What is a recipe? Lynn Z Bloom rattles through that one pretty quickly in her opening chapter because she knows this book isn't really about recipes. Its about food. But there would never be an Object Lesson book on Food - the scope is too big and there have already been plenty on types of food (and drink). But you can't talk about recipes without talking about food and so she positions the book in a weird hinterland between the two. She happily talks about the kinds of recipes there are - loose improvisational guidelines to test kitchen recommended precise instructions. She talks about the kind of cookbook authors there are - from home cooks with their twinkly folklore advice to high-powered TV chefs. She wisely spends quite a lot of time talking about how the internet has changed recipes, and handlily reminds us that her bibliography would be five times as long and inaccurate if she didn't trust us to google any of the recipes that seem interesting, But she really, really wants to talk about food.

I had no problem with that, and enjoyed Recipe a lot as a brief but meandering wander through food issues. The deep dive chapter on chocolate is where pretty much all pretence of being about recipes drifts away but replaces that with some of the starker economic and slavery costs of this gorgeous food. Recipes rely on plenty, food security, so what happens when you have none of that (the chapter on porridge will tell you that). In many ways the form of her book mimics what she says about recipes - an instruction manual that knows its readers will not follow to the letter. This is about recipes, but it isn't just about recipes, and isn't either the last word on recipes.

It was interesting that only when I thought about what was missing here that the book started to disappoint me (which means it will probably pass most peoples cursory enjoyment test). It is, as they often are, very US centric, which also means a broad assumption of knowledge of Julia Child, Iron Chef and no mention of Delia Smith (I would have been interested to compare the "cooking bibles" of various countries). No comparison of recipes with experiments - though their write ups are surprisingly similar. To that point no mention at all of the Anarchists Cookbook. And whilst there is some talk about the measurements involved and accuracy - no real mention of volume vs weight and the bugbear of everyone outside the USA following a US recipe - the cup measure (or indeed a stick of butter). That's all fine, Object Lessons are short and at the whim of the writer who here has decided not to go down an memoir route. My disappointment in these topics being skated is merely due to the knowledge that she would have done it really well - as everything else here is.

I really enjoy the object lessons series and tend toward the food related topics. Recipe was a fun addition for anyone interested in food writing. It was a philosophical look at how we transcribe recipes, how fluid they can be, and how universal some dishes are. The author pulls in classic and contemporary chefs, shows how interconnected food is in all aspects of life, and shines a new light on something so simple that might be taken for granted.

I look forward to every instalment of Bloomsbury Academic’s “Object Lessons” series which is getting better with every release. The latest volume, “Recipe” by Lynn Z. Bloom, takes a wry but deep dive into the history of the ubiquitous recipe to uncover its secret life and ongoing effect on our lives, both personally and globally.
Each chapter of the book examines and deconstructs a recipe of a well-known dish in a fun and accessible way, yet it is still a very academic book and incredibly interesting, sparking many a “I never knew that!” moment.
The book includes a bibliography and lists of further reading, and an index. Lynn also provides a recipe for blueberry pie which sounds delicious. “Recipe” is highly recommended for cooking enthusiasts and professional chefs alike; you’ll never look at a recipe in the same way again.

An academic book and very interesting. It sparked conversations all day at home. I will never look at a recipe again and only see a list of ingedients. I am now reading my old cookery books with new eyes and insight. Fascinating.

Recipe is a collection of short essays and reminiscences by Lynn Z. Bloom of recipes and how we interact with them. Due out 5th May 2022 from Bloomsbury Academic, it's 160 pages and will be available in paperback format.

This is one of a series of books on everyday items called "Object Lessons" which team writers' observations and experiences with material foci: recipes, stickers, bookshelves, bulletproof vests, traffic, TVs, and trees to give a few examples.

The author does a very good job of first objectifying and deconstructing the concept of a recipe - what it is, where we find them, how they function, and how we interact with them - and then providing insightful essays about how recipes impact us, shape us, inform, and feed us, and occasionally affect us politically and socioeconomically. As a bonus, the author graciously provides a recipe for blueberry pie full to bursting with fresh berries. I haven't yet made it, but I definitely intend to do so.

There's a solid bibliography included with resources for further reading as well as a cross referenced index.

I have enjoyed a number of the books in this series. This one is erudite and thought provoking. It's a worthwhile addition to the series as a whole.

Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.