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Before 60 Minutes, I had only heard of Alice Waters through SE, so I was really interested in the interview. She really has accomplished a lot, but logistically, I don't think the slow food philosophy is implementable in all situations. Not everywhere is as progressive or fertile as NorCal.

For another good Alice Waters interview, check out last years interview with Charlie Rose.

I went to Chez Pannise in October. The food in her establishment was phenominal. The clientele? Well, not so much. Not to go into details, but I can't handle ubersenstitive left over hippies. BUT, her message is great and the food is delish. She might be a little idealistic, but I think we still need some people to be like that in this world.

@BangieB: I agree. I actually got a much worse impression of her than I ever would have thought, after watching that interview. She, at least to me, came off as being really pretentious and snobbish. Not every climate has what California has, and yeah people spend money on shoes, but I spend money on necessities, and if I can't afford great, slow food that is all organic, fancy, natural, local, whatever, then I can't. End of story.

And that breakfast that she made? Please. I already get up at 4:30am just to get to work and then get home at 8:30pm every single weekday, because of work and homework for class. And I don't even have children or anything like that to also take up my time. I would really like to see her try to do all of that while being a single mother, trying to support a child or two (or more) and still keep her sanity.

Yes, it's aspirational and something that would be fabulous to have for everyone, but is it feasible? Not in the least right now.

I have been to Chez Panisse and while it was nice- it certainly did not meet my expectations. Maybe after so many years in the food industry I have become jaded but really I dont think so. There was nothing extraordinary about the meal, not once did I close my eyes in bliss. My in-laws have been going to Chez Panisse every weekend since it opened and they just think it is the best thing ever, but it was kind of an "emporor has no clothes" sort of experience to me. Bummer I really wanted a meal to blow me away. That night I had a grilled cheese sandwich and a Miller hi-life that was awesome!

@BangieB - Your comment really spoke to me. I dated someone for 3 years who was very devoted to eating locally, organic and all that jazz. While I admired him for it, I could not do the same. Now here's the kicker: since we were both young (22, out of college), while I was in grad school on a very tight budget, I could not afford to live such a lifestyle-- and his mother almost came at me with a cleaver! Just kidding. While she didn't come at me a cleaver per se, she worried that her "poor child" (her words, not mine) wasn't eating well. The family literally ate three-course meals for dinner every single night. Nary a Grey's Papaya hot dog or 99 cent piece of pizza ever touched their lips.

What was so funny in the end was how his mother would go on and on about wanting a farm to grow her own food. While an uncle of mine in Mexico works on one, and when his parents came to visit my family there, his mother was quite put off by how much actual WORK went into it. Come to think of it, I don't think she actually did any cooking herself...

All that said, I am for helping at local farms; I just don't think we should avoid the costs issue, especially in this economy. Truth is, I'm not buying organic right now...or expensive shoes, Ms. Waters, though hats off to those who can! (:

My thought while watching the interview was that while it is absurd to think I am going to cook an egg over a roaring wood fire in the morning, her philosophy is one that deserves more attention, so I hope people tune in to the idea - and don't get turned off because they can't be "prefect". I can't get locally grown produce in Boston year round, but if I have the choice between buying a product grown in New England vs California or South American, I go for the New England product. Incorporating small decisions like this into our daily shopping can have a larger ripple effect. She might do better to emphasize that even if you can't perfect the art of eating fresh and local, you can surely improve upon what you are doing now with only a little effort and thought.

I also thought that the idea of a garden on the White House lawn was worth pursuing - I know our garden is expanding this year!

It would be a shame to watch that interview and focus on a cooking method unaccessible to most people. The cooking method was an unfortunate and ill conceived demonstration that overshadows the real message that could have been achieved with a simply poached or scrambled egg.

The facts not articulated properly are the true cost of food. It may be cheaper now to buy a happy meal breakfast prior to work or grab a pop tart, but it is unhealthy, and the future cost of health care is more prohibitive than paying an extra dollar for the fruit today.

30 years ago, Americans spent 16% of their money on food on 10% on health care, those percentages have been reversed. The nation is extremely unhealthy, and the cost of obesity related diseases exceeds $500 billion annually (diabetes alone costs Americans $200 billion annually to treat) and 5 of the top 10 causes of death.

The simple fact is the American diet is killing the country. It's overly simplified to look at the current cost of the food and make decisions based solely on those prices. Can someone afford to eat a more expensive, healthier meal today, or can they afford not to?

when i lived in the east bay, i had dinner at the cafe at chez panisse many times and always thought it was extraordinary. alice has done so much to make people here aware of the ramifications between eating local versus agribusiness. she has my complete admiration for her palate, her vision, her ideals, and her influence.

when i am visiting my friends in europe, i'm constantly amazed at how much better the food they are able to buy tastes than what i can get here. they routinely get locally sourced dairy, bread, meat and produce from their little village's markets. their every day meals always seem like incredible feasts because the quality of the food they get is so high. we need to emulate that model here in the states.

I'm tired of people saying that Alice Waters is elitist as though that meant that she was irrelevant. Organic produce is more expensive than regular produce -- yes -- 5, 10 years ago it was even *more* expensive. The demand for it, by *elites* (of all classes and income levels) has caused a boom in organic farms and much more interest in a lot of really positive farming practices. Eventually, these foods can be affordable for everyone.

It's also not always accurate to phrase it as though it's an economic issue: pastured eggs roasted in a wood stove and served on organic heirloom tomatoes is pricey and a bit of a deal to make but convenience food is very pricey as well - organic rolled oats, set out to soak the night before with raisins, chopped dates, walnuts and then cooked up in 5 minutes on the stove in the morning with honey and butter stirred in costs far less -- far less! -- than a bowl of cereal, takes 4 minutes longer to make, and is yards healthier as well as tastier.

@HeartofGlass - well said, I totally agree with you. While I'm probably more on the side of people who appreciate Alice Waters and her message, a sense of humor always helps.

First let me say that I am a big proponent of the Slow Food movement and I try to buy organic whenever I can. I live in Japan and I am fortunate to live close to an organic food store. I also have a very small bit of dirt outside my apartment where I plant some vegetables. I also have worked on organic farms through WWOOF in Japan.

That being said, I agree with some of the commentators regarding Ms. Waters. She came across as being extremely pretentious, especially when she said that she thought of herself of a revolutionary -- show a little modesty... and roasting an egg over an open fire? Gimme a break. She wants to convince people she's not elitist? It's great that she has the time and the resources to do that, but in the real world, most people do not.

However, I do think that everyone should try to grow their own food. Even if it is just a tomato plant by the windowsill or planting some spinach in the backyard, as long as one tries. Growing food used to be a large part of human knowledge, and now it is unfortunately limited to just a few. I had no experience whatsoever in growing anything until a year ago, and now I am growing spinach, lettuce, cabbage, mizuna, daikon, and I plan to grow tomatoes when the weather gets warmer. It isn't that hard and it doesn't cost much. Even in a city apartment with no balcony one can grow a couple of small plants and keep a small compost bin with very little money.

Yes, organic food costs much more than "conventional" food, and for those on a limited budget it can be difficult. But for people who aren't living paycheck to payment, it comes down to priorities. Ms. Waters' comment about buying organic food instead of Nike shoes was poorly articulated, but her point is valid -- for those people who can afford it and live in an area where it is available, there is no reason not to buy organic.