Literary+Review

Practical Urban Cookbook Literary Review

Lior Percher

 Undeniably, obesity and the struggle to find healthy food for low-income families has been a difficulty for United States since the beginning of the 1950’s with the revolution of the freezer and fast food industry (Ross). This dichotomy between finding reasonably priced foods and ones which are palpable provide an intimidating challenge for people leading busy lives to find the balance between these two temptations. Cookbooks have been a product and resource for avid cooking fans for ages, providing recipes and appropriate cooking challenges(Hamilton). However, within some of these most popular cookbooks, there maintains to be a loss in finding a practical instrument for busy families which cannot afford a poached duck or fresh scallops. This balance is possible, and can be created by dedicating time of finding produce which satisfies peoples’ basic nutritional needs, complimentary flavors, with prices and portions which are realistic for a 21st-century families in urban cities. The average American family of four spends around $342 a week on groceries (Hamilton). With all the food products readily available, this is not surprising and can be assumed that many families spend well over that amount. In controlling diet it is important to acknowledge the four primary food groups and incorporate fruit, vegetables, starch, dairy products, and meats (Rozin). Fulfilling the daily diet with all the necessary vitamins (Lappe, Rozin, Logue) is the key to creating a healthy filling dish. Combinations are products of nutritiously viable foods. Only by being aware of their desires and the reason behind them will consumers be consciously aware(Logue) of the dietary decisions they make, and therefore not fall into the trap placed by corporations and mass media(Pollan). Healthier options do not necessarily mean substantially more expensive alternatives, in so consumers will simultaneously improve the environmental repercussions which the food industry strongly has on our planet (Pollan). Although it might seem unrealistic, personal healthy decisions improve life in the long run(Lappe). With the agricultural advances made in the past decades, it is possible to procure any product at any point in the year. Consideration and careful selection of the brands people choose to support greatly effects the quality of the food; cheap food and healthy food are not mutually exclusive, so it encouraged to purchase legumes and other such organics during their season, to ensure best purchase time and least genetically altered food (Lappe). The American fast food industry is unique to its culture, and in many foreign countries providing families with enough food is more of a struggle(Romieu). This adaptation of families in rural villages in Nicaragua will provide insight to different recipes and substitutions that can be incorporated into the American diet. Since resources and currency is scarce, much of the food consists of rice, beans, and plantain, providing relatively small portions which allow for hours of energy in a labor-intensive country(Romieu). This opportunity allows for insight on home-cookery, an interesting source of comparison. There is no better way than sharing the insight gleaned from this research than formatting it into a practical cookbook form, which families can use. Creating the cookbook must be formatted so it is easy to navigate, enjoyable to skim through, and plentiful enough to provide sufficient variety. In looking at renowned cookbooks in history, one can understand what readers look for and what makes for a successful book (Rhulman).


 * Bibliography **
 * "Writing a Cookbook | Michael Ruhlman."Michael Ruhlman - Translating the Chefâs Craft for Every Kitchen kitchen. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Mar. 2012. ____
 * Pollan, Michael; New York Times Magazine “Out of the Kitchen on to the Couch”, Aug 2, 2009
 * Romieu, Isabelle; Hernandez-Avila, Mauricio; Rivera, Juan A.; Ruel, Marie T.; and Parra, Socorro (1997). “Dietary Studies in Countries Experiencing a Health Transition: Mexico and Central America.” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition65(4, Suppl):1159S–1165S.
 * Lappé, Frances Moore. Diet for a small planet . 10th anniversary ed. New York: Ballantine Books, 1982. Print.
 * Rozin, Elisabeth. The flavor-principle cookbook. New York: Hawthorn Books, 1973. Print.
 * Hamilton, Shane; The Economies and Conveniences of Modern-Day Living: Frozen Foods and Mass Marketing, 1945-1965 by Shane Hamilton. __{http://www.jstor.org/stable/select/30041100?seq=1&thumbView=thumbs&thumbPager=one&Search}__
 * Ross, Alice; Health and Diet in 19th-Century America: A Food Historian's Point of View; Jstore. {http://www.jstor.org/stable/25616238?&Search=yes&searchText=budget&searchText=cookbooks&searchText=low&list=hide&search}