Like most Americans, Steve Ettlinger eats processed foods. And, like most consumers, he often reads the ingredients label--without a clue as to what most of it means. So when his young daughter asked, "Daddy, what's polysorbate 60?" he was at a loss--and determined to find out.

From the phosphate mines in Idaho to the corn fields in Iowa, from gypsum mines in Oklahoma to the vanilla harvest in Madagascar, Twinkie, Deconstructed is a fascinating, thoroughly researched romp of a narrative that demystifies some of the most common processed food ingredients--where they come from, how they are made, how they are used--and why. Beginning at the source (hint: they're often more closely linked to rock and petroleum than any of the four food groups), we follow each Twinkie ingredient through the process of being crushed, baked, fermented, refined, and/or reacted into a totally unrecognizable goo or powder with a strange name--all for the sake of creating a simple snack cake.

An insightful exploration into the food industry, if you've ever wondered what you're eating when you consume foods containing mono- and diglycerides or calcium sulfate (the latter, a food-grade equivalent of Plaster of Paris) this audiobook is for you!

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AUTHOR
Steve Ettlinger is the author of numerous consumer products books, including Beer For Dummies, The Hardware Cyclopedia, Kitchenware Book, and The Restaurant Lover's Companion.

NARRATOR
Based in Seattle, Mark Lund has appeared on-stage at the Taproot Theatre, including as part of the Garland Award-nominated ensemble of Terra Nova. In addition, Mark has done radio and tv voiceover work for companies such as FedEx, Eddie Bauer, T-Mobile, Microsoft and Qwest, and has performed on a number of video games including F.E.A.R, SWAT 4 and the Backyard Sports series.

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REVIEWS
Publishers Weekly
"In this delightful romp through the food processing industry, Ettlinger, who writes on consumer products... discusses what exactly [a twinkie's] ingredients are, and how they come from places like Minnesota and Madagascar to be made into what Ettlinger calls "the uber-iconic food product, the archetype of all processed foods."

Buzzy Reviews
"I really did not want to know this stuff! I listened! This is food that I love; the fat lady! Steve tells you all about processed foods and it is worse than a horror novel! Buzzably Buzzalicious... not to mention... Mark Lund has a darn nice voice."