Consider the Fork

April 18, 2019 11:13 AM - by Bee Wilson

Since prehistory, humans have braved sharp knives, fire, and grindstones to transform raw ingredients into something delicious--or at least edible. But these tools have also transformed how we consume, and how we think about, our food. In Consider the Fork, award-winning food writer Bee Wilson takes readers on a wonderful and witty tour of the evolution of cooking around the world, revealing the hidden history of objects we often take for granted. Technology in the kitchen does not just mean the Pacojets and sous-vide machines of the modern kitchen, but also the humbler tools of everyday cooking and eating: a wooden spoon and a skillet, chopsticks and forks. Blending history, science, and personal anecdotes, Wilson reveals how our culinary tools and tricks came to be and how their influence has shaped food culture today. The story of how we have tamed fire and ice and wielded whisks, spoons, and graters, all for the sake of putting food in our mouths, Consider the Fork is truly a book to savor.
posted by Homo neanderthalensis (1 comment total)

Bee Wilson is always good for a deep dive into culinary topics and this book is no exception. Like all of her books it's very much from the British perspective, which means she gets a little down on the US's tendency to measure by volume instead of weight. (She has a point). It's a great book for anyone with an interest in the history of the tools we use to make food edible or easier to eat, an almost anthropological tome on how we consume our calories.
posted by Homo neanderthalensis at 11:19 AM on April 18, 2019