The KaiKai Book

Once a luxury commodity, now discounter goods: shrimps. They are tasty, low in fat and cost little. 56.000 tonnes of the crustaceans are consumed annually in Germany alone. Most of the shrimps come from Southeast Asia, especially from Thailand. Meanwhile, environmentalists are sounding the alarm: the aquacultures of a gigantic shrimp industry have already destroyed large areas of Thailand’s mangrove forests. Intensive chemical use and untreated sewage are destabilising entire regions, they warn. But to which consequences has the mass production of shrimps actually led? The authors Michael Höft and Christian Jentzsch accompanied Greenpeace experts on a trip to Thailand with a camera team.

Unbroken Ground explains the critical role food will play in the next frontier of our efforts to solve the environmental crisis. It explores four areas of agriculture that aim to change our relationship to the land and oceans. Most of our food is produced using methods that reduce biodiversity, decimate soil and contribute to climate change. We believe our food can and should be a part of the solution to the environmental crisis – grown, harvested and produced in ways that restore our land, water and wildlife. The film tells the story of four groups that are pioneers in the fields of regenerative agriculture, regenerative grazing, diversified crop development and restorative fishing.

Gargantuan luau dinners and Hawaiian pizza have nothing to do with authentic Hawaiian cuisine. Originally a simple diet based around root starches and fish, chefs in Hawaii are combating clichés and crafting Hawaiian menus that are more in harmony with those of their ancestors. Mark “Gooch” Noguchi is one such chef. Join him as he fishes with food practitioners and rediscovers the food of Hawaii’s past.

For plenty of folks, eating bugs can feel like an exotic (and sometimes frightening) novelty, but much of the world regularly indulges in the plentiful, protein-rich invertebrates. In Ecuador’s Amazon rainforest, certain insects are appreciated as true delicacies, including a regional special: chontacuro. This succulent and nutritious cream-colored worm is an emblematic ingredient in Amazonian cuisine. For Ecuadorian chef Juan José Niceto, well-prepared chontacuro deserves to be featured in Michelin-star restaurants. Why not give them a try?