Page 57 - Fall2011

All Thumbs Book Reviews

entially used by the liver to produce energy in average person. As with his many other books, Dr. Bruce Fife has once
comparison to the more common long-chain again done us a great favor.
fatty acids. Review by Maria Atwood
Finally, and quite eloquently I might add, Dr.
Fife gives us a complete menu plan, charts, tasty EDITOR'S NOTE: Before our readers abandon crispy chicken skin or the
recipes and numerous other “how to” pointers in occasional barbecued steak, please visit Chris Masterjohn's blog on AGEs
order to start our journey into the world of pre- at http://blog.cholesterol-and-health.com/search/label/AGEs. The evidence
vention or reversal of many of our most dreaded indicates that AGEs in food are poorly absorbed and that a number of
illnesses. This is a wonderfully inspiring book factors in the WAPF diet offer robust protection: adequate protein, well-
that makes complicated disease processes and rounded intake of vitamins and minerals, raw foods, fruits and vegetables
chemical interactions comprehensible for the and avoidance of industrial vegetable oils.

(Making Supper Safe, continued from page 55.) behaviors of an ordinary farm kid, at least of my generation, and illustrate
into nocturnal dumpster diving with someone the kind of exposure to the natural world that helps confer health. Yet for a
who is a regular practitioner of the art. Hewitt truly stomach-turning experience, poke around the dumpster behind your
obviously enjoyed writing these chapters for their favorite restaurant and check out the ingredient list on the empty cooking
whiff of derring-do, but the risks involved in sift- oil containers. Now those are things you do not ever want to put in your
ing through toss-outs from retail food emporia mouth!
are not of the same order as those taken—albeit Some critics of Making Supper Safe have complained that Hewitt
without knowledge—by those who regularly merely frightens his readers without providing any solutions to the threats
purchase their food from supermarket chains or against food safety. These critics reject the fact that there will always be a
eat in restaurants. Shops often discard otherwise degree of risk involved in eating, just as there is risk involved when driving
sound food simply because an expiration date has your car. Hewitt has in fact hinted—rather than perhaps bring down scorn
been reached. In fact, Hewitt’s companion finds for trumpeting such an outlandish proposal—that the way to circumvent
pounds of discarded but perfectly ripe Brie that danger from the industrial feed trough is to avoid it altogether, however
he later serves to rave reviews (including those and whenever possible. Hewitt, in his early forties, married with two young
of his aged aunt) during a dinner party. Food in sons, lives in a solar-powered home he built himself. According to the book
these dumpsters—especially outside high-end jacket, he and his family live “on a diversified forty-acre farm in Vermont,
shops—is either retrievable—as long as it passes where they produce dairy, beef, pork, lamb, vegetables and berries.” That
your personal standards for quality, origin, covers about everything you need to eat well. Hewitt also mentioned that
organic, etc.—or is in a simple, frank state of often many months would pass before he or his family needed anything
putrefaction which causes you naturally to pass it from the local grocery store, and one might guess that what they needed
by. Food-borne organisms that can create serious was along the lines of vinegar, baking soda or kitchen matches, rather
harm, on the other hand, do not cause the food it- than food. If one cannot create the means to become as self-sufficient as
self to spoil, and so are ingested without obvious Hewitt has presciently done, then one can join the growing movement of
warning. Unfortunately, those who cringe at the consumers who connect directly with the producers of their food and enjoy
thought of dumpster diving might be equally put an open and trusting relationship with them. This puts the responsibility
off by the thought of pulling a radish or carrot out for providing safe food for one’s family back where it has always been all
of a clean, home garden, and, after a swipe across along: on the individual. The fostering of these traditional relationships
the pant leg, going straight into one’s mouth. Or restores dignity, satisfaction, good health and, yes, Bill Marler, morality
cracking and swallowing a still-warm egg taken in food production in America.
right from the hen’s nest. These are just ordinary Review by Katherine Czapp
Wise Traditions FALL 2011 FALL 2011 Wise Traditions 57

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