View all newsletters
Sign up to our newsletters

Support 110 years of independent journalism.

  1. Culture
  2. Food & Drink
24 October 2018updated 03 Sep 2021 12:33pm

Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: a joyful, guilt-free exploration of what makes food delicious

The show is more ambitious and cinematic than a straightforward, do-it-yourself cooking show, but more accessible than so much else on offer.

By Anna Leszkiewicz

In so much TV, “fat” is a dirty word. What a joy, then, to hear the opening words of Samin Nosrat’s Netflix series Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat. “Fat,” Nosrat says proudly. “It’s nothing short of a miracle. Fat is flavour. Fat is texture. Fat makes food delicious.” So begins episode one, a tour of all the ways fat transforms our favourite meals. Nosrat shows us how food cultures are shaped by the fats they cook in: French cuisine’s reliance on butter; southern US food’s heavy use of bacon fat and lard; and, of course, the olive oils that define Italian cooking. Blissfully, she never uses words such as “naughty”, “treat” or “calories” – these pleasures are free from guilt.

This episode mostly takes place in Italy, as Nosrat watches masters make olive oil, Parmesan, pesto and focaccia. She plays close attention to texture and sound: the translucent thinness of properly rolled pasta dough, the specific crumbliness of a 40-month-aged parmesan. Her joy in food is unpretentious and endearing – when a hunk of cheese brings a happy tear to her eye, it’s genuine and lovely.

The show is more ambitious and cinematic than a straightforward, do-it-yourself cooking show, but more accessible than the new genre of showy, macho food documentaries that define the streaming era (Chef’s Table, Ugly Delicious). Instead of being overawed by the technical brilliance that goes into great cooking, you are left marvelling at its simplicity. Suddenly, the idea of getting up before work to make traditional Ligurian focaccia for breakfast feels not preposterous, but breezy and tempting. A better future sparkles on the horizon. All that lies between you and your best culinary life is one bottle of seriously good quality extra virgin olive oil, and the final three episodes of Salt, Fat Acid, Heat. Reach out and touch it.

Select and enter your email address Your weekly guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture every Saturday. The best way to sign up for The Saturday Read is via saturdayread.substack.com The New Statesman's quick and essential guide to the news and politics of the day. The best way to sign up for Morning Call is via morningcall.substack.com Our Thursday ideas newsletter, delving into philosophy, criticism, and intellectual history. The best way to sign up for The Salvo is via thesalvo.substack.com Stay up to date with NS events, subscription offers & updates. Weekly analysis of the shift to a new economy from the New Statesman's Spotlight on Policy team. The best way to sign up for The Green Transition is via spotlightonpolicy.substack.com
  • Administration / Office
  • Arts and Culture
  • Board Member
  • Business / Corporate Services
  • Client / Customer Services
  • Communications
  • Construction, Works, Engineering
  • Education, Curriculum and Teaching
  • Environment, Conservation and NRM
  • Facility / Grounds Management and Maintenance
  • Finance Management
  • Health - Medical and Nursing Management
  • HR, Training and Organisational Development
  • Information and Communications Technology
  • Information Services, Statistics, Records, Archives
  • Infrastructure Management - Transport, Utilities
  • Legal Officers and Practitioners
  • Librarians and Library Management
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • OH&S, Risk Management
  • Operations Management
  • Planning, Policy, Strategy
  • Printing, Design, Publishing, Web
  • Projects, Programs and Advisors
  • Property, Assets and Fleet Management
  • Public Relations and Media
  • Purchasing and Procurement
  • Quality Management
  • Science and Technical Research and Development
  • Security and Law Enforcement
  • Service Delivery
  • Sport and Recreation
  • Travel, Accommodation, Tourism
  • Wellbeing, Community / Social Services
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
THANK YOU

Content from our partners
The promise of prevention
How Labour hopes to make the UK a leader in green energy
Is now the time to rethink health and care for older people? With Age UK

Select and enter your email address Your weekly guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture every Saturday. The best way to sign up for The Saturday Read is via saturdayread.substack.com The New Statesman's quick and essential guide to the news and politics of the day. The best way to sign up for Morning Call is via morningcall.substack.com Our Thursday ideas newsletter, delving into philosophy, criticism, and intellectual history. The best way to sign up for The Salvo is via thesalvo.substack.com Stay up to date with NS events, subscription offers & updates. Weekly analysis of the shift to a new economy from the New Statesman's Spotlight on Policy team. The best way to sign up for The Green Transition is via spotlightonpolicy.substack.com
  • Administration / Office
  • Arts and Culture
  • Board Member
  • Business / Corporate Services
  • Client / Customer Services
  • Communications
  • Construction, Works, Engineering
  • Education, Curriculum and Teaching
  • Environment, Conservation and NRM
  • Facility / Grounds Management and Maintenance
  • Finance Management
  • Health - Medical and Nursing Management
  • HR, Training and Organisational Development
  • Information and Communications Technology
  • Information Services, Statistics, Records, Archives
  • Infrastructure Management - Transport, Utilities
  • Legal Officers and Practitioners
  • Librarians and Library Management
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • OH&S, Risk Management
  • Operations Management
  • Planning, Policy, Strategy
  • Printing, Design, Publishing, Web
  • Projects, Programs and Advisors
  • Property, Assets and Fleet Management
  • Public Relations and Media
  • Purchasing and Procurement
  • Quality Management
  • Science and Technical Research and Development
  • Security and Law Enforcement
  • Service Delivery
  • Sport and Recreation
  • Travel, Accommodation, Tourism
  • Wellbeing, Community / Social Services
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
THANK YOU