Product Description

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, with the 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  

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #21818 in Books
• Published on: 2000-10-04
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 244 pages

Review
"Focuses quite specifically on the physics and food chemistry of practical domestic cooking in terms of real recipes. Industrial food technologists and process engineers will not find design equations or process flowsheets. Instead they, and those with more immediate home cooking interests, will find a clear, fascinating, informative and serviceable description of the scientific phenomena occurring during domestic cooking, and how to exploit an understanding thereof to achieve results consistently, adapt recipes confidently and adeptly rescue catastrophes. 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, with the 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 and Drink Newsletter

"…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

"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

Financial Times - Weekend, 16 December 2000
"at last, we have a book which shows how a practical understanding of physics and chemistry can improve culinary performance."

Nature, Vol. 409, 25 January 2001
"The Science of Cooking will also be stimulating for amateur cooks interested in following recipes and understanding how they work."

Customer Reviews

Some detail missing perhaps...
In common with all the other reviewers, I found this book to be a revelation. My mother's rules-of-thumb, passed down, are now given a scientific basis, or a better alternative is offered.

Although this book has changed many of my cooking practices, I would offer one caveat: if you are seeking specific information when designing new recipes you may find this book lacking. In particular, the index has no entries for either salt or alcohol; the latter rarely needed, admittedly, but the former absolutely basic.

These niggles aside, I can thoroughly recommend this book to all but the most pedantic (probably including myself!).

great for scientists or cooks
This book explains clearly the fundamental processes that go on when cooking basic dishes. For example: bread, pastry, or meat. It enables you to use the scientific principles described to improve and understand your cooking. A fascinating read, and understandable even if you're not a graduate scientist.

For all those adults who still ask why?
I love it when all those dry science facts can be linked together to explain things we see around us. This book is full of those experiences. The science is well explained and there are panels with more complicated explanations for those with more than a basic knowledge. The book has inspired me to experiment with the various methods of cooking - just finished baking a sponge so I could try the idea of dropping the cake when you take it out of the oven to stop it sinking!