The presentation about the greening of the Sahel was indeed an inspiration… a reminder of what we humans can achieve with enough good will and cooperation.
Theodore Kabore was/is such an inspiration, Naomi - were't we lucky that he was there throughout the Oxford Food Symposium. For anyone who wasn't there in person or on-line, there's a a brilliant conversation between Carolyn Steel and Prof Kabore at the Symposium on Dan Saladino's BBC Radio 4's Food Programme.
Lovely, Naomi! I like the calm, unhurried, unanxious (surely there's a better word?) pace with which you tackle these kitchen tasks. And you're so right about stress--for olives, for vines, but for humans, alas, a little stress goes a long way. I try not to stress about jam-making or gathering in the harvest. I think by now I've earned the right to say: it's here now, I'll enjoy it, I'll remember it in January even if I don't have a jar of strawberry jam for my breakfast toast.
'dry' herbs definitely have more flavour: basil leaves should have deep creases and be slightly tough unlike those bought from supermarkets or greengrocers; sage needs hardly any water except in the harshest of conditions, ditto thyme and other woody herbs. the differences in taste are extreme.
Very nice thoughts about having to make your own roots, all the better in tough soil. Lovely piece. :-)
Thanks so much Laura!
The presentation about the greening of the Sahel was indeed an inspiration… a reminder of what we humans can achieve with enough good will and cooperation.
Theodore Kabore was/is such an inspiration, Naomi - were't we lucky that he was there throughout the Oxford Food Symposium. For anyone who wasn't there in person or on-line, there's a a brilliant conversation between Carolyn Steel and Prof Kabore at the Symposium on Dan Saladino's BBC Radio 4's Food Programme.
Lovely, Naomi! I like the calm, unhurried, unanxious (surely there's a better word?) pace with which you tackle these kitchen tasks. And you're so right about stress--for olives, for vines, but for humans, alas, a little stress goes a long way. I try not to stress about jam-making or gathering in the harvest. I think by now I've earned the right to say: it's here now, I'll enjoy it, I'll remember it in January even if I don't have a jar of strawberry jam for my breakfast toast.
'dry' herbs definitely have more flavour: basil leaves should have deep creases and be slightly tough unlike those bought from supermarkets or greengrocers; sage needs hardly any water except in the harshest of conditions, ditto thyme and other woody herbs. the differences in taste are extreme.