Zingerman’s, for those who don’t know, is a food phenomenon. Begun in 1982 and located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, it has blossomed into a Community of Businesses with more than 300 employees, a delicatessen, a creamery, a bakery, a mail-order house, and a training and consulting firm. First and foremost, however, it is a superb food family.

It may be whimsically designed, but don’t let the amusing drawings and quirky appearance fool you. This book is serious about food, and about educating your brain and your palate. Weinzweig is a self-educated expert in quality foods, and his expertise is presented in a straightforward yet entertaining way. His advice to students new to the culinary art form: Become a “mindful eater.” His techniques for doing just that begin with excellent suggestions, some of which your mother probably gave you: look at your food, smell it, taste it, slow down your eating, buy better ingredients, get comfortable in the kitchen.

But it is when he moves into the culinary classroom—explaining the differences between Tuscan olive oils or why most wild rice is not wild at all—that his experiences become words you can almost eat. Each chapter covers different foodstuffs: oils, olives and vinegars; grains and rice; cheese; meat and fish; seasonings; honey, vanilla, chocolate and tea. You may think you know about these items, but Weinzweig has an astonishing amount and array of information. He is also a delightful tour guide through this world of finely made foods.

You’ll never look at cheese the same way after reading the 75 pages that comprise “A Guide to Buying Cheeses.” It begins with an overview of cheese and the factors—seasons, topography, climate and the role of starter culture—that determine its quality and taste. His explorations of Parmigiano-Reggiano, Cheddar, mountain, blue and goat cheeses are practical and fascinating. He details where each cheese is made, what to look for, the history of different cheeses, and the various types such as L’etivaz, Emmentaler, Sbrinz, Taleggio, Comté and more. And he is constantly pointing out that while they may not be at your local supermarket, they are available in most places and well worth searching out.

You’ll probably be surprised to learn just how much there is to learn about basic ingredients. Take salt. A commonplace seasoning, you may think. Wrong. After a brief journey through salt’s history, Weinzweig explores the various sea salts available and how they are made. “While all salts are composed primarily of sodium chloride,” he writes, “their other elements vary. Natural sea salt is 83 percent sodium chloride; the reminaing 17 percent is composed of residual moisture and other minerals like magnesium, iron, sulfur, and zinc, which add to the distinctive flavor. Commercially processed table salt is nearly 98 percent sodium chloride, making it purer but less interesting in flavor.”

Weinzweig further delineates the difference between mechanically harvested, refined sea salt and the naturally sun-dried kind. The latter is produced in three spots on France’s Atlantic coast with fleur de sel being what he terms the “queen” of French salts: “composed of small, snowflake-like crystals” with an aroma “reminiscent of violets.” His details about Breton gray salt, England’s maldon salt, Italy’s Sicilian sea salt or Portugal’s flor dal sal provide a solid foundation for appreciating how even the simplest of ingredients make a difference to food. You’ll definitely understand and value these differences after reading this, and your salt habits may change forever.

Included after each ingredient’s story are a few recipes that take full advantage of the product. I guarantee that you’ll never look at boxed macaroni and cheese again after trying this one which features white American cheddar, thyme, rosemary, white wine and Dijon mustard.

Zingerman’s Guild to Good Eating is a fabulous resource for anyone who wants to improve her or his tastes or eating habits. While the foods will cost more—quality takes time and time means money—this is not a book solely for those who can afford gourmet foods. Small changes can make a difference, and when the food is high quality, be it a good balsamic vinegar or traditionally harvested sea salt, the result is more enjoyment with less food. And that is what eating well is really all about.


Almost since her childhood days of Mother Goose, Lauren has been giving her opinion on books to anyone who will listen. That “talent” eventually took her out of magazine writing and into book reviewing in 2000 for an online review site where she cut her teeth (as well as a few authors). Stints as book editor for her local newspaper and contributing editor to Booklist and Bookmarks magazines have reinforced her belief that she has interesting things to say about books. Lauren shares her home with several significant others including three cats, 750 bookmarks and nearly 1,000 books that, whether previously read or not, constitute her to-be-read stack. She can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it