Favorite "Garden" Gift

I have written in the past about favorite garden gifts. Well, this doesn't really qualify as a garden gift, but....My dear friends know that my interest in gardening is partly due to an intense interest in food. I started cooking as a teen and have not stopped. My mom was always willing to let us try new fruits and produce- this was in the 70's when some "exotic" fruits were beginning to hit markets in the Northeast. I remember my first kiwi and carambola (star fruit). But more importantly, I remember the revelation of a home-grown tomato when I was a small child. It is a cliche to say it, but this was a near-spiritual experience that set me "going down the garden path" for life. Even back then, I was a foodie.

A dear friend has given me this 1934 Metropolitan Life booklet on nutrition. This was during the Great Depression, so it has some helpful advice on purchasing food. But what is so interesting is the different philosophy and food advice from today. though I can see the threads of current-day "nutritionism" as per the food writer Michael Pollan (the misguided focus on individual nutrients versus whole foods and a balanced diet). The book was written prior to the obesity epidemic of the last 20 years, and emphasizes getting adequate intake, not tips on reducing intake. The most amusing recommendation in the booklet is that everyone should take between 2 to 4 teaspoons of cod liver oil per day! Ugh! 1934 nutrition supplement advice!

That's all for now...happy gardening!