On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen

For its twentieth anniversary, Harold McGee prepared a new, fully revised and up to date edition of

On Food and Cooking pioneered the translation of technical food science into cook-friendly kitchen science and helped birth the inventive culinary movement referred to as “molecular gastronomy.” Though other books have been written about kitchen science, On Food and Cooking remains unmatched in the accuracy, clarity, and thoroughness of its explanations, and the intriguing way in which it blends science with the historical evolution of foods and cooking techniques.

Among the major themes addressed all the way through the new edition are:
· Traditional and modern methods of food production and their influences on food quality
· The great diversity of methods by which people in different places and times have prepared the same ingredients
· Tips for selecting the most efficient ingredients and preparing them successfully
· The particular substances that give foods their flavors, and that give us pleasure
· Our evolving knowledge of the health benefits and risks of foods

On Food and Cooking is a useful and monumental compendium of basic information about ingredients, cooking methods, and the pleasures of eating. It is going to delight and fascinate any individual who has ever cooked, savored, or wondered about food.