Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat

In the tradition of The Joy of Cooking comes Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, an ambitious new approach to cooking by a major new culinary voice. Chef and writer Samin Nosrat has taught everyone from professional chefs to middle school kids to author Michael Pollan to cook using her revolutionary, yet simple, philosophy. While cooking at Chez Panisse at the start of her career, Samin Nosrat had noticed that amid the chaos of the kitchen there were four key principles that her fellow chefs would always fall back on to make their food better: Salt, Fat, Acid and Heat.

Master the use of these four elements-Salt, which enhances flavour; Fat, which delivers flavour and generates texture; Acid, which balances flavour; and Heat, which ultimately determines the texture of food-and anything you cook will be delicious. By explaining the hows and whys of good cooking, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat will teach and inspire a new generation of cooks how to confidently make better decisions in the kitchen and cook delicious meals with any ingredients, anywhere, at any time.

Echoing Samin’s own journey from culinary novice to award-winning chef, Salt, Fat Acid, Heat immediately bridges the gap between home and professional kitchens. With charming narrative, illustrated walkthroughs, and a lighthearted approach to kitchen science, Samin demystifies the four elements of good cooking for everyone. Refer to the canon of 100 essential recipes – and dozens of variations – to put the lessons into practice and make bright, balanced vinaigrettes, perfectly caramelized roast vegetables, tender braised meats, and light, flaky pastry doughs.

Featuring 150 illustrations and infographics that reveal an atlas to the world of flavour by renowned illustrator Wendy MacNaughton, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat will be your compass in the kitchen. Destined to be a classic, it just might be the last cookbook you’ll ever need.

Author Biography

Samin Nosrat is a writer, chef and teacher. She learned to cook with Alice Waters at Chez Panisse after studying journalism at UC Berkeley. Inspired by her many teachers, Samin runs a series of hands-on cooking classes in the Bay Area. She is widely credited as the person who taught Michael Pollan how to cook and features in his book and TV series Cooked. Samin lives in Berkeley, California. Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat is her first book. www.saminnosrat.com Wendy Macnaughton is an illustrator and graphic journalist. She illustrated the New York Times bestseller The Essential Scratch and Sniff Guide to Becoming a Wine Expert and Lost Cat: A True Story of Love, Desperation and GPS Technology. She lives in San Francisco. www.wendymacnaughton.com