by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
Ok! So I promise I did not buy the book I just looked at it out of interest. This is a heavy coffee table book weighing in at 543 pages. Over half of the pages are dedicated to FW’s philosophy on animal rearing, slaughtering and eating. The book is profusely illustrated from slaughtering a cow, to roasting a whole pig, to preparing the cuts of meat, and the step by step process of making a pork pie. There is a page of photographs showing the death of a cow; the first photograph shows a gun between the steers of a cow, then the dead animal with blood, it being hung, and then cut up into pieces, etc. With good reason these photographs are placed at the beginning of the book. FW is making his point right up front and the text supports those feelings. So you will either stop right there and put the book back on the shelf or not. I also think that many readers might not be happy to see a hare in a plastic shopping bag all in one piece with its head and paws. Actually to me it looks alive except of course it would not be sitting calmly in a plastic bag waiting to be dinner for someone.
FW puts forward issues that I agree with and those I don't. But at least he is talking about the issues and has very definate opinions. I particularly agree with the fact that meat should not be cheap. When we pay a lot of money for something than indeed we all ask questions about the why and the wherefore; what was the animal fed on, how did it live, and how did it die. If we are happy with the answers we pay more for the product and this is how it should be. And to answer the question "what about people with little money" just eat less and eat the cheaper cuts that most Americans don't even look at.
The book brings to the forefront yet again whether I should be eating meat. In actual fact, after looking at these pictures I have to ask myself if taking the life of a perfectly healthy and happy animal to feed me, when I could eat plenty of other things is morally correct. If we were all closer to the meat that we eat I think many more people would question what they eat. So as you can see, I am completely torn in two on the issue and when it will be solved I have no idea.
Many of the recipes in the book are for 6-10 people and while it is easy to cut some recipes into a quarter, others it is not. Additionally, the meat items that he lists as cheap are not so in America. For example there is a picture showing the cost of locally farmed Lamb Shanks at three English pounds a pound (about six dollars at the current exchange rate). I pay 50-100% more depending on the farmer I buy it from. He also lists wild rabbit under cheap and pig trotters. Now the former is very expensive and the latter is impossible to find as I do not know of any butcher in or around Boston. To clarify: a butcher is a person who has the whole animal in his store/refrigerator and will cut the pieces that you want to order. I do know that I could find everything at Blood Farms in Groton, MA because it is a small family slaughterhouse.
If you want to know how to cure meats, and make sausages, pates and terrines there is a whole chapter dedicated to just that. In fact, this book is excellent for the folks who want to know how to cut up various animals and fowl and what to do with all the pieces.
Under meals that are kid friendly he has Lamb braised with stuffed vine leaves, Indian-spiced Lamb Skewers, Flying Toad in the Hole, and Souvlaki to name a few. This brought back memories of the time I invited my neighbors and their two kids to dinner. I served roast lamb, roast potatoes, and Brussels sprouts. They eat half a potato. They had never had lamb, where not sure what the potatoes were (they were roasted in the fat of the lamb until they were crisp on the outside) and obviously didn’t eat vegetables. They were much relieved when I served Apple Pie with ice cream and said “thank goodness an American dessert.” However, their smile didn’t last long as I put a dollop of ice cream on each slice of pie and then put the ice cream back in the refrigerator. Apparently they though they were going to eat the entire pint of ice cream which I planned on lasting me the month.
There are some classic British recipes that I recall as a kid. I disagree with using beef kidneys for the steak and kidney pie because I feel that they are too strong and that veal kidneys provide a much better flavor. I was happy to see Lancashire Hot Pot in the book, a dish I have fond memories of as a child. My grandmother made this for me frequently and I still remember the brown pot it was made in and how the small the kitchen was that she cooked.
Showing posts with label Book Reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Book Reviews. Show all posts
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Friday, January 11, 2008
Vegetarian Cookbook Recommendation
As a wannabe vegetarian, 2008 presents another year, another try. The key seems to be a good, everyday general cookbook; a vegetarian Joy of Cooking so to speak and perhaps one that doesn’t scream Vegetarian. To me vegetarians seem to fall into three categories: health reasons, animal rights, and religious purposes. Home cooked meals that I eat with western vegetarians are often much too high in cream, cheese, and eggs for me. As an animal lover, I have for many years bought my meat from local farms where I knew how the animal was treated and killed and I have no religious restrictions.
In the past, cookbooks have been bought, a dish or two tried, and then the book(s) collected dust on the shelf until they were given away as Christmas presents. If I invited a friend for dinner and they said they were vegetarian, alarm bells would go off in my head, my brain would freeze, I would go hot and cold; we would eat out!
I knew that my problem was how to compile a meal that was not centered on meat. For someone who loves to cook my vegetarian reportaire is awful: pasta with a sauce, Macaroni with Three Cheeses, fish cakes and baked beans and Seafood Lasagna. Later I learned that vegartarains don’t eat fish either.
In Early December, a friend suggested I attend the Boston Vegetarian Society's Holiday Vegan Dessert Party at Fiore's Bakery in JP. I then remembered what a friendly organization they were and I joined.
This was a positive step in the right direction. Then I went looking, yet again for a cookbook but one this time, that I would actually use. I first checked the “best of “ lists for vegetarian books. The most oft repeated was Mark Bitman’s How to Cook Everything Vegetarian and Veganomicon: the Ultimate Vegan Cookbook, and a couple of books by Deborah Madison. Armed with this information I went to a bookstore and started browsing.
Cookbooks are a very personal thing. It is the feel of the book, the layout of the recipes, the connection that you make to the book even before you start looking for recipes. I ended up comparing Bitman’s book to Deborah Madison’s Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. I thought that Mark Bitman’s book felt too large, to overwhelming for me and I had the sense that I would not use it. However, I checked the Mole recipe in both books and immediately decided on Deborah Madison’s book as the list of ingredients was smaller. I also liked the feel of the book but I did not want another book just sitting on the shelf so I left it where it was.
A week later, I looked through it again and some days later yet again. Finally I bought it. Some of the aspects that “sold” this book to me was that Madison explained how to compile a vegetarian meal (a problem previously mentioned), and what wines went with what type of vegetarian food. In addition, every recipe I read where I was not sure what she meant, such as what was ricotta salata in the Beet Salad with Olives and Ricotta Salata recipe (p150); or what was roll-cut carrots for the Mixed Vegetable Stir-Fry (p.274), were located in the index. Other questions answered were “what type of breadcrumbs should I be using, fresh or dried? Madison clearly specifies which. The side bar notes giving additional tips on the dish being cooked are very useful. Lastly, there is are terrific chapters on sandwiches and soups.
The dishes range geographically across the world without you ever realizing that you just left the geographic area that you were most comfortable in. I highly recommend this book which is so much simpler than her Greens cookbook which I purchased in 1988 …oh my! The soups in that book would take half a day to make.
I am very pleased with the book as I never think "Oh! today I am being vegetarian, I just think what good, interesting food I'm eating." Now to me that is success. It is also extra special to me as it was Deborah Madison who first encouraged me to join the Slow Food organization and who also encouraged me to work with others in my town to get a farmers’ market started. Thank You Deborah!
Photographs courtsey of Randall Collura, a BVS member. His work can be seen at http://www.allrandall.com/
www.slowfoodboston.com
www.bostonveg.com
In the past, cookbooks have been bought, a dish or two tried, and then the book(s) collected dust on the shelf until they were given away as Christmas presents. If I invited a friend for dinner and they said they were vegetarian, alarm bells would go off in my head, my brain would freeze, I would go hot and cold; we would eat out!
I knew that my problem was how to compile a meal that was not centered on meat. For someone who loves to cook my vegetarian reportaire is awful: pasta with a sauce, Macaroni with Three Cheeses, fish cakes and baked beans and Seafood Lasagna. Later I learned that vegartarains don’t eat fish either.
In Early December, a friend suggested I attend the Boston Vegetarian Society's Holiday Vegan Dessert Party at Fiore's Bakery in JP. I then remembered what a friendly organization they were and I joined.
This was a positive step in the right direction. Then I went looking, yet again for a cookbook but one this time, that I would actually use. I first checked the “best of “ lists for vegetarian books. The most oft repeated was Mark Bitman’s How to Cook Everything Vegetarian and Veganomicon: the Ultimate Vegan Cookbook, and a couple of books by Deborah Madison. Armed with this information I went to a bookstore and started browsing.
Cookbooks are a very personal thing. It is the feel of the book, the layout of the recipes, the connection that you make to the book even before you start looking for recipes. I ended up comparing Bitman’s book to Deborah Madison’s Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. I thought that Mark Bitman’s book felt too large, to overwhelming for me and I had the sense that I would not use it. However, I checked the Mole recipe in both books and immediately decided on Deborah Madison’s book as the list of ingredients was smaller. I also liked the feel of the book but I did not want another book just sitting on the shelf so I left it where it was.
A week later, I looked through it again and some days later yet again. Finally I bought it. Some of the aspects that “sold” this book to me was that Madison explained how to compile a vegetarian meal (a problem previously mentioned), and what wines went with what type of vegetarian food. In addition, every recipe I read where I was not sure what she meant, such as what was ricotta salata in the Beet Salad with Olives and Ricotta Salata recipe (p150); or what was roll-cut carrots for the Mixed Vegetable Stir-Fry (p.274), were located in the index. Other questions answered were “what type of breadcrumbs should I be using, fresh or dried? Madison clearly specifies which. The side bar notes giving additional tips on the dish being cooked are very useful. Lastly, there is are terrific chapters on sandwiches and soups.
The dishes range geographically across the world without you ever realizing that you just left the geographic area that you were most comfortable in. I highly recommend this book which is so much simpler than her Greens cookbook which I purchased in 1988 …oh my! The soups in that book would take half a day to make.
I am very pleased with the book as I never think "Oh! today I am being vegetarian, I just think what good, interesting food I'm eating." Now to me that is success. It is also extra special to me as it was Deborah Madison who first encouraged me to join the Slow Food organization and who also encouraged me to work with others in my town to get a farmers’ market started. Thank You Deborah!
Photographs courtsey of Randall Collura, a BVS member. His work can be seen at http://www.allrandall.com/
www.slowfoodboston.com
www.bostonveg.com
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Books to Change the Way You Think
Influential books that will change make you think about the ways we treat the ecosystem
The End of Nature – Bill McKibben. A truly remarkable book, finely written, passionately argued and impressively documented. The End of Nature tells us that an ecological holocaust is underway, and that we must act immediately. A wake up call for even the hardest of skeptics.
A Sand County Almanac – Aldo Leopold. Written from the vantage of his summer shack along the banks of the Wisconsin River, Leopold’s book mixes essay, polemic, and memoir in his book’s pages. Published in 1949, shortly after the author’s death. A classic in nature writing
The Man Who Planted Trees – Jean Giono. Written in the 1950s, and a tale whose message was ahead of its time, the Man Who Planted Trees weaves the parable of the life-giving shepherd who chooses to live alone and carry out the work of God. Over forty years the desolate hills and lifeless villages which so oppressed the traveler are transformed by the dedication of one man. All with the help of a few acorns.
Hidden Agendas – John Pilger. The book peels away the layers of deception that prevent us from understanding how the world works. He provides disturbing alternatives to mainstream explanations of world events, and leaves the reader in no doubt that power, unchallenged, seriously corrupts.
Silent Spring – Rachel Carson. One of the most influential books of the 20th century. It exposes the destruction of wildlife through the widespread use of pesticides. Despite attempts by big business to ban its sale, Carson succeeded in creating a new public awareness of the environment, which led to government policy changes and inspired the modern ecological movement.
Fast Food Nation – Eric Schlosser. Tells the story of our love affair with fast food. He visits the lab that re-creates the smell of strawberries; examines the safety records of abbatoirs; reveals why the fries taste so good and what lurks between the sesame buns – and shows how fast food is transforming not only our diets but our world.
When Corporations Ruled the World – David Korten. A thoughtful analysis of modern corporate power exposes the harmful effects of economic globalization with well-reasoned analysis. He sets out the underlying causes of today’s social, economic, environmental and political crises and outlines a strategy for creating localized economies that would empower communities within a system of global cooperation.
The Unsettling of America – Wendell Berry. A probing analysis of the way we use the land and the integral position of farming in culture at large. Berry’s suggestions for change are both radical and traditional.
The End of Nature – Bill McKibben. A truly remarkable book, finely written, passionately argued and impressively documented. The End of Nature tells us that an ecological holocaust is underway, and that we must act immediately. A wake up call for even the hardest of skeptics.
A Sand County Almanac – Aldo Leopold. Written from the vantage of his summer shack along the banks of the Wisconsin River, Leopold’s book mixes essay, polemic, and memoir in his book’s pages. Published in 1949, shortly after the author’s death. A classic in nature writing
The Man Who Planted Trees – Jean Giono. Written in the 1950s, and a tale whose message was ahead of its time, the Man Who Planted Trees weaves the parable of the life-giving shepherd who chooses to live alone and carry out the work of God. Over forty years the desolate hills and lifeless villages which so oppressed the traveler are transformed by the dedication of one man. All with the help of a few acorns.
Hidden Agendas – John Pilger. The book peels away the layers of deception that prevent us from understanding how the world works. He provides disturbing alternatives to mainstream explanations of world events, and leaves the reader in no doubt that power, unchallenged, seriously corrupts.
Silent Spring – Rachel Carson. One of the most influential books of the 20th century. It exposes the destruction of wildlife through the widespread use of pesticides. Despite attempts by big business to ban its sale, Carson succeeded in creating a new public awareness of the environment, which led to government policy changes and inspired the modern ecological movement.
Fast Food Nation – Eric Schlosser. Tells the story of our love affair with fast food. He visits the lab that re-creates the smell of strawberries; examines the safety records of abbatoirs; reveals why the fries taste so good and what lurks between the sesame buns – and shows how fast food is transforming not only our diets but our world.
When Corporations Ruled the World – David Korten. A thoughtful analysis of modern corporate power exposes the harmful effects of economic globalization with well-reasoned analysis. He sets out the underlying causes of today’s social, economic, environmental and political crises and outlines a strategy for creating localized economies that would empower communities within a system of global cooperation.
The Unsettling of America – Wendell Berry. A probing analysis of the way we use the land and the integral position of farming in culture at large. Berry’s suggestions for change are both radical and traditional.
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