Best Gastronomy Essays
In the companion book to his final PBS series, the world-renowned chef shows his close relationship to the land and sea as he cooks for close friends and family.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"My first recipe I made was the easiest thing I could find to jump in, the Coffee Panna Cotta. I made it for company recently bc it turned out great during my test batch. I learned a lot of tidbits of his life story and understand why his tastes in food have developed beyond French cuisine. The recipes are many, and with much variety; so you will find an array of the most recognizable ingredients to a few 'strange' ones as defined by the American commonplace diet. There are many simple seafood, shellfish, recipes that are 10 mins to whip up and the usual suspects, chicken, beef, pork, vegetables, etc...it is common that in the majority of cookbooks out there, you will find some recipes you'll never do while jumping into others. Some simple dessert recipes too...I want to try the brittle using seeds bc my g'daughter is allergic to nuts. Although he says you can use a pot on the stove to make this, he gives instructions to use the microwave to do it, which shows you, he doesn't mind using something that is usually relegated to just heating up tea or water. So many cooks and chefs say NEVER to run them under water, like it's a cardinal sin to do that, subscribing instead to a damp cloth or soft-bristled brush at most. In short, as on his TV series and these books, that is what you get...a straightforward and refreshingly simple approach to food. I made half a recipe using walnuts (I had no pistachios) and chocolate chips and it was so good, easy and fast and ready to eat in about an hour!"
"I highly recommend this book for any skill level."
"He's my favorite TV cook, so I'm not sure my assessment of the book is determined only by the book."
"What a book!"
"As always, a wonderful book that takes us into this phenomenal chef/author's heart."
"I love that so much of what he does is simple yet very elegant."
"I received my cookbook the week before Jacques new television series began on Public Television."
"Companion to his TV cooking show which is great."
From Bourdain's first oyster in the Gironde, to his lowly position as dishwasher in a honky tonk fish restaurant in Provincetown (where he witnesses for the first time the real delights of being a chef); from the kitchen of the Rainbow Room atop Rockefeller Center, to drug dealers in the east village, from Tokyo to Paris and back to New York again, Bourdain's tales of the kitchen are as passionate as they are unpredictable. Most diners believe that their sublime sliver of seared foie gras, topped with an ethereal buckwheat blini and a drizzle of piquant huckleberry sauce, was created by a culinary artist of the highest order, a sensitive, highly refined executive chef. More likely, writes Anthony Bourdain in Kitchen Confidential , that elegant three-star concoction is the collaborative effort of a team of "wacked-out moral degenerates, dope fiends, refugees, a thuggish assortment of drunks, sneak thieves, sluts, and psychopaths," in all likelihood pierced or tattooed and incapable of uttering a sentence without an expletive or a foreign phrase. CIA-trained Bourdain, currently the executive chef of the celebrated Les Halles, wrote two culinary mysteries before his first (and infamous) New Yorker essay launched this frank confessional about the lusty and larcenous real lives of cooks and restaurateurs. His fast-lane personality and glee in recounting sophomoric kitchen pranks might be unbearable were it not for two things: Bourdain is as unsparingly acerbic with himself as he is with others, and he exhibits a sincere and profound love of good food.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"An easy to read book written by professional chef."
"I liked that Bourdain shares his opinions based on his experiences but was happy to share that despite his encounters, there are "other ways" and other ideas as to how other chefs think and work."
"I worked in one for 8 years, but only part time for 6 of them so it wasn't my "world" and I knew I'd be out of it once college was over, so I only know some of what's in this book as a reality."
"Bathe yourself in the deliciously frank and X-rated attitude of a guy who knows better; not because he always knew better, but because he climbed up the ladder of culinary experience and success and blew it up his nose along the way. As always, Bourdain pays homage to the immigrant, hard working slave of the kitchen, and puts a finger up the escape hole of the industry, that is pretentious ridiculousness. Hilarious and truthful humor that might change the way you think about that secret room behind the restaurant facade."
"And on the more colorful side of things, he has a whole chapter dedicated to the somewhat complex and often vulgar language of the American restaurant kitchen. And this inevitably begs the question of just how accurate all of Bourdain's stories are - and clearly this was a deliberate effort on his part in order to impart a particular message for us. It's an inspiring book that shows you what perhaps some chefs out there face in the ever busy world of professional cooking."
"Maybe 30-somethings like it for all its behind the scenes drug and sex galore, that actually skyrocketed the author to great fame; but if you are a lover of fine cuisine and mature dining, this will turn you off big time."
Hailed by Time magazine as "a minor masterpiece" when it first appeared in 1984, On Food and Cooking is the bible to which food lovers and professional chefs worldwide turn for an understanding of where our foods come from, what exactly they're made of, and how cooking transforms them into something new and delicious. Among the major themes addressed throughout this new edition are: Traditional and modern methods of food production and their influences on food quality The great diversity of methods by which people in different places and times have prepared the same ingredients Tips for selecting the best ingredients and preparing them successfully The particular substances that give foods their flavors and that give us pleasure Our evolving knowledge of the health benefits and risks of foods. Before antioxidants, extra-virgin olive oil and supermarket sushi commanded public obsession, the first edition of this book swept readers and cooks into the everyday magic of the kitchen: it became an overnight classic. Now, 20 years later, McGee has taken his slightly outdated volume and turned it into a stunning masterpiece that combines science, linguistics, history, poetry and, of course, gastronomy. Though several cookbooks have begun to answer the questions of why certain foods go well together, McGee draws on recent agricultural research, neuroscience reviews and chemical publications to chart the different flavor chemicals in herbs and spices, fruits and vegetables.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Love the background kitchen chemistry in this book."
"It could easily be used as a reference, looking up whatever you need, but I have been happily reading it from start to finish."
"You can open the book up to any page and find something interesting to read."
"Who knew cooking was so fascinating."
"A must read for professionals and other serious cooks."
"It's an interesting book on the science of cooking and food and flavor."
"Get this book if you want to understand the spirit of the recipe."
"I was a biology major so that makes this an easier read but I don't think others without that training will find this too difficult to comprehend. When I read this book I am utterly amazed at how hard our species has worked to make something we take for granted, like cheese, which took some serious trial and error, brilliance and patience to produce."
Best Tuscany Travel
Take in a gondolier's sweet song while gliding past Venetian palaces, sample olives and wines as you traverse Tuscany's storybook hills, or be humbled amid thousands of years of Roman history and art; all with your trusted travel companion. Full-colour maps and images throughout Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sight-seeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss Cultural insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - including history, art, literature, cinema, music, architecture, politics, cuisine, wine, customs Free, convenient pull-out Rome map (included in print version), plus over 137 colour maps Covers Rome, Turin, Piedmont, the Italian Riviera, Milan, the Lakes, Dolomites, Venice, Emilia-Romagna, Florence, Tuscany, Umbria, Abruzzo, Naples, Campania, Puglia, Sicily, Sardinia and more. Lonely Planet covers must-see spots but also enables curious travellers to get off beaten paths to understand more of the culture of the places in which they find themselves. Garwood has a history degree from York University.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Excellent preparation for my trip touring Italy."
"After reading the first 30 pages on my iPad, it is frustrating to see that some images are missing and format of the pages is "glitched"."
"The perfect book for a visit to Italy."
"I was traveling mostly off the beaten path and I should have known that this is much more tailored to the sheer volumes of touristy (and amazing) places to see."
"Lonely Planet books are the best!"
"While I do enjoy the Fodor’s travel guides for its use of color throughout, while photography of a region is nice to have, for travel guides, it all comes down to detailed information and I will can easily say that “Lonely Planet Italy” is well-researched, informative and a travel guide worth using and help in planning and preparing for your trip to the country. I do want to mention that the city map included is only for Rome, Lonely Planet offers more books of Italy such as "Make My Day Rome", a guide to Sicily, Pocket Venice and more. Overall, "Lonely Planet Discovery Italy" is full of information, is well-researched and updated to include the latest information for traveling to the country for 2016."
"The second stop in the guidebook is about Florence with information about Duomo; Galleria Dell' Accademia; Galleria Degli Uffizi and a walking tour to the heart of the city. The third stop in the guidebook is about Tuscany with information about Towers of San Gimigano, Siena, and a driving tour through Tuscany. The fourth stop in the guidebook is Cinque Terre with information about walking in the Cinque Terre; Sentiero Azzurro; Monterosso; Vernazza, Corniglia; Manarola; and Riomaggiore. The fifth stop in the guidebook is Assisi. The sixth stop in the guidebook is Venice with information about the Grand Canal; Basilica Di San Marco; Palazzo Ducale; Galleria Dell'Accademia; and the Venetian Islands. The final stop in the guidebook is Sicily with information about Mount Etna, Valley of the Temples, Palermo, Catania and Syracuse."
Best Italian Travel
“This is history on a grand scale, with a sweep and ambition that is rare… A proper historical epic of dazzling range and achievement.” —William Dalrymple, The Guardian The epic history of the crossroads of the world—the meeting place of East and West and the birthplace of civilization It was on the Silk Roads that East and West first encountered each other through trade and conquest, leading to the spread of ideas, cultures and religions. For Frankopan, the brutish West owes its more enlightened traditions to the lands east of Italy and west of China, which were, for centuries, 'the centre of the world'… Frankopan marshals diverse examples to demonstrate the interconnectedness of cultures, showing in vivid detail the economic and social impact of the silk and the slave trades, the Black Death, and the Buddhist influence on Christianity.”. — The New Yorker “In his new book, The Silk Roads , Frankopan has created something that forces us to sit up and reconsider the world and the way we've always thought about it… The book takes us by surprise right from the start.”. —Nishant Dahiya, NPR “This is deeply researched popular history at its most invigorating, primed to dislodge routine preconceptions and to pour in other light. “One of Mr. Frankopan’s gifts as a storyteller is his ability to draw unusual connections across his vast canvas… [he] packs his tale with fascinating trivia… Frankopan has written a rare book that makes you question your assumptions about the world.”. —Sadanand Dhume, The Wall Street Journal “Frankopan casts his net widely in this work of dizzying breadth and ambition… Those opening to any page will find fascinating insights that illuminate elusive connections across time and place… Frankopan approaches his craft with an acerbic wit, and his epochal perspective throws the foibles of the modern age into sharp relief”. — Publishers Weekly (starred review). “A glorious read. “In his new book, The Silk Roads , Frankopan has created something that forces us to sit up and reconsider the world and the way we've always thought about it… The book takes us by surprise right from the start.”. —Nishant Dahiya, NPR. “Superb… Peter Frankopan is an exceptional storyteller… The lands of the Silk Roads are of renewed importance, and Frankopan’s book will be indispensable to anyone who wants to make sense of this union of past and present.”. —Philip Seib, The Dallas Morning News. “This is, to put it mildly, an ambitious book… By spinning all these stories into a single thread, Peter Frankopan attempts something bold: A history of the world that shunts the centre of gravity eastward… Mr. Frankopan writes with clarity and memorable detail… Where other histories put the Mediterranean at the centre of the story, under Mr. Frankopan it is important as the western end of a transcontinental trade with Asia in silks, spices, slaves—and ideas.”. — The Economist. “It’s time we recognized the importance of the East to our history, insists this magnificent study… The breadth and ambition of this swashbuckling history by Peter Frankopan should come as no surprise… A book that roves as widely as the geography it describes, encompassing worlds as far removed as those of Herodotus and Saddam Hussein, Hammurabi and Hitler… It is a tribute to Frankopan’s scholarship and mastery of sources in multiple languages that he is as sure-footed on the ancient world as he is on the medieval and modern… Deftly constructed… The Silk Roads is a powerful corrective to parochialism.”. —Justin Marozzi, The Sunday Times (U.K.). Frankopan upends the usual world-history narrative oriented around ancient Rome and Greece and the irrepressible rise of Europe… In a series of brisk chapters—The Road of Faiths, The Road of Furs and so on—studded with state-of-the-art research that is sourced from at least a dozen languages, the author brings wondrous history to vivid life… In The Silk Roads, Peter Frankopan has provided a bracing wake up call.”. —Matthew Price, The National (AE).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Schools teach its students of the Roman Empire, the subsequent Dark Ages, the Norman conquest in 1066, Henry VIII and the Tudors, the American War of Independence, the Industrial Revolution and the First and Second World Wars. As the author states: “For centuries before the early modern era, the intellectual centres of excellence of the world, the Oxfords ad Cambridges, the Harvards and Yales, were not located in Europe or the west, but in Baghdad, and Balkh, Bukhara and Samarkand”. We are seeing the signs of the world’s centre of gravity shifting – back to where it lay for millennia”."
"The author's depth of knowledge and resource access, coupled with his polyglot skills, weave a centuries long tale of intrigue across a region of the world little known or travelled today. The story of the European debacle of the same time is repeatedly narrated, engrossing the reader in its internecine religious wars. Piles of skulls and cities entirely wiped off the face of the earth are ignored in favor of the administrative advantages of Mongol rule. Information is 'quickly transmitted' across the sands, mountains and rivers - this when 30 miles a day was the fastest a horse or man could travel. Other books in the vein of Central Asia would include The Poison King, Balthazar's Odyssey, The Ornament of the World, The Emergence of Modern Islam, Chasing the Sea, The Shied of Achilles and best, Millennium by Felipe Fernandez-Armesto. The ridicule of Western advances coupled to dictatorial domination and horrific tortures could just as easily describe Islamic, Indian, Chinese or Russian worlds. As for his Palestinian views, well, they are biased, leave it at that... Can't wait to enjoy My Fair Lady, his Mediterranean yacht for charter..."
"I had assumed we would be learning about the history of the silk roads and the many dynasties that rose and fell along the route - the Songdians, the cities of the Tamir Basin for example. I thought this would be an Asian centric book showing the silk roads impact on Han Dynasty China and the steps that had to be taken to keep the route secure. Or perhaps how the silk road brought Buddhism to the west and mixed the artistic sense of the descendants of Alexander's army with the Central Asian Buddhist cave dwellers."
Best Middle Eastern Cooking
With five bustling restaurants in London and two stellar cookbooks, Ottolenghi is one of the most respected chefs in the world; in Jerusalem, he and Tamimi have collaborated to produce their most personal cookbook yet. The book’s leisurely pace picks up with the introduction of dishes, some familiar but many not, that include fattoush, latkes, mejadra, clear chicken soup with knaidlach, pan-fried mackerel with golden beetroot and orange salsa, and helbeh (fenugreek cake).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This cookbook is approachable and the recipes are actually something you will make...and then make again. ****Edit****I would just like to say, that one of the reasons, I think, that this is so doable for a Middle Eastern cookbook, is these are the recipes that regular people make."
"This cookbook offers both; the recipes work (I should note I have the UK edition without US conversions)--many of the techniques are new to me and they work well--and the flavors are amazing. The first recipes I made from this book were the roasted cauliflower salad with celery, hazelnuts and pomegranate and the sofrito chicken. I am adding this cookbook to my top 10 list because a) it's a beautiful, well-written book, b) the recipes work very well when followed to the letter, but there's lots of room for improvisation, c) the flavor and texture combinations are complex, subtle and well-balanced, and d) the dishes are delicious."
"The recipes are well described so you can successfully create a great diverse table full of beautiful plated food."
"Such a wonderful cookbook!"
"Some of these recipes were more beautiful on the pages of this book than in reality...some odd preparations but a good creative source for cooks looking to expand their usual fare."
"I thought my mom had plenty of cookbooks already."
"This book is a classic."
Best Alcoholic Beverages
Wine Folly: The Essential Guide to Wine will help you make sense of it all in a unique infographic wine book. Designed by the creators of WineFolly.com, which has won Wine Blogger of the Year from the International Wine & Spirits Competition, this book combines sleek, modern information design with data visualization and gives readers pragmatic answers to all their wine questions, including: “A magically vivid wine guide for our information age—cuts through the complexity of wine like a Champagne saber.”-- Mark Oldman , renowned wine expert and author of Oldman’s Guide to Outsmarting Wine. – Geoff Kruth , MS, President Guildsomm.com. "With clever graphics, Madeline has created a wine navigator that effortlessly guides new wine lovers to a better understanding of the taste, origins and geography of wine." Court of Masters, Certified Sommelier (Level 2) 40 Under 40, Wine Enthusiast Magazine, 2015-2016 Wine Blogger of the Year, International Wine and Spirits Competition, 2013-14 Top Wine Writer, Quora, 2012.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The page that explains how to write useful personal wine notes, for example, instantly organizes the way you do your evaluations of wine."
"Wine Folly does not only provide data about several kinds of wines but also explanes the art of wine tasting and evaluation."
"It talks about how to taste wine how to “eye” the wine, how to compare it, and, really breaks down the wine experience for anybody who aspires to be a wine connoisseur."
"VERY NICE coffee table book !"
"Great book and I've learned a lot about wines so far."
"This wine book is phenomenal!"
"Having the book in hand now allows me to provide visuals for every aspect of wine discussion."
"Perfect if you need a basic overview of wine."
Best International Cooking
In the companion book to his final PBS series, the world-renowned chef shows his close relationship to the land and sea as he cooks for close friends and family.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"My first recipe I made was the easiest thing I could find to jump in, the Coffee Panna Cotta. I made it for company recently bc it turned out great during my test batch. I learned a lot of tidbits of his life story and understand why his tastes in food have developed beyond French cuisine. The recipes are many, and with much variety; so you will find an array of the most recognizable ingredients to a few 'strange' ones as defined by the American commonplace diet. There are many simple seafood, shellfish, recipes that are 10 mins to whip up and the usual suspects, chicken, beef, pork, vegetables, etc...it is common that in the majority of cookbooks out there, you will find some recipes you'll never do while jumping into others. Some simple dessert recipes too...I want to try the brittle using seeds bc my g'daughter is allergic to nuts. Although he says you can use a pot on the stove to make this, he gives instructions to use the microwave to do it, which shows you, he doesn't mind using something that is usually relegated to just heating up tea or water. So many cooks and chefs say NEVER to run them under water, like it's a cardinal sin to do that, subscribing instead to a damp cloth or soft-bristled brush at most. In short, as on his TV series and these books, that is what you get...a straightforward and refreshingly simple approach to food. I made half a recipe using walnuts (I had no pistachios) and chocolate chips and it was so good, easy and fast and ready to eat in about an hour!"
"I highly recommend this book for any skill level."
"He's my favorite TV cook, so I'm not sure my assessment of the book is determined only by the book."
"What a book!"
"As always, a wonderful book that takes us into this phenomenal chef/author's heart."
"I love that so much of what he does is simple yet very elegant."
"I received my cookbook the week before Jacques new television series began on Public Television."
"Companion to his TV cooking show which is great."
Best Sicily Travel
Frances Mayes, whose enchanting #1 New York Times bestseller Under the Tuscan Sun made the world fall in love with Tuscany, invites us back for a delightful new season of friendship, festivity, and food, there and throughout Italy. As Mayes rediscovers her taste for la dolce vita, she embarks on a journey of cultural awakening and embraces a newfound romance with the Italian language and people. Mayes is as generous a cook as she is a writer, flavoring her story with tasty descriptions of local gustatory delights--many of which are included in a small recipe book.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The author’s writing style and ability to capture the nuances in everyday life had me traveling alongside her with every step she took, feeling the hot breezes and tasting the tomatoes."
"Having traveled in that area several times I enjoyed her vivid descriptions of the landscape, food and towns and cities."
"Love that Frances Mayes...she writes the perfect memoir."
"Mayes' series on Italy is very enjoyable."
"I had read Bella Tuscany the year before and had to have my own. copy."
"She writes in detail about ancient buildings, people, food, flowers, thoughts, geography it's endless."
"This book was wordy and wandered aimlessly."
Best Regional & International Cooking
Blogger-author extraordinaire Kristy Turner deliciously refutes every excuse you’ve ever heard with 125 bursting-with-flavor vegan recipes for every meal of the day—including dessert! ” Not when you can make your own Homemade Seitan, Barbecue Sauce, Zesty Ranch Dressing, and Tofu Sour Cream. ” They will when they get a taste of Carrot Cashew Pâté, Portobello Carpaccio, and Gnocchi alla Vodka. You’ll find you can get enough protein, fit in at a potluck, learn to love cauliflower, and enjoy pizza, nachos, brownies, and more—without any animal products at all. One of Amazon’s Best Books of the Month in Cookbooks, Food & Wine “Charming.”— Washington Post. Beautiful photos illustrate almost every recipe, showing how appetizing these dishes are, and there are plenty of how-to photos.”— Oregonian. “Even to a committed carnivore, Turner’s whimsically seasoned tone is at once inviting and authoritative. If you have a dilemma, Kristy has the answer!”. — Angela Liddon, New York Times —bestselling author of The Oh She Glows Cookbook and creator of OhSheGlows.com. “With warmth, humor, and great recipes, Kristy Turner combats excuses people commonly use to defend their dietary status quo. Those who think they can’t be satisfied without eating beef, for example, will do well to get acquainted with her plant-based fajitas, sloppy Joes, tacos, and more. is guaranteed to change hearts and minds one meal at a time.”. — Gene Baur, president and cofounder of Farm Sanctuary, author of Farm Sanctuary: Changing Hearts and Minds About Animals and Food. If you’re considering switching over to a plant-based diet—or simply eating a few more vegetarian meals—Kristy’s spectacular recipes and practical guidance will give you all of the inspiration you need. Most of all, her gentle and witty voice will guide you through all of the inevitable anxieties, stumbling blocks, and mishaps that accompany a lifestyle change. This book is beautiful, creative, whimsical, and profoundly inspiring.”. — Gena Hamshaw, author of Choosing Raw ; www.choosingraw.com. It’s true, no life is complete without the occasional calzone—but stuff ’em with Kristy’s Buffalo Cauliflower and Cashew Blue Cheese and you can have calzones and be vegan too. “Kristy and Chris have taken everything I love about their blog and somehow upgraded it, putting together one helluva cookbook with tons of helpful information and crazy good recipes that are sure to please hard-core vegans, curious newbies, and dabbling omnivores alike.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The author, Kristy Turner, has resisted the trappings of recipes calling for manufactured ingredients like vegan cheese (such as Daiya) and fake meats, available in the "health" food stores and has taken a new, tasty, and healthful approach with her recipes…super refreshing in the world of plant based/vegan cookbooks. Her recipes can be served to anyone, omnivore or vegan."
"I have been a vegetarian for over 20 years; live in a house with folks that all eat meat and LOVE all things cheese so never made the transition to Vegan - Friday nights after a long week in work are just too perfect when finished with cheese, wine and olives! Today I made the broccoli chickpea soup as nutritional yeast is always on hand in my pantry, and it was delicious , warm and easy to make; the Creole Corn chowder is next on my list as well as some of the rather delicious looking desserts to serve friends and family over the holidays...only to announce after they were vegan ! Follow up: I seriously doubted I could give up cheese, or that vegan cheese would be that good but just tried making their cashew blue cheese and all I can say is why, I am a convert!"
"I have successfully substituted coconut oil for vegan butter in all of those recipes so far, for anyone who wants to eschew the premade stuff. I've made almost a dozen recipes: the homemade BBQ sauce; green pea guacamole with homemade tortilla chips; baked bean and cornbread casserole; flourless chocolate decadence cake; BBQ jackfruit fajitas; chickpea omelettes; BBQ baked tofu; sweet and sour cauliflower; loaded Mexican baked potatoes; rosemary lemon poundcake; and molasses-hazelnut chocolate mousse tart. Many of the recipes involve a lot of different steps and/or ingredients, especially because some recipe components are actually previous "base" recipes (e.g. the baked beans utilize the homemade BBQ sauce)."
"They want me to make it again ...I love how there is an image for basically every single recipe."
Best 15-Minute Sports & Outdoors Short Reads
A North Carolina barbecue pit master tutors him in the primal magic of fire; a Chez Panisse–trained cook schools him in the art of braising; a celebrated baker teaches him how air transforms grain and water into a fragrant loaf of bread; and finally, several mad-genius “fermentos” (a tribe that includes brewers, cheese makers, and all kinds of picklers) reveal how fungi and bacteria can perform the most amazing alchemies of all. Relying upon corporations to process our food means we consume large quantities of fat, sugar, and salt; disrupt an essential link to the natural world; and weaken our relationships with family and friends. Learning to cook elevated humans from lone animals into increasingly intelligent, civilized groups, and though we spend scant time doing real cooking, we’ve become obsessed with watching people cook--a paradox that points to longing for a lost experience. An Italian-trained Iranian American teaches him the subtleties of proper cooking in pots, how to coax maximum flavor from humble vegetables, herbs, meats, and water. The harnessing of fungi and molds to ferment sauerkraut and beer and produce cheeses illuminates the fine and ever-shifting boundaries between tastiness and rot and how the human palate can be trained.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"He concentrated on fire, water, air, and earth to describe different ways how food is processed naturally. The author did explain these four fundamental processes to teach us how to prepare food for our selves and even alcoholic beverages away from industrialized processed food picked up from supermarkets. Moreover, he taught us food science along the way what is happening to our food and even what happens to us tasting and digesting food."
"bake bread, pickle vegetables, make cheese and brew beer, Michael Pollan explores the history, science, and social and cultural impacts of cooking."
"Same good writing and same focus on food, which Pollan rightly recognizes as a key part of human development and culture. He also highlights the cultural and social aspects of cooking as key elements of our human development."
"By cooking, one way or the other, those ancestors managed to do part of the work of digestion outside their body so they, like our relatives the apes/monkeys don't have to spend hours every day chewing to get the nutrients they needed from their food."
"Pollan once again displays his ability to seamlessly weave different facts and ideas together to form a powerful narrative about human's relationship to nature as bridged by the act of cooking. I also loved that he even touched on some of the political economy, ethical and social issues accompanying some of the culinary crafts."
"bought this a special request for an 8th grader book project."
"Pollan writing, with such verve and enthusiasm, and from hands on personal experience, gives a lively account of the several methods of transforming raw edibles into food---what we eat and drink."