Chapter Twenty Summary and Analysis

In chapter twenty, Pollan prepares his final meal and admits it was perfect for him. He attempts to use only items he has grown, gathered, or hunted, and invites those who helped him. To be true to his meal, he attempts to gather salt from a local salt pond, but even after processing, the salt smells extremely toxic and he declines to use it. Additionally, Pollan is forced to abandon the appetizer of fresh abalone. Instead, he makes fava bean toasts from the beans in his garden and from bread he makes after gathering his own yeast. He also asks Garro to bring pate made from the boar Pollan killed and makes two entrees, those of braised and grilled pig. He serves wine from Garro, lettuce for salad from his garden, and a cherry tart made from a neighbor's...