Organic: A New Way of Eating Book

Organic, by partners Sophie Grigson and William Black, is subtitled "A New Way of Eating". Although the health benefits of eating organic food are stressed--and the moral and guilt-free ones too--the one caveat with the recipes is that each can be prepared using "ordinary", non-organic food, and will probably taste as delicious, so that new way of eating may not materialise. Apart from some dedicated organic aficionados, it seems unlikely that every reader will take the time, effort and money to source all organic ingredients for each recipe. As Black acknowledges, consumers are often not keen "on paying more for an organic tomato", and although he alludes to local farmers' markets and the growth of organic food supplies in supermarkets, the issue of cheap and easily accessible organic food is not addressed satisfactorily. Indeed, though he advocates buying locally produced food wherever possible, he simultaneously asserts that supply of organic food "is really no longer a problem" because of supermarkets' adequate selection, despite that that selection (as he tells us) may have travelled a huge number of "food miles" from sunnier climes. Organic could also be subtitled "A New Way of Farming", as Black offers detail on how animals are reared and vegetables are cultivated through "conventional" and organic farming. This at least provides the consumer with often much-neglected information, in order to make informed choices about their food shopping, so that convenience is not always prioritised. However, the main reason that this book will be picked up will be for the recipes--Grigson's touch seems to dominate in these, though Black has contributed too. The variety of vegetarian main courses is welcome as are the delicious puddings--the course not always associated with organic goodness. When ingredients are not yet available organically in the UK they are labelled as such, retaining the theme of informed choice that dominates the book. Recipes range from the most English of English "Fish 'n' Chips" (with home-made chips from organic potatoes, of course), to "Cianfotta", a pepper, aubergine and potato stew from the Amalfi coast. Accompanying pictures are colourful and appetising, and it would be nice to think that only organic food was used on the photo shoot of the prepared dishes. An "Organic Cook's Compendium" offers information on what foods are available organically, and its comprehensiveness is encouraging for those who wish to go all the organic way, as is the variety of the recipes. Black and Grigson have made sure they've covered every type of meal or course a home chef might wish to make, so that no excuses can be made--there's even an "Odds and Ends" chapter covering jams and jellies, fudge, milkshakes and muesli. Organic can be off-putting for those who enjoy the convenience of variety all year round in supermarkets, but may well be inspirational for those sickened by current farming practices.--Olivia DickinsonRead More