This one was an interesting combination of reference and cookbook. Setup somewhat like a Q&A or FAQ, the author addresses popular questions about food, cooking, kitchen tools and busts a few urban myths. His answers are from a chemist's POV and as a professor emeritus of nuclear chemistry for U of Pittsburgh, I guess he knows what he's talking about.

The narrative is laid back and engaging: he might be a chemistry professor but Mr. Wolke was (is?) also a columnist for The Washington Post and most of the writing is chatty and humorous.

More than a couple of the recipes sound like they're worth trying, too.

Overall, I enjoyed the book quite a bit - enough that I'm going to look for this other works for future reads. ( )

have hardback and paperback

An interesting and oddly entertaining collection of practical food science lessons for the non-scientist. The author brings the world of chemistry alive fielding everyday questions about everything from nonstick surfaces to browning and emulsifying and the irradiation of fruits and vegetables. The recipes are enticing as well. ( )

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 this book to more scientifically rigorous and less populist in style. I'm not sure why I expected that - it's clearly advertised as being a populist work - so I have only myself to blame for this disappointment. ( )

The author explains the science of cooking, very interesting ( )