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Edamame is a yummy snack of young soy bean either steamed or boiled in the pod. It is an excellent dish and is as addictive as eating peanuts. With a little sea salt and tamari (also soy) on the side, they're simply delicious.

Nutritious and good for you when cooked, though poisonous raw. Edamame originates in China, it's a staple favourite in Japan and is so tasty with a cool glass of Sapporo – from Sapporo of course.

Soy – oh boy.

Like so many yummy things that we consume and enjoy, Soy by way of its farming practice casts a long shadow. It's a mega-agri-business with a cascading ecological footprint.

From Our World in Data

• 70 - 80% of soy grown in the world is used for animal feed.
• 80% of the world’s soy is from The United States, Brazil, and Argentina.
• Soy and livestock farming have contributed significantly to deforestation.
• 16.5% of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions come from livestock farming (about the same as all global combined transportation emissions)
• Sheesh already.

Ok, Where's My Silver Lining?

Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon declined from its peak in 2004, though it has been rising again since 2014.

...and yes, we can find some solace while enjoying our edamame and beer!

By directly consuming edamame, we microscopically mitigate the impact of the Soy-agri-biz-agglomeration – At least the beans we consume don't participate in the Soy–>Animal-Feed–>Livestock–>Greenhouse-Gas portion of the cycle!

Micro-yay!

That's a sliver of a silver lining, right?

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EDAMAME - A SNACK WORTH IT'S SALT

INGREDIENTS
• Fresh or frozen edamame in their pods
• Salt and Black pepper to taste

PREPARATION
• Bring a pot of water to a boil and salt it generously.
• Add the edamame and cook until bright green, 3 – 5 minutes.
• Drain and place edamame in a serving bowl.
• Sprinkle with Maldon Sea Salt flakes and black pepper.
• Optionally serve with a bowl of tamari.
• Serve hot, warm or chilled with an empty bowl for the pods.

CONSUMPTION
• Crack open a few edamame pods and enjoy.
• Pour yourself some Sapporo and consider our unseen footprints.

Yum! As always, thanks for reading – and indulging!