Eat the Earth

Over on Edible Geography, Nicola Twilley takes a look at the under-appreciated art of geophagy: eating soil. There is apparently a whole subculture around the practice, Twilley writes, in one case coming complete with "tasting notes for soil, which draw heavily on the vocabulary of wine appreciation."

At one such earthen event, participants are actually served "two or three wine glasses, each filled with soil from a different organic farm"—and these samplings of different geographies do matter. "In other words, if the earth on which your farm sits has 'grassy,' 'olive,' or 'smoky' notes, those flavours will recur in the organic spinach or goat’s milk cheese you produce. Smelling the soil first simply helps you become aware of the continuity."

I don't see myself sprinkling farm-fresh soil on my salads any time soon, I'm afraid, but check out the rest of the post over at Edible Geography.