The Financial Times calls Berkeley-based journalist/author Michael Pollan (Food Rules, The Omnivore's Dilemma, etc) not just a historian and a prophet of food but: "a hell of a cook too."
I've been intent on reading Pollan's latest, hefty non-fiction literary release "Cooked - A Natural History of Transformation" and am finding it to be compelling stuff - just about every answer to a lot of life's bigger questions pointing back to the kitchen.
In short, if we truly wish to reform the American food system we really do have to cook more often at home. Pollan apprenticed himself to a succession of culinary masters to learn the delicious and transformative effects of the four elements - fire, water, air and earth on what we eat. Delving into the history and culture of food, Cooked is an enlightening read, though admittedly, most likely of appeal to the already converted.
Recognizing that Southern Sonoma and West Marin Counties are slap bang in the heart of a healthier and more sustainable food system than most anywhere else in the U.S. makes it all the more reason to follow Pollan's lead on living a more nourishing life.
I shot this picture of Point Reyes Farmstead's creamy, buttery, Italian-style Toma (which means cheese made by the farmer) - a side in last night's simple, homemade supper as a visual of this bounty about us. Salad from wild arugula grown in our garden and a simple marinara sauce over pasta took a lot less time to prepare than a trip to pick up take-out.
Famous for its grassy tang, Point Reyes Toma pick up the saltiness in its grassy flavoring from cows grazed on pastures along Tomales Bay. It's one of the best artisan cheeses of our region, a compliment to any meal and one I now reach for regularly when out shopping.
Though disappointed that I was unable to make it to the Seed Bank in Petaluma last week to hear Pollan read from Cooked, I heard him speak on his life as a writer, in Berkeley, last year.
Elevated to superstar status amongst America's food movement, he's actually an extremeley down-to-earth, common sense, middle-aged man who, since 'exploring the unchartered territories' of his own home kitchen finds pleasure and satisfaction in cooking for family and friends. The fact that he happens to be such a talented writer sets him apart from his contemporaries.
Elevated to superstar status amongst America's food movement, he's actually an extremeley down-to-earth, common sense, middle-aged man who, since 'exploring the unchartered territories' of his own home kitchen finds pleasure and satisfaction in cooking for family and friends. The fact that he happens to be such a talented writer sets him apart from his contemporaries.
Comments