A conversation with Artur Cisar-Erlach
You - like me before - might think that trees are not meant to be cooked. But then, you probably haven’t met Artur Cisar-Erlach.
Author, ecologist, and food communications expert, I first discovered Artur’s work when I began working on my own book several years ago. At the time, he had just published The Flavour of Wood and let me tell you - I was instantly entranced.
Artur Cisar-Erlach
The work is a fascinating journey into the ways in which wood and trees are inside many of our most cherished food items - be it pizza or maple syrup - with a distinct and multi-faceted flavour. It is the result of over three years of travel to uncover tree flavours that you wouldn’t even begin to imagine, and shines a light on the fascinating people that work in this field, from Bavarian brewers to Indian tea exporters.
But Artur is more than just about his first book. As a passionate recipe creator, he also shares fascinating videos of him whipping up food and drinks that feature parts of a tree - whether it be the bark, the fir needles or the even the leaves (one of my personal favourites is his Pear Tree Ice Cream recipe).
Most recently, he has co-authored Edible, a wonderfully illustrated book that celebrates sustainable and lesser-known edible plants from across the world that are radically changing how we grow, eat and appreciate food. Published by Thames & Hudson, it made it into The New York Times’s Holiday Gift Guide in 2023 and has already been translated into Italian, Spanish, and German.
Edible, co-authored by Artur Cisar-Erlach. Images by Thames & Hudson.
After having recently stumbled upon a feature of this latest book in a well-known Italian magazine, I got the ping to drop Artur a line and find out if he’d be up for answering ten questions drawn from the Proust Questionnaire - a questionnaire that originated from a parlour game popularised by French essayist Marcel Proust back in the 1900s, and which was designed to reveal the player’s true nature. The result? A fascinating set of answers which I’m certain will have you looking at trees in a whole new way.
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Rowing quietly together across a perfectly calm lake on a crisp autumn morning, with mist rising from the still-warm water, while the first rays of the sun turn the forested hills into a spectacle of autumn colors and avian melodies.
What is your current state of mind?
Calm and content amidst a storm of fascinating excitement.
If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, who or what would she/he/it be and why?
A linden tree, growing slowly but surely for hundreds, even thousands of years, keenly observing world events unfold. An ever-connected ecological island and safe haven for a myriad of species, with an ever-growing and expanding root system that, even after centuries, still produces vigorous shoots all around, curiously exploring their surroundings and ensuring continuity and stability long after the once central tree has fallen.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
Although there is a constant ebb and flow of phases and trends for and against certain personal traits and tendencies, in reality, I wouldn’t change anything major, as they are all necessary for the whole to exist. I am happy with the whole.
What is your greatest regret?
Honestly none. All missed turns, detours, and supposed wrong paths brought me to where I am today and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.
What is your most treasured possession?
Besides my health, it curiously is my Vitamix, a powerful blender, that single-handedly made many of my endeavors in the world of tree-based foods possible.
What is the quality you most like in a man?
Boundless curiosity, along with passion and interest.
What is the quality you most like in a woman?
Boundless curiosity, along with passion and interest.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Having found ways to turn my passions and interests into my job(s), something I am truly grateful for every day.
What is your motto?
Nothing is set in stone; let’s change it for the better!
Cover image of Artur Cisar-Erlach by Lisa Schulcz.