Put another shrimp on the barbie

Old cookbooks are a great way of documenting changes in taste, eating habits and diets, but I wonder if they’ve ever been used in a systematic way to track changes in biodiversity in a country’s landscape, or agricultural biodiversity — either at species or genetic level — on its farms. Such thoughts are prompted by news of an exhibition of historic Australian cookbooks, with their recipes for things like parrots and kangaroo brains. Beer is a crucial complement to much Aussie grub, of course, and I hope the hop procurement problems being encountered by the brewing industry in the US are not being experienced Down Under.

Nibbles: Maize, CWRs, CBD, Icelandic food, Coffee, Incense, Biodiversity Day, Medicinals, Farmers’ rights

Not just what you cook, but how you cook it

An article in the New York Times explains that different cooking methods change the nutritional value of different vegetables. There are some surprises there, which may be of interest to people aiming to get the maximum benefit from their veggies. Overall, though, I suspect those who can afford to decide whether to bake, boil or microwave are least likely to need their micronutrients, while those who have no choice also have the greatest need.