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...
read full description
reviews
Jan 07, 2009
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 More...
“The most common More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Jul 02, 2009
Shelah
rated it: 
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 en
More...
Nov 09, 2008
Anna
rated it:
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!
3 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Oct 30, 2011
Colleen
rated it: 
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...
Oct 28, 2008
Jason
rated it: 
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.
Jan 09, 2012
Aaron
rated it:
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 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 More...
Jan 15, 2010
Ashvin
rated it:
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 More...
It wasn't anything More...
Feb 15, 2009
Terri Ann
rated it:
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 th
More...
Sep 17, 2011
An Abundance of Books
rated it:
Featured at An Abundance of Books
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 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 More...
May 02, 2009
Ebookwormy
rated it: 
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 sal 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 sal More...
Apr 10, 2008
Drew
rated it:
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...
Jan 22, 2012
Bookshop
rated it:
I came across Robert L. Wolke, a professor emeritus of chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh, while reading food 101 column in the Washington Post. I like his witty writing style. I also like the fact that he can explain complex chemistry in cooking with simple layman's English.
So, I bought his two books: What Einstein Told His Cook 1 & 2.
Those are excellent books. His writing style was consistently funny and simple throughout. He covers topics from miniscule ingredie More...
So, I bought his two books: What Einstein Told His Cook 1 & 2.
Those are excellent books. His writing style was consistently funny and simple throughout. He covers topics from miniscule ingredie More...
May 01, 2011
Alanna
rated it:
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!
Jun 03, 2011
Libby
rated it:
HOLY FREAKING COW I LOVE THIS BOOK! This book took me about two months to read. Why? The reason it took so long to read is that each page or two has some interesting/truthful fact about cooking. I couldn't just read it in one setting. I would turn to the table of contents, scan a topic I was interested in at that very moment, then turn to the page, and read it. Each subject or fact was so fascinating and useful in my love for cooking, and wondering why certain things do certain things in th
More...
Nov 29, 2008
Anne
rated it:
Awesome book, even for non-chemists. It is broken up into logical sections and is well indexed with questions the author answers, so you can read it in bits and pieces easily.
It's basically explaining the reason why hot water boils faster with a lid on, and why salting the water doesn't affect anything but flavor... as well as the fasted way to defrost food, why some recipes call for baking powder and baking soda, etc.
It's basically explaining the reason why hot water boils faster with a lid on, and why salting the water doesn't affect anything but flavor... as well as the fasted way to defrost food, why some recipes call for baking powder and baking soda, etc.
Jan 01, 2012
Frederick
rated it:
This book is in a question and answer format. The author is a food columnist and chemistry professor. He answers questions from readers of all kinds about food and cooking. He does so in an entertaining toungue-in-cheek style.He explains what fats and sugars are, what cooking does to chlorophyll, how microwave ovens work, and a myriad of other topics. Interspersed are recipes and cooking tips.
Feb 04, 2010
Kris
rated it:
Although I did learn a lot, spinach is not that high in iron some scientist just put the decimal in the wrong spot (it will be hard to bite my tongue when donors after failing the Hgb test swear they ate spinach all week), it was a dry read. Most of the book I learned watching Alton Brown's good eats, with a lot more wit and off the wall humor.
Mar 18, 2009
Abby
rated it:
Humorous and fascinating. It's not often that when reading a book I laugh out loud while learning something but I did in this book. Very interesting. Short explanations that were just scientific enough to satisfy my curiosity but not so much that it bogs everything down were often paired with short anecdotes.
Jan 21, 2009
Sasha
rated it:
A great companion to "On Food and Cooking" by Harold McGee. Instead of being an encyclopedia, this is a collection of responses to questions written to the author, who is a columnist at the Washington Post. For instance, "What is the difference between baking soda and baking powder?" It's definitely written for the layman, however, so don't expect a grad-level science text. I learned a lot of tidbits, however.
Jul 23, 2011
A chemistry professor explains the science of cooking, including how candy is created through the molecular structure of sugar, why freezers ""burn"", why the meat thermometer shouldn't touch bone when you put it in the roast, the amazing properties of egg proteins, Teflon and potatoes that turn green in sunlight.
Jan 22, 2012
Sari Lynn
rated it:
A fascinating book for all you kitchen nerds. Wolke explains in a very readable format everything you always wanted to know about food & the science of cooking, plus a whole lotta stuff you didn't *know* you wanted to know... He keeps the book interesting with his conversational writing style, a witty sense of humor & puns, and by separating out the truly hard-core science into optional "side bars", for those of us who like to totally geek-out. The book is formatted in a "Dear
More...
May 11, 2011
Ann
rated it:
Really good book on food science. Especially for someone like me who did not grow up cooking...so halfway through a recipe I'm often going "Is it supposed to be doing that?"
I believe these are reprints of Robert Wolke's column. The short snippets make it an easy book to pick up and put down.
I believe these are reprints of Robert Wolke's column. The short snippets make it an easy book to pick up and put down.
Jun 28, 2009
Liza
rated it:
Very fun light read. Of course, it helps to have done years of chemistry, it makes all the explanations looks so simple and easy.
I've always wanted to know what actually goes on in the kitchen on the molecular level and just how much bullshit we are being fed by the food advertising industry.
I've always wanted to know what actually goes on in the kitchen on the molecular level and just how much bullshit we are being fed by the food advertising industry.
Jan 22, 2012
Blablabla
rated it:
Assim que terminei de ler O que Einstein disse a seu cozinheiro, comecei a ler a “continuação”. Entre aspas porque os dois livros poderiam facilmente trocar de lugar, e não é crime ler o segundo antes do primeiro. Inclusive, em sua maioria, a resenha que eu fiz ao primeiro volume se aplica ao segundo.
Leia mais aqui: http://feanari.wordpress.com/2011/03/21/...
Leia mais aqui: http://feanari.wordpress.com/2011/03/21/...
Mar 12, 2009
Rich
rated it:
Nuclear Chemist and food lover Robert Wolke tells you way too much about the tiny reactions and weird processes that go into everything you eat. The book also includes chapter-theme specific recipes for demonstrative purposes that look pretty darn good. I enjoyed it!
Jan 22, 2012
Shelah
rated it:
Wolke's humorous and slightly dorky approach to kitchen science really endeared me to him when I read What Einstein Told His Cook. While the science is just as interesting in the second volume, and I photocopied a few of the recipes for future baking experiments, I found myself groaning at Wolke's jokes this time around. I think he'd be a lot of fun to listen to in a one-hour lecture (he was a college chemistry professor before retiring to write full time), but reading corny joke after corny jok
More...
Jul 31, 2009
Kate
rated it:
Having checked it out from the library, I read it through over the course of a couple of weeks and have since forgotten many of the explanations for why we cook the way we do and with certain ingredients. Would be a great book to have handy on the kitchen shelf.
Dec 14, 2010
Laura
rated it:
You'd never think a book about chemistry in the kitchen would be so interesting! The author answers a lot of questions that I never knew I had and he does it in such an amusing, tongue-in-cheek manner that I burst out laughing a few times. Very fun read.
Sep 30, 2009
Maria
rated it:
Robert Wolke uses both knowledge and humour to answer a book-full of more or less intelligent questions about food and cooking. Some of these are pretty intuitive, others inspired a light-bulb moment. Well-written, and if some of the answers are more interesting than others... well, it's easy to skip the not-so-interesting ones.
Not a book you can read in one sitting, but good for occasional 'dippings'.
Not a book you can read in one sitting, but good for occasional 'dippings'.
Jul 20, 2009
Judy
rated it:
This is a great compilation of food science essays that Robert Wolke wrote for his Washington Post column, "Food 101." He is a good writer, and is able to explain food science in small, sometimes humorous, easily digestible chunks. Topics include, "What's so special about sea salt?" and "When I cook with wine or beer, does the alcohol burn off?" (The answer to that, by the way, is: not completely. A lot more remains than I would have guessed!)
