This fun book operates on the simple philosophy that knowledge is power. If you know why souffles fall or chocolate seizes, you can better avoid these culinary disasters. And furthermore, you can invent new recipes and feel confident that they will work chemically.
Peter Barham's "The Science of Cooking" is a romp through the molecular world in your kitchen. He describes the key classes of materials found in food, as well as why they interact as they do, and what goes wrong in failed recipes. Proteins, fats, and carbohydrates must combine appropriately to create a perfect roast, cake, or roux. Particularly interesting was the discussion of gluten formation through the working of bread or pastry dough, as the starch molecules, through their interactions with water and fat and friction, transform their properties.
Wouldn't you know it-- Barham is a physicist. He has done the gastronomic world a great service by bringing science into the kitchen. "The Science of Cooking" rates a solid "+".
Copyright © Kim Allen 2002
