On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen (1984)

by Harold McGee

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English (24) Dutch (1) Catalan (1) All languages (26)

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This book tells you EVERYTHING that you ever/never wanted to know about cooking... so enjoyed it...G. (

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Gemma. | May 16, 2013 |

Not a cookbook. Everything you ever might want to know about how food works. How ice cream is made, why bread rises, what kind of molds are in cheese, what are the parts of an egg. And yet, readable. Brill. May however, make you annoy your friends with "well you know, cheese on the Asian steppe in the late Iron Age..." (

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bunwat | Mar 30, 2013 |

One of the few books to look at the science that is behind the art of cooking food. This is not a cookbook though it does contain a great deal of tips, hints and instructions to help with cooking. It is really a book for looking up specific subjects, like an encyclopedia, or for reading a few pages at a time, when nothing else is available. It is an extraordinary book that every serious chef should own as a reference. (

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icadams | Jul 26, 2011 |

Dutch version: Over eten en koken. Geweldig. (

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orderflow | Jun 13, 2011 |

This is an amazingly comprehensive study of the history, sociology, chemistry, and physics of human food and its preparation and preservation. I'd checked it out of the library expecting to read it, but it's more of a reference book than a book to be read. (

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dickmanikowski | Feb 18, 2011 |

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The Encyclopedia of Herbs, Spices, & Flavorings by Elisabeth Lambert Ortiz

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1984

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James Beard Foundation Award (Reference, 2005)

Andre Simon Award (1986)

James Beard Foundation Award (Hall of Fame, 2011)

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Wikipedia in English (84)

Asparagus

Baked beans

Baking powder

Barbecue in the United States

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Amazon.com Product Description (ISBN 0684800012, Hardcover)

Harold McGee's On Food and Cooking is a kitchen classic. Hailed by Time magazine as "a minor masterpiece" when it first appeared in 1984, On Food and Cooking is the bible to which food lovers and professional chefs worldwide turn for an understanding of where our foods come from, what exactly they're made of, and how cooking transforms them into something new and delicious.

Now, for its twentieth anniversary, Harold McGee has prepared a new, fully revised and updated edition of On Food and Cooking. He has rewritten the text almost completely, expanded it by two-thirds, and commissioned more than 100 new illustrations. As compulsively readable and engaging as ever, the new On Food and Cooking provides countless eye-opening insights into food, its preparation, and its enjoyment.

On Food and Cooking pioneered the translation of technical food science into cook-friendly kitchen science and helped give birth to the inventive culinary movement known as "molecular gastronomy." Though other books have now 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 throughout this 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 best 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 an invaluable and monumental compendium of basic information about ingredients, cooking methods, and the pleasures of eating. It will delight and fascinate anyone who has ever cooked, savored, or wondered about food.

(retrieved from Amazon Thu, 03 Jan 2013 11:40:10 -0500)

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▾Library descriptions

Harold McGee's On Food and Cooking is a kitchen classic. Hailed by Time magazine as "a minor masterpiece" when it first appeared in 1984, On Food and Cooking is the bible to which food lovers and professional chefs worldwide turn for an understanding of where our foods come from, what exactly they're made of, and how cooking transforms them into something new and delicious. Now, for its twentieth anniversary, Harold McGee has prepared a new, fully revised and updated edition of On Food and Cooking. He has rewritten the text almost completely, expanded it by two-thirds, and commissioned more than 100 new illustrations. As compulsively readable and engaging as ever, the new On Food and Cooking provides countless eye-opening insights into food, its preparation, and its enjoyment. On Food and Cooking pioneered the translation of technical food science into cook-friendly kitchen science and helped give birth to the inventive culinary movement known as "molecular gastronomy." Though other books have now 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 throughout this 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 best ingredients and preparing them successfully, the particular substances that give foods their flavors and that give us pleasure, and our evolving knowledge of the health benefits and risks of foods. On Food and Cooking is an invaluable and monumental compendium of basic information about ingredients, cooking methods, and the pleasures of eating. It will delight and fascinate anyone who has ever cooked, savored, or wondered about food.… (more)

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