Salt Fat Acid Heat

Salt Fat Acid Heat is a terrific book and a fun Netflix series. Created by chef and laugh machine Samin Nosrat, both works center on her conviction that anyone can cook well once they understand the four foundations of delicious food. The book and the show are divided into each of these four topics, and Nosrat's sheer, infectious love for food radiates in both mediums.

The book is especially useful because it imparts important lessons. For example, I now prep my meats by salting them the night before cooking, or at least one hour before. I also make sure they're at room temperature prior to cooking. I do the water sizzle test on my pan to confirm that it's properly hot. Then I taste as I cook. It's fun!

Meanwhile, the Netflix show is more of a travelogue. Nosrat visits specific places known for their ingredients and how they put those together, finds local chefs, and learns from them. Then she caps it off with a group dinner. I found the Salt (Japan) and Heat (California) episodes more edifying, but it could be because those included the lessons I took to heart. The illustrations and animations in Heat were particularly entertaining and informative, especially the bit about how a convection oven works (also covered in the book, but without the visuals). But Nosrat's trip to Italy (Fat) and Mexico (Acid) seem to showcase regional cooking, rather than educate viewers about the individual component. Still, it's mesmerizing to watch an Italian matriarch make pesto by hand, and seeing the turkey dishes and the boxed bees in Yucatán is mouth-watering.

In the end, Samin Nosrat is a fabulous chef and expresses her love through her cooking, which make both versions of Salt Fat Acid Heat delightful and worth a look. Now if you'll excuse me, I have an inexplicable craving for salsa picante...

TL; DR: Cook at home and oversalt everything! Mwahahahahaaa

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