Reading about eating. whoahhhh.
Over the past year I’ve tried to read a book connected to a foodish subject every so often. Some were diet and detox books, some were factual about our current food situation in the world, some pro-vegetarian or pro- vegan. I read memoirs of a food critic, a middle-aged Le Cordon Bleu student, and a year at a small farm in central Illinois. I read a bit about the behind the scenes of restaurants and some chef’s talent for innovation for their meals. Since graduating into the real adult world I’ve missed education. Obviously, that doesn’t mean I miss homework and silly assignments meant to keep you busy. I’m not crazy. But I really missed learning. Enter the Chicago Public Library where I can choose my subject, hours and get free textbooks!
I loved reading “The Season’s of Henry’s Farm” about a family farm ( run by Henry of course) in Illinois. This book goes through one entire year and all the intricate knowledge, processes, early mornings, hot days and cold nights it takes to make a farm fruitful. Henry’s sister writes beautiful and cheeky descriptions of the hard work and seemingly innate knowledge that lies inside a farmer and the frustrations and joy that go along with the responsibility of growing food. What I love most about this book is its way of drawing you into intimate family situations and weaving it with the obvious love, dedication and pride they have for their livelihood. The stories are interspersed with family recipes and the inside jokes and stories that go along with each one.
This book can definitely be read at your leisure, maybe a chapter or two every so often. But once you finish, be sure to visit the Henry’s Farm stand at the Evanston Farmer’s Market and finally taste for yourself what you’ve probably been drooling over for a while.
The Happy Food Dance 