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What Einstein Told His Cook: Kitchen Science ExplainedDo 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
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?"Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Published: 05/17/2002
ISBN: 9780393011838
Pages: 350
Weight: 1.35lbs
Size: 8.50h x 5.80w x 1.30d
Award: James Beard Foundation Book Awards - Nominee
Award: IACP Crystal Whisk Award - Finalist
Review Citations: Publishers Weekly 05/06/2002 pg. 51
Library Journal 05/15/2002 pg. 121
Booklist 07/01/2002 pg. 1810
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4.2 ★★★★★
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Product Reviews
★★★★★ 5
An amazing book ...
Format: Paperback
An amazing book. Reading the book helped me understand why the US is experiencing difficulties in "perceived righteousness" today. I would recommend it to anyone who would like to change the World for the better.
Howard Zinn is a benevolent hacker: the kind of hacker I would like my children to be, and why not: all children to be.
For me, Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States hacks history and defines a problem and offers a solution:
1. The problem: a one-sided patriotic history enslaves the masses,
2. The solution: a bottom-up, humanistic history empowers everyone and opens the doors for future reconciliations among different communities.(1)
At this critical juncture of human history both are relevant not only for the US but rather for our race.
A one-sided patriotic bias in history: at what cost?
1. hides wrongdoings and the associated guilt,
2. serves as the first line of defense to deflect current & future criticisms for the past & current mistakes,
3. tampers data gathering, silences questioning & divergence of opinions,
4. reduces communication among communities,
5. defines “the patriotic” and increases the chances of populating the armed forces,
6. defines the other: “the unpatriotic,”
7. increases insecurities,
8. evokes fears (of retribution, etc.)
9. can be misused to justify violence against “the other,”
10. builds a common memory for the masses, builds their egos so that these egos can later be exploited,
11. allows the word “culture” to be used as an equivalence: American culture = being American; (2)
12. a politician can mix these facts to incite emotional reactions of the masses and eventually reach a higher number of votes in a predetermined direction, inexpensively,
13. at school, in the media, in speeches of politicians, and during different rituals (starting with reciting the pledge of allegiance and singing of the national anthem) the patriotic history is repeated and reinforced. Under these conditions, the masses learn to repeat what is given to them. They shun away from questioning further. Their concept of free-will is replaced by a misplaced trust. They learn not to deviate from the norm: they are enslaved and are not even aware of this enslavement.
Many words lose their meaning: “a more perfect Union” “Justice” “secure the Blessings of Liberty,” “democracy.” A higher degree of cynicism and later a deep feeling of helplessness ensue. There are costs to the individual, the family, the society. Since many worldwide look up to the US morally, the use of one-sided patriotic history in the US produces world leaders who imitate bad examples. Consequently, Humanity pays dearly.
A bottom-up, humanistic history empowers everyone:
1. can eliminate ignorance,
2. can eliminate convenient forgetfulness,
3. can eliminate arrogance,
4. improve self-esteem, communication, & understanding
5. can reduce violence,
6. can empower the individuals and the masses: psychologically and economically and thus improve the quality of life,
7. can help the path to sustainable peace.
Among the different communities, the wounds are real. A one-sided history often does not address all of these wounds. Denial freezes any possibility of a reconciliation. A reconciliation process would pass through an acceptance of a historical wrong doing.
In time, mankind may realize that what Howard Zinn has started may be the building blocks of sustainable peace.
As a new year starts, I wish upon all of us: nations, creeds, ethnicities, etc. our very own Howard Zinns.
(1) In the US, these communities can be whites, blacks, American Indians, Mexicans, WASPS, Catholics, Jews, Moslems, Chinese, Japanese, etc. In Turkey, where I am from, these communities include the seculars, non-seculars, Alevites, Armenians, Greeks, Jews, Kurds, etc.
(2) Most of us are led to believe that “being” American/WASP/Jewish/Moslem/... is a “culture;” we almost always have these attributes thanks to coincidences; i.e. we are born into these “states;” how can a state that is largely a coincidence, be culture? I would suggest that only what is done through our free-will is deemed culture. Interestingly worldwide, the education systems, the media, and politicians use and propagate the word “culture” to imply largely a static state, rather than the result of a willful action.
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Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2016
★★★★★ 5
Good quality
Format: School & Library Binding
Perfect!
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Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2026
★★★★★ 5
Great book perfect for history lovers
Format: School & Library Binding
This book is perfect for people who love history in general. Very interesting topic in that it deserts why different cultures became more prominent than others over time. I’m still getting through it, but wanted to write a positive review because I’m enjoying it so much.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 23, 2024
★★★★★ 4
Makes you think!
Format: School & Library Binding
Jared Diamond’s Guns, Germs, and Steel is all about figuring out why some societies became super powerful while others didn’t. His main idea is that geography and the environment had a huge impact. Basically, places with good crops and animals to farm had an easier time growing and becoming stronger. The book mixes history, science, and geography in a way that’s pretty easy to follow, even though it covers a lot. Some people think Diamond focuses too much on geography and doesn’t consider enough other factors, but it definitely makes you think differently about history and why the world is the way it is today. It’s a really interesting read if you’re into learning about why things turned out the way they did.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 22, 2026
★★★★★ 5
Great book
The narrator possesses a refined and compelling voice, and the author's writing style stimulates the mind. The author uses a tremendous amount of detail to avoid unnecessary/inaccurate generalizations and intentional/unintentional misinterpretations. However, the author executes this feat without allowing the reader to feel lost in mundane facts. I enjoyed the author's use of rhetorical questions to explore the viewpoints of persons who oppose his assertions. Overall, an informative and invigorating read. I highly recommend this book for anyone who has ever asked, "Why did certain people and cultures end up with so much, while others ended up with so little".
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Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2010