Chemistry and physics in the kitchen — best books about food Bashny.Net

 

 

One of my Hobbies is science in the kitchen. Don't just cook according to the recipe but to understand why, how and what. In this difficult science help me a lot of the book, alas, never translated into Russian.





For a start — Harold McGee and his book "On Food & Cooking: The Science & Lore of the Kitchen", published in the distant 1984, is still a bestseller (revised and corrected edition was published in 2004). And although Harold is not a chef, nor even a chemist, and his keen interest in science in everyday life, the desire to understand the complex processes that occur during cooking have made him a real expert. In the book Harold McGee you will find the explanation of almost every cooking process along with invaluable advice for the best cooking. The book is complex, but it is possible to find the answer to almost any cooking question.





The following "mad scientist" — Alton brown and his book "I'm Just Here for the Food" and "I'm more Here for the Food". His method is not as taught as McGee, but it is only at first glance. Alton brown is trying to convey the science easier and more accessible, accompanying his explanation with funny illustrations. Also he has his own TV show.

About the rest of the authors, alas, nothing was found, maybe I'm bad looking. Nevertheless, their books deserve no less attention.





So, "The science of good cooking" — a review of 50 concepts on the products and their preparation. The book takes one statement, for example, "the Bitterness of Chile peppers is concentrated in the core and the seeds" and understands it or not, the data of experiments and research, followed by several recipes.





Especially for fans of chemistry is the book "Culinary Reactions" — I have not had time to read it, but what I looked — just on the topic. Because in cooking, similarly, there are acids and bases, suspensions and emulsions, gels and foam. When cooking we denaturiruet proteins, crystallizes salt, activate enzymes, etc., etc. In General, the whole field of activities of the chemist.

In the bins there are still a few books, but they while hands did not reach:







It is a pity that in the Russian language of such books is not found. At least I have not seen. The only one I know (and read out to the holes) is N. And. Kovalev, V. V. Usov "Stories about the mysteries of home cooking. Chemistry for you", but it does not cover even a small part of what interests me.

Other, more specialized conversion book is "Professional baking: theory and practice" Floors Figoni. There is no recipe, but lots of explanations of physics and chemistry, historical references and standards. Very decent tutorial!

 

 

Source: brukva.net