Soylent 2.0

[Ray McCarthy]

"A major step forward, Soylent 2.0 frees customers from crowded lunch lines at fast food restaurants and ends feelings of mid-morning hunger after inadequate breakfasts," the company said in a statement, presumably after sweeping a plate of eggs Benedict into the trash.

Now in bottles

Soylent is not in fact people. The company has not obtained a license from the US Food and Drug Administration to produce its alt-food slurry from composted human cadavers.

Instead, Soylent is composed of a mix of soy protein, carbohydrates, and other nutrient-rich ingredients, "with half of its fat energy coming from farm-free, algae sources" – as distinct from a succulent roast chicken, which derives the majority of its fat energy from roast chicken.

Unlike crispy bacon, Soylent 2.0 is available on a subscription basis. Where slices of French baguette smeared with brie cheese would ordinarily need to be created individually and on demand, Soylent will arrive at your doorstep prepackaged and ready to consume, with no action to be taken on your part but to open a bottle and slurp the nourishing goo inside.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/08/03/soylent_2_bottles/

For the very young ... or new to the SF Genre
Soylent originally referred to a fictional food substance from Harry Harrison's science fiction novel Make Room! Make Room!.
Film Soylent Green

 

[Dave]

It isn't yet, Ray. Wait until there is a shortage of protein and alternative sources have to be found for Soylent.

But really, it sounds like slop. I personally find Soya milk disgusting. If anything, we are going to return to eating real food, grown much more locally; probably in our own back gardens. We did it during the 2nd World War. The idea, popular in the sixties, that we can live on pills, is pure fantasy.

BTW The novel is quite different to the film. IIRC the novel is much more of a detective murder mystery, but it does make the point about the population explosion stronger and more explicitly. I don't think it includes that great reveal. Harry Harrison was a great advocate for doing something about the population explosion, but it was also much higher on the political agenda in the sixties than it is now. Although the birth rate has since fallen rapidly, the death rate has also fallen rapidly, so if anything, the problem is actually getting worse - fewer young people but lots of very old people who will be unproductive.

 

[BAYLOR]

I think it's an interesting food concept, but

It isn't yet, Ray. Wait until there is a shortage of protein and alternative sources have to be found for Soylent.

But really, it sounds like slop. I personally find Soya milk disgusting. If anything, we are going to return to eating real food, grown much more locally; probably in our own back gardens. We did it during the 2nd World War. The idea, popular in the sixties, that we can live on pills, is pure fantasy.

BTW The novel is quite different to the film. IIRC the novel is much more of a detective murder mystery, but it does make the point about the population explosion stronger and more explicitly. I don't think it includes that great reveal. Harry Harrison was a great advocate for doing something about the population explosion, but it was also much higher on the political agenda in the sixties than it is now. Although the birth rate has since fallen rapidly, the death rate has also fallen rapidly, so if anything, the problem is actually getting worse - fewer young people but lots of very old people who will be unproductive.

It could well be the food of the future.

 

[Droflet]

Soylent Green, now available in a bull flavored can. (Get it, get it???)

 

[Ray McCarthy]

but lots of very old people who will be unproductive

I hope to be productive till I'm dead.
They do keep raising pension age.

OTH, Agriculture and manufacturing uses hugely less people for same output than in 1950s.

The Register writer obviously is laughing at these people. They have had a series of articles mocking the "product".

 

[Vladd67]

There was a series recently on the BBC called Back in Time for Dinner, where a family experienced life in the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s and 00s then as a taste of the future they were given some of this Soylent. The general consensus was that it was vile.

 

[Verse]

I'll stick with Brawndo (it's got electrolytes!), the thirst mutilator. It's what plants crave!

 

[Ray McCarthy]

a family experienced life in the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s and 00s

No tripe or spam for a main meal.
Really no change for decent dinner in 60 years except "ethic" alternatives to roast beef, spuds and two veg are more common.
Sounds like a pretty contrived TV show. 100 year steps would have been interesting.

 

[Dave]

Actually Ray there has been more change than you might think - not just in the wider variety of foodstuffs (which after Austerity was still meat and two veg) but in eating habits - the main meal changed from mid-day to evening - more processed foods that allowed meals to be cooked much more quickly - supermarkets - foreign foods and sauces - men cooking as well as women and women going out to work - more eating out - more snacking foods - instant microwave foods - the family no longer eating together - cooking for leisure rather than as a chore. It was also surprising how the changes modeled changes in society and either influenced or were influenced by those changes.

 

[Venusian Broon]

Yeah, I was pretty much hooked by that program @Dave , till the naughties, as I at least could remember that decades eating habits well...

What surprised me was, from memory, that they got takeaway (a Dominos pizza ) right at the end - it feels like they have been around a lot longer. (In Dominos case, they probably have. They may be selling reconditioned surplus long-life WW2 US army rations to this day...)

It is pretty amazing the changes that came through. The program was more a social history centred around the kitchen - so that was the food, but also the technology and as you said, Dave, how changes in society altered family eating habits.

The other thing about it was that it was all about everyday food - not the 'headline' foods that the same presenter, Giles Coren I think, did when he explored different historical eras in another series of his. (They would invariably end up eating what the upper classes and royalty would eat, was my takeaway from that...)

If they did ordinary food for ordinary people on a hundred year basis then I'd guess that it would be reasonably dull - pottage and bread mostly for a very long time.

 

[Vladd67]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05nc5tv

 

[Ray McCarthy]

Actually Ray there has been more change than you might think

No, only if you deliberately pick and choose!
My memory is quite good for 60s, 70s, 80s, 90, 00, 10s, I don't really remember very much about 1950s (my youngest sibling born end of that decade).
I had US style burger etc in 1960s (Wimpy), the KFC and Pizza was around from 1970s (Franchise 1952 in USA), Chinese in 1960s.
1960s was start of prepacked ready meals like Vesta
Frozen stuff started to seriously displace tinned by 1970
In 1960s we had a coffee maker, a soda water maker, automatic washing machine, fridge with ice/frozen compartment, Kenwood Chef mixer just like what I have today.
Many things now in supermarket only in specialist shops in the 1960s.
The 1940 to 1951 approx would have been bad. Food rationing was progressive from Jan 1940.
Ironically rationing improved the health of British people; infant mortality declined and life expectancy rose, discounting deaths caused by hostilities. This was because it ensured that everyone had access to a varied diet with enough vitamins.
My Dad and mum are still alive and old enough in 1938 to remember before the war.

Some aspects of rationing got WORSE after WWII, till 1948. After 1948 rationing phased out ending only completely in UK in July 1954.
So 1940s and 1950s are "outliers" for UK.

I have no idea how long Fish, Chips, N.I. Pasties have existed as take-away, the name "chip-shop" is from at least 1950. wikipedia says British National Federation of Fish Friers was founded in 1913. Very many older take-aways in Ireland and N.I. founded by Italians!

Historically, When the Normans came, only they ate the meat. Hence cooked meat called Chicken, Beef, Mutton, Venison, not Fowl, Ox, Sheep and deer.
Potatoes were a huge revolution.
A historical series would look at changes rather than fixed decades or 100s. In reality any differences between now and 1960s have to be artificially enhanced.

EDIT:
The series exaggerates. I see looking at links I could see BBC4 repeats. Looking at summaries, I think I'd find it annoying. There is nothing wrong with my memory (pretty much only radio on iPlayer here and I don't have enough cap for video).

 

[Vladd67]

It was based around a national food survey. Housewives were asked to keep a diary of what they served each meal everyday. This survey ran from 1940 to 2001.

 

[Ray McCarthy]

So not indicative of what was possible, but a sort of misleading average. My parents mostly provided ordinary stuff interspersed with more cosmopolitan fare.
The series then is actually misleading for people not old enough to remember, but some say if you remember the 1960s you weren't there, only reading about it, but that's not universal.

 

[Vladd67]

One mistake I did see, though it was with props not food, in the 80s there was a red and black pot on the table being used as a sugar bowl, I guess the set dressers thought it went with the 80s decor, however we had an identical pot in our bathroom, only blue, from the 70s it held bath crystals.

 

[Ray McCarthy]

identical pot in our bathroom, only blue, from the 70s it held bath crystals.

I bought my grandmother what I thought was lovely pair of glass butter dishes in 1960s. She used the clear one.
My mum was convinced that they were ashtrays. The four corners did have curved dips. The Grandparents never smoked, it's possible they were as ignorant as I was.

In 1950s to about maybe 1962 we lived in a "modern house", a separate shower, phone alcove, modern square type plug sockets etc, metal window frames.
Then we moved to a really old house with three sizes of round pin sockets, an ancient coke stove in kitchen, a bell push system to kitchen in every room, picture rails.
Then in early 1970s moved to a newish bungalow just like a house built today, with a fitted kitchen, strip lights, picture windows, upgraded to a Colour TV, BBQ on rear patio etc, stereo HiFi etc.

Technology wise I got a Apple II in 1980 and ACT Sirius 1 in 1981, Mobile phone in 1992, laptop in 1997, 1st Smart phone in 2000.
I started programming 1st time in 1968 after school on QUB, and second time in 1973.
My Young Scientist Entry in 1971 was on Digital Communication of TV via laser and optical means.
I designed my first computer board 1980-1981, I still have a 1981 prototype of it.
First started using Surface Mount parts in 1985.

Things haven't changed as much as people think in 50 years, just cheaper and more available. A decent 1950 Radio was in real terms the price of a 42" HDTV today.
HiFi dates from 1930s.

 

[Ray McCarthy]

My wife claims Newcastle, Co. Down had Kentucky Fried Chicken in 1960s. I think it and Pizza Hut was 1970s ... Not 1960s.
Facts:
I do remember people in Belfast in 1970s driving to Newcastle, Co. Down for Kentucky Fried Chicken!
Pizza Hut founded 1958. Was in Islington, London, England from 1973.
At some stage KFC and Pizza hut were owned by same company (Perhaps from 1986) and in Ireland Pat Grace had both Franchises.
The first KFC in Republic was in 1971, Phibsboro Shopping centre.
Pat Grace eventually fell out with the Franchise and setup the Pat Graces's Famous Fried Chicken claiming he used original recipe and KFC had changed!
McDonalds was in 1977, Burger King in 1981.
The Wimpy is complicated. Wimpy Grills was 1934 in USA by Gold.
Gold in 1954 licence to J. Lyons and Co to use the Wimpy name in the United Kingdom. Hence I ate in one in Belfast in 1960s. Coincidently Lyons were pioneers in Computer development and Computerised stock control in 1950s!
In 1957, Wimpy Grills Inc. of Chicago formed a joint company with J. Lyons and Co called Wimpy's International to operate Wimpy Grills in the rest of the world.
The Canadian Wimpy Hamburger Chain is separate. (created 1961).

Also of note was the Skandia Chain in N.I. in 1960s with Scandinavian food. Norway did they remember to put tops on Sandwiches.

 

[Ray McCarthy]

Amusing?

"You can't have a marinara with mozzarella," she says. "It doesn't exist."

"What do you mean, it doesn't exist?" I reply, oblivious to her hostility, since she's quite aggressive at the best of times. "I'd just like a marinara but with some mozzarella on top." Unwittingly I make matters worse by miming her mozzarella-sprinkling action.

"La marinara is a pizza rossa," she states frostily. "A pizza rossa is made with tomato and without mozzarella. So you can't have a marinara with mozzarella because there's no such thing."

Then she says something I find incredibly funny.

"I suppose," she mutters grudgingly, "I could make you a margherita with garlic." (For those unfamiliar, a margherita is a pizza topped with tomato and mozzarella. )

"And the difference..." I ask, laughing blithely, "between a marinara with mozzarella and a margherita with garlic?"

Emanuela doesn't laugh. She simply repeats her final offer.

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-33542392

I remember in Jerusalem a pizza might have had fish, esp. anchovies, but never meat.

There IS logic to ordering Black Coffee with Milk. My wife has done it.

 

[Vladd67]

If you can use BBC Iplayer the series has just started a repeat run and the first episodes 1950s is available on Iplayer.

 

[Ray McCarthy]

If you can use BBC Iplayer the series has just started a repeat run and the first episodes 1950s is available on Iplayer.

I can get live BBC TV, but most iPlayer is geoblocked. Go figure.

Secondly, we are on a shared fixed wireless link for really good Broadband, but it's good due to the 60G byte cap. We don't watch any online video, except very rarely shorts.