Whatever you may think of Steingarten the fact remains that he is a phenomenal food writer. From the perils of eating salad to the prospect of cooking french fries in horse fat, the essays in this book will certainly introduce you to many novel ideas about food. Steingarten’s writing makes you feel as though you are on a culinary adventure with him, while the knowledge you gain from him is imparted in a humorous, yet informative, way. His essay on fat-free foods begins: “Last night I played the neatest trick on my wife. I grilled a slice of my best homemade French country bread, spread it thick with Promise Ultra Fat-Free nonfat margarine, set it on the counter, sat back, and waited. Soon the toasty aroma drew my wife into the kitchen. Seeing the bread, she smiled broadly and took a bite. I’ll never forget the way her smile froze, as she gagged, stumbled over to the kitchen sink and gave up her mouthful of bread covered with Promise Ultra Fat-Free margarine. What fun we have together!” From there Steingarten proceeds to analyze the truths and myths behind the current fat-free, low-fat craze in America, and you are more than happy to consider the information he shares because you’re still chuckling about the first paragraph.