Eat it to Save it: An Interview with Gary Nabhan

By Paula McIntyre
Published: up north foodies/October 2008

From roasted tomato hornworm larvae, to pit-roasted cactus flowers, Gary Paul Nabhan has sampled his share of foods unfamiliar to most of us in northern Michigan.

A renowned ethnobiologist, conservationist, MacArthur “genius grant” recipient and author, Nabhan has traveled the globe, searching out the stories and tastes of many a region’s traditional foods. But his efforts aren’t about saving these foods for the museum shelves; instead, he aims to get these foods back on our plates to savor and enjoy. “Eat it to save it” sums up the approach.

And now his wanderings and his research bring him to northern Michigan, where he’ll meet with local farmers, chefs, and others to identify foods in need of recovery and to offer assistance to those who wish to return these foods to the table.

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