The Science of Cooking

Barham, Peter

ISBN 10: 3540674667 / ISBN 13: 9783540674665

Published by Springer, 2000

New, perfect copy. Clean, fresh, tight and bright. Top notch. Seller Inventory # 000637

Synopsis:

A kitchen is no different from most science laboratories and cookery may properly be regarded as an experimental science. Food preparation and cookery involve many processes which are well described by the physical sciences. Understanding the chemistry and physics of cooking should lead to improvements in performance in the kitchen. For those of us who wish to know why certain recipes work and perhaps more importantly why others fail, appreciating the underlying physical processes will inevitably help in unravelling the mysteries of the "art" of good cooking.

Strong praise from the reviewers -

"Will be stimulating for amateur cooks with an interest in following recipes and understanding how they work. They will find anecdotes and, sprinkled throughout the book, scientific points of information... The book is a pleasant read and is an invitation to become better acquainted with the science of cooking." - NATURE

"This year, at last, we have a book which shows how a practical understanding of physics and chemistry can improve culinary performance… [Barham] first explains, in a lucid non-textbooky way, the principles behind taste, flavour and the main methods of food preparation, and then gives fool-proof basic recipes for dishes from roast leg of lab to chocolate soufflé." - FINANCIAL TIMES WEEKEND

"This book is full of interesting and relevant facts that clarify the techniques of cooking that lead to the texture, taste and aroma of good cuisine. As a physicist the author introduces the importance of models in preparing food, and their modification as a result of testing (tasting)."- THE PHYSICIST

"Focuses quite specifically on the physics and food chemistry of practical domestic cooking in terms of real recipes... Each chapter starts with an overview of the scientific issues relevant to that food group, e.g. toughness of meat, thickening of sauces, collapse of sponge cakes and soufflés. This is followed by actual recipes, withthe purpose behind each ingredient and technique explained, and each recipe followed by a table describing some common problems, causes and solutions. Each chapter then ends with suggested experiments to illustrate some of the scientific principles exploited in the chapter." - FOOD & DRINK NEWSLETTER

 

About the Author: Dr Peter Barham is a Reader in Physics at Bristol University.He has long been involved in popularising science in Great Britain with lectures and contributions to TV and Radio shows on the science of food. He is a columnist for the Guardian. In 1999 he received the prestigious Institute of Physics Prize for Promoting the Public Awareness of Physics.

Bibliographic Details

Title: The Science of Cooking
Publisher: Springer
Publication Date: 2000
Binding: Hardcover
Condition: New
Dust Jacket Condition: New
Edition: 1st Edition