Have you ever wondered how food ends up on our table? Do you buy groceries in a supermarket or at a farmers’ market? Or maybe you grow tomatoes yourself or bring home a goose from a successful hunt? Or do you order a burger from the nearest fast-food restaurant? Every dish has its own story, and before it becomes an honored guest at our dinner, it has already lived through its own history.
Michael Pollan, a well-known American writer and publicist, studied three global ways people obtain food: the industrial food chain where corn plays the main role; large and local private farms; and also foraging and hunting. Each of these methods was examined in detail by the author. In addition, Michael himself prepared his meals according to the principles of each food chain. He didn’t just share the results of his “practical” work—he also explored the moral and ethical questions involved in people’s choices about what to eat.
Humans are omnivores, and what we choose to eat every day affects not only our health, but also our survival as a species—and the environment in which we live.