Tomatoland

There is so damn much we don't know about our food. Even when we're trying to pay attention, trying to be aware, there are just so many ways for things to go wrong. In the case of the tomato we have a gradual slide starting with good intentions in the 1950s and ending in a nightmarish system in which workers are poisoned and abused in ways we just can't truly fathom.

Estabrook covers a lot of material. Over half the book is dedicated to worker conditions but the rest covers tomato origins, the biology/chemistry of flavor, and conservation movements, all in a deeply personal style that draws you in. Beautiful writing, unfortunately offset by poor editing (occasional jarring flow changes; nonsensical Spanish words and phrases).

Surprisingly, Estabrook ends on a positive note: exciting accomplishments by organic and/or small-scale growers, new flavorful breeds, even promising developments in worker treatment by the big players. A welcome and much-appreciated reminder that the world can change for the better.