Questions and Answers for Sara and Dun

1. What is The Oldways Table all about?
The Oldways Table explains the Oldways food philosophy and gives concrete examples about how to live the old ways in today's modern world. Oldways was founded to advocate a return to healthy, traditional old ways of eating. The book compiles fifteen years of work, and includes essays and recipes from Oldways and from our supporters -- chefs, food writers, nutritionists, sustainability experts and food and wine experts.

The Oldways Table is a treatise on healthy eating, and a how-to eat healthfully (with pleasure and ease) in today's busy, modern world.

2. How is The Oldways Table different from other food and wine books?
The Oldways Table is not a diet book, not a cookbook, or a reference book -- but it is all of these combined AND more. The book provides simple, commonsense ideas for eating and living to lose or maintain weight. It also includes recipes and background reference material on healthy, pleasurable eating AND the philosophy of eating the old ways with today's lifestyles.

3. What will readers learn from this book?
We think readers will learn about a variety of topics, from the basics on beans to the rise of whole grain consumption in the American diet. Other ideas and issues covered:

• Eating for pleasure, for good health, and for the good health of the earth
• The Oldways philosophy: a simple, commonsense way to enjoy your food.
• Mediterranean Diet
• Traditional diets such as the Asian Diet, Latin American Diet, Vegetarian Diets
• Enjoying and choosing wines
• How condiments can add to the pleasure of your home table
• Sustainability and how it fits in your life
• Fail-safe, simple, traditional recipes

4. Sara, how did this book idea come about? How long has it been in the making?
Dun has always wanted to write an Oldways book. He's been talking about it since I came to Oldways in 1992. But it took the Tenth Anniversary of the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid in 2003 to make the book idea become real. We talked with Ten Speed about making a Mediterranean Diet Pyramid poster (they have fabulous food posters -- Mark Miller's Chile posters, for example), and they came back to us after reviewing all our material saying, "Forget the poster! How about a book?!"

It's taken three years of work -- solidifying the idea, bringing all the contributions together, editing them and fitting them into our vision of the book. And, of course, we were also running Oldways, organizing conferences and traveling around the world at the same time. Quite often it takes a long time to make the best meal -- that's how we feel about The Oldways Table!

5. Who should read this book?
Everyone! The book is right for anyone who cares about healthy eating, about what his or her family and friends eat, about the health of the plane, and about traditions -- agricultural, cultural, historical. It's a a guide to cooking, healthy living and to respecting tradition, health and agriculture.

6. What is your favorite recipe in the book?
SARA:It's not a fair question, I love all the recipes... but for something different, I LOVE Claudia Roden's dukkah!

DUN: I have to choose the entire chapter on Seafood. The recipes and the stories on fish - it is all so important and personal to me, having grown up on the water.

7. Of the many places you traveled, what stands out for your food memories?
In Spain: A dinner in Madrid, under a tent on the Castellana, celebrating the olive. The meal was prepared by three chefs, all with restaurants called OLIVE!

In Turkey: An Ottoman meal at the Ciragan Palace with Dun and Nancy Jenkins, prepared by Vedat Basaran or Circassian Chicken at the beautiful home of Engin Akin

In Italy: so many....here are a few, region by region....

In Liguria -- In Badalucco in Imperia, at a dinner organized by Franco Boeri of ROI Olive oil, or at Restaurant LaBrinca in Ne, near Chiavari

In Le Marche -- lunch at the home of author and wine owner, Ettore Mancini or in Piobbico at a local trattoria, where Dun and I were inducted in the Ugly Club – that’s a long story!

In Tuscany: In Siena, at le Logge, just off the Campo or in Florence at Bendetta Vitali's Zibibbo.

In Emilia Romana: At an event organized by Lynne Rossetto Kasper with the wonderful Marco Constanzini of the Consorzio Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale, a meal of bolito misto. It was amazing to watch Mario Batali completely enjoy the bolito misto. Unforgettable. We also had a number of really splendid meals in Parma with our friends from Barilla -- ranging from simple lunches to elaborate restaurant dinners.

In Rome: at the home of Elizabeth and Domenico Minchilli

In Campania: Dinner at Maida Agriturismo -- described in the book (Rabbit in Any language)

In Puglia: The always wonderful simple food of Concetta Contoro from Lecce or Al Fornello da Ricci. I remember one meal at Al Fornello da Ricci, with Luciano Sardelli and Rossella Speranza, on a cold wintery day, sitting in front of the fire -- one of those days when you pinch yourself, feeling so lucky to be right there!

The most memorable meal in Puglia took place during the 1999 Symposium in Puglia, It scheduled to be held at the home of Domenico Maggi (a trulli!), but it rained. Domenico and his family, Chef Antonio Russo of the Romanazzi Carducci, and the Cantina of Locorotondo reorganized the lunch inside the winery, complete with accordian music and dancing. The families of the village of Locorotondo prepared the meal -- lots of small dishes of vegetables, breads, and olive oil. We have a film of the meal, and it is still amazing to watch!

In Sicily: In Noto, at Caffe Sicilia, the incredible restaurant of Corrado Assenza dinner with the Planeta wine family at the Duomo Restaurant in Ragusa

In Greece: Sitting at a wooden table on the Chios harbor, eating fresh fish just caught from the Aegean, OR on Crete, at the Boutari experimental wine vineyard, looking out over a field of mustard greens, sampling Boutari wines and eating Greek cheeses, cucumbers and tomatoes, OR the Schoolhouse Supper in Crete, described in the book. So many choices!

In China: Watching Mimi Sheraton eat scorpions on a stick at a street market in Beijing. I was adventurous, but not as daring as Mimi!

In Australia: Bush food in Adelaide, and eating at Rockpool in Sydney, or lunch at St Hallett's winery in the Barossa Valley, where we first had dukkah.

In Belgium: Mussels in Brussels, in wonderful sauces, with our friend Maxime.

In Paris: A 12-course meal at Guy Savoy, with Patricia Wells, just days after Restaurant Guy Savoy received its third star. I don't remember the last 3 or 4 courses, OR the simple, but perfect Chevre Chaud salad at the D'Orsay Museum.

In Mexico City: Tortilla soup at the Four Seasons or anything at Patricia Quintana's Izote.

Okay, we have to stop. We're getting too hungry!