On Nov. 1, author and responsible-eating advocate Michael Pollan will appear in conversation with the American-Statesman’s Addie Broyles at the Paramount Theatre. The ins and outs of agri-business, of U.S. food policy, of backyard chickens and of raw milk are likely to come up.
In advance of the event, we asked Pollan whether it’s ever hard to eat and shop in public with the pressure of foodie celebrity. What if Michael Pollan, author of “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” and “In Defense of Food” (which famously suggests “Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”), just wants to chow down on junk food or fast food?
He told a story about shopping for breakfast cereal at the Berkeley Bowl, a Bay Area supermarket. His son was allowed one bowl of sugary cereal a week, so Pollan grabbed a box of Fruity Pebbles. Not exactly healthy eating. No sooner had he put it in his cart than a bearded graduate student tapped him on the shoulder.
“He said: ‘I’m watching Michael Pollan shop for groceries, and he’s buying a box of Fruity Pebbles,’” recounted Pollan. “I was busted.”
But, he said, “purists of all kinds are dangerous. There’s my diet and my family’s diet. When you have kids, sugar management is a big part of child rearing.”
As for McDonald’s: “I’m not tempted in the least – I know too much about the way their food is produced. Do I make hamburgers and French fries? Yes, of course: I love a good burger. It’s a great American food.”
Pollan, also the author of "Food Rules" and "The Botany of Desire," will appear at 8 p.m. Nov. 1 at the Paramount. Tickets are available at (512) 474-1221 and online.
