If you are here you probably already know this narrative: How, about 50 years ago, a confluence of women’s lib, the rise of food factories and masterful marketing of “convenience” killed our kitchens. Or, anyway, our necessary and personal relationships with them.
You probably are familiar with this other narrative too: The one where people realize that when we traded our kitchen bondage for a box of Hot Pockets and a roll of cookie dough, we got the shit end of the deal: We’ve accelerated the destruction of the environment, our health, our family farms and our economy. And all that time saved not cooking went to working more, watching the Food Network and getting fat.
We like that second narrative. And for us it is sort of the fundamental objective of the local foods movement: To give people the tools to look at the greater context of fake food and reclaim the agency (also happy bowels, happy farmers, happy soil, happier animals, etc) that is implicit in eating Real Food.
This is why we are really pleased to celebrate this community cookbook, which originated on a Boston-based message board, and is a shining example of that kind of attitude. Cook Food Every Day contributors are local artists, musicians, writers and home cooks and the book features their own recipes and their artwork. And all the proceeds are going to the Greater Boston Food Bank. (Get one for a suggested donations of $15-20.)
Take a look at their site and see what’s in the book. Also, consider going to PA’s Lounge in Somerville next Wednesday to meet the people involved, get a copy, eat a little and have a drink or three.