We have selected Animal, Vegetable, and Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver as our October selection for the CCHS Faculty/Student Book Club. This year's book club is an experiment in blending a book club for our faculty with a book club for interested students. While selections are geared more for adult tastes, students who are interested in mature readings and discussions are invited to attend.
Our first book club will meet on Thursday afternoon, October 25th, 2007 in the library at 3:20. Faculty, please bring a snack to share with the group--we'll just treat the students!
I am about midway through the book--it is Late June, and the Kingsolvers are on vacation. I have enjoyed her fiction books; this non-fiction one has really drawn me in. I think my next career will be as a nutritionist who focuses on natural foods and vitamins--this is one of my many passions. I actually used to cook more like this until we started splitting our time between here and the Eastern Shore. Jackie and I had a big garden in the backyard, and I used to have a lovely group of hens. Of course, getting my husband to garden organically was virtually impossible--the man loves chemicals. I still keep up a good amount of fresh herbs because you just can't beat them! Reading this book has spurred me to want to have a garden again, even if it is on a smaller scale. I am also taking notice of where my food is coming from. I also spent a summer making mozzarella cheese--it was fun, and I want to try the cheese making again! I couldn't do what the Kingsolver family did, but I can try to do what I can in the confines of our area.
Yesterday, I was very inspired, so I went down to a few local veggie markets. I found that Tarheel Produce, across from the Cotton Gin, has local honey produced down the county. I bought local fresh okra (the last he said for the season). I also found Rocky Hock watermelons at Janet Rose's veggie stand in Grandy, and a fine hoop cheese she bought at the farmer's market in Raleigh. (We are definately going to have to broaden our view of local as our farms are disappearing, or going to soybeans). I had put a roast and some red potatoes and carrots in ye ole Crock Pot yesterday morning, then went home and fried the okra. Yum! I had some apples that I picked from a neighbor on the shore--pesticide free--so I had to cut around a few bug spots, and I made a simple apple pie for dessert. I was so inspired that I thought I'd make bread--a total flop that was. I must admit that though I am a really good cook, I have never been able to master even simple yeast bread. I am giving it another try tonight--I refuse to be defeated by some yeast and some wheat flour!
The bread thing arose because I have been actively seeking to cut as much HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) from our diet as possible. It is an evil scourge that shows up in the weirdest places, like bread, and even mayonnaise. That is why I thought I'd make my own loaf bread--little did I know how wrong I was. I think it is Karma for hating every moment of my high school chemistry class---there is a lot of good old chemistry happening in bread that didn't happen in mine. Back to the drawing board on that tonight!
Interested in trying cheesemaking yourself? Go to New England Cheesemaking Supply!
I hope you are all enjoying this book as much as I am!
