Rethinking Food from the Ground Up!
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, we have lost at least 75 percent of plant genetic diversity since the 1900’s.
Large scale, industrialized agriculture has pressured farmers to stop growing the plants they have passed down for generations, leaving these pieces of our past behind, maybe forever. Many of the foods our ancestors ate simply aren’t a good fit for commercial growing, harvesting, and shipping.
My mission is to shine a spotlight on plants that provide us with nutrients, colors, textures and flavors that can’t be found anywhere else.
Whether you get inspired to pick up a shovel and grow a garden, or take a hike to look for wild foods, or go to a local farmers market to support your local farmers, I hope what you find here helps to open your eyes to the vast culinary diversity that lies waiting to be discovered.
With a name just as pretty as its flowers, this hibiscus relative produces sweet-tart “fruit” that taste like cranberries! Delicious in sauces, syrups & drinks, easy to grow and, unlike true cranberries, no bog required! Know it: If you’re plant savvy, you may notice that …
Imagine a tree that produces delicious greens with two or three times the nutritional content of most leafy vegetables, that comes back year after year, and not only that, thrives on neglect! This plant was a staple food source eaten by the Maya people thousands …
This little known tree is a superfood on steroids! Fast growing and highly nutritious, this incredible plant has the potential to banish malnutrition abroad and bolster food security at home. And yet, I bet you’ve never heard of it. The plant I’m talking about is …
Ever seen this weird looking veggie in an Italian market or grocery store? No, it’s not just baby broccoli –in fact, it’s a different species entirely! This weird little broccoli look-alike has a slightly bitter, nutty taste that can be used in so many ways! …
Look out Pumpkin Spice! Sweet Potatoes are here to steal the show this holiday season. Know it: Sweet potatoes are a native of South America, where they’ve been cultivated for around 3000 years, maybe even longer. But this plant was destined to make its way …
It’s a good thing Popeye didn’t live in Texas. Spinach was brought over from cool European climates, so it’s not a fan of Texas summer’s blistering heat and parching drought. Our soaring temperatures do a good job of incinerating any hopes of a summertime spanikopita. …
Have you ever tried eating a cactus? Sounds like you might end up with a mouthful of spines, doesn’t it? But people from cultures all around the world eat cacti, and you should give this drought tolerant edible a chance too! Know it: Cacti are …
Everybody likes to be in-the-know about fresh, local, and healthy ingredients. But how many people know about this underappreciated fruit, one that might be growing right outside your doorstep? Know it The tree that I’m talking about is called the loquat in English and nispero …