I Just Discovered Jamie Oliver

Call me dense and dumb, but I am happy I discovered Jamie Oliver!

Here is a man with skill, vision and passion, AND he is part of my family, my family of concern, that is,--good food, good health, good growing.

Maybe I avoided him because I avoid cookbooks. Not all of them, but most. Why? I prefer to draw what's available in my own garden and take it from there. Cookbooks misdirect me towards purchasing this spice and that ingredient, ones that are out of season and out-of-region for me.

I remember seeing his first Naked Chef book and sneering, A gimmick, I concluded, without even looking.

Now I find he is revolutionizing British school lunches, bringing at-risk kids into the kitchen to excel as cooks, revealing the "plain and simple" of extraordinary flavor, and challenging an entire West Virginia town to slim down, tastefully.

Tonight I meet with my school garden interns, Walter, Gabriela and Aubrey, and I'll tell them about Jamie. Our challenge is to connect the garden and the kitchen, and teach our students how to cook and eat well. We can do it: challenge each family to shop for food and eat more locally, cook and eat together, and even grow their own.

This would make a great project!