Monday, May 5, 2008

Endangered food

"But not Gary Paul Nabhan. He has spent most of the past four years compiling a list of endangered plants and animals that were once fairly commonplace in American kitchens but are now threatened, endangered or essentially extinct in the marketplace. He has set out to save them, which often involves urging people to eat them.

Mr. Nabhan’s list, 1,080 items and growing, forms the basis of his new book, an engaging journey through the nooks and crannies of American culinary history titled “Renewing America’s Food Traditions: Saving and Savoring the Continent’s Most Endangered Foods” (Chelsea Green Publishing, $35)."

Gary is of Lebanese descent, from the village of Kfarzabad in the West Bekaa. He will be visiting with us in mid-May. Amazing guy.

1 comment:

Leila Abu-Saba said...

I discovered his writings about 7 years ago and was enchanted. He was doing local food before it became a fad and a new word in the dictionary (locavore). He wrote a book about walking in the footsteps of Francis of Assissi that is somewhere on my shelf. I feel he is like a literary/spiritual/agricultural godfather to me, one I hope to meet one day. I'm so glad he is going to visit you. Insha'allah I will, too.