The Primal Cheeseburger - Softcover

Rozin, Elisabeth

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0140178430 ISBN 13: 9780140178432

Publisher: Penguin Group USA, 1994

Synopsis

Here is a witty look at the powerful appeal of that ubiquitous American classic and universal food phenomenon, the cheeseburger platter. Elisabeth Rozin traces the historical, cultural, and culinary roots of each element - burger, cheese, bun, ketchup, lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion, fries, and, of course, Coca Cola - in search of the significance of its tantalizing allure. After all, this unique combination of red meat, fat, sugar, and salt violates all that is nutritionally and politically correct in the 90s, yet we can't resist it. The Primal Cheeseburger is an entertaining exploration of why this particular mix of textures, tastes, and smells evokes our carnivorous cravings and touches such a deep chord in our collective food consciousness.

About this title

About the Author

Elisabeth Rozin is the author of Ethnic Cuisine, The Universal Kitchen, The Primal Cheeseburger (both Penguin), The Flavor Principle Cookbook, and Blue Corn and Chocolate. She teaches and lectures widely on comparative and historic cuisine, is a prominent member of Les Darnes d'Escoffier and a board member of the American Institute of Wine and Food, and is a frequent consultant to the food industry. She lives in Havertown, Pennsylvania.

From Booklist

The dissection of America's most popular meal--"two all-beef patties," etc.--may not sit well on everyone's stomach, but Rozin makes an admirable stab at emulating the late, great M. F. K. Fisher in culinary prose. Seven of her chapters delve into the psychological, historical, and culinary roots of ingredients comprising the cheeseburger platter: ground beef patty, bun, cheese, ketchup, vegetables (lettuce, tomato, onions, and pickles), french fries, and soft drink. Old and new facts are intertwined in a scholarly yet readable manner; we learn, for example, that ketchup derives its name and substance from Indonesian soy sauce and that "the Maillard effect" is the moniker for the browning of meat. Her final words sum up what most intuit after digesting a burger with accompaniments--that, despite its recently announced nutritional deficits, it's a meal of plenty and easily accessible to all. Barbara Jacobs

About this edition

• Publisher: Penguin Group USA
• Publication date: 1994
• ISBN 10: 0140178430
• ISBN 13: 9780140178432
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 240