Bitter Harvest: A Chef's Perspective on the Hidden Danger in the Foods We Eat and What You Can Do About It

by Ann Cooper, Lisa M. Holmes

The history of food is not as straightforward as it may seem. Food isn't just food. It is ritual, tradition and memory. So begins Ann Cooper's groundbreaking new book on the history of sustenance. Cooper, a renowned chef and graduate of New York's famed Culinary Institute of America, expertly guides us from the roots of agriculture in North America through the profound changes initiated by the Industrial Revolution, all the way up to the present day, offering analyses of recent controversies such as Europe's campaign against Frankenstein food and the genetic engineering of plants and animals in the United States. Throughout, Cooper takes both a macro and micro approach, examining the effect politics, technology, war, international trade and agribusiness have had on the world's food supply, as well as the changing social patterns which have made a family meal at the table almost a relic of the past. Did you know? · 80% of chicken has salmonella. · By the year 2010, 95 percent of items bought at the grocery store may be consumed within 20 minutes of getting them home. · Cancer researchers believe that over one third of all future cancers will be diet-related -- roughly the same proportion now attributable to smoking. Passionate, political, informed and engaging, Bitter Harvest is filled with fascinating facts and anecdotes. Cooper offers a comprehensive analysis of the issue of sustainability, arguing persuasively why we must begin to change everything from the way food is shipped to the basic components of our diets. Touching on virtually every aspect of the food culture, Bitter Harvest is a vibrant example of the emergence of the chef as a political voice to be reckoned with. A food manifesto for the new millennium, it is a must-read for anyone concerned with health, nutrition and the future of our planet. You will never look at your dinner plate in quite the same way again.

290 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[A.M.]

General thoughts/feelings on this book are ambivalent.

On the plus side, it's densely packed with information and obviously well researched. What's remarkable is that, in the 10 years since it was written, very little has changed in regards to how our food is produced, bought, and sold--and how those processes are regulated. So, despite the age, after reading this book I felt better informed and more knowledgeable about these issues. I more clearly understood the problems with genetic engineering than before, as well as gaps in regulation of agriculture and the problems with our current model of farmers reliant of monocultures and government subsidies for survival.

On the minus side, "Bitter Harvest" is poorly organized in terms of writing. Say what you will about Michael Pollan, but the guy thinks like a writer and can organize lots of research into a concise, compelling argument. While Cooper (and her co-author) offers a fascinating panorama of a flawed system in need of repair, she packs her chapters with perhaps too much information, too many anecdotes. Too muddled, not enough building enough towards a concise point.

Nonetheless, it's a decent book and definitely worth reading by those interested in these issues.

[Meaghan Dawson]

This is for a weird-o foodie like me; it's an exploration of the mega food industry and the havoc it has brought about on the American diet. I was already a huge advocate for buying local and sustainable and organic, but this book really solidified my stance. At times it left me a little hopeless, feeling like nothing I do could really help the enviornment, the situation or my own options but it does really open your eyes to the importance of thinking about what you are putting in your system.