Vesper Service is a monthly cookbook club in which we get to show and tell recipes from a selected book, with our November "service" celebrating the book "Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat" by Samin Nosrat, and hosted by owner of Vesper, Symantha Duggan.
Symantha selected "Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat" by Samin Nosrat for November's Vesper Service, as the perfect book to dip us into holiday entertainment cooking and in celebration of Samin's latest best seller, "Good Things", released in September.
A visionary master class in cooking that distills decades of professional experience into just four simple elements, from the woman declared “America’s next great cooking teacher” by Alice Waters.
In the tradition of The Joy of Cooking and How to Cook Everything comes Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, an ambitious new approach to cooking by a major new culinary voice. Chef and writer Samin Nosrat has taught everyone from professional chefs to middle school kids to author Michael Pollan to cook using her revolutionary, yet simple, philosophy. Master the use of just four elements—Salt, which enhances flavor; Fat, which delivers flavor and generates texture; Acid, which balances flavor; and Heat, which ultimately determines the texture of food—and anything you cook will be delicious. By explaining the hows and whys of good cooking, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat will teach and inspire a new generation of cooks how to confidently make better decisions in the kitchen and cook delicious meals with any ingredients, anywhere, at any time.
Echoing Samin’s own journey from culinary novice to award-winning chef, Salt, Fat Acid, Heat immediately bridges the gap between home and professional kitchens. With charming narrative, illustrated walkthroughs, and a lighthearted approach to kitchen science, Samin demystifies the four elements of good cooking for everyone. Refer to the canon of 100 essential recipes—and dozens of variations—to put the lessons into practice and make bright, balanced vinaigrettes, perfectly caramelized roast vegetables, tender braised meats, and light, flaky pastry doughs.
How does Vesper Service work?
- Each "service" we select a cookbook to celebrate, ideally that's been in rotation long enough to remain accesible to folx within our community.
- Purchase (we offer 15% off at Vesper Books and Wine if you purchase a ticket) or borrow the book from a friend or your local library.
- We will email you a Google Form to fill out once you've decided on a recipe to share.
- Cook through one recipe in the typical serving size to bring to share.
- Together, we will each discuss why we chose what we made and any modifiers made to the recipe.
- Feast and connect with other likeminded folx from our community.
- Once we're finished, all unclaimed leftovers will be portioned out and donated to one of the many Detroit Community Fridges.
