Pizza Vending Machines, Coming to a City Near You

I read an article this afternoon about new vending machines that will be introduced to our great nation this year. It's an instant pizza-from-scratch vending machine. Yes, that's right, the company A1 Concepts is bringing instant pizza to the streets of America. Specifically to Atlanta, GA first. Apparently this has been wildly popular in Europe already. In other countries like Japan and China instant fresh food vending machines have been a hit for years. In case you missed this gem here's a clip of the live crab vending machines in Japan; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Mwv90m3N2Y.

Just to clear the air before I hop on my soap box, I should probably mention I might be a food snob. Not that this is something I'm proud of, or tried to achieve, or will ever identify myself as. I'd rather think of myself as a traditionalist. Whatever label you give it, it's part of my identity that has evolved over time, through my interest in pescetarian/ vegetarian/ vegan eating, growing our own food, localvorism, and the fiscal habit of cooking 90% of our meals at home. I buy ingredients, not products (with exceptions like condiments, rice, the occasional bag of chips or pint of ice cream, I'm only human!). But above all, I truly love food. I love what it does for our bodies and minds, I love how it brings family and friends together, and I love the pride that comes from making it myself.

Maybe that sounds a little silly, but food is so much more than something that stops your tummy from growling and tastes good (hopefully). Your lunch came from somewhere, it has a story behind it, it was alive, and if it's yogurt it still is! It's something that nurtures, sustains, heals and grows our bodies. I guess you could say these notions are partly what the tradition of grace was built on. Stopping for a brief moment and paying homage to this life sustaining stuff on our plate. And acknowledging that it is the sum of many parts; sun, rain, energy, nutrients, and it how brings all of those things to us.

This is why I love food.

This is also why I may come off as a snob sometimes. I think food is something sacred and should be revered,  not secretly massacred, genetically altered and modified, mechanically separated, doused in lethal chemicals, filled with artificial colors and flavors that were developed over a Bunsen burner, and mixed with some bizarre unnatural preservative that guaranties evidence of the food-product stored somewhere in my digestive tract or fat cells after I die. There is a big difference between food and a food product. Most of the junk that's being bought and sold is more product than food.

And finally, this is why the idea of a made-to-order-vending-machine-pizza draws out my level 5 sneer. It makes me cringe everytime some new thing removes us just a little more from the roots of our food. I can't believe anyone is feeling grateful for their meal after inserting a few bills and pressing C3. Certainly not as grateful if they were eating something they had cooked themselves. Not to mention the whole idea just makes me think of gastronomically destructive Hot Pockets. 

I'm sure it will be a big hit, kids will probably go bananas over it (especially since you can watch it cook in the infared oven through a little window), and God forbid, it will probably not be too long until we see one of these monstrosities here in our tiny corner of the world. 

As for me, I will continue to make my own pizzas at home, or order take out from down the street, or even splurge at a nice restaurant on some elegant, over priced thin crust version. 

If you would like to read the original article that sparked this rant here's the link:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2012/06/20/155443030/company-bets-robotic-vending-machine-pizza-is-a-winner