Sour: The Magical Element That Will Transform Your Cooking

by Mark Diacono

Overview

SUNDAY TIMES FOOD BOOK OF THE YEAR 2019

DAILY MAIL FOOD BOOK OF THE YEAR 2019

A THE TIMES FOOD BOOK OF THE YEAR 2019

A FINANCIAL TIMES FOOD BOOK OF THE YEAR 2019

A GUARDIAN FOOD BOOK OF THE YEAR 2019

A BBC RADIO 4 FOOD PROGRAMME BOOK OF THE YEAR 2019

From cheese to vinegar, throughout the centuries we have deliberately let – and even encouraged – food to go sour to enhance its flavour. Now, sour foods have never been more fashionable, with the spotlight falling on foodstuffs as disparate as Belgian sour beer and Korean kimchi. But what is it that makes sourness such an enticing, complex element of the eating experience? And what are the best ways to harness sour flavours in your own kitchen?

Sour offers a series of invitations to the modern cook, to learn the life-enhancing skills behind the everyday transformations that hold the key to this most enduring taste. Award-winning food writer Mark Diacono sets out to demystify the sour world, and explore why everyone's extolling the virtues of kombucha and fermenting for their digestive health. By grappling with gooseberries and turning his hand to sourdough, experimenting with ultra-cool shrub cocktails, and making his own yoghurt, kefir and pickles, Mark tells the story of what makes things sour, and offers recipes that maximise the transformative power of this amazing taste. From sumac-roasted duck and kombucha mayonnaise to roasted plums with labneh and cherry sour cream clafoutis, it is time to let a little (or a lot) of sour into your life.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781787133334
Publisher:	Quadrille
Publication date:	09/05/2019
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	272
File size:	44 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Mark Diacono is lucky enough to spend most of his time eating, growing, writing and talking about food. He has written a number of award-winning books, including A Year at Otter Farm and A Taste of the Unexpected (which both won Food Book of the Year for André Simon and the Guild of Food Writers, respectively), Sour (which was Food Book of the Year 2019 in The Sunday Times and Daily Mail, and nominated for a James Beard Award in the US), Herb and Spice. Known for growing everything from Szechuan pepper to pecans to Asian pears, Mark's refreshing approach to growing and eating has done much to inspire a new generation to grow some of what they eat. He was involved with River Cottage, appearing in the TV series, running courses and events at River Cottage HQ, and he has written four River Cottage books. Mark has a monthly column in The Sunday Times, and writes regularly for a range of publications including The Telegraph, Delicious and Country Life; his features have appeared in The Observer, Guardian, National Geographic, and others. He also speaks and demos at food festivals around the UK and writes for an engaged and growing audience on his Substack: ‘Mark Diacono’s Imperfect Umbrella’.
Mark Diacono is lucky enough to spend most of his time eating, growing, writing and talking about food. He has written a number of award-winning books, including A Year at Otter Farm and A Taste of the Unexpected (which both won Food Book of the Year for André Simon and the Guild of Food Writers, respectively), Sour (which was Food Book of the Year 2019 in The Sunday Times and Daily Mail, and nominated for a James Beard Award in the US), Herb and Spice. Known for growing everything from Szechuan pepper to pecans to Asian pears, Mark's refreshing approach to growing and eating has done much to inspire a new generation to grow some of what they eat. He was involved with River Cottage, appearing in the TV series, running courses and events at River Cottage HQ, and he has written four River Cottage books. Mark has a monthly column in The Sunday Times, and writes regularly for a range of publications including The Telegraph, Delicious and Country Life; his features have appeared in The Observer, Guardian, National Geographic, and others. He also speaks and demos at food festivals around the UK and writes for an engaged and growing audience on his Substack: ‘Mark Diacono’s Imperfect Umbrella’.

Editorial Reviews

12/02/2019

In this clever outing, British author Diacono (A Year at Otter Farm) posits that as “our wild affair with sugar” wanes, our love of sourness grows, then offers lip-puckering suggestions. Diacono devotes a sizeable chunk to narrative instructions for making yogurt, vinegar, and sourdough bread. One catchall chapter, titled “Small Things,” features focaccia topped with gooseberries and sage as well as classic hollandaise sauce and pickled quince; the remaining four cover main courses; sides, salads, and soups; desserts; and beverages. Diacono employs a chatty yet authoritative throughoutvoice as he suggests an artful meshing of flavors: a salad of halloumi cheese, mango, and arugula with spicy tamarind dressing is, for instance, “a fine tumble” of textures. Desserts include buttermilk pudding with roasted rhubarb and sour lemon-drop candies. Rounding out this collection are bracing vinegar-based cocktails called shrubs (one with lime, ginger, cider vinegar) and a drink that originated at Brooklyn’s Bushwick Country Club called a pickleback (a shot of whiskey followed by a shot of pickle juice), which the author admits is a “total non-recipe; more of a suggestion, like ‘Wear a hat when it’s sunny.’ ” This quirky collection of solid recipes will entice home cooks. (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly