Did you ever wonder where your banana came from?  Or how about that juicy navel orange you crave every morning not only for its sweetness but also for the healthy dose of Vitamin C it provides?  Avocados, surely, they are a California staple, along with the almonds we enjoy in everything from the true nut to the almond milk used as a substitute for dairy milk (originally brought to California from Spain by the Franciscan Padres).

I must admit that I have always been under the false assumption that America just had these treasures in abundance when this country was founded.  I, like many Americans, assumed that the variety of food grown in my garden or purchased from farmers markets and grocery stores, has always been a part of our heritage.  However, “The Food Explorer,” corrects the false idea that the incredible wealth of fruit, vegetables, nuts, and even cotton, that we enjoy originated in the United States. This fascinating book explains the origin of these plants from many varied countries and jungles around the world.

Author Daniel Stone, armed with a multitude of seemingly endless journals, letters and records, shares the delightful and fascinating story of David Fairchild, a late-nineteenth century food explorer and his benefactor Barbour Lathrop, a wealthy, private citizen whom he met aboard a ship bound for Italy.  As a 20-year-old botanist, David left his Kansas home to work for the Department of Agriculture. There he studied ways to combat plant fungus.  Along with a colleague named Wallace Swingle, he created a new government agency that they called the “Office of Seed and Plant Introduction”.

Between the years of 1894 and 1904, David (consumed by his wanderlust for travel) searched the far reaches of the world for the unusual and delectable.  Over that time he transported an inventory of over 4,000 plants; including avocados and watermelons from Chili, Soy Beans from Indonesia, Meyer Lemons from China, nectarines from Pakistan, kale from Croatia, hops from Bavaria and pomegranates from Malta to name a few.  It wasn’t always easy, as some of the plants would not survive the journey or due to the abundance of plants and the lack of qualified people to handle them at home, some would eventually die before they could be moved and reproduced.  Additionally, he suffered diseases, bargained with island tribes and was once arrested.

One of the most fascinating things that Daniel Stone contributed to our nation is the introduction of the cherry blossom tree from Japan.  After David fell in love with and married Marian Hubbard Bell (daughter of Alexander Graham Bell), he decided to relinquish his extensive travels and purchase a 10 acre parcel located near Chevy Chase Maryland.  There he began to fill the space with his favorite trees and shrubs that he found during his travels. Marian had only one plant request: the Japanese flowering Cherry tree that she referred to as “Cherry  Blossom.”  The consequential history of this famous tree that outlines the DC Capitol streets is quite extensive and is best read rather than condensed herein.

David Fairchild did lead an enviable life that was made possible by happenstance and living during a time period known as “the Gilded Age,” a time of rapid economic growth and industrialization.  His story, as told by Daniel Stone, is a fascinating read.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Photo credits: book jacket