Here’s my verdict on Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking.
To Read: Yes. Nosrat’s tone is both fun and informative, and she really knows her stuff. There is plenty of science in here, but she makes it simple and interesting. This is definitely a cookbook you can curl up with for awhile.
To Look At: Yes, as long as you are OK with illustrations instead of photos. This book is illustrated by Wendy MacNaughton. The pictures aren’t just for fun, they are educational. Nosrat and MacNaughton created some great illustrations to guide you in your cooking, including “The World of Acid,” which matches different acids with food from around the world and “What Should I Cook?,” which is a flow-chart using all four elements from the title of the book. These graphics are the reason I will probably have to add this cookbook to my personal collection.
To Cook With: Probably. As I said this book is not chock full of recipes. Instead there are ideas about things to cook, including some great illustrations on how ingredients go together. I did try out one of the actual recipes, Soy-Glazed Salmon (p. 311). The recipe was easy to understand with a lot of direction, and it turned out really yummy.
To Own: Yes, this is a great reference book, with a lot of useful cooking information that I think I will turn to again and again.
Let me know if you own this book, and if it’s one of your favorites. Can’t wait to try out some new recipes this weekend and share a new cookbook with you next week!
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