Graham Kerr Saunters into Met Market This Week

Graham Kerr, once known as The "Galloping Gourmet", claims to have slowed down. Now, he says, he saunters through life. And that's not the only change he's made. Kerr, who in the past may have been associated with haute cuisine, now cooks as much for health, sustainability, and simple taste.

"I've cooked my wife, Treena, over 40,000 meals. 23,000 of them were what we call Neck-Up (all about taste), 18,000 have been whole body foods (good health and good taste)."

If you've been moving in this same direction as an eater, you're in luck. The award-winning chef and author of more than two dozen cookbooks will be visiting Seattle on Thursday and Friday to talk about his latest venture, Growing at the Speed of Life, which outlines the first year of his gourmet-to-gardening switch.

While Kerr taps into the current trends of sustainability and local foods, he understands that home cooks have more discerning palettes than their predecessors in the back-to-the-land movement. The recipes reflect that more sophisticated taste profile.

Growing at the Speed of Life profiles 60 common (and not-so-common), readily-available garden vegetables, fruits and herbs, as well as tips on how to grow them with loving care. The book clocks in with more than 100 recipes to encourage you to increase the amount of plant foods in your (and your friends' and families') diet.

Admirers of the Gourmet's work can meet him and have their books signed at Metropolitan Market this week on Thursday at Admiral, and in Queen Anne on Friday, both from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m.