SOUR: Gobsmackingly good

"Unenthusiastically wash the outside of the pineapple" p262; the modern day equivalent of "first catch your hare", apparently a misquotation from Georgian food writer Hannah Glasse and a phrase that should be committed to the annals of food writing folklore.

This is just one of the stand out lines in Mark Diacono's latest book, Sour;  lipsmackingly lyrical, making you wish that the pages themselves were edible, such is the saliva stimulating content thereof.
Page after page of glorious writing, luring you away from the shallow temptation of sweetness, recipes seducing you to the delights of sour.
And as well as the recipes, the pleasure of discussion ranging from the banality and addictiveness of salt and vinegar crisps; the nerdy scientist appeal of kombucha and fermentation, with the ever present promise of a potential explosion; hippy, now hipster sourdough bread and the slap of a truly mouth tingling cocktail.  

I am dipping in and out of this, learning so much, following the trails left by Mark generously leading to other authors, other authorities and planning on making so very many of the recipes.

This is writing of pure joy, an author sharing his deep love of his subject, leading you line by line through a new world of flavour and taste experiences.

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