Jamie Oliver may be exaggerating when he says “Nigel is a genius” but I think Nigel Slater is pretty awesome.  He’s a food writer who tells it like he sees it and he’s realistic about how people like to eat.  Instead of poo-pooing take-out and eating a meal over the kitchen sink he embraces all the ways we eat food.  Slater wants us to be more aware of our choices about what and how to eat.

So I picked up a copy of Nigel Slater: Appetite First, I’ve got to mention the titles of his chapters say so much.  Here are the first 4 chapters: “Why cook?” “Who are you cooking for?” “So where do you want to eat?” “Cutting down on the work.” The contents of these introductory chapters are like essays where Slater explores each title in a sort of dialogue. In his chapter “So where do you want to eat?” Slater describes the joy of street eating in various countries. He ponders why food is so much tastier on the streets of Thailand than at home in England.  I’m not sure that I’m able to clearly explain his clear and thoughtful writing, so I’ll give you a quote:

Don’t think you have to cook at all.  Good eating is as much about shopping as cooking. Think about cheeses, hams, bread, ready made fish/vegetable/fruit salads, ready-made meals, shop-bought desserts.  They can all fit in somewhere, but preferably not every day. They are ultimately an expensive, unfulfilling way to eat.

Isn’t that refreshing to read? I love how he makes it all so matter-of-fact. I feel like his statements of truth build my trust as a reader. I’m like a loyal little puppy; I’m ready to read anything he’s writing after hearing stuff like that.

Now, after I’ve just waxed poetic over Slater’s words of delight, I’ve got the rest of my thoughts to share.  As much as I enjoy Slater’s principles of food making and eating, the recipes he offers are a lot less appealing to me. Call me American (why not, I am) but my tastebuds do not get excited about English food. Custard sauce, sausage and mash, fruit pie, they don’t sound appitizing to me.

But the reason I love Slater’s book so much is not for the specifics. He’s taught me to look at eating as an art. Make every meal count by being deliberate– choose to eat McDonalds and enjoy it, but don’t forget to make a delicious hamberger at home with great ingredients too.  I think he just wants me to remember what counts is the excitement for food and eating.  Infuse your appitite with passion and joy, and I think that’s Slater’s message in a nutshell.