Sure, the Netflix documentary, “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat” is a short, four part series that is an educational, highly informative show based on the excellent and eponymous cookbook, starring Cookbook Author and all-around Unicorn of Joy and Delight™ Samin Nosrat, but consider the following problematic details:
Samin (Imma call her Samin, bc I just feel like I KNOW HER) speaks Spanish and Italian on screen and viewers are treated to watching her be just as cute in more than one language
Samin interviews little Italian and Mexican grandmas and little artisanal Japanese lady miso producers and Samin’s Mom
Samin features small craft producers
The pesto-making was just Too Much
Lotsa women chefs and business owners on screen, almost like Samin made it a priority to upend the bro-tocracy present on too many cooking/food travel shows in order to highlight non-corporate producers of actually nurturing food
So many ladies. Much women. So wow.
I want Samin’s kitchen
Too many cute scarves, and apparently waxed cotton jackets are sexy now
Samin gets to eat gelato on screen and I don’t
The documentary fails to allow me to lick the food through the screen
Beautiful scenery I can’t afford to travel to immediately
The completely adorable way Samin says “wow” when she tastes something amazing
Tahdig
The poetic butcher guy talking about how pretty his pigs are
Samin’s full throated laughter
SHE LOOKS LIKE SHE GIVES REALLY GOOD HUGS
I am gluten intolerant and That Foccacia is Too Delicious and there is no Lactaid for bread
Culturally competent, non-voyeuristic conversations with foreign food producers that don’t involve Frat-Boy Hijinks or competitive alcohol consumption. Seriously, it’s like if the curious, openhearted bakers on GBBO from the Richard/Chetna/Nancy/Martha season all had an international travel show that was respectful of the host’s culture and of viewer’s intelligence, except it’s all wrapped up in one curly-haired, zaftig Unicorn of Joy and Delight™, Samin Nosrat
Just. Samin is a real-sized, non-model woman who gets to eat on screen. She visibly enjoys eating. Not once is she judgmental about anything, ever. I love her nose, and her smile, and her curls, and just. Samin.
I legit cried in the last episode when she talked about cooking being an act of service, an expression of love.
Anyway, I am going to marry Samin Nosrat and also probably spend too much money on parmesan cheese and miso. This show is problematic because there are only four episodes, but anyway, go watch “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat.”
Friendly reminder that activated charcoal, even when put into food as a black colorant, binds to medication and can make it ineffective. Yes, this includes birth control! I thought I’d put this PSA out there since people are making spooky “black” versions of normal foods.
Just Sha 