Diet habits, and diet fads
are very influential in our eating habits. We need to find our own way to eat
health and to steer clear of those influential ideas, but how do we do that is
the problem. We are in a routine and the only option is to go back to eating
like our grandparents did, by eating leafy greens and nothing else. The
challenge we face today Pollan says, To figure out how to escape the worst
elements of the Western Diet, without going back to the bush. The problem
with that, is that without there being a reasonable idea, no one is willing to
give up the diet and changes their routine. Pollan came up with three simple
rules. Eat food. Not too much. Mostly greens. He did that for the purpose
of keeping it simple and straight forward. If the eating plan isnt simple most
Westerners will not take the time to follow it.
Zinczenko, David. "Dieters: Read This, Not That." The Boston Globe (Boston,
MA). 5 Jan. 2011. Web. 2016

Zinczenkos main idea is that the fast food industry may be the direct link to
early childhood obesity in America, along with the growing cases of early
childhood type 2 diabetes. He states that the fast food chains dont disclose
the calorie information correctly, and dont show the risks that these fatty
foods present to consumers.

Recipe Memoir

My piece of the past

When most people think about their childhood their brain begins to fill
their head with cherished memories as if their minds were a lake waiting for
to be filled by the cool cloud bursting rain drops falling from the sky, diving
unto the water. With even deeper memories of the holiday season expressing
how there is no better time of the year then the holiday season with two
wonderful family based holidays that follow in tail of one another. While
traditionally, spending Thanksgiving or Christmas (or both) with the family in
a loving environment, topped off with amazing holiday meals. Where there
is always delicious food prepared with love and care, with every spoonful
tasting better than the last. Yet all of the courses dont compare to what is
the king of the dinner table during the holiday season. That being pumpkin
pie, whether its homemade or store bought, that marvelous pie out shines
all other desserts, November through December, year after year. Filling the
bellies with cheer and hearts with love.
With those hall mark memories now flowing through our heads, I cant help
but ask the question, do memories like that really exist or is that just
Hollywood bologna and Disney bullshit. I cant seem to picture any memories
from my childhood which come near the ones portrayed in films or books. So
I being to dig inside my brain trying to uncover memories from my everyday
childhood experiences and cherished holiday memories. I find that over the
years it is harder and harder to remember certain facts that were recorded
through these eyes from a time that was not so long ago, but feels lifetimes

away. Its not that my long term memory has suffered or is lacking in any
way, yet its very far from that notion. My mind is a steel trap of information
with winding tunnels that seem to have no end and fields of carefully buried
treasure chests with huge padlock wrapped around them and buried in the
memory erasing toxin that is the soil of my mind. Those treasure chests are
memories from my childhood that I have locked away no matter if they were
good times or bad. They all are feelings to which I have found myself running
from through the years. I have tried to forget these feelings and emotions
over and over, unto the point that I have thrown away all keys that could
unlock those chests of memories. By basically tricking my mind into thinking
that I was not born until the age of seven-teen when I finally took control of
my life, with everything before that age erased as if the first part of my life
was a chalk board and the years beyond seven-teen were somehow written
into my skin like a tattoo being forever bonded to my bones. No matter the
pain felt as the tattoo needle, pierced through each layer of my skin as blood
pours from my beautiful scars, I continue to bury those treasure chests, not
knowing that all along the keys, having been internally implanted in my
heart and only released in that magical moment of true delight.
This delight is heighten through my favorite time of the year and season I
wait for all year. Which is the holiday season and not for the gifts, or even joy
it brings. But for something even simpler then all that, its about the time of
the year when pumpkin pies can be found on most all grocery store shelves
no matter what city you find yourself in at that moment. These pies are

prepared with such care, tradition, and pride as they wait to become that
center piece at most dinner tables across America when it comes to dessert.
For that moment pumpkin pie is more American then apple pie and only
second to the turkey during that days all-star lineup. But to this 30yr old
man it is much then dessert, its the key back to a time that seemed to live
out in slow motion, a time that seemed to have no bright light at the end of
the tunnel. A time period that boy could not wait to escape and yet as a man
he cant seem to let go. I have been through a lot as an adult, I have seen
life taken, taken it and felt it leave my friends bodies through their last
breath, during my combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. But I find myself
looking back at that skinny, short little boy covered in second hand clothes,
knowing I have been through a lot since then. But I have the pride to say I
have never been and never will be as strong as that little boy, I once was.
Anytime Im in need of that inner strength whether it is needed to conquer
my fears, personal demons, or any challenges I face. I know in order to gain
that strength, I must reach out to that strong little boy and those experiences
that made me the man Im today. And as childish as it may sound, but the
truth lies in that tin circle plate these amazing pies are made. I know my key
to release, my inner strength and cherished memories, is simply a piece of
pumpkin pie away.

Pumpkin Pie

1 1/4 cups pumpkin puree

3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup evaporated milk, undiluted
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
9-inch pie crust, unbaked

Preheat oven to 425, Bake at 425 for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and
bake for about 35 minutes longer, until the pumpkin filling is set.