Girl Hunter: Book Review and Giveaway

In her latest book, Girl Hunter: Revolutionizing the Way We Eat, One Hunt at a Time, Georgia Pellegrini takes her passion for good food to its original source: the great outdoors.  Looking for a solution to the contamination and unethical practices of our industrial food system, Georgia found her way back to the age old practices of hunting and gathering.   Girl Hunter is a delightful collection of her her experiences learning the ropes among veteran hunters around the country and across the ocean, combined with uniquely delicious recipes.

I opened this book with curiosity but quickly found myself turning pages in excitement.  Though Girl Hunter is both a cookbook and a fascinating foray into the food revolution, it is most of all an adventure of great proportions.   I reverted to nail biting as I accompanied Georgia into middle-of-no-where Wyoming with a creepy poacher clearly up to no good.  And I howled aloud with her male companions in Mississippi flood country when Georgia surprised them all by taking out the largest wild hog in the bunch.  Oh Georgia, you've got chutzpah by the pound!

Get the Recipe for: Braised Venison Shoulder

Hunting isn't for everyone, Georgia admits, and the book is about so much more than guns and wild animals. Still, I couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to join her and the guys on one of those early morning treks into the wilderness with guns in hand.  It got me thinking about where my food comes from, what it means to eat ethically, and how I can take steps back to the source, back to nature.   I feel inspired by the conversation that Girl Hunter is sparking.

I also wondered, just a little, if I could do it.  Am I brave enough to go after the meat I eat on my own?  I don't know.  But I took a baby step and asked my dad to teach me how to use a gun - a little target practice.    I'm not sure I am quite ready to sign up for the next turkey hunt . . . but I'm thinking about it.  In fact, I'm working on a little something right now:

Dear Georgia,

You inspire me.  Thank you for writing a food adventure that could change the world.  It has changed my world a little bit already.  If you're ever on a hunt in New Mexico, can I tag along?  A little foraging, a little quail hunting, maybe some javelina along the Rio Grande?  That sounds so much better than the freezer section of the grocery store.

Yours Truly,

Allison

Giveaway
You can join the adventure too!  I'm giving away TWO COPIES OF GIRL HUNTER. To enter to win a copy, please leave a comment on this post and tell me:

What is the most unique food you have ever tried?

The giveaway is open to anyone with a US mailing address.  The giveaway will close on Wednesday May 9, 2012 at 5pm MST.  The winners will be chosen via random.org and contacted via email.

Find more of Georgia Pellegrini on her blog, which is as delightful as the book!

And the Winners Are (chosen by random.org): 


Natalie C., who regularly makes and drinks Kombucha!

and

Gail whose most unique food tasting involved Octopus!

Thank you to everyone who participated - it's a great book and I hope you get a copy to enjoy!  I had a lot of fun reading about all the unique foods you have tried - I would definitely try a green bean smoothie, but I'm not sure about shark stomach!  I will contact the winners via email.