Page 74 - Spring2009

All Thumbs Book Reviews

The food are the ones who empowered these companies goes a long way towards both simplifying and
system needs, and governments with our money in the first improving the others.
Patel also points out that the food system
place. We are Wal-Mart. Thus, one audience
of all things, that may especially benefit from Patel’s work is needs, of all things, fattening up at the waist-
fattening up at more conservative churches that have a hard time line, at the point where those who raise food
the waistline, understanding the connection between catchy and those who eat it should meet face to face
phrases such as “buy local” and “fair trade” and (more grass-fed raw butter for all, including the
at the point biblical instructions to love our neighbors as corporate elites!). The best way for this to hap-
where those ourselves. Patel makes these connections crystal pen is for consumers to connect as directly with
who grow and clear. farmers and food production as possible, and for
governments to enable (or at the very least stop
raise food and OPPORTUNITY AND RESPONSIBILITY disabling and stop those who seek to disable) this
those who use While Patel’s book is often grim, there are basic freedom.

and consume glimmers of hope appearing around the globe, Patel’s work deserves two thumbs up. It
from the Landless Rural Workers Movement in merits the first thumb because no review could
it should meet Brazil to America’s growing farmers’ markets begin to do justice to the book’s quality and
face to face. and CSAs, models that Patel sets forth for others breadth—the import of his work is accessible to
to emulate. One of the best facets of the whole the average reader yet full of detailed information
book are his recommendations—he gives few, useful for citizen activists. The second thumb
focusing primarily on what people choose to salutes Patel’s personal experience, involve-
eat, along with who and where it comes from ment, and participation in these issues which are
and how it is raised. Such recommendations are evident throughout the work. He writes as both
sound, since rightly addressing the first concern asgifted researcher and as a committed activist,
encouraging each of us towards the same.
Review by John Moody

CHANGE OF HEART
By Kay Baxter and Bob Corker

This lovely spiral bound cookbook puts traditional diet principles together for New Zealanders. An Introduction that
discusses Weston A. Price, healthy fats and oils, modern versus traditional agriculture, raw versus pasteurized milk, fermented
foods, proper preparation of seed foods, healthy stocks, soy dangers and vegetarianism is followed by a compendium of
recipes that emphasizes traditional foods from down under. A section on traditional Maori vegetables discusses various
types of potatoes native to the islands. Kiwis (and non-Kiwis) will enjoy the recipes for boiled kahawai fish heads, kumara
hash browns, mussel chowder, puha greens with butter or mutton bird fat, corn and kamokamo bake, karengo (seaweed)
kahawai steaks, smoked kahawai roe salad, whitebait fritters, mutton bird with karengo, and paua (abalone) fritters. Brit-
ish favorites are also well represented with roast hogget (year-old lamb), beef in stout, brawn (pig head cheese), Kiwi boil
up, steak and kidney pie, venison stew and pickled pork. There are lots of wonderful fruit crumbles and ice creams too.
All fats used are good fats like butter, lard and tallow. A final treat is the section on meat and fish preservation, including
bottled kahawai, home cured bacon, salami, corned beef, biltong, smoked fish and dried shark fins and stingray wings.
Change of Heart is a great addition to our ongoing reconnection with traditional foodways. Available from Eutopia
Press (61-9-4312-178 or info@e-press.co.nz.) Review by Sally Fallon Morell
72 Wise Traditions SPRING 2009