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The Science of Cooking (Hardcover)

by Peter Barham (Author) " ..." (more)
4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
RRP: £29.99
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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."
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4.5 out of 5 stars (10 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Some detail missing perhaps..., 28 Dec 2004
By Neil Attrell "Neil Attrell" (Holloway, London) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
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!).

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37 of 38 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars great for scientists or cooks, 27 Jan 2003
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.
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36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars For all those adults who still ask why?, 18 Feb 2001
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!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars P. Barham's The Science of Cooking
Having been lectured by the author in Physics at the University of Bristol it was interesting to read a book that continued to portray his enthusiasm for science. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Jonny

5.0 out of 5 stars The best book about cooking I've ever read
This book is a rare gem - instead of just providing a list of recipes like most books about cooking do, it gives you detailed descriptions of how various methods of food... Read more
Published 17 months ago by Tomasz Wegrzanowski

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent book to find out what is really happening in your kitchen
Peter has an obvious analytical passion in this book. He answers a lot of the questions I had about why certain things happen as they do when I'm cooking. Read more
Published 24 months ago by R. Young

4.0 out of 5 stars Food from a physycist
The contents of the book are fascinating, and Peter enlivens thing with his personal narrative on occasion. Read more
Published on 10 Nov 2006 by cranmere

3.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating, but ...
I enjoyed reading this book, especially the chapter about chocolate (which I must re-read some time soon), BUT overall it was a bit like nouvelle cuisine: looks good, tastes good,... Read more
Published on 1 Aug 2006 by food4thought

5.0 out of 5 stars An erudite yet accessible exoteric analysis
I too like dropping cakes. A cracking little read.
Published on 5 Dec 2003

5.0 out of 5 stars A superb book
This book is wonderful in two respects. First, it explains interesting science clearly and with examples that make sense. Second, it explains what happens when we cook. Read more
Published on 31 Oct 2001

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