The Ominvores Dilemma: Michael Pollan (2007)
The Omnivores Dilemma is that we humans (as omnivores) can eat practically anything, which makes chosing the food which is best for us, our animals and our natural environment, a particularly tricky conundrum. In his book Michael Pollan addresses our relationship with food and attempts to answer that ubiquitous question of "what should we have for dinner?".
The first section takes a look at the omnipresent industrial food production of 21st Century society (trust me you'll never want to eat processed food again). He explains the close relationship between humans and corn (terrifying!), explores mass meat production (disturbing!) and global food production (worrying!). I've definitely taken on the maxim of not buying anything from the store that includes more than 5 ingredients and woe me if I don't try to avoid corn like the plague.
The second section explores the "pastoral" farm of Joe Salatin which sounds like an amazing venture, even if it appears to be extremely hard work! The farm isnt organic but uses natural methods to ensure the production of food is as close to nature as it can be. I think this is the kind of food we think we are eating when we buy food at the COOP or Wholefoods or any other organic equivelant (not true). It has inspired me to hunt out farmers market, to look at the people who grow and make my food and to try and understand the processes of how it gets to my plate.
The final section - which for me was the best part - was Michael's own journey in becoming connected with food. He hunted, grew and foraged the components of a fairly elaborate dinner during which process he bonded with the people in his community, his natural surroundings and undertook some real existential contemplations. It was sustainability food porn and I loved every minute of it.
The Omnivores Dilemma could have come over as preachy, overly factual and pretentious. It didnt. Michael (I like to think of him as my new friend) is a delightful writer who connects with the reader bringing us on his own personal voyage of enlightenment about the food he eats. It has changed the way I think about food and for that I am truely thankful.
The first section takes a look at the omnipresent industrial food production of 21st Century society (trust me you'll never want to eat processed food again). He explains the close relationship between humans and corn (terrifying!), explores mass meat production (disturbing!) and global food production (worrying!). I've definitely taken on the maxim of not buying anything from the store that includes more than 5 ingredients and woe me if I don't try to avoid corn like the plague.
The second section explores the "pastoral" farm of Joe Salatin which sounds like an amazing venture, even if it appears to be extremely hard work! The farm isnt organic but uses natural methods to ensure the production of food is as close to nature as it can be. I think this is the kind of food we think we are eating when we buy food at the COOP or Wholefoods or any other organic equivelant (not true). It has inspired me to hunt out farmers market, to look at the people who grow and make my food and to try and understand the processes of how it gets to my plate.
The final section - which for me was the best part - was Michael's own journey in becoming connected with food. He hunted, grew and foraged the components of a fairly elaborate dinner during which process he bonded with the people in his community, his natural surroundings and undertook some real existential contemplations. It was sustainability food porn and I loved every minute of it.
"perhaps the perfect meal is one that's been fully paid for, that leaves no debt outstanding... as a kind of ritual, a meal that is eaten in full consciousness of what it took to make it is worth preparing every now and then, if only to remind us of the true costs of the things wetake for granted... stock doesnt come from a can; it comes from the bones of an animal"Amen.
The Omnivores Dilemma could have come over as preachy, overly factual and pretentious. It didnt. Michael (I like to think of him as my new friend) is a delightful writer who connects with the reader bringing us on his own personal voyage of enlightenment about the food he eats. It has changed the way I think about food and for that I am truely thankful.
What a wonderful review!
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