One of the lessons of modernism, in all fields, is that to break with the past you first have to understand it. Members of the “Modernist Cuisine” team do that through a brash, thrillingly thorough, firsthand exploration of all sorts of culinary basics: grilling, barbecuing, baking, roasting, frying. They study these at length, accessibly, and with liberal use of truly gorgeous photography. Some of these photographs are of food pathogens—the things we eat that make us sick.
This is really just an excuse to link to the amazing Toxoplasma Gondii and the completely unrelated Captain Higgins. And to wonder aloud about possible reactions to modernist cuisine.