So Much Dilemma!

Again in this segment we see so much of Pollan’s humanness as he fully explores “The Omnivores Dilemma”, literally. He approaches the challenge of foraging his own food with such relatability, acknowledging the craziness of this attempt and process of living out what we see now as a “form of play”. But nonetheless, he prevails with such charm, his descriptions give the ideas of hunting and gathering such a good energy, and enstill in them a meditative and enlightening process that is appealing to the reader.

Pollan’s memory of “The Perfect Meal” is heart warming, and reminiscent of other circumstances of cooking where the labor put in reaps the warmth and pleasure of the experience. But for Pollan it means more- it means seeing the meal through from start to finish.

Pollan’s experience not only in the process of shaping and procuring his meal, but also in the process of serving the meal presents an additional Omnivore’s Dilemma around the food we choose to eat each day: that of the long-steamed effort and thought and diligence to make the meal perfect, to cook and to procure. His measurement of “worth” in this meal is idealistic. Of course his foraged meal would not be possible for every dinnertime in the midst of the real world, but what if it had to be? So much of this section for me was reminiscent of Little House on the Prairie, or other older tales where mealtime was dependent on Pa’s success hunting.

This is one of the strongest dilemma’s of modern day life, where procuring food does not have to be a priority because food has become about efficiency and convenience. To what extent do we prioritize our food? As the most basic element of our lives, food deserves this central focus. But this seems ridiculous to think about how much reprioritizing we would have to do to put so much focus on our food. Reading about Pollan’s recipe dilemmas, meticulous schedule for the day of the meal, and worries over insignificant elements of the experience such as a group dynamic reminded me of the meal that I cooked for my housemates for our personal essay assignment where I felt many similarities in our meal process. I faced many of the same situations- my entire week and much of my emotional energy was consumed by the meal.

Even though I would not attempt this every day, and I’m sure Pollan wouldn’t either, there is something magical about the Pollan’s words that “all the words, and memories and stories in which the meal had marinated gave it much of its savor” (408). In this sense food and our experience with food transports us in the idea that it brings us along, food holds stagnant in time all of the bits and pieces of the journey. In this sense, food holds large worth and significance.