The Year of the Goat: 40,000 Miles and the Quest for the Perfect Cheese
Hathaway and Schatz were happy living together in New York City—Schatz was Time.com's picture editor, and Hathaway a former manager of Magnolia Bakery. Still, they wondered what sort of people they'd be if they lived in the country, and in this offbeat memoir Hathaway narrates their search. The idea of raising cows wasn't affordable or appealing, but goats were intriguing, especially since their cheeses were so tasty. Before long, the couple decided to leave New York for a yearlong goat odyssey, searching out everything goat that struck their fancy. Starting in New York with a tasting session withmaîtrefromager Max McCalman, they traveled the country visiting goat farms, auctions and shows. While they had a lot to learn—how to milk goats, how to trim their hooves—they were also trying to find a model lifestyle for themselves. Eventually, they realized they wanted a farm with some vegetables and some animals, but not so many that the farm would become a factory. More than anything, they wanted a modest life surrounded by people they loved. Back-to-the-land fantasies aren't new, but Hathaway gives theirs a modern twist by emphasizingterroir, the idea that food is rooted in the land, and of connecting the palate to the place. Local-eating, slow-food activists will find much to chew on here.(Aug.)Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.