We have a growing hunger to know where our food comes from. In our increasingly corporate world, we are looking to get back in touch with our roots to the land. American Artisanal feeds this hunger as no book has before. The book celebrates eighteen of America's leading food artisans-from Wood Prairie Farms potatoes in Maine to L. L. Lanier Honey in Florida, from Reed's Ginger Brew in California to Earthy Delights mushrooms in Michigan. These are folks who are returning to the basics of sustainable, small-scale, or just plain high quality production. Food is a second career for many of these producers, who decided to drop out of the office rat race and pursue their real passion, literally in the field. In their inspirational stories we also can see the emergence of a true national cuisine. Also, woven throughout each chapter is the engaging history behind our foods-their natural origins and long journeys to cultivation. Recipes and ordering information are provided so you can enjoy these culinary delights at home.
I'm a long-time home bread baker, so I'll focus on Rebecca Gray's chapter on the Clear Flour Bakery. She gets it. Anybody who tries to bake bread at home knows the mystery and wonder and craziness of bread baking. What will it taste like when you break open a loaf? You never know. In portraying Christy Timon and Abe Faber, Gray captures the driven, ecstatic, and obsessive qualities true artisans possess and all of us who bake at home embody at least a little. Reading Gray reminds you of being a kid reading about your sports heroes. She inspires you, through the stories of these dedicated greats, to try a little harder, enjoy a little more. A fine book and not just for bread alone.
Great Read Even for Non-Foodies
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 16 years ago
I don't usually read food books, but was given this as a present. It was like reading a travel guide to America with food at every stop. Put it on your bedside table and read a chapter whenever you feel like dipping into a world of passionate growers, bakers and purveyors. It's an utterly enjoyable way to educate yourself about what we're eating and who makes it best.
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