The Missing Ingredient
The Curious Role of Time in Food and Flavour
Published on 1. March 2018
Book
Hardback
368 pages
978-1-84614-897-2 (ISBN)
Description
'Brilliant and original ... From slow feasts to fast food, Linford shows that, no matter what we are cooking, time is of the essence' - Bee Wilson, Sunday Times
The Missing Ingredient is about what makes good food, and the first book to consider the intrinsic yet often forgotten role of time in creating the flavours and textures we love.
Written through a series of encounters with ingredients, producers, cooks, shopkeepers and chefs, exploring everything from the brief period in which sugar caramelises, or the days required in the crucial process of fermentation, to the months of slow ripening and close attention that make a great cheddar, or the years needed for certain wines to reach their peak, Jenny Linford shows how, time and again, time itself is the invisible ingredient. From the patience and dedication of many food producers in fields and storehouses around the world to the rapid reactions required of any home cook at the hob, this book allows us to better understand our culinary lives.
The Missing Ingredient is about what makes good food, and the first book to consider the intrinsic yet often forgotten role of time in creating the flavours and textures we love.
Written through a series of encounters with ingredients, producers, cooks, shopkeepers and chefs, exploring everything from the brief period in which sugar caramelises, or the days required in the crucial process of fermentation, to the months of slow ripening and close attention that make a great cheddar, or the years needed for certain wines to reach their peak, Jenny Linford shows how, time and again, time itself is the invisible ingredient. From the patience and dedication of many food producers in fields and storehouses around the world to the rapid reactions required of any home cook at the hob, this book allows us to better understand our culinary lives.
Reviews / Votes
Brilliant and original ... From slow feasts to fast food, Linford shows that, no matter what we are cooking, time is of the essence' -- Bee Wilson * Sunday Times * Thoughtful, lively and original. No one has approached food in regard to time before -- Jill Norman, Food and Wine Writer A compelling book...Time is the unacknowledged genie of the kitchen. The Missing Ingredient considers the meanings that go beyond quantitative measures -- Darra Goldstein * TLS * Interesting...clever...revelatory -- Rachel Cooke * Guardian * Thoughtful and engaging * Waitrose Weekend * Beautifully written and highly original. Jenny Linford scrutinises time-honoured food production methods and cookery techniques through the often ignored lens of time. A gently informative, almost lyrical volume for our impatient times -- Joanna Blythman, author of Shopped: The Shocking Power Of British Supermarkets Jenny Linford has created something quite remarkable: a treatise on the single most vital and most overlooked element of food and cooking that's as page-turning as a thriller. It's hard to believe nobody has tackled the concept of 'time' before, and Jenny has done it more than justice. A glorious, essential addition to every food lover's book shelves. -- Marina O'Loughlin, restaurant criticMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Penguin Books Ltd
Target group
Professional and scholarly
College/higher education
Dimensions
Height: 222 mm
Width: 144 mm
Thickness: 33 mm
Weight
510 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-84614-897-2 (9781846148972)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
03/2018
1st Edition
Penguin Books Ltd
€8.49
Available for download
Person
Jenny Linford is a food writer and author of over fifteen books including The Chef's Library, featuring the favourite cookbook choices of over seventy acclaimed international chefs, and Food Lovers' London, first published in 1991 and still in print. General Editor of 1001 Restaurants You Must Experience Before You Die, her work has appeared in Delicious, the Financial Times, Modern Farmer and the National Trust magazine. A longstanding member of the Guild of Food Writers, she founded and runs Gastro-Soho Tours, offering personal guided tours around London's food shops. Travelling to Denmark, Italy, Malaysia, Singapore and Spain as well as travelling around Britain to meet producers including bakers, chocolate makers, asparagus growers, ice cream makers and farmers, The Missing Ingredient showcases the voices of the people she has encountered and championed over twenty-six years.