Back to basics

The world of food has officially made it to rock star status the world over and I think that it’s pretty damn wonderful.

Think about it, cookbooks just 1 generation ago are literally vintage masterpieces with green jelly and chicken moulds on frilly doilies taking centre stage.

Now we have more shiny magazines and beautifully photographed books about food than any other lifestyle subject. Publishers say that cookbooks are their best sellers. Wow… who would have thought?

Chefs are recognised on the streets and going out to eat is a past time that people travel to other countries for. Food bloggers are famous and movies have been made about their lives.

Tv shows about food and cooking have their own channels and social media platforms burst with glorious pictures by foodies the world over.

Even eating out can be a multi-sensory food experience with light, sound and a bit of magic (my newest avenue of creativity).  It’s ridiculous and I love it.

But what I’ve noticed world wide on all these different platforms is that there is a very clear trend that speaks to the ol’ chestnut of, ‘going back to basics’.

People love to know where their meat is coming from, what the cows ate and how they were killed. Coffee has to be Fairtrade to be drunk at all and cocoa is eaten in its raw form.

Organic is huge and markets are frequented weekly by young and old, willing to pay that little bit extra for fresh fruit and veg, artisanal fare, a lekker kuier and a chance to Tweet or Instagram their favourite market find.

People have chickens (oh yes I do), are growing their own veggies at home and urban farming is a term that people know about and chat about around a dinner table.

Provenance is key and it makes life seem a bit more real don’t you think? Like we’re not all stuck in a great big supermarket with strip lighting and perfectly round, unblemished tomatoes.

I like feeling the soil on my sweet potato and washing it off, it makes me feel closer to it. How about you?