What Einstein Told His Cook Quotes

“When the combined taste, smell, and textural stimuli reach the brain, they remain to be interpreted. Whether the overall sensation will be pleasant, repulsive, or somewhere in between will depend on individual physiological differences, on previous experience (“just like my mother used to make”), and on cultural habituation (haggis, anyone?).”
― Robert L. Wolke, What Einstein Told His Cook: Kitchen Science Explained

“2½ cups all-purpose flour 1½ teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground ginger ½ teaspoon ground cloves ½ teaspoon salt ½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted and slightly cooled ½ cup sugar 1 large egg 1 cup dark unsulphured molasses 1 cup hot (not boiling) water 1. Adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Spray an 8-by 8-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350ºF for a metal pan or 325ºF if using an ovenproof glass pan. 2. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt with a wooden spoon. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, sugar, and egg. In a small bowl or glass measure, stir the molasses into the hot water until completely blended. 3. Add about one-third of the flour mixture to the butter-sugar-egg mixture and whisk together just to moisten the ingredients. Then whisk in about half of the molasses mixture. Continue by adding another third of the flour mixture, then the other half of the molasses mixture, then the final third of the flour mixture. Whisk just until all the patches of white disappear. Do not overmix. 4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean and the cake has pulled away somewhat from the sides of the pan. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes. 5. Serve warm from the pan, or turn the cake out onto a rack to cool. This is a good keeper and will stay fresh for several days, covered, at room temperature. MAKES 9 TO 12 SERVINGS”
― Robert L. Wolke, What Einstein Told His Cook: Kitchen Science Explained

“The name “water filter” is misleading. The word filtered literally means only that the water has passed through a medium containing tiny holes or fine passageways that screen out suspended particles. When”
― Robert L. Wolke, What Einstein Told His Cook: Kitchen Science Explained

“The reason that most sea salts have large, irregularly shaped crystals is that that’s what slow evaporation produces, whereas the rapid vacuum-evaporation process used in making shaker salt produces tiny,”
― Robert L. Wolke, What Einstein Told His Cook: Kitchen Science Explained

“As a matter of fact, with heating, you can coax more than two pounds (5 cups!) of sugar to dissolve in a single cup of water.”
― Robert L. Wolke, What Einstein Told His Cook: Kitchen Science Explained

“When we eat the more “healthful,” browner sugars, we’re eating just as much sucrose along with the molasses residues. Why isn’t the sucrose evil in that form?”
― Robert L. Wolke, What Einstein Told His Cook: Kitchen Science Explained

“The olfactory receptors in our noses can differentiate among thousands of different odors and contribute an estimated 80 percent of flavor.”
― Robert L. Wolke, What Einstein Told His Cook: Kitchen Science Explained

“The best way I’ve found to freshen up a loaf of French bread is to dampen it slightly with a spritz of water and put it in a 350ºF toaster oven for two minutes.”
― Robert L. Wolke, What Einstein Told His Cook: Kitchen Science Explained