Omnivore's Dilemma chp. 15, 18, 19 & 20

From mushroom gathering to pig hunting, I found chapters 15, 18, 19 and 20 of The Omnivore’s Dilemma to be genuinely intriguing. I loved Pollan’s concept of preparing an entire meal without spending even one dollar. All of the food was to be hunted or gathered, allowing Pollan to know exactly where it came from and see what it truly means to create a meal that is undoubtedly 100% pure and natural. My grandpa being an avid mushroom gatherer, I found I could easily relate to Pollan’s mushroom hunting experience. Like Pollan’s mushroom expert friends, my grandpa does not let anyone in on his secret mushroom “hot spots.” Mushroom hunting is serious business to those who regularly pursue it. But when my grandpa prepared his meticulously gathered mushrooms as a side dish for my family this past thanksgiving, I found out, just like Pollan, that nothing tastes better than something that goes straight from the earth to the table, no costs or unknown ingredients or chemicals, just time.
I do not believe there could have been a better ending to The Omnivore’s Dilemma. After reading about Pollan’s self-prepared feast consisting of hunted pig, gathered mushrooms, bread from yeast captured straight from the air, and dessert made from fresh-picked cherries, it really made me ponder about the food that comes from grocery stores. We really don’t know what lingers amongst all the processed food and meat slaughtered from behind closed walls. By preparing an entire meal purely through natural means, it feels good to know exactly where everything came from. As Pollan showed throughout his entire process of hunting, gathering, and final meal preparation, eating truly is a ritual.