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hoggman's review against another edition
5.0
very insightful and pertaining exactly to my interests. loved it.
igarrioc's review against another edition
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Another great read from Pollan! I’m a big fan of his works in general and this book did not disappoint. Definitely more upbeat than some of his other writing and explored both cooking and the human experience as we evolved with food. Now that I’ve finished, I’m heading to the kitchen to bake some bread and cook a big pot of stew!
msonion's review against another edition
2.0
Borrowed from library two times, DNFed two times. While some of the information is inspiring, the rest is dry and a little bit judgmental (cooking from scratch definitely is a privilege in current society). One of Michael Pollan's less well-thought books
eggandcheese's review against another edition
4.0
I was looking forward to this book for a long time. I was so happy when I finally got around to reading, well listening to it. I prefer the audio-books when it comes to Michael Pollan because he reads it himself and it just adds to the experience.
I didn't like this as much as The Omnivore's Dilemma but it was close. It read like The Omnivore's Dilemma in the way that there were four distinct sections or topics, each a different way of preparing food. My favorite was the fist, which focused on barbecue, the real stuff with smoke and meat.
Each of the four sections kept me involved and entertained. While having tried my hand at all of the different methods it made me want to get back at it, learn more, do more of my own cooking.
The theme here is that rather than rely on some conglomerate to prepare food for us that we should slow down and do it ourselves, or at least give it a try. There really is something to be said for the slow food movement and this book screams slow food.
Another great book by a great author.
I didn't like this as much as The Omnivore's Dilemma but it was close. It read like The Omnivore's Dilemma in the way that there were four distinct sections or topics, each a different way of preparing food. My favorite was the fist, which focused on barbecue, the real stuff with smoke and meat.
Each of the four sections kept me involved and entertained. While having tried my hand at all of the different methods it made me want to get back at it, learn more, do more of my own cooking.
The theme here is that rather than rely on some conglomerate to prepare food for us that we should slow down and do it ourselves, or at least give it a try. There really is something to be said for the slow food movement and this book screams slow food.
Another great book by a great author.
giopep's review against another edition
4.0
Il mondo della cucina affrontato su quattro piani diversi, parlando di storia, tecniche, tradizione e mettendo addosso una gran voglia di seguire le esperienze dello scrittore.
filachan's review against another edition
5.0
An inspiring insight into cooking and its place in homo sapiens evolving as species, as social and cultural beings. A lot of interesting facts from history, anthropology, biology and chemistry, a lot of interesting philosophical takes on culture and food.
Overall, an enjoyable reading. And did I mention that now I want to learn to roast a full pork, to create my own sour-dough wholegrain bread, and to brew some beer? Those would be quite big investments, but at least I bought a kefir culture while reading.
Overall, an enjoyable reading. And did I mention that now I want to learn to roast a full pork, to create my own sour-dough wholegrain bread, and to brew some beer? Those would be quite big investments, but at least I bought a kefir culture while reading.
marcymurli's review against another edition
4.0
This is a terrific book for people who are interested in food. The writing is wonderful and engaging as is usually the case with Pollan's work. I especially enjoyed the thematic breakdown of the book--fire, water, air, earth--and the way he tied the ways humans have cooked over the centuries to these essential elements. The people he interviews to talk about various processes--especially in the fermentation chapter and the bread baking chapter--are fascinating. Pollan's sense of humour and his poetic way of talking about food, health, and natural history makes this an essential read.