Keys to Good Cooking

October 18, 2010
No matter how creative the chef, every great dish relies on proven science, and this compendium of well-researched data is a textbook for proper food preparation. Curious Cook columnist for the New York Times and author (On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen), McGee will banish any romantic notions about cooking with his fast-draw expertise. Keys is a companion guide designed to be used in conjunction with cookbooks. With chapters devoted to Kitchen Tools, Heat and Heating Appliances, and Cooking Methods, McGee's 101 approach takes nothing for granted, but will surprise readers with lesser known insights, such as that salted water reduces the loss of flavorful and nutritious substances during boiling and that foil should not be used to wrap acidic foods or nonaluminum metal pans. McGee breaks down methods with basic tips—in pan-frying, for instance, warming meats to room temperature and drying food surfaces ahead are important factors for success that are often left out of recipes. Descriptions of foods from common fruits to cultured dairy products and seed legumes are detailed but not trivially so, with McGee summarizing the safe handling, purchase and storage, preparation, and basic characteristics. With an eminently pragmatic approach to cooking and a user-friendly précis of a lifetime's devotion to the kitchen, this is an invaluable addition to food literature.

August 1, 2010

McGee (On Food and Cooking) is known for his scientific approach to food and cooking, and his latest work continues in that vein. It comprises 24 chapters ranging from "Getting To Know Foods" to food safety to "Sugars, Syrups, and Candies." Each chapter is composed nearly entirely of definitions, tips, techniques, and facts concerning the topic in question. While some of this information is often included at the beginning of recipes (e.g., chill bowl and beaters before whipping cream), there are far more esoteric suggestions (e.g., the exact temperature to cook a meat confit to achieve the best results). The book contains no actual recipes, although some sections do include general instructions for types of food preparations, like how to make a frittata or a smooth cheese sauce. VERDICT A good reference work for those interested in knowing the makeup of food and essential for fans of McGee; however, some readers may be disappointed by the lack of recipes.--Susan Hurst, Miami Univ. Lib., Oxford, OH

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