The Whole Beast

Summary

The book features a number of recipes that, in total, utilize every part of the pig. In addition, it features a number of "techniques for brining, salting, pickling and preserving in fat", including explanations on how to "clear stock with egg whites and shells, how to bone out a trotter and how to bake bread using a tiny quantity of yeast for tastier results". It also includes descriptions on methods of "making stocks and the old-fashioned skill of rendering". The book also includes a few black and white photos that serve as decoration and example for the dishes and pieces of meat involved and discussed.

A famous quote from the book, and personal slogan of Henderson that is often cited by newspapers and used by master chefs reads, "If you're going to kill the animal it seems only polite to use the whole thing."

Style

Amanda Hesser of the New York Times said that Henderson has "a lovely writing voice, as well, so the text, largely recipes, has a rare lyrical charm. An ingredient might be 'a large knob of butter' or 'a good supply of toast. Kurt Timmermeister, author of Growing a Farmer: How I Learned to Live Off the Land, stated that the book "has a style [...] that I love: clean, crisp and confident with a touch of humor". Fay Maschler of the London Evening Standard explained that "Fergus the man comes across in the writing. You can almost see and hear his curvaceous smile, joyful semaphore and barks of 'Ah ha!.

Critical reception

Jonathan Reynolds of the New York Times praised Henderson's use of various, generally undesirable parts of the pig and pointed out that the book was "filled with sly observations and unpredictable advice about ingredients other than offal" as well. Also for the New York Times, Dwight Garner called the book a "terrifically dour, Edward Gorey-ish guide to cooking with offal: everything from pig's trotters and lamb's kidneys to brains, tripe, spleen, heart and tongue."

Elizabeth Johnson of The Journal News considered first editions of the book to be "collector's items" because of its popularity.

Lucy Waverman of The Globe and Mail said that its "dry humour and vivid imagery is a refreshing change from traditional recipe writing".

Aileen Reid of The Daily Telegraph called it a "surprisingly refined book" that is "beautifully and elegantly written".

Stephanie Alexander of The Age considered it to be an "absolute gem" and a "triumph of book design." Two years later for The Age, Necia Wilden wrote that the book was "a sleeper that went from underground classic to foodies' must-have".

References

References

1. Amanda Hesser. (15 October 2003). "For a Genius of the Off-Cut, Lunch Time Is the Right Time". [[The New York Times]].
2. Donna Lee Brien. (October 2010). ""Porky Times": A Brief Gastrobiography of New York's The Spotted Pig". The Australian Journal of Media & Culture.
3. Ian Douglas. (25 October 2004). "Swine of the times". [[The Daily Telegraph]].
4. (2005-08-29). "Two Cooks".
5. Daniel Maurer. (21 May 2005). "A Thin Line between Yum and Yuck". [[New York Magazine]].
6. Witherspoon, Kimberly. (2007). "Don't Try This at Home: Culinary Catastrophes from the World's Greatest Chefs". [[Bloomsbury Publishing]].
7. Aileen Reid. (12 December 2004). "All in the best possible taste (mostly)". [[The Daily Telegraph]].
8. Isabelle de Solier. "Cookery Books as History: Australian and New Zealand Approaches". [[The University of Adelaide]].
9. Lipkowitz, Ina. (2011). "Words to Eat By: Five Foods and the Culinary History of the English Language". [[St. Martin's Press]].
10. Timmermeister, Kurt. (2011). "Growing a Farmer: How I Learned to Live Off the Land". [[W. W. Norton & Company]].
11. Fay Maschler. (1 June 1999). "Buying the book of the meal". [[London Evening Standard]].
12. Jonathan Reynolds. (20 June 2004). "FOOD; Sexy Beast". [[The New York Times]].
13. Deight Garner. (6 June 2004). "Cooking". [[The New York Times]].
14. Elizabeth Johnson. (4 May 2005). "Going whole hog". [[The Journal News]].
15. Lucy Waverman. (15 February 2011). "Comfort food supreme from two seasoned chefs". [[The Globe and Mail]].
16. Stephanie Alexander. (30 November 2004). "A nice bit of tail". [[The Age]].
17. Necia Wilden. (28 November 2006). "Getting an earful". [[The Age]].