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115th out of 469 books
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977 voters
What Einstein Told His Cook: Kitchen Science Explained
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 mi...more
Hardcover, 320 pages
Published
May 17th 2002
by W. W. Norton & Company
(first published 2002)
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Jan 07, 2009
Madhuri
marked it as to-read
Mr. Wolke, a chemistry professor at the University of Pittsburgh, presents his topics in sort of a question / answer format. The articles themselves are short – easily consumed in one sitting (if you catch my drift) – but are topically consolidated into larger and more complete chapters. Wolke answers the posed questions in a very thorough and straightforward manner. He describes his topic in layman's terms, including scientific terminology in “techspeak” notes. For example:
“The most common use...more
“The most common use...more
The book What Einstein Told His Cook Kitchen Science Explained the author Robert L. Wolke talks about a lot of things from the differences of sugar to the tools that are used in the kitchen. The author investigates things from questions that people have about cooking, and certain things used around the kitchen, he talks about the science people don’t really know about. For example, one of the questions was, “To sweeten my iced tea quickly, I added powdered sugar. But it turned into gummy lumps....more
I do believe I was hungry at the time of my choosing, because I picked What Einstein Told His Cook: Kitchen Science Explained. I loved everything about this book except for that it ruined my appetite for various processed foods (not entirely a bad thing), however it was interesting to read about.
The author, Robert L. Wolke, is a chemistry professor who happens to take an interest in the molecular structures and production of foods, beverages, etc. He conducts experiments in his “laboratory,” als...more
The author, Robert L. Wolke, is a chemistry professor who happens to take an interest in the molecular structures and production of foods, beverages, etc. He conducts experiments in his “laboratory,” als...more
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The concept behind this book is exactly the sort of thing that usually appeals to me. It's about the science of the kitchen. Things like "Why does meat turn brown when you cook it?" (Answer: The Maillard reaction. I totally knew that, y'all! Food Network FTW! Also, I just listened to Jenny Lawson's audiobook so I'll be saying y'all a lot. If you've listened to her book you'd know that my new word tick could have been much, much worse.) So I expected that t...more
The concept behind this book is exactly the sort of thing that usually appeals to me. It's about the science of the kitchen. Things like "Why does meat turn brown when you cook it?" (Answer: The Maillard reaction. I totally knew that, y'all! Food Network FTW! Also, I just listened to Jenny Lawson's audiobook so I'll be saying y'all a lot. If you've listened to her book you'd know that my new word tick could have been much, much worse.) So I expected that t...more
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Strictly speaking, What Einstein Told His Cook is more of a reference book than anything else. Wolke divides the book into sections like "Sweet Talk" (all about sugar) and "Salt of the Earth" and goes on to answer common questions about the topic at large. If you've been reading my blog for a while, you know that I'm all about a good food book. And this is one, so even though I probably should have used it as a reference, I read it like a novel, from cover to cover. It was entertaining, and I le...more
I hate to be so negative over this book but I found it rather painful. Part of that is just because of who I am. See, I like cooking - sort of. I enjoy watching Master Chef. I like making soups and trying a new sauce but I also like Kraft Dinner and often find cooking to be just too much of a pain. Baking, I save it for Christmas because it just isn't worth it. I also am not really into Chemistry. So why I picked up this book, I really don't know. It just looked really interesting in the Amazon...more
I rather enjoyed this. I'm a bit of a science geek and, of course, always looking for connections from the stuff I teach to the real world--keepin' it real, so to speak. So, it was nice to recognize a number of concepts I've taughts, in both junior high and high school. The science was well explained, but not over explained. It was easy to understand, though someone without a science background might have to work a little harder at it. I like how he 'myth-busted' certain culinary legends, and we...more
You know it's a bad sign when a book ending earlier than you thought makes you absolutely euphoric. But that's how I felt when the all-powerful narrator's voice came on and assured me, "This Concludes What Einstein Told His Cook." (Since I was listening to an MP3 CD and there was no chapter list, I was making my best guess based on the length of the total CD how far I was.)
I knew this book was probably a poor "impulse check-out" from the first, but, I'm a finisher, and, well, there were some thi...more
I knew this book was probably a poor "impulse check-out" from the first, but, I'm a finisher, and, well, there were some thi...more
In science I am alright, I know that I can get better Throughout the years but sometimes I tend to give up on it. I am sometimes a quiet person but also participate when I want to participate. I read the book “What Einstein Told His Cook: Kitchen Science Explained” and it’s an interesting book. I believe the story that the author is telling us is that things in the kitchen are science like the salt, chocolate and more. His investigation was to show or tell people that with one thing you can mak...more
The Q&A format and entertaining prose make this book great! For those into nutrition and food chemistry, some sections will be a review. But if you're a beginning cook, interested in science in the kitchen, or find yourself wondering about things like, "Why does vanilla extract smell so good and make food taste so good, yet taste so awful from the bottle?" - then this book is for you!
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I enjoyed the science here more than the cooking. Maybe I'm just a lousy cook, but when the author's including recipes that call for clarifying butter, sifting flour, or making just about anything from 100% raw ingredients... not my cup of tea. And the problem is that -- overall, and with some great exceptions like the explanation of how to make optimal tea, how a microwave works, and the production of sugar and salt -- the cooking questions are on that higher plane of cooking being that frankly...more
while i learned most of this information in culinary school, this book was a nice refresher course, and offered some more in-depth knowledge about the chemistry behind cooking.
an excellent book written in a simplified, yet intelligent, and sometimes hilarious way.
an excellent book written in a simplified, yet intelligent, and sometimes hilarious way.
1 like · like · see review
If you like science and you like to cook, this is the book for you! It was written in a fun and informative way.
One of my favorite bits of information:
"If you use a synthetic sponge to wipe up the sink and counter, you may want to sterilize it now and then, especially after you've handled raw meat or poultry on the counter (which you shouldn't do anyway; do it on disposable waxed paper). You could boil it in water, but a quicker way is to put it, dripping wet, on a dish and zap it in the microwa...more
One of my favorite bits of information:
"If you use a synthetic sponge to wipe up the sink and counter, you may want to sterilize it now and then, especially after you've handled raw meat or poultry on the counter (which you shouldn't do anyway; do it on disposable waxed paper). You could boil it in water, but a quicker way is to put it, dripping wet, on a dish and zap it in the microwa...more
I was somewhat disappointed with this book. I was hoping for more...
I'm not sure what I was hoping for. I do know that the book as a whole felt hodge-podge. Answers to some of the questions were quite thorough and others were so glancing as to leave me wondering why he bothered even including them.
The science of cooking is very fascinating to me (I've always been a wanna-be scientist) and I suppose it's a good thing that you can read this whole book in basically one sitting.
I guess I expected th...more
I'm not sure what I was hoping for. I do know that the book as a whole felt hodge-podge. Answers to some of the questions were quite thorough and others were so glancing as to leave me wondering why he bothered even including them.
The science of cooking is very fascinating to me (I've always been a wanna-be scientist) and I suppose it's a good thing that you can read this whole book in basically one sitting.
I guess I expected th...more
Really good information, but again I didn't like the author's voice. He was full of inconsistencies, one minute claiming he shouldn't give advice about health or nutrition because he's a scientist, and the next doling it out like candy at a parade! He rants about studies not being controlled enough, people saying something works because they try it once, and then says because he eats aluminum all the time and doesn't have alzheimers that it must not be a factor! Plus he believes that chickens th...more
A very enjoyable book. In reading it I found myself flashing back to high school chemistry, which was fine, but I would have liked (slightly) more advanced chemistry. There are a few images in the book of kitchen implements, but I think illustrations of the chemistry principles would have been more valuable.
I learned a lot from this book, especially from the sections that address common questions that nobody else seems to want to address (or address incorrectly). It also gave me some ammunition...more
I learned a lot from this book, especially from the sections that address common questions that nobody else seems to want to address (or address incorrectly). It also gave me some ammunition...more
I don't think there's a more interesting way to write about kitchen science. What's the difference between baking soda and baking powder and what do they do in cookies? Is MSG really bad for you? What about the differences is sugars - white, brown, pure cane, etc?
If this subject is your cup of tea, then you will love this book. Well written, with a not-overwhelming-dose of science, sprinkled with a decent sense of humor.
Apparently, I don't care about food enough. I only found this mildly inter...more
If this subject is your cup of tea, then you will love this book. Well written, with a not-overwhelming-dose of science, sprinkled with a decent sense of humor.
Apparently, I don't care about food enough. I only found this mildly inter...more
Wolke gives us a brief, cheerful introduction to kitchen science, answering many questions relating to food and cooking. He throws in enough chemistry to explain, but not so much as to cause one's eyes to glaze over. And there are even a few recipes in case you're inspired by his explanations.
One thing I don't get is the title - what Einstein to do with anything? This isn't a book about physics in the kitchen. Do the editors think any reference to Einstein will get people thinking about science?...more
One thing I don't get is the title - what Einstein to do with anything? This isn't a book about physics in the kitchen. Do the editors think any reference to Einstein will get people thinking about science?...more
What Einstein Told His Cook is a misnamed amalgam of food topics that, while interesting, fail to paint a narrative or be quite complete. The author does a reasonable job of making the science of food understandable but without organization or breadth, there is much to be desired. For instance, braising is specifically defined but few other terms are except for how to process meats. Baking topics are given a cursory review with maybe three techniques covered. Please also steer clear of this if h...more
Although the author sounds like a bit of a pretentious douchbag once or twice, I enjoyed this book a lot. It's divided into very short sections, so it's great for the bathroom or very quick spurts. (Oh, no pun intended, yet I leave that in.) It's also nice as a second book by the bedside. For example, while I was trying to read "The Rest is Noise," which taxed my attention and brain too much, I would end the night with a few pages of this much lighter book.
It wasn't anything earth-shattering, b...more
It wasn't anything earth-shattering, b...more
Some interesting info. Listened to an audio version and when he mentioned some information on trans fats that wasn't current, I looked up the publication date and it was written in 2002. From that point I listened to it strictly as entertainment. His humor is very corny, but I get the impression from it that he enjoys what he does -- always a good thing.
I would have enjoyed the book more if the author had updated and revised the book. But as entertainment and for learning some fascinating facts...more
I would have enjoyed the book more if the author had updated and revised the book. But as entertainment and for learning some fascinating facts...more
So, I love love love lay science books. Even more, I love food science. So, this book completely fit the bill. I learned a lot, but knew quite a few of the tidbits this book imparted. The one criticism I had was that I found the writing style cloying and trite. It made me feel like the author was writing to explain food to "the little woman" uneducated and kept in the kitchen, or else for the young adult set. However, it was miles better than the writing in Da Vinci Code and I loved that book's...more
I did learn a few things, but I suspect that this book is more aimed at an audience of people who know NOTHING about food science. Overall, it was fairly clear and good, but the author's efforts to be humorous often came out as more annoying than funny or sounded condescending, when I don't think that was his goal.
I'd skip it if you've ever read anything by Alton Brown or have any sense of some of the science behind cooking. I wish that I could get Harold McGee's The Curious Cook as an audiobook...more
I'd skip it if you've ever read anything by Alton Brown or have any sense of some of the science behind cooking. I wish that I could get Harold McGee's The Curious Cook as an audiobook...more
Feb 20, 2012
Daniel Goldberg
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
People who like cooking or baking, and maybe a little science.
Awe-some! If you enjoy cooking/baking/random kitchen stuff, this book is a fun read. The author has a newspaper column on cooking and this book is set up like a big Q and A session separated into different categories. If you think it is intriguing to learn about different sweeteners, where sea salt comes from (it doesn't have to be the sea), if those little droplets of red liquid coming out of a rare steak is blood or not, or if irradiating food is safe, check out this book. There are hundreds o...more
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What Einstein Told His Cook is one of my dad's books that he loves it and has purchased several copies for friends. I enjoyed flipping through the sections and reading random entries.
What Einstein Told His Cook is set up like a reference book, and while you could read it straight through, I had a good time flipping around and reading different odds and ends. This was a surprisingly engaging book, not tedious or boring at all. I chuckled at almost every entry. And...more
What Einstein Told His Cook is one of my dad's books that he loves it and has purchased several copies for friends. I enjoyed flipping through the sections and reading random entries.
What Einstein Told His Cook is set up like a reference book, and while you could read it straight through, I had a good time flipping around and reading different odds and ends. This was a surprisingly engaging book, not tedious or boring at all. I chuckled at almost every entry. And...more
This book is interesting and well written, quite a page turner actually.
However, the structure of the work is to answer questions on various topics. For example, I read the Salt of the Earth Chapter, which features answers to questions such as:
- What are all those special salts and meat tenderizers in the supermarket?
- What are salt substitutes?
- Why add salt to the water when boiling pasta?
- Whats so special about sea salt? Kosher salt? Freshly ground salt?
- Can a potato remove the excess s...more
However, the structure of the work is to answer questions on various topics. For example, I read the Salt of the Earth Chapter, which features answers to questions such as:
- What are all those special salts and meat tenderizers in the supermarket?
- What are salt substitutes?
- Why add salt to the water when boiling pasta?
- Whats so special about sea salt? Kosher salt? Freshly ground salt?
- Can a potato remove the excess s...more
Anyone who knows me knows that I like fun little factoids and tidbits of information. I often say that I retain these bits and pieces and they “aren’t enough to get me on Jeopardy, but they sure jazz up a conversation,” or something similar. This book is all about that, and as a bonus, the main focus is about cooking; an on again, off again passion of mine over the years. But even during time periods when I’m not cooking, I enjoy reading about it anyway (and watching cooking shows), but not just...more
Alton Brown would love this book. Lots of people will tell you cooking is about taste, flavor appreciation, culture, artistry and refinement. Those things count but, at the most basic level, cooking is also about scientific application and chemistry. This book explores the results when scientific curiosity and analytical thought are applied to what goes on in the kitchen, from the proper way to boil water to extracting the most juice from citrus. And it comes with recipes!
I will admit that I skimmed this book here and there, but considering that it's basically a question-and-answer book that explains kitchen science (which sounds awfully boring, as I describe it), it's really a very enjoyable read! Wolke uses lots of bad puns and such which I totally love. It's fun to have a slightly better understanding of how exactly a microwave works and what the difference is between all those different kinds of salt and stuff like that!
It's not a bad causal read as a supplement/reminder of food science. Wolke tries to straddle the fence between hard science and making it seem like no big deal to the general public by dumbing it down, which doesn't always work for me.
If you really want to know the science behind your food, read Harold McGee's on food and cooking. It looks like a text book, and reads kind of like one, but once you get into a topic of interest, it is hard to put down.
If you really want to know the science behind your food, read Harold McGee's on food and cooking. It looks like a text book, and reads kind of like one, but once you get into a topic of interest, it is hard to put down.
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Robert L. Wolke is professor emeritus of chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh and a food columnist for The Washington Post. As an educator and lecturer, he enjoys a national reputation for his ability to make science understandable and enjoyable.
He is the author of Impact: Science on Society and Chemistry Explained, as well as dozens of scientific research papers. His latest book, the fourth...more
More about Robert L. Wolke...
He is the author of Impact: Science on Society and Chemistry Explained, as well as dozens of scientific research papers. His latest book, the fourth...more
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