Margaret Visser before she began writing about culinary concerns, concerned herself primarily with the classics. She is then firstly a classicist, secondly a scholar and thirdly-it would follow- very knowledgeable. All this shines through in this book. Visser has created a simple four course meal of Corn with Butter and Salt, Roast Chicken and Rice, a Lettuce Salad dressed with Lemon Juice and Olive Oil followed by Ice Cream.
The book is perhaps a little dated-seen in particular in the chapter concerning Lettuce, nowadays its all hydroponically grown- it still however remains a formidable tome exploring each component to its very roots and its very branches. The exploration of these components I found fascinating; the butter chapter I particularly enjoyed, Visser's clever argument upon margarine was certainly magnificent. (Her argument briefly is if Margarine is so bloody good why does it try imitate butter?).
However I have a keen interest in such things and found myself lagging occasionally, just pushing through with a stubbornness which you've all come to love and admire.
68/100 (Non-Fiction Chart) 85/100 (Culinary Chart)
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