The Need to Read
I just finished reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. It is a must read for any of us who care even remotely about the food we eat. In a series of easy-flowing essays, Kingsolver takes the readers through the different months as her family subsists on a diet that consists almost entirely on food that was produced, grown, or raised in their own community, most of it on their own property. Stories abound of tomato canning, chicken raising, and meal preparation that made my mouth water. I learned that mozzarella cheese can be made from scratch in less than a half hour, chard is an effective wrap for dolmas, and that we are very fortunate here in Chico to live in a place where fresh local veggies are available year-round. Woven throughout are relevant facts, information, and insights about our food systems in general.
The book is inspiring, fun, intriguing, and scary. Think of the most influential books you have ever read. This will be one of them.
Next up for me: The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan