The new kitchen science : a guide to knowing the hows and whys for fun and success in the kitchen

Cooking equipment -- Cooking methods -- Meats -- Seafood -- Dairy products -- Eggs -- Fruits and vegetables -- Sauces and thickeners -- Seasonings -- Oils and fats -- Baking -- Beverages -- Food storage -- Nutrition and health -- Diets -- Potpourri.

In this revised and updated edition of the book that thousands of cooks have turned to when they have a question, the science authority Howard Hillman provides the latest findings about everything from cooking methods, equipment, and food storage to nutrition and health concerns.

Publishers Weekly

This updated edition of a kitchen essential provides the answers to all the culinary questions that can leave cooks scratching their heads. Hillman reveals, for example, how microwave ovens work (a tube within the oven causes food molecules to vibrate, which causes friction, which in turn causes heat), why percolated coffee can taste bitter (usually because it's been boiled for far too long) and why crustaceans taste sweeter than fish (their flesh contains more of a compound that converts into simple sugars). Divided into sections-including Cooking Methods, Baking, Seasonings, Food Storage, and Health and Nutrition-this authoritative and sprightly volume will have anyone who's interested in cookery sighing, Aha! Hillman begins with a list of the all-too-familiar mistakes good cooks make, which points to explanations for why those eggs went rubbery, that batch of ice cream turned icy and the roast mysteriously shrunk. He also offers Principle-Illustrating Recipes (e.g., two vinaigrette preparations, one truly emulsified and therefore superior) and kitchen experiments (e.g., one that demonstrates the strange, distinct flavor that results from the chemical reaction between salt and MSG). Written with friendly reassurance and designed logically and thoughtfully, this compendium of questions and answers is a must for the kitchen shelves of curious cooks everywhere. (Feb.) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Preface 9 Mistakes Good Cooks Make—and How to Avoid Them 11 1 Cooking Equipment 19 2 Cooking Methods 45 3 Meats 62 4 Seafood 96 5 Dairy Products 120 6 Eggs 141 7 Fruits and Vegetables 152 8 Sauces and Thickeners 171 9 Seasonings 195 10 Oils and Fats 206 11 Baking 218 12 Beverages 236 13 Food Storage 252 14 Health and Nutrition 267 15 Diets 283 16 Potpourri 293 Further Reading 311 Index 315 About the Author 336 "Provides the latest findings about everything from cooking methods, equipment, and food storage to nutrition and health concerns"--Page 4 of cover Answers questions about cooking utensils and techniques, the taste of foods, and the chemistry involved in cooking and preserving foods.