During colonial times, settlers from Europe recounted eating passenger pigeons in journals as early as 1605. At a 35-dish, eight-hour banquet for Charles Dickens in May 1868, passenger pigeon was used to make truffled pigeon patties and pigeon and peas. “I started studying extinct foods mainly because I found them interesting. It’s the ultimate system failure.”In following the trajectory of the passenger pigeon, Newman draws a parallel between the fate of a flocking animal of the skies and the risks facing those of the seas. “At this stage in human history the answer is, for some of these foods, maybe not,” says Newman.

Source: National Post October 15, 2019 15:00 UTC