EAT MORE BETTER

The creator and host of WNYC's podcast The Sporkful develops a humorous, witty narrative delivered in the form of a pseudo-textbook.

Pashman’s conceit of writing a textbook, complete with homework assignments, a commencement speech and diploma for Sporkful University, is a perfect delivery system for his comedic take on gustatory pleasure. The text is organized around such chapters as “Physical Science: Eating on Earth,” “Language Arts: Better Communication, Better Consumption,” and “Engineering: Construction as Cookery.” The author’s fake university is dedicated to eating as an education, with a goal of achieving “Perfect Deliciousness.” Pashman aims his text at eaters rather than foodies, and his amusing narrative is a refreshing response to our often too-serious culinary culture. The author encourages readers to follow Sporkful University’s motto to “masticate, ruminate and promulgate,” while pondering the important questions eaters face. Pashman examines the pros and cons of popcorn shapes, why sparkling water is neither sparkling nor water, and how to employ buffalo-wing consumption techniques designed to reduce meat and napkin waste (“Drummettes have an average meat-to-bone ratio of 0.49, while flats have an average MTBR of 0.62”). Pashman also explores the technical difficulties presented by the “sliced cucumber conundrum” (“it tends to slide out the back [of a sandwich] when confronted with bite force”) and shows how vertical plating of a grilled cheese sandwich preserves crispness. The author’s clever use of language plays a leading role throughout his wry culinary journey. Paired with the copious diagrams depicting problems eaters/students may encounter during their trek, Pashman leads readers through the “eatscape,” which he defines as “a community brought together by its members’ common passion for eating and seeking deliciousness.” The book closes with a glossary of key terms, including “semolina fulcrum,” “meat umbrella,” “face funnel,” “porklift” and “toothsinkability.”

A good-natured, clever and informative romp through the modern culinary landscape.