On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen (Paperback)

Staff Reviews

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This is my favorite book about food.

Most cookbooks use a familiar formula -- a mouthwatering, full-color image, followed by a recipe detailing the whats and hows of the preparation. McGee's landmark, comprehensive reference book opts for a different approach. In fact, there aren't any recipes at all in On Food and Cooking's nearly 900 pages.

Instead, McGee focuses on the deeper questions of cooking and baking -- not simply, how much flour do I add?, but rather, what is the role of flour (or other starches) in thickening a sauce? What is happening on a molecular level, and at what temperature? Why are some starches different than others, and which ones are best for which applications?

At every turn, McGee uses science, history, and a lifelong passion for food to answer all of these questions and thousands more. While this is not a book you'll read in one sitting, it is an indispensable reference for any science-minded cook, unparalleled in both depth and scope. I reach for it regularly, and always find everything I wanted to know and more.

— Matt, Longfellow Books