Kitchen Secrets: The Meaning of Cooking in Everyday Life

by Frances Short

What's really going on in the kitchen?Whilst cookery programmes are broadcast at peak viewing times and chefs regularly claim celebrity status, food writers announce the death of cooking. Parents, experts, campaigners and policymakers grow increasingly concerned about the proliferation of pre-prepared foods and a growing trend for eating alone and on the run. Kitchen Secrets explores the thoughts, values and opinions of home cooks, their practices and experiences, and the skills and knowledge they use to prepare and provide food. It offers new and challenging ways of thinking about cooking, examining and often contesting commonly-held beliefs and theories about the role of practical cookery lessons, dinner parties as showcases for culinary flair and the de-skilling effect of convenience foods. Kitchen Secrets lifts the lid on the modern range to see what's cooking.

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Emily]

This was a really interesting exploration into the myth of cooking and the rumored deskilling of modern families. Frances Short reviews a great deal of current literature, revealing that much concern over the decline and devaluation of cooking skills is based on little evidence.

Her research is based on a few dozen loosely-structured interviews. Her main conclusions discuss the ambiguous nature of "cooking," the complexity and range of cooking skills, and the cultural nature of cooking. As nutrition and public health officials continue to emphasize cooking skills and education as part of programs and campaigns, this book is a great multi-disciplinary resource.

[Nicolás Triana]

this book is so uninteresting, because shows many silly debates and ideas that make me feel that i'm wasting my time.