A review by margaret21
Eating to Extinction: The World's Rarest Foods and Why We Need to Save Them by Dan Saladino

5.0

An ambitious, immersive and important book. Saladino has made a tour of the world's vanishing foods - its animals, vegetables, crops, and shown us why it matters so much that retaining diversity in the food chain matters so much. Disease can rampage through a single variety at horrifying speed, and if that variety is all we have, the consequences are obvious. Too many of our foodstuffs are in too few hands. The cultures that are injected into our cheeses worldwide to make them what they are are in the hands of some 5 suppliers. The cattle we breed are - worldwide - largely a single breed. Seeds worldwide are in the hands of just four corporations So many of the foods we rely on were once developed in response to local conditions - the soil and the climate. Now, most foods are grown as a a one-size-fits-all. Whereas foodstuffs used to be so different and varied from one country and region to the next, now the entire world derives 50 % of its calorie-intake from just three foods: wheat, corn and rice. Saladino shows us that besides this being so dangerous - an epidemic could wipe away a foodstuff completely, it's also impoverishing our diets, and the rich variety of local foods. He discusses globalisation, the crippling effects of war.
This engaging and readable books takes us with Dan Saladino as he visits hunter-gatherers in Tanzania, Bere barley growers in Orkney, German lentil growers, apple growers in Kazakhstan .... and so many more. Each adventure was full of interest, and left me with a desire to try the foods and drink he sampled. It also left me with a determination to do what I can to support the remaining foods being saved by passionate and committed producers. The most important book I'll read this year.