Mendel In The Kitchen

While European restaurants race to footnote menus, reassuring concerned gourmands that no genetically modified ingredients were used in the preparation of their food, starving populations around the world eagerly await the next harvest of scientifically improved crops. Mendel in the Kitchen provides a clear and balanced picture of this tangled, tricky (and very timely) topic. Any farmer you talk to could tell you that we've been playing with the genetic makeup of our food for millennia, carefully coaxing nature to do our bidding. The practice officially dates back to Gregor Mendel-who was not a renowned scientist, but a 19th century Augustinian monk. Mendel spent many hours toiling in his garden, testing and cultivating more than 28,000 pea plants, selectively determining very specific characteristics of the peas that were produced, ultimately giving birth to the idea of heredity-and the now very common practice of artificially modifying our food. But as science takes the helm, steering common field practices into the laboratory, the world is now keenly aware of how adept we have become at tinkering with nature-which in turn has produced a variety of questions. Are genetically modified foods really safe? Will the foods ultimately make us sick, perhaps in ways we can't even imagine? Isn't it genuinely dangerous to change the nature of nature itself? Nina Fedoroff, a leading geneticist and recognized expert in biotechnology, answers these questions, and more. Addressing the fear and mistrust that is rapidly spreading, Federoff and her co-author, science writer Nancy Brown, weave a narrative rich in history, technology, and science to dispel myths and misunderstandings. In the end, Fedoroff arues, plant biotechnology can help us to become better stewards of the earth while permitting us to feed ourselves and generations of children to come. Indeed, this new approach to agriculture holds the promise of being the most environmentally conservative way to increase our food supply.

From the sun-drenched Spanish countryside to the seaside villages to the bustling city tapas bars, one thing unites all of Spain: its varied and satisfying food. Spanish cuisine has fluorished for centuries, inspired by luscious fruits and vegetables, fresh seafood and game, artisanal cheeses, cured meats, and renowned local wines. My Kitchen in Spain celebrates the rich flavors and regional traditions of Spanish cooking. Selected by Food and Wine Magazine as one of the top ten cookbooks of 2002. Experience the authentic flavors of Spain with favorites both classic and contemporary Author has made her home in Spain for over 30 years.

Complete information about Spain's Regional Specialities and culinary history complete with a Spanish/English glossary with 500 terms

We suffer today from food anxiety, bombarded as we are with confusing messages about how to eat an ethical diet. Should we eat locally? Is organic really better for the environment? Can genetically modified foods be good for you? JUST FOOD does for fresh food what Fast Food Nation (Houghton Mifflin, 2001) did for fast food, challenging conventional views, and cutting through layers of myth and misinformation. For instance, an imported tomato is more energy-efficient than a local greenhouse-grown tomato. And farm-raised freshwater fish may soon be the most sustainable source of protein. Informative and surprising, JUST FOOD tells us how to decide what to eat, and how our choices can help save the planet and feed the world.

Regarded as the world's first geneticist, Gregor Mendel overcame poverty and obscurity to discover one of the fundamental aspects of genetic science: animals, plants, and people all inherit and pass down traits following the same rules.

Now available in paperback, Janet Mendel's classic work includes 270 recipes for traditional Spanish dishes from Andalusian red garlic fish soup to Catalan chicken, Asturias stuffed sardines and Galician fish stew to Castilian roast baby lamb and shepherds' stew from La Mancha. Her inspired introductions set the food in the context of a land situated on the crossroads of civilizations, and where the food is a true melting pot of many cultures.

Primary and secondary source documents discuss the evolution of genetically modified crops, their impact on society, and the laws that govern their use and sale.