Barbara-Jo's book review.
First published in Canada as 100 Mile Diet: A Year of Local Eating, Plenty is
the first hand tale of two city dwellers who attempt (and ultimately
succeed) to eat only food produced within a 100 mile radius of their
home in Vancouver, British Columbia. Although blessed with a cornucopia
of food choice that comes with living in a metropolitan centre they
long for a closer connection to the food they put on their tables, to
go beyond the neighbourhood (and seasonal) farmers market to shop for
ingredients. This desire along with the realization that much of the
food available to them is produced and shipped great distances and at
great environmental cost propels them on their 100-mile diet quest.
The book is told by the writer’s perspective points of view, hers is
more personal and revealing of herself and their relationship and his
more informative giving us an interesting glimpse into some cultural
history of the British Columbia coast. He does all the cooking and is
the one who initiated and more enthusiastically embraces the concept.
She comes around to both the cooking and him quite nicely in the end
though. The book is organized monthly and while not a handbook for
cooking local foods it does provide a handful of useful recipes and
preserving tips. The authors’ journey becomes much more than they
likely set out for it to be and discover that food does much more than
sustain us. Their view that food is a culture and source of community
we should celebrate and embrace every day is infectious, and as they
show us possible.
Plenty is a compelling and engaging read. And while one may
challenge the logic of driving for over an hour to pick your own
strawberries, the point of the book is more one of philosophy and
ideals rather than science or economics. Where possible and whenever
possible one should choose local over imported, support not only your
local farmers and producers but save those seasonal foods for the time
they are at their peak and meant to be enjoyed.
For more info, see their website: 100milediet.org
The Essence of Chocolate by John Scharffen and Robert Steinberg
gives us recipes, photographs and personal reflections to tell the
story of Scharffen Berger, one of America’s most popular and finest
chocolate makers. Founded in 1996 by Robert Steinberg, a physician with
a passion for chocolate and desire to make chocolate and John Scharffen
an award-winning vintner, this book is both the story of their
successful venture and the pleasure of all things chocolate.
There are more than 100 spectacular to simple recipes using chocolate
contributed from both Shcarffen Berger’s own files and dozens of top
pasty chefs. The resulting collection is a mix of decadent treats such
as That Chocolate Cake, to more subtle affairs such as
Chocolate-Marbled Gingerbread. There are treats that celebrate
chocolate in their divine simplicity, such as Quick Fix Bread &
Chocolate and Chocolatte (chocolate espresso) as well as a few
surprises like a Chocolate Martini.
Authors Scharffen and Steinberg overcame many personal obstacles and a
steep learning curve to become master chocolatiers and their story is
both an inspiration and education into the history and culture of
chocolate. They take us on the same journey they embarked on to learn
how to make the best, authentic chocolate from the farmers who grow
cacao beans in Venezuala and the Dominican Republic. They keep no
secrets here as they devote an entire chapter on how they make their
chocolate, also the history of cacao and the future of cacao farming
and chocolate making.
The Essence of Chocolate not only a beautiful pictorial on chocolate,
it is an excellent story on building a successful business, and happily
a fine collection of chocolate recipes.
In his BBC series, Adventures in Search of Perfection, UK chef
Heston Blumenthal (of the highly acclaimed London eatery Fat Duck)
turns his applies his unique creative and culinary talents to
reinventing some of the world’s most well-know yet sadly often abused
dishes. In the first installment he recreated the ‘perfect’ versions of
such dishes as pizza, steak, roast chicken, Black Forest cake. This
time in ‘Further Adventures...” he tackles a list that is once again a
blend of the nostalgia and somewhat quirky; hamburger; fish pie;
chicken tikka masala; risotto; Peking duck; chili con carne; baked
Alaska and the Brit’s beloved trifle.
Blumenthal’s quests for perfection is all about ”The excitement and enjoyment of discovering new routes to the cooking of old favorites.”
His journey involves lessons in history, science, social studies and
lastly cooking. His quests typically begin with a trip to the source of
each dish; enlightening choices such as a burger joint in New Haven, a
spice market in Old Delhi or a trawler in Scotland. Heston’s
inquisitiveness knows no bounds and he is at his most enjoyable when
most out of his element, such as his visit to a chili cookoff and
rubbing shoulders with true chili kings and queens.
We’ve had such fun uncovering the mysteries of each dish, and meeting a
slew of characters that by the time we get to the actual recipes their
‘perfection’ hardly matters. The list of equipment, ingredients and
instructions are positively mind-numbing - it’s almost as if Heston
includes them purely for their entertainment value- yet they illustrate
the scope of his journey and dedication and we appreciate all the more
those who can truly master these iconic dishes.
Michael Pollan begins his book with a seemingly simple question, ”What should we have for dinner?”. We
soon discover the path towards an answer to be more indirect and
complex than would first appear. Pollan delves into the simple premise
of ‘you are what you eat’, and unearths some illuminating and at times
chilling truths. Born from a desire to find out how the once simple act
of eating has become so complicated and overwrought with anxiety, The
Omnivore’s Dilemma is his attempt to if not cure a nation’s eating
disorder, then at least shed some light to the situation.
The Omnivore’s Dilemma is about the three principal food chains that
sustain us today: the industrial, the organic, and the hunter-gather.
And, according to Pollan, ”These three food chains link us, through what we eat, to the fertility of the earth and the energy of the sun.” And so, ”
the best way to answer the questions w face about what to eat was to go
back to the very beginning, to follow the food chains that sustain us,
all the way from the earth to the plate - to a small number of actual
meals.” Pollan takes his theory to the fundamentals and applies it to personal experiences, his meals.
Divided into three sections, the first ‘Industrial’ discusses the
industrial food chain focusing primarily on corn ; the second,
‘Pastoral’ is a look at organic food, (from supermarket and big
business to rural farms); and the third, Personal is about the forager
food chain; hunting, gathering and growing one’s sustenance. Each
section culminates in a meal—typical McDonald’s fast food fare; an
organic meal of roast chicken, vegetables and a salad from Whole Foods
supermarket; as well as, a meal made from the fixings from a
sustainable farm; and, lastly a dinner prepared entirely from
ingredients he hunted, gathered and grew himself.
He aims high in his search for the perfect meal and it is here is where
I find him to be most engaging. An admitted neophyte hunter and
reluctant fungi forager, Pollan manages to pull together a menu
comprised of braised wild pig; wild yeast levain; dried morels with
fava beans; local garden salad and a cherry galette.
In preparing his foraged meal, Pollan imposed some very strict rules
and “As the rules suggest, the meal was a conceit - an ambitions,
possibly foolhardy, and I hoped, edible conceit. My aim...would it be
possible to prepare such a meal, and would I learn anything of value -
about the nature or culture of human eating by doing so… Little if
anything about this meal was what anyone would call realistic. And yet
no meal I’ve ever prepared or eaten has been more real.”
Written in a clear and engaging voice, The Omnivore’s Dilemma is an
enjoyable and informative read that appeals to anyone with even a
remote interest in what they eat. That in itself would make it a highly
recommended read, the fact that it has fuelled a genuine awakening and
active debate in a nation’s food crisis make it an important and ‘must
read’ book.
Terrine
By Stephane Reynaud
Published by Phaidon, March 2008
Following the heels of his critically acclaimed book, Pork and Sons, Stephane Reynaud has written Terrine, a handsome collection of classic and contemporary terrine recipes.
While Pork and Sons celebrates the humble pig, Terrine celebrates the often rustic, often sophisticated world of terrines.
n the book, Reynaud reminisces about daily meals of homemade terrines in his Grandfather’s charcuterie. He also emphasizes that terrines are ultimate food for sharing with friends and family and his recipes are geared toward entertaining.
Reynaud departs from the image of terrines being mostly meat-based and provides a broad variety of recipes featuring other ingredients.
His recipes for vegetable-, seafood- and cheese-based terrines offer cooks light alternatives to this classic cooking method.
A chapter on dessert terrines rounds out the repertoire. To enhance the terrines, each chapter includes sauces and accompaniments.
Reynaud also attempts to demystify the complexity of terrines. Often considered labour intensive and complex, the terrine recipes are broken down and simplified. Recipes vary in complexity, many of which are simple enough for the home cook while some are more challenging or require more exquisite ingredients. A handy glossary explains ingredients that are less common.
Terrine would be an excellent book for anyone who loves to entertain and would like to explore this classic French cooking technique.
Available at Books to Cooks
