You’ve probably heard Michael Pollan’s name popping up in the media again lately. The author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma (and many other books) has just released another must-read manifesto called Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation.
This is great news in itself, but I’m equally thrilled that this publication has swung the spotlight back in Michael’s direction.
This man has things to say worth hearing.
Michael Pollan has emerged as one of the world’s most eloquent and persuasive voices for food preservation.
Not “preservation” as in canning and dehydration … we’re talking the protection and long-term security of food as we know it—or, rather, as our ancestors knew it.
Lest we forget and begin believing that our daily bread originates in a factory where genetically finagled wheat is impregnated with pesticides, Michael Pollan is intent on buzzing in our ears and bringing our consciousness back down to the soil.
He’s sort of like a neatly shaven Lorax who speaks for our food.
Terry Steinmetz 
Jennifer Memolo 
Winnie Nielsen 
Lynnette Zaunmiller 
Debbie 
This is fascinating! This past weekend we went to 12 Bones BBQ in Asheville, NC and it was the epitome of “Fire Cooking”. Oh, yeh, we are talking delicious, fall of the bone fabulous! The one aspect of ASheville that I love is that they embrace sustainable, local, organic farming! This interview is very reassuring that there are creative cooks out there that are in pockets everywhere embracing Michael Pollen’s lessons. Cooking and eating together is such a part of family culture and celebrations!
It always amazes me how “out of step” I am in the 21st century. I have always been interested in knowing how to produce my own food. I wanted to know how to grow it, grind grain, bake, cook from scratch, raise cattle, milk a cow, make cheese and butter…. just basically how to make food from the basics. It’s not that I have to do this. (My grandmother’s family had to, though.) It is just plain interesting.
I can’t imagine not sitting down to the table with family in the evening and having a good meal. To me, that is THE priority in life, not how many activities I can squeeze in. (Of course,my loved ones are my sister and my cats.)
My Grandmother always said the same blessing before each meal. It was, “Bless this food for it’s intended use.” It wasn’t,”Lets get this “meal” over as quick as possible and get out of here.
Maybe that’s why everybody is on a diet. They don’t even know what or how much they eat, just how long it takes.
As a “Home Ec” now Family and Consumer Science Teacher – I agree so much with all of this! Taking home ec classes out of the schools when kids are not being taught these things at home is a crime!!! You might not use algebra or chemistry every day but you will be eating and should be cooking every day!!!!!!
So much of the problems in our society come down to health issues and money management(home and business) these are all part of home economics and should be required classes for every student.We spend all of a students time in school to prepare them for a career but not life-their family life, how they will spend/manage the money they make at their career, how to care for their home, how to wisely shop, and how to cook and eat to be healthy.
I loved this-waiting on his book to come it so I can get it. Now I want to get the Salt, Sugar, Fat book also.