Well, my library copy of Barbara Kingsolver's new book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life finally arrived and after devouring it quickly, scarcely taking time to chew, I am rereading and digesting it more slowly.
Kingsolver is an amazing storyteller. She has a knack for making even the most mundane things interesting--a knack that served her well in writing an entire book about eating, and making it all so fascinating. There are tons of useful facts and figures interwoven into the storyline, but it is the descriptions that keep you turning the pages. Here is one of my favorite quotes:
“Oh, America the Beautiful, where are our standards? How did Europeans, ancestral cultures to most of us, whose average crowded country would fit inside one of our national parks, somehow hoard the market share of Beautiful? They’ll run over a McDonald’s with a bulldozer because it threatens the way of life of their fine cheeses. They have international trade hissy fits when we try to slip modified genes into their bread. They get their favorite ham from Parma, Italy, along with a favorite cheese, knowing these foods are linked in an ancient connection the farmers have crafted between the milk and the hogs. Oh. We were thinking Parmesan meant, not “coming from Parma,” but “coming from a green shaker can.” Did they kick us out for bad taste?
No, it was mostly for vagrancy, poverty, or being too religious. We came here for the freedom to make a Leaves of Grass kind of culture and hear America singing to a good beat, pierce our navels as needed, and eat whatever we want without some drudge scolding: “You don’t know where that’s been!” And boy howdy, we do not.” (p.4)
If you haven't read this one yet, check it out! The book is written with a gentle good humor, no guilt trips, and is really fun to read. I'll be posting more quotes as I go.
4 Comments:
Sounds like a good read Jo! So true how we've become so quick to grab for what's easy instead of wholesome, quality food. Perhaps with a little more education we can regain a chunk of quality "Parmasan" so to speak?!
ps: we're getting chicks, a little late I know, any advice?
Oh me oh my, I'm definitely putting this one on my list. I hear the wait is pretty long around my area.
My dad was just saying as we ate some strawberries, "You know, when I was little I thought strawberries came in a little frozen brick from Bird's Eye. I never saw a strawberry plant, or any other vegetable growing for that matter. I guess I thought they grew in my mother's freezer." Ahhh, 1950's suburbia.
I'm so thankful for my country childhood.
Dawn,
Good luck with the chicks! They are so much fun. No real advice here except make sure they're in a safe place--we have lost some to predators. They seem to be pretty hardy otherwise.
Brandy,
Amen to that. I am thankful for my country childhood too, and for the opportunity to give my kids those experiences. There is something special about eating food that you grew or picked yourself!
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