What We're Reading Now: April 23rd, 2017
As the weather turns, focusing on school work can be harder and harder. At the same time, the season has brought with it mountains of fresh vegetables and a rejuvenation of farm life here in the northeast. I am sharing articles about the latter with you (because it’s really exciting that vegetables have flavor again) and not so much the former (because at this point I’m incredibly bored by all my John Locke readings), here is a handful of the exciting articles from around the web that I’ve read over the past week.
Guide to Greens: Now that spring is here, there is hope of tasting fresh vegetable that are green and flavorful (not that I don’t love winter root veggies). Bon Appetite’s site helps navigate the new, vibrant world of spring produce. Offering a “cheat sheet for buying and eating every common green,” Jenn Louis and Kate Dwyer present key information and advice on how to use every green from your everyday bae (arugula) to the exotic sexy newcomers (purslane). Even if there is nothing groundbreaking about the content of the article, the presentation of the data is so lovely that it’s worth a read even if you do not really think you need the guide for practical purposes.
The Evolution of Chickens: before Lucky Peach closes shop (the indie food magazine plans to produce only two more issues), I suggest reading a few of their recent articles and revel in their joyfully indulgent food analysis. One recent story seeks to answer questions about the evolution of chickens, a pressing question for nearly anyone consuming meat or eggs. Exploring complicating factors in the progression of fowl from Darwinian theory to genetic modification, this article succinctly and eloquently renders the potentially mundane, but significant, question of "which came first, chicken or egg?," both exciting and accessible.
The Colorful History of Earth Day: This charming photo essay details 39 years of earth day celebration. Take a look back through time and appreciate how the environmental movement has evolved from its earliest days.