Farmbrarian

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The concept of terroir hasn’t been widely applied to American foods until now. In his newest book, James Beard Award-winning author Rowan Jacobsen discusses how climate, topography, soil and other factors shape the flavors of 12 different foods.

The French apply the concept of terroir most notably to wine varieties. Burgundy and Champagne for example are named after the regions in which they grow—and no others can be named so. The French recognize that place distinguishes taste, but the American landscape had been largely overlooked in this regard. We are known instead for mass produced, highly processed foodstuffs. In American Terroir: Savoring the Flavors of Our Woods, Waters, and Fields (2010), Jacobsen demonstrates that the Americas have a great number of foods that showcase our unique lands.

How do the oysters of Totten Bay in the Puget Sound get their unique flavor? How many varieties of honey do we produce in the United States? What edibles can you find while foraging wild forests? And how does terrain effect coffee bean production? All of these stories and more illustrate that place is very much intertwined with taste.

Anyone interested in the ideals of Slow Food will find this book captivating and will envy the hands-on research Jacobsen did to prepare his newest book.

Thanks to Bloomsbury for providing a review copy of this text upon request.

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Illinois is known for its vast fields of corn and soybeans. But nestled in the Mackinaw River Valley, somewhere in between the cities of Peoria and Bloomington, lays Henry’s Farm. The farm is small and diversified with more than 650 varieties of produce being grown each year on 10 acres of land—a stark contrast to the monocrops seen elsewhere throughout the state.

Henry’s sister Terra Brockman describes the rhythms of the farm in her book The Seasons on Henry’s Farm: A Year of Food and Life on a Sustainable Farm (2009). Among the many other food and farming memoirs, this book stands out.

Like the fine mixes of mesclun she describes, Brockman’s book is a beautiful blend. Accounts of planting, harvesting and growing are mixed with childhood memories, family history, and some simple recipes. E.B. White, Shakespeare, Robert Frost and others also appear throughout the text.

Although Henry’s Farm is organically managed, Brockman doesn’t demonize conventional agriculture. Instead she focuses on the inherent values of sustainable farming by discussing biology, ecology, and natural history.

Nominated for a 2010 James Beard Award, Brockman’s yearlong account is captivating. As you read, you’ll practically feel the sweat on your brow, smell the soil on your hands, and taste the produce on your tongue.

Thanks to Agate Publishing for providing a review copy upon request!