OP: Fat: An Appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient, With Recipes

Ten Speed Press, Berkeley, 2008. Hardcover. Fine. First printing.

Jennifer McLagan has made a career writing about foodstuffs that tend to inspire more discomfort than craving. Whether cultural taboo makes you squirm at the thought of ingesting Blood (2019), biological evolution averts your palate from anything Bitter (2014), disconnect from the animalness of food sources makes Bones (2005) and Odd Bits (2011) appear more gruesome than natural, or diet culture has you shunning Fat (2008), McLagan, rather than turning away, celebrates all that these things have to offer.

Fats, specifically those derived from animal sources, have a long history in the human diet. It is only in the last 40 years or so that they have become undesirable, threatening. The reasons, McLagan says, are complicated and fail to consider millennia of human history over recent concerns. 

Supporting beautiful prose with equally delectable recipes, McLagan effortlessly alchemizes a bad word into temptation and desire. Who could resist buttery pureed potatoes or a salted butter tart, Spanish-style pork rillettes or bacon baklava, cassoulet or sauteed foie gras with gingered vanilla quince, bone marrow tacos or a fruit cobbler with suet biscuits? 

McLagan’s gift with each of her cookbooks is the simple fact that a little knowledge and open-mindedness leads to a richer existence. 

Ours is a first printing in Fine condition, including the dust jacket.