What Einstein Told His Cook – Kitchen Science Explained - Hardcover

Wolke, Robert L

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0393011836 ISBN 13: 9780393011838

Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company, 2002

Synopsis

Do you wish you understood the science of foods, but don't want to plow through dry technical books? What Einstein Told His Cook is like having a scientist at your side to answer your questions in plain, nontechnical terms. Chemistry professor and syndicated Washington Post food columnist Robert L. Wolke provides over 100 reliable and witty explanations, while debunking misconceptions and helping you to see through confusing advertising and labeling. In "Sweet Talk" you will learn that your taste buds don't behave the way you thought they did, that starch is made of sugar, and that raw sugar isn't raw. Did you know that roads have been paved with molasses? Why do cooked foods turn brown? What do we owe to Christopher Columbus's mother-in-law? In "The Salt of the Earth" you will learn about the strange salts in your supermarket. Does sea salt really come from the sea? (Don't bet on it.) Why do we salt the water for boiling pasta? And how can you remove excess salt from oversalted soup? (You may be surprised.) In "The Fat of the Land" you will learn the difference between a fat and a fatty acid, what makes them saturated or unsaturated, and that nonfat cooking sprays are mostly fat. Why don't the amounts of fats on food labels add up? Why does European butter taste better than ours? In "Chemicals in the Kitchen" you will learn what's in your tap water, how baking powder and baking soda differ, and what MSG does to food. What Japanese taste sensation is sweeping this country? Is your balsamic vinegar fake? Why do potato chips have green edges? In "Turf and Surf" you will learn why red meat is red, why ground beef may look as if it came from the Old Gray Mare, and how bones contribute to flavor. Want a juicy turkey with smooth gravy? How does one deal with a live clam, oyster, crab, or lobster? In "Fire and Ice" you will learn how to buy a range and the difference between charcoal and gas for grilling. Did you know that all the alcohol does not boil off when you cook with wine? How about a surprising way to defrost frozen foods? And yes, hot water can freeze before cold water. In "Liquid Refreshment" you will learn about the acids and caffeine in coffee, and why "herb teas" are not teas. Does drinking soda contribute to global warming? Why does champagne foam up? Should you sniff the wine cork? How can you find out how much alcohol there is in your drink? In "Those Mysterious Microwaves" you will learn what microwaves do-and don't do-to your food. What makes a container "microwave safe"? Why mustn't you put metal in a microwave oven? How can you keep microwave-heated water from blowing up in your face? In "Tools and Technology" you will learn why nothing sticks to nonstick cookware, and what the pressure-cooker manufacturers don't tell you. What's the latest research on juicing limes? Why are "instant read" thermometers so slow? Can you cook with magnetism and light? What does irradiation do to our foods?

About this title

Review

Wolke... is one of the great demystifiers of science information.... Wolke is wonderful at answering those vexing food questions you always wondered about but never got around to investigating yourself.

The author... breathes fun and fact into his work, making this book a good choice for any cook.

Bob Wolke is that rare mix of lab-coat scientist and raconteur, as if Albert Einstein's mother had married Rodney Dangerfield's father. He's informed, amusing, and delivers clear answers as well as good, in-depth science. --Christopher Kimball, founder and editor of Cook's Illustrated

I have enjoyed Bob Wolke's column in the ?Post ?for years, and his book is as good a read on the science of cooking as there is. Bob is not only well educated, he is a wit and a wonderful, gifted writer who can make anyone understand what's behind the 'magic' that happens in the kitchen. His sound, clever recipes are a welcome bonus. --Mark Bittman, author of How to Cook Everything

Robert Wolke's book is so full of useful information that you'll find yourself referring to it again and again.... Not only does he have the penetrating mind of a chemistry professor, but Robert Wolke also has a tremendous sense of humor. Besides being packed with all kinds of interesting food science tidbits, this book is just plain funny.

Robert Wolke's terrific book will be invaluable and accessible to every cook. The style is clear, the text is honest, and perhaps best of all the book is fun to read, filled with the 'why's and 'how's of the kitchen. --Paula Wolfert, author of Mediterranean Cooking and Mediterranean Grains and Greens

The occasional recipe adds diversity but facts are the book's strong point. ?What Einstein Told His Cook ?is a scientifically accurate but witty and entertaining study of the chemistry of food and cooking. --Elliot Ketley

Wolke... is one of the great demystifiers of science information.... wonderful at answering those vexing food questions you always wondered about but never got around to investigating yourself. "

The author... breathes fun and fact into his work, making this book a good choice for any cook. "

Bob Wolke is that rare mix of lab-coat scientist and raconteur, as if Albert Einstein's mother had married Rodney Dangerfield's father. He's informed, amusing, and delivers clear answers as well as good, in-depth science. --Christopher Kimball, founder and editor of Cook's Illustrated"

Synopsis

Does the alcohol really boil off when we cook with wine? Are smoked foods raw or cooked? Are green potatoes poisonous? This work provides plain explanations of kitchen mysteries, with a liberal seasoning of wit. Organized into basic categories for easy reference, this book contains more than 130 lucid explanations of kitchen phenomena involving starches and sugars, salts, fats, meats and fish, heat and cold, cooking equipment and more. Along the way Robert L. Wolke debunks some widely held myths about foods and cooking.

Edition details

• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0393011836
• ISBN 13: 9780393011838
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 320