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How To Cook Your Life

Bring coffee

By BRETT MICHEL | December 5, 2007

2.5 Stars

Edward Espe Brown and Doris Dörrie

Prior to seeing Morgan Spurlock’s Super Size Me, I was as unenlightened about the hazards of “manufactured” food as Bubba pre–heart bypass. Leave it to a Zen priest/chef to continue my awakening. My exposure to Buddhism amounts to rubbing my belly, but it’s hard to argue with the choice McNuggets of wisdom offered up by the self-depreciating Edward Espe Brown (author of the 1970 Tassajara Bread Book) in the warts-and-all portrait by Doris Dörrie (director of 1985’s Männer. . . ). A sample: “If you have a little bit of shit on your nose, it’ll follow you wherever you go. So just wash your face!” It’s a hilarious contrast to the simple teachings of Brown’s late master, Suzuki Roshi: “When you wash the rice, wash the rice.” Adored by students (Dörrie is a former pupil) immune to his tantrums (he cries more than the cast of Spider-Man 3), Brown is still an easy-going charmer, but bring coffee (organic, of course) — though piquant, his Zen might induce ZZZs. English + German | 94 minutes | Kendall Square

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