Plenty

As a mom with three kids I appreciate a book that multitasks.  Plenty by Alisa Smith and J.B. Mackinnon was one of those books.  On one hand it is a memoir of a year in the life of a couple, the chapters told alternately in a his point-of-view/her point-of-view style.  We are let in on their individual quirks and how they function as a couple.  Both authors are extremely good writers and their tangents fulfilled my need for a good story now and then including the history of Vancouver and personal histories of the authors themselves.  Plenty is also a bit of a travel guide for anyone hoping to visit British Columbia , not to mention a cookbook as a result of recipes thrown in for good measure.

Collectively, the book becomes a manifesto on how we could live better if we chose to do so.  The authors don’t sugar coat the process of the 100 mile diet.  While eating locally proves to be healthier and easier on their budget, the authors admit to spending more time cooking than ever before and feeling deprived of certain foods they love.  However, in the end, you understand that they have benefitted from their trials and have emerged at the end of the year better for their efforts.  After all, what adventure doesn’t require a bit of hard work?

I did have a few frustrations with the book, but they mostly came from the differences in lifestyles and locale.  The authors are vegetarian and therefore don’t have to deal with the meat-eating, gluten-free issues that confront my particular family.  Also, Mackinnon is the type of cook who can open a cupboard and throw  together a gourmet meal using only a toothpick, apple cider vinegar and rice.  I need a recipe, a picture, and usually someone available to ask questions.  Lastly, I found myself seriously wishing they were writing from Southeastern Minnesota instead of 1500 miles west!

Even with these difficulties, if you are anything like me, this book will entertain, educate and maybe even motivate you into trying something new....a completely local cupboard!