Have you ever wanted to know the difference between bananas and plantains? Or wondered why putting the handle of a silver spoon in an opened bottle of champagne will keep it from going flat? Robert Wolke provides the answers to these questions and more in his latest book.
In the sequel to his highly successful What Einstein Told His Cook: Kitchen Science Explained, Wolke continues to bridge the gap between laboratory and kitchen. Wolke knows his stuff: prior to becoming a food writer (his Washington Post column won a James Beard Foundation for best newspaper column), Wolke taught chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania. This combination of scientific knowledge and writing credentials has led to a series of books that are both entertaining and informative.
Question and Answer Format
Like previous books in the series, What Einstein Told His Cook 2 is structured in a question and answer format. Wolke tackles basic questions we’ve all asked at one time or another, such as what makes spices spicy? or does marinating work? in plain language that is easy to understand. For Chinese food lovers, an added bonus is that some of the questions focus on Chinese cuisine. For example, Wolke debunks the myth that thousand-year-old-eggs are 1,000 or even 100 years old (the eggs are preserved in a lime, ash and black tea mixture for about three months). He also explains why it’s impossible to keep leftover Chinese steamed rice from hardening after you bring it home from the restaurant. And for those who just can’t seem to master chopsticks, he provides a “cheat” using a common household item.Sidebar Science
A new feature with this book is “Sidebar Science,” where Wolke goes into greater detail about the chemical and physical changes that are taking place in the food. For example, a thousand-year-old egg’s characteristic blackish skin and oozy dark green yolk are caused by chemical interactions between the preservatives, which eventually acts seeps through the shell and acts on the egg. Another interesting sidebar explains the science of browning meat (why isn’t it called “greening” or “redding”?).Recipes
Scattered throughout the book are 35 recipes by Wolke’s wife, food writer Marlene Parrish. Unfortunately, the book doesn’t include any standard Chinese dishes. Most of the ethnic recipes are Italian or Mediterranean, such as Ultimate Oven Paella and Spanish Mashed Potatoes. However, there are a few fun fusion recipes using Asian ingredients, such as Mexican guacamole made with wasabi paste, and mussels cooked in a wok and served with a garlicky mayonnaise. There is also a recipe for Chai, the popular Indian drink made by brewing tea with milk and spices.What Einstein Told His Cook 2 conveys a significant amount of useful information in an entertaining manner. I wish the questions involving Chinese ingredients, such as tofu, had been accompanied by Chinese recipes. But overall, the book is a fun read and would make a great gift idea for anyone who, like me, is intrigued by the science behind food and cooking.
