How to Start Regenerative Agriculture, by Camilla Marcus, author of My Regenerative Kitchen

You may recognize chef Camilla Marcus for opening West~bourne, New York City’s first zero-waste restaurant, in 2018, but these days she considers herself less of a restaurateur (the space sadly closed during the pandemic) and more of an activist . As he writes in his new book, My regenerative kitchenHe spent his childhood writing letters to his representatives and senators, asking for environmental legislation. “A long time ago, someone interviewed me and asked me, ‘Well, are you sure you want to be called an activist?’ They considered it controversial,” Marcus said. “Activism simply means that you’re not sitting around waiting for something to change and doing nothing about it.”

In true Marcus style, her entire cookbook is a delightful call to action, whether you’re trying to incorporate plant-based meals into your weekly routine (she has a great soup for that) or for when you have company ( three words). : Martini washed with avocado oil). We talked to Marcus about prioritizing regeneratively grown produce and what to serve the vegan coming to Thanksgiving.

But first, Alice Waters wrote her introduction. Oh. How did that happen?

I was talking about my book with the CEO of Edible Schoolyard (by Alice Waters) and I knew I wanted it to have a come together section because when it comes to impact, coming together is the way to start a movement. But there’s nothing worse than thinking about all the waste of cookbook photo shoots. So I wanted to present something and then film it, and not the other way around. We had an edible schoolyard community dinner on a regenerative farm and used possible leftovers to prepare the meal. As a thank you, Alice offered to do the resending. She is one of my all-time heroes, one of the patron saints of the power of food to have a real impact on future generations.

Ok, but let’s back up and talk about the title. What exactly is regenerative agriculture?

A bird’s eye view: If you pick up a piece of dirt next to a tree in Manhattan on the side of the road, it will be chalky, light brown, dry, almost like standard dirt, right? I don’t think you really call it land; On the other hand, when you are going to plant a garden, you go to any type of garden store and open what they call soil, right? And you have it in your hands. It’s black. It has particles. Many times there are living organisms. It’s wet. It doesn’t slip through your fingers like sand. That’s the difference between traditional monocultures and regenerative agriculture, which pulls carbon from the atmosphere and creates that difference in soil health and nutrition.

How can you tell if your food is a product of regenerative agriculture?

One way is at the supermarket; It’s usually on the packaging. You can also contact farms directly that use these practices.

Could I practice regenerative agriculture in my backyard?

To do it in your own backyard, it is important that you don’t plant just one thing. You really need an ecosystem. And that is one of the biggest tenants: biodiversity. Plant different fruits and vegetables that feed each other nutrients into the soil. Also, plant in season as well. It’s about protecting the soil and not overproducing.

What happens if I don’t have a garden?

The goal is that you can do it anywhere. So even when you grow potted plants or herbs on the windowsill, you are still contributing to the movement.

The book is all plant-based recipes. Do you consider eating a plant-based diet a form of activism?

Enormously. It doesn’t mean you have to be vegan for every meal, every day of the week. I always tell people that when you have friends over, challenge yourself not to opt for what you normally cook. The goal of the gathering section and menus (in the book) is so that you can host and enjoy a completely plant-based meal that is incredibly delicious and without trying to be something it isn’t.

Speaking of which, I have a vegan coming to my traditional Midwestern (read: dairy- and meat-heavy) Thanksgiving. What should I serve so everyone can enjoy?

Kabocha pumpkin and curry soup. It’s so rich, so velvety and has a coconut base, but not sweet. It is perfect for this fall season that is upon us. I made it for a big dinner for 50 people and everyone couldn’t believe it didn’t have any dairy products in it.