The Seed Detective: Uncovering the Secret Histories of Remarkable Vegetables
Contributor(s): Alexander, Adam (Author) , Lang, Tim (Foreword by)
ISBN: 1915294088 EAN: 9781915294081
US SRP: $22.00 US
Binding: Paperback
Pub Date: September 29, 2022
Physical Info: 0.97" H x 9.08" L x 5.99" W (1.15 lbs) 320 pages
"Have you ever wondered how everyday staples such as peas, kale, asparagus, beans, squash and corn ended up on our plates? In The Seed Detective, seed guardian and award-winning film and television producer Adam Alexander tells of his far-flung seed-hunting adventures, revealing the surprising histories behind many of our everyday vegetables. How the common garden pea was domesticated over 8,500 years ago; that the first carrots originated in Afghanistan (and were actually purple or red in colour); how Eguptian priests considered it a crime to look at a fava bean and the the Romans were fanatical about asparagus. Through tales of globalisation, political intrigue, colonization and serendipity, Adam shows us the vital role vegetables have played in our food story -- and how they are the undeniable key to our future." -- from back cover.
Adam Alexander is a consummate storyteller thanks to forty years as an award-winning film and television producer, but his true passion is collecting rare, endangered but, above all, delicious vegetables from around the world. He lectures widely on his work discovering and conserving rare, endangered garden crops, is a board member of the national charity Garden Organic, and his knowledge and expertise on growing out vegetables for seed is highly valued by the Heritage Seed Library, for which he is a seed guardian. Adam shares seeds with other growers and gene banks in the USA, Canada and the EU, and he is currently growing out seed of heritage Syrian vegetables to be returned to the Middle East as part of a programme to revive traditional horticulture. He has appeared on Gardeners' World and the Great British Food Revival, CNN's Going Green and Radio New Zealand.
'A fascinating and original exploration of the horticultural heritage at our fingertips, and an inspiration to follow in at least some of Adam's footsteps. Informative, enlightening and entertaining but also important, The Seed Detective is an invitation to be inquisitive, to experiment, and to make our contribution to the plot-to-plate food movement we need to rejuvenate our relationship with food and the soil.'
Mark Diacono, author of Spice/a cook's companion
'True seeds always have stories, and stories are what make Alexander's book so enjoyable. Stories about grannies who bring their treasured family heirlooms to souks and seed shops all over the world; but also about con artists who improve varieties minimally or not at all, then change the names to invent novelty; and about modern plant breeders bringing a renewed appreciation for flavour into their work. At once explorer, treasure hunter, researcher and sleuth, Alexander brings a joy to his lifetime quest that is contagious.'
CR Lawn, founder, Fedco Seeds
