© Columbia University Press Paper, 216 pages, 11 illus; 3 tables
$16.95 / £11.50 Cloth, 216 pages, 11 illus; 3 tables $22.95 /
£15.95 Mayonnaise “takes” when a series of liquids form a
semisolid consistency. Eggs, a liquid, become solid as they are
heated, whereas, under the same conditions, solids melt. When
meat is roasted, its surface browns and it acquires taste and
texture. What accounts for these extraordinary transformations?
The answer: chemistry and physics. With his trademark eloquence
and wit, Hervé This launches a wry investigation into the
chemical art of cooking. Unraveling the science behind common
culinary technique and practice, Hervé This breaks food down to
its molecular components and matches them to cooking's chemical
reactions. He translates the complex processes of the oven into
everyday knowledge for professional chefs and casual cooks, and
he demystifies the meaning of taste and the making of flavor. He
describes the properties of liquids, salts, sugars, oils, and
fats and defines the