Hunting and Gathering

In the final chapters of The Omnivore's Dilemma, Pollan embarks upon a huntering and gathering expedition. His end goal is to prepare a meal for family and friends using only ingredients he hunted, killed, foraged, etc. himself. A noble, yet overwhelming undertaking, yes?

He cooks, not without a few mishaps, what he considers the perfect meal. Yes, he had to rely on the help and kindness of new friends and yes, this or that may have been over- (or under-) cooked. He does admit that this type of meal preparation is not practical in today's society. We cannot all go out and hunt game for dinner every evening and our gardens may not support us year-round. It is practical and convenient to go to the grocery store and do the shopping, not hike into the cold, blistery mountains looking for non-poisonous mushrooms. (Yet, the thought of a bunch of soccer moms driving their minivans into the woods to hunt and gather gives me a bit of a chuckle.)

His meal may not have been perfect, but the idea of it was. He wanted to feel a sense of accomplishment and pride in what he had done, and in the end, he did. On a more muted scale, I feel the same sense of pride when I try a new recipe and don't set off the smoke alarms. It may not be perfect, and it doesn't matter since I cook for one most nights, but there is an inherent sense of accomplishment when preparing something new and trying new cooking methods. The lumpy gravy or just-past golden brown crust of a homemade pizza taste perfect to my buds.