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Consider the Fork: A History of How We Cook and Eat Hardcover – October 9, 2012

by Bee Wilson (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 890 ratings
Editors' pick Best Cookbooks, Food & Wine
See all formats and editions
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Award-winning food writer Bee Wilson's secret history of kitchens, showing how new technologies - from the fork to the microwave and beyond - have fundamentally shaped how and what we eat.

Since prehistory, humans have braved sharp knives, fire, and grindstones to transform raw ingredients into something delicious -- or at least edible. But these tools have also transformed how we consume, and how we think about, our food. In Consider the Fork, award-winning food writer Bee Wilson takes readers on a wonderful and witty tour of the evolution of cooking around the world, revealing the hidden history of objects we often take for granted. Technology in the kitchen does not just mean the Pacojets and sous-vide machines of the modern kitchen, but also the humbler tools of everyday cooking and eating: a wooden spoon and a skillet, chopsticks and forks. Blending history, science, and personal anecdotes, Wilson reveals how our culinary tools and tricks came to be and how their influence has shaped food culture today. The story of how we have tamed fire and ice and wielded whisks, spoons, and graters, all for the sake of putting food in our mouths, Consider the Fork is truly a book to savor.
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  1. Print length
    352 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Basic Books
  4. Publication date
    October 9, 2012
  5. Grade level
    8 and up
  6. Reading age
    13 years and up
  7. Dimensions
    6.5 x 1.25 x 9.5 inches
  8. ISBN-10
    046502176X
  9. ISBN-13
    978-0465021765
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

*Starred Review* At every turn, Wilson’s history of the technology of cooking and eating upends another unexamined tradition, revealing that utensils and practices now taken for granted in kitchen and at table have long and remarkable histories. The knife evolved from primitive humans’ need to reduce food to manageable portions. Thermometers helped make home ovens practical. Some of the first pleas for animal rights arose from the use of caged dogs to turn spits in front of kitchen hearths. Most societies weigh recipe ingredients, but Americans continue to measure ingredients by volume. Wilson traces this deviation back to the difficulty of lugging scales westward across the frontier. Wilson’s book teems with other delightful insights, laying to rest such questions as what Chinese parents say to their children to persuade them to finish their food, since they can’t employ the typical American admonition about children starving in China. (Answer: Don’t disrespect the sweat of the hardworking rice farmer.) --Mark Knoblauch

Review

"Reading [Consider the Fork] is like having a long dinner table discussion with a fascinating friend.... Leisurely but lively...a pure joy to read."―Los Angeles Times

"Delightful.... [An] ebulliently written and unobtrusively learned survey."―Harper's Magazine

"[A] sparkling...fascinating and entertaining book."―The Sunday Times (London)

"One part science, one part history, and a generous dash of fun."―Good Housekeeping

"Wilson's insouciant scholarship and companionable voice convince you she would be great fun to spend time with in the kitchen.... [She is] a congenial kitchen oracle."―New York Times Book Review

"Fluid yet engaging, just like a good conversation over a pan of sizzling vegetables."―New Republic

"The path from Stone Age flints to sous-vide machines whirs so smoothly that I found myself re-reading passages just to trace how the author managed to work in a Victorian copper batterie de cuisine along the way."―Washington Post

"A delightful compendium of the tools, techniques and cultures of cooking and eating. Be it a tong or a chopstick, a runcible spoon or a cleaver, Bee Wilson approaches it with loving curiosity and thoroughness."―Spectator (London)

"Wilson celebrates the unsung implements that have helped shape our diets through the centuries. After devouring this delightful mix of culinary science and history, you'll never take a whisk for granted again."―Parade

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Basic Books; 1st edition (October 9, 2012)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 352 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 046502176X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0465021765
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 13 years and up
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 8 and up
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.24 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.5 x 1.25 x 9.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 890 ratings

About the author

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Bee Wilson

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Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
890 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book interesting, engaging, and full of facts. They appreciate the excellent information and encyclopedic breadth. However, some readers find the pacing underwhelming, repetitive, and dull at times. Opinions are mixed on the prose, with some finding it good and readable, while others say it has typos and is wordy.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

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InterestInformation qualityVisual qualityReadablePacing
117 customers mention "Interest"117 positive0 negative

Customers find the book interesting, engaging, and lighthearted. They say it's full of facts they never knew about how people eat. Readers also mention the topic is interestingly developed, with a lot of history.

"...The lore was varied and delightful. Did you know that Einstein invented a refrigerator? Or what is the origin of the old phrase "A pint's a pound"?..." Read more

"...While this book does fill this void in an informative and entertaining way, she has not closed off this void...." Read more

"Well written and researched. It was interesting to see the development of how people have cooked and why they did it the ways they did...." Read more

"...you enjoy cooking ....or just enjoy eating....this book is a fun and entertaining read. But it is also far more than that...." Read more

54 customers mention "Information quality"54 positive0 negative

Customers find the information in the book excellent, interesting, and encyclopedic in breadth. They say it's full of surprising tidbits and up-to-date information on the latest useful gadgets. Readers also appreciate the wonderful details that allow them to put much of the modern kitchen into context.

"This is a fascinating book for anyone who cooks... or eats...." Read more

"...While this book does fill this void in an informative and entertaining way, she has not closed off this void...." Read more

"Well written and researched. It was interesting to see the development of how people have cooked and why they did it the ways they did...." Read more

"...Combining anthropology and archaeology this well researched and documented book reveals far more than the history of apparatus and how cooking has..." Read more

13 customers mention "Visual quality"10 positive3 negative

Customers find the book interesting, elegant, and witty. They also describe it as sparkling, fascinating, and lively. Readers also mention the book is creative, unique, and a masterpiece.

"This is a masterpiece. Recommend to everyone who's interested in cooking technology, history, or just looking for a good book!" Read more

"...of adjectives to describe this book — delightful, a joy to read, sparkling, fascinating, lively, entertaining, a dash of fun...." Read more

"...Graphically excellent, illustrations are crisp and clear..." Read more

"...If I have any complaint it is the lack of illustrations. The book needs more pictures to flesh out the text...." Read more

62 customers mention "Readable"43 positive19 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the book. Some mention the prose is good and the writing style flows comfortably. Others say the text is a bit wordy, repetitive, and at times rambles.

"Well written and researched. It was interesting to see the development of how people have cooked and why they did it the ways they did...." Read more

"...Despite its contents heavy on history and science it is eminently readable. I bought it for my daughter for Christmas thinking she would enjoy it...." Read more

"...My biggest complaint is there are so many typos in the kindle edition! It is the worst kindle book I've read!..." Read more

"...Even if you are a serious reader, this book will please you. Well written, and you will learn something too. And yes, delightful, fun, and enjoyable." Read more

17 customers mention "Pacing"5 positive12 negative

Customers find the pacing of the book underwhelming, not engaging, and repetitive. They also mention it's dull at times, tedious, and doesn't keep their attention well.

"...She's pretty happy with the book, but she says it can be a bit dull at times. Now that she's finished the book, I can add some more insight...." Read more

"...Also, the Kindle edition is riddled with typos, which was very distracting." Read more

"This is a really nice fun read. Quick and easy to get through with some excellent information...." Read more

"The text is a bit wordy and repetitive. Sometimes it appears that little cogent editing among consequtive essays has been employed...." Read more

Poorly constructed paperback.
1 out of 5 stars
Poorly constructed paperback.
My review is not for the book’s content but rather the actual book itself. I finally started reading it and love what I have read so far. This past weekend, however, the book literally fell apart at the seams. I was enjoying it immensely, when, quite suddenly, the pages detached from the cover. Even more interesting, it detached in almost identical thirds and now the individual pages are detaching which turns the pleasure of reading it into a juggling act. Unfortunately, my return/exchange window is closed so it seems I am stuck with a defective product. I am so sad and am quite certain that Bee Wilson would be disappointed with Amazon, Basic Books and the Perseus Book Group and whomever else is responsible for its construction and quality assurance. :(
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Top reviews from the United States

Angie Boyter
5.0 out of 5 stars A delectible history of cooking and eating that will appeal to readers of many tastes!
Reviewed in the United States on August 18, 2022
Verified Purchase
This is a fascinating book for anyone who cooks... or eats. It delves into the history of things we use to cook and eat, like pots and knives and grinding utensils of various types and forks and spoons . It considers the ways we cook like frying and boiling and making frozen food. We don't usually use terms like science and technology in connection with cooking and eating, but the author does fairly frequently, impressing me in way I had never considered with how these terms are and have been very applicable to this topic throughout history.
The lore was varied and delightful. Did you know that Einstein invented a refrigerator? Or what is the origin of the old phrase "A pint's a pound"? Or that yummy yucca is toxic if eaten raw? Or why Europeans introduced such blunt table knives?
This is a book I will be recommending to a lot of friends. Although there is a Reading Group Guide included, I do not really see this as a reading group book. However, my own book group will be reading it this month, and I may have to eat my words!
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4.0 out of 5 stars Good read, but missed opportunities.
Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2013
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Consider the Fork: A History of How We Cook and Eat by Bee Wilson is an interesting book on the history of the technology of cooking and eating. She is attempting to fill a perceived void in food history books: while there are plenty of books on the ingredients and recipes of history, there are very few books on the equipment used to prepare and eat those ingredients and recipes. While this book does fill this void in an informative and entertaining way, she has not closed off this void. Large portions of the book concern themselves with the technological changed wrought in the last 2 centuries, and the focus is very European (Asia seems to be reduced to the wok, the tou, chopsticks, and the electric rice cooker, and it's as if no technology is used in Africa at all). The book is fascinating to read -- it's only when looking back do the holes appear.

The book's primary division is based on technology, not time or place. The first chapter discusses the history of pots and pans, the third "fire" (or heating technology), leaving the necessary interplay between what gets heated and how it gets heated to be somewhat split between the two chapters. The second chapter discusses knives and their evolution and use, including both table and kitchen usages, while the discussions of spoons and forks at the dinner table waits until chapter 6. Food preservation is mainly discussed in the chapter "Ice", which is mainly concerned about the changes brought about by the advent of refrigeration over the last 200 years -- which means canning, brining, smoking pickling, fermenting, drying, etc gets restricted to just a small handful of pages. It seems odd that a book on the history of cooking technology misses such a historically important aspect of the history of how we cooked and ate.

While she mentions many times that the available technology shapes the foods eaten, and vice-versa, the discussion of individual technologies divorced from their overall context robs the ability to explore this interplay in detail. One rarely gets a sense of how meals were prepared and eaten at any particular place and time, nor how advances in one kitchen technology caused changes in others. This, I feel, was somewhat of a lost opportunity.

All in all, it was a good read, but it left plenty of room for other books on the same topic.
7 people found this helpful
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careful
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting
Reviewed in the United States on November 1, 2023
Verified Purchase
Well written and researched. It was interesting to see the development of how people have cooked and why they did it the ways they did.
Just after reading it, I visited a 15th C historic house and what I had read about made what I saw in the kitchen and how it was laid out really come to life.
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pbk63
5.0 out of 5 stars A fun read about cooking tools and history of cooking in general but far more than that!
Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2014
Verified Purchase
If you enjoy cooking ....or just enjoy eating....this book is a fun and entertaining read. But it is also far more than that. Combining anthropology and archaeology this well researched and documented book reveals far more than the history of apparatus and how cooking has changed. I discovered this book while reading a novel in which one of the characters was reading the book. I am glad that I ordered it for myself. Despite its contents heavy on history and science it is eminently readable. I bought it for my daughter for Christmas thinking she would enjoy it. Decided to read it myself and am so glad that I did. Written by a British writer it has a European and British tilt but for me that makes it all the more interesting. I think you will be surprised at the breadth of knowledge imparted you would never have thought about and certainly never associated with cooking much less the apparatus used for cooking. Covering the history of various cooking tools, both those that work and those discarded anyone interested at all in the subject of food will find this a tasty read. If there were six stars I would give it to this book and can highly recommend it both to the culinary inclined, those interested in history as well as the general reader.
8 people found this helpful
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Tom Bateman
4.0 out of 5 stars From fire to…sous vide?
Reviewed in the United States on April 2, 2024
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Definitely a collection of kitchen essays, this book give some detailed history of the kitchen utensils we take for granted, and a look at what it was like in the kitchens (or caves) of our great, great, great grandparents.
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Alëna
5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning book! Absolutely recommend it
Reviewed in the United States on August 29, 2024
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This is a masterpiece. Recommend to everyone who's interested in cooking technology, history, or just looking for a good book!
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Top reviews from other countries

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Bill, in BC
5.0 out of 5 stars Really Interesting!
Reviewed in Canada on January 8, 2020
Verified Purchase
The author has a good mix of history and modernity, with loads of information, some of which is based on personal anecdotes. A great read.
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Teresa Mann
5.0 out of 5 stars Simply fab!
Reviewed in France on January 6, 2021
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Excellent book in excellent condition!
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AlexandraM
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting alternative cook book
Reviewed in Italy on October 25, 2017
Verified Purchase
I had bought first the Italian version of this book as a gift for a family member. Then I was curious and bought it also for myself.
It has been a pleasure reading it: very nice and flowing style that doesn't make you nauseous when reading of food. A nice mix of history of food and how, in consequence, men created food tools.
As a suggestion, I would have loved to see images of certain tools that are not really common around the world.
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Rebecca
5.0 out of 5 stars He particularly loved telling us how this book told him about when ...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 4, 2017
Verified Purchase
Bought this for father in law and he found this book perfectly balanced between story and factual historical information about how we in the modern age have benefited from age old methods. He particularly loved telling us how this book told him about when man created the pickling of food version and how they came about sealing products in jars and tins for the men in the army and how that came about and how the story unfolds that the tin opener wasn't invented until some 100+ years later but now the tin opener is practically obsolete as we have created both electronic tin opener and a ring pull top. He would definitely recommend this book, can't wait to order another book for him.
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New Leaf
5.0 out of 5 stars What a fascinating book
Reviewed in India on July 10, 2015
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This is the kind of book one needs to read in small doses to absorb all the details.

Related to this I recommend these books:
1. 'At Home: A short history of private life' by Bill Bryson
2. 'A History of the World in 6 Glasses' by Tom Standage
3. 'Food in History' by Reay Tannahill
4. 'Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation' by Michael Pollan
5. 'Seeds of Change: Six Plants That Transformed Mankind' by Henry Hobhouse
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