pASHions
BACK of the BOOK
In this edition , Jonathan G . Hoggatt , PhD , discusses his passion for the delicious art of cooking . Dr . Hoggatt is an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and assistant professor at the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and Center for Transplantation Sciences in Boston .
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Dr . Hoggatt preparing for his annual bacon-tasting event .
Dr . Hoggatt shows off his butchering skills .
Let ’ s Get Cookin ’
When did you start cooking ? It started with a birthday gift from a neighbor when I turned 10 years old . A family friend gave me a cookbook – probably something she grabbed on the way out the door because she had forgotten to get a gift – and I immediately started making its recipes .
I was born and raised in the Midwest in a standard “ meat-and-potatoes ” family , so for me , cooking was a way to try new things that weren ’ t necessarily being made at our family dinners . It helped that my parents always encouraged me and my brothers to eat different foods – even if they didn ’ t eat them themselves .
When did cooking become a serious hobby ? By the time I finished college , I had read through enough recipes and gained enough skills to create my own recipes on the fly . Next , I wanted to learn about the science of cooking ; in following a recipe , you ’ re following a protocol , but I wanted to know why the protocol was that way . I started to play around with recipes , and – partially inspired by Alton Brown ’ s television show “ Good Eats ” – tracked my “ experiments ” in the kitchen . It was just the scientist in me .
What is your favorite cuisine to cook ? I like to cook new things – I constantly am searching for new ideas and new flavors , and I eat pretty much any type of cuisine . One day , I might have a beef brisket on my smoker for 20 hours and have a barbecue . The next night , I might be prepping vegetables and making a broth for a Japanese shabu-shabu at home . Another night , I might go to a party and I ’ ll make a batch of gougères cheese pastries to take . I have expanded to cocktails , as well ; instead of bringing a
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