{"product_id":"the-perfect-fruit-by-chip-brantley-hardcover-rare-book","title":"The Perfect Fruit by Chip Brantley [Hardcover] (rare book)","description":"\u003ch2\u003eBook Summary:\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003cstrong data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"85\" data-is-only-node=\"\"\u003e\u003cem data-start=\"2\" data-end=\"83\" data-is-only-node=\"\"\u003eThe Perfect Fruit: Good Breeding, Bad Seeds, and the Hunt for the Elusive Pluot\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e by Chip Brantley is a fascinating narrative that delves into the competitive and secretive world of fruit breeding, focusing on the creation and commercialization of the pluot—a hybrid fruit that combines the best traits of plums and apricots. Brantley traces the fruit’s complex genealogy and the quirky personalities of breeders, farmers, and marketers who are obsessed with developing the next big fruit sensation. With a journalist’s curiosity and a food lover’s enthusiasm, he explores the science of hybridization, the commercial pressures of agriculture, and the eccentric ambitions of people who are driven by the idea of creating the \"perfect\" fruit. The book weaves together food history, biographical sketches, and agricultural science, offering a unique look at the intersection of innovation, nature, and commerce in the modern fruit industry.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eAbout The Author:\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChip Brantley, the author of \u003cem data-start=\"29\" data-end=\"110\"\u003eThe Perfect Fruit: Good Breeding, Bad Seeds, and the Hunt for the Elusive Pluot\u003c\/em\u003e, is a food writer and passionate storyteller with a unique devotion to his subject. A native of Alabama, he gained recognition through his background as a former food writer for the \u003cem data-start=\"293\" data-end=\"317\"\u003eSan Francisco Examiner\u003c\/em\u003e, and as a contributor to notable publications including \u003cem data-start=\"374\" data-end=\"381\"\u003eSlate\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem data-start=\"383\" data-end=\"401\"\u003ethe Boston Globe\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem data-start=\"403\" data-end=\"417\"\u003eGastronomica\u003c\/em\u003e, and \u003cem data-start=\"423\" data-end=\"440\" data-is-last-node=\"\"\u003eOxford American.He co‑founded \u003cstrong data-start=\"14\" data-end=\"27\"\u003eCookthink\u003c\/strong\u003e, a cooking and recipe website born from his enthusiasm for food culture.\u003cspan class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\"\u003eFor several years, Brantley also worked as the head cheesemaker at Westfield Farm, where his experience extended beyond writing into hands‑on artisanal food production.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"232\" data-end=\"840\"\u003eHis journey toward writing \u003cem data-start=\"259\" data-end=\"278\"\u003eThe Perfect Fruit\u003c\/em\u003e began in 2000, when as a web producer he discovered the pluot—a plum‑apricot hybrid—at a Culver City farmers market. Captivated by its flavor, he pursued an obsession that led him into the heart of California’s Central Valley fruit‑breeding community, particularly the work of Floyd Zaiger . That passion evolved into the book, published in 2009 by Bloomsbury, blending Brantley’s personal narrative with a broader exploration of the stone‑fruit industry and hybrid‑breeding innovation .\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"842\" data-end=\"1186\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\"\u003eToday, Brantley lives in western Massachusetts with his wife and son, and balances his writing with academic work: he is a senior journalism lecturer at the University of Alabama and a co‑host\/producer of the NPR podcast \u003cem data-start=\"1063\" data-end=\"1075\"\u003eWhite Lies\u003c\/em\u003e, which in 2024 earned an Edward R. Murrow Award and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Audio Reporting .\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Clapping Pages","offers":[{"title":"Used","offer_id":45255612989626,"sku":"354W1FZ7L-Used","price":79.0,"currency_code":"AED","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0713\/5576\/0826\/files\/mjnbgfcdsa.jpg?v=1761066665","url":"https:\/\/clappingpages.com\/products\/the-perfect-fruit-by-chip-brantley-hardcover-rare-book","provider":"Clapping Pages","version":"1.0","type":"link"}