Well this is one gadget I won't be getting....I just don't get it!

[The empressof all]

College students, bachelors, and those who swear by Cup Noodles rejoice: MIT grad students Marcelo Coelho and Amit Zoran are currently working on a new appliance that would completely change the way we cook, namely by eliminating pots, pans, mixers, and even food. Discussed on Treehugger, the Cornucopia, or "food printer," does not require any actual food ingredients; instead:...


http://www.good.is/post/the-food-printer-how-mit-is-taking-the-cooking-out-of-cooking/?gt1=48001

And what kind of mind thinks we need something like this anyways?

[hippywife]

1. The ones they mention in the article:

The non-cookers of the world.

I don't see it taking off, or if it does, it will sputter out quickly.

I don't really know why cooking seems to be such a mystery for people. None of us started off as accomplished as we are. It's a process, like going to high school and moving on to college, and even grad school for some. Knowledge and skill are added all along the way.

[Phentex]

3. Haven't you ever wondered what people eat?

There seem to be so many people who don't cook.

[hippywife]

4. I know what they eat

and it ain't purdy. Howdy, Phentex, my friend. :hi:

[Phentex]

5. Hello! Another week has passed...

My son went to spend the night with a friend on Friday and the mom asked about dinner plans. She said she cooks only on the weekends when she has time. I take Friday night off (it's our raccoon night) and I usually prefer my food to restaurant food (I can control the salt, etc. plus the cost!) I am not a gourmet cook, though I will dabble as such, but I can't even THINK of what ready-made I would be able to buy to feed my family every night. We will order pizza, chinese, or BBQ on occasion but even that is rare.

[hippywife]

7. Racoon night? LOL

Now I do have to hear the explanation for that! ;)

Why was she asking about dinner plans? Did she not intend to feed the kids?

And you are a fine cook, darlin'. Even if you weren't, I give kudos to folks who will even do it these days when the temptation is so high to pick up ready made, even in the grocery.

:hug:

[Phentex]

8. It's a term I stole from an online friend...

where everyone gets to dig through leftovers in the fridge and eat whatever they want. Or if somebody wants cereal and somebody wants eggs, to each his own!

We had a raccoon open a cooler when we were camping once. MISTAKE to think it was okay to leave it out! Ate our eggs and bacon but the boys were most upset by the raccoon eating the homemade cookies! :)

[hippywife]

10. I figured it was something like that. LOL

Either that or a leftovers made into soup night. :)

[EFerrari]

11. An instant classic.

LOL

[Warpy]

12. I don't have to wonder, I grew up with a non cook

who swore I ate nothing but Campbell's chicken noodle soup and peanut butter sandwiches and it was pretty close to the truth.

Non cooks eat frozen breakfast burritos, lunch at a burger joint, and takeout or ramen for supper.

They feel like shit, but it beats having to work at all on their food.

[pscot]

13. The specialité de maison back in the day

was creamettes noodles with campbells tomato soup pured over them. Right outta the can. Of course you could always get a spam sandwich. On wonderbread. I must have eaten hundreds of them as a kid.

[wildflower]

2. Reminds me of those food generators on the old Star Trek

Captain Kirk or someone would punch some buttons on a panel, and out would come a tray of the food they wanted.

I used to wonder if something like that would ever be a possibility someday.

[EFerrari]

6. Or on the Jetsons.

lol

[Phentex]

9. I thought of that, too! Like the pills in Willy Wonka

I can't remember what those were called.

[Duer 157099]

14. I don't even get how this would work

I followed a few links and they all say basically the same thing without any good specific examples of how it would work. Amazingly poor marketing, not that it's being marketed, but still, they ought to really describe what the hell the thing actually does. Oh, "each can holds an ingredient" ... yeah, and? Which types of ingredients? And you're limited to 12 ingredients, for everything? One can for garlic, is that chopped? Onions, sliced or chopped? Etc.

I can see this being interesting but it's amazing that the inventors would leave it so vague.

[Dover]

15. Interesting.... a counter-movement to the apparent Renaissance

and general celebration of food (growing, preparation, presentation, etc.)?
Or is it just a young geeky male student's wet dream born of too many sci-fi novels and a dorm-life mentality? What, no more food fights in the cafeteria?
I can't even count on both hands how many cooking and gardening shows are now on PBS alone, not to mention online sites. Then there's the proliferation of foodies. The whole social significance of this Renaissance is the recognition of how we nourish ourselves and relate to the natural world. Hence the movement toward unprocessed food and that other thing we're all hungry for...a more intimate relationship to each other. Food binds us to each other, to our humanity and the natural world, and nourishes so much more than our bodies.


So I wonder what direction this MIT student sees our society moving in? Are we all going to be like soldiers on C-rations, or astronauts, isolated victims of the digital divide (where e-connections don't necessarily translate to a social life)?
Does it mean the demise of the recent proliferation of good restaurants or food shortages? Are we all going to be too busy surviving to eat, share a meal or will we somehow lose interest in food altogether?

I know we Americans are spoiled, and our system is more fragile and vulnerable to disruption than anyone would like to acknowledge. But at least for present and the foreseeable future, if I don't feel like cooking one night I know I can go to my grocery store and buy a restaurant quality meal in the frozen section or in the prepared foods deli or just go out to eat. Otherwise, I enjoy cooking and all that goes with it.

Or perhaps they aren't seeing a dire future at all, but rather they see this new eating experience resulting from the trend toward customization
and demassification of goods (as opposed to our one-size-fits-all, mass production industrial age). Creative cooking in the digital age?
The problem I see with some people's interpretation of this trend is that
it seems a movement away from real social interaction and exposure to new experiences that other people and cultures naturally bring that are a huge part of what feeds our creativity and tastes. Without that exposure then our customized choices are narrowly confined to our limited experiences alone. It's all much too cerebral and 'out of body'. Plus it removes some very important tangible and social ingredients. It would be like knowing others and the world only through digital networks such as DU. No real intimacy with others and physical contact and interaction. A virtual world and vitual food?

[salvorhardin]

16. It's not real

It's just a design concept done for a class.

[Dover]

17. And I'm guessing this 'unreal' design with 'unreal' food for 'unreal' people

will likely remain just a concept. Still would like to be at his class
critique or find out what grade the students got. Also curious to hear
what was in their mind...
Clearly it was designed on a full stomach...lol!