Good Things by Jane Grigson

There are so many recipes floating around today, and, as with an abundance of anything, much is crap. Isn’t this always the case in a sizable democracy?What should we strive for instead? A meritocracy, where those who have achieved the most lead the rest? But how do we decide on the achievements that matter? The judgement of the James Beard Foundation? There’s politics in that, to say the least. Or a technocracy, where those with the most skills are the authorities? Again, the pesky politics of history and economics, and the realities of access, must be considered…and we’d likely find ourselves in a kitchen ruled by scientists. A socialist republic? Read Anya von Bremzen’s Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking to learn how that turns out.We are, however, (basically) in a democracy, where many people can raise their voices and share their aunt’s recipe for anything in any number of forums. And maybe your aunt was a wonderful woman, and had real heart in the kitchen, and your nostalgia for