In the blog <http://botanistinthekitchen.wordpress.com/>The Botanist in the Kitchen: where botany meets the cutting board Jeanne Osnas and Katherine Preston merge their interests in plant biology and cooking to explore food plants as plants as living organisms with their own evolutionary history and ecological interactions. The goal is three-fold: to share the fascinating biology of our food plants, to teach biology using edible, familiar examples, and to suggest delicious ways to bring the plants and their stories to the table. To judge by the questions the authors are often asked at dinner parties (What is an artichoke? Why is okra slimy?), some curious eaters genuinely want to know which plant part they are eating and how its identity affects the characteristics of the food. Jeanne and Katherine delve into such questions here while suggesting recipes and activities that highlight the botanical aspects of food. The answers often draw on many aspects of plant biology, including systematics, ecology, and morphology. Think of it as part botany lab, part home cooking show.
My class on science and the media enjoyed a visit
today from Jeanne Osnas, who told us about her
blog, which may be of interest to many ecologists:
