We face an uncertain future. From automation forcing mass unemployment to global ecological breakdown, the future of ‘modern’ human society has never been so demonstrably uncertain. In this blog I will argue that the solution to that is not simply about power politics, or technology – it’s entirely related to our relationship to food, and how that directly connects us as living animals to the world around us.
‘An Anarchist's Cookbook’ has been setup as part of a new project for 2021, with the aim of bringing ‘primitivist’ thinking to the ecological debate in Britain – and directly questioning the viability of the ‘green consumerism’ paradigm advanced by mainstream environmentalism since the 1990s.
It seeks to provides a different framework to discuss ecological issues, outside the frame of ‘consumerism’, as a means to address the excesses of Western consumption.
While this blog concentrates on everyday lifestyle, it partners with another new blog to look at the practical means for change: ‘Long Walks & Anarco-Primitivism’ – which looks at learning simple living skills outdoors, as practically as possible, so that you may carry out these ideas more easily indoors.
Is there a message here? Well, yes: ‘If you have freedom in how and what you eat, then everything else in your daily life becomes negotiable because the most essential part of life has been taken care of.’
‘An Anarchist’s Cookbook’, Part 4, New Harvest Moon 2021:
‘The Autumn Raspberry Harvest’
Preserving food is not just 'cooking'; preserving food requires that you think about the future. Hence why growing and preserving food can be a window into planning a new future.
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An audio podcast of this post is available on the page.
‘An Anarchist’s Cookbook’, Part 3, Sap Moon 2021:
‘The Anti-Consumerist DIY (vegan) Chocolate Cake’
An imminent birthday means I need a cake for the obligatory celebration. Do I: (a) Buy; or, (b) Bake – a cake? For me, though, there is no choice!
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The ‘Meta-Blog’, no.13, 25th March 2021:
Why is there no ‘right to food’, or to grow food in Britain?
A little cross-post from ‘The Meta-Blog’…
Covid has exposed Britain’s endemic poverty, and the chaotic state of poverty-relief systems; is a possible solution, ‘food sovereignty’, being deliberately ignored?
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‘An Anarchist’s Cookbook’, Part 2, Imbolic 2021:
‘Lembas Scones, my ideal (vegan) wayfaring snack’
In this video I show how to make a cheap and simple snack food that’s ideal for keeping well fed when travelling or working: “Lembas Scones”.
As I show, “Do-It-Yourself” is a far better option to help you live a simple, cheap and low impact lifestyle.
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‘An Anarchist’s Cookbook’, Part 1, Imbolic 2021:
My Stone Age Food Processor –
making meal with ancient simplicity
What are the most important tools in your kitchen? My most important ‘tool’ is a pestle and mortar.
In this post and accompanying video: I focus a little on the issue of the costs of food; the theory behind vegan protein sources; and I prepare a meal for the family and explain the economics of that – but mostly I show the simple brilliance of using a pestle and mortar.
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‘An Anarchist’s Cookbook’, Part 0, Imbolic 2021:
‘About the Blog’ –
An introduction to ‘An Anarchist’s Cookbook’
For the first post of the new blog, I present the ‘About the Blog’ page:
I’m writing this rather long and detailed theoretical splurge of consciousness precisely because I don’t want to have to endlessly repeat this as part of my blog posts. Hence, unless I want to examine a small aspect in more detail, I’ll simply refer people back to paragraphs within this page.
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