Knowledge is power, 18. Juli 2000

My copy is dog-eared and worn. It is written in. Passages are highlighted. This book has the answers for anyone who loves food and has a curiousity about how things work and why. What is wonderful is the author has written this book for the common man as well as the professional. It belongs not only in the library of anyone associated with the food industry but also anyone who loves to cook. With Harold McGee at your elbow, why things happen in the kitchen and how to fix them just became easier. This book, like a great recipe is complex and yet oh so simple.

       Buy This Boook, 20. Mai 2000

This is an absolute must read for anybody who enjoys food and cooking. Covering a range of information, this book is so well written that it's hard to put down.

After reading this book, you will possess a gamut of information about things culinary, and will always have something interesting to contribute to the conversation. From the history of cheese making to the chemistry of color compounds, this tome has it all.

       Years to absorb all this lore!, 6. April 2000

I see this book as an intellectual journey into the world of facinating food. While you don't need a science degree to understand the facts and figures, you might feel like you have one when you finish reading this comprehensive resource. It may take me a few years to absorb all the knowlege presented here. While testing recipes I noticed a great difference in the quality of baked goods when I used two different brands of flour. Who would have known that hard wheat and soft wheat produce different results. There I was adding more and more all-purpose flour to a recipe that had worked the first time I tried it. The only variable was that I was using a soft/hard wheat blend and had used a hard wheat flour the time before. What a revelation! My chocolate cake recipe now states exactly what brand of flour to use. The texture is chewy and delicious and lets just say that it would not have been this way if I had not understood the differnce in the quality of a flour. If you are trying to understand why things work or don't - this is one of the best scientific studies I have begun to read. I also grew up in Africa and found the information on Maize versus Corn facinating. I continue to order a maize meal from a catalog since the texture is different than the cornmeal we use in America. Who would have guessed that the Native Americans were enjoying popcorn long before any one else. We should thank them for taking the time to cultivate one of our favorite snacks. The truth is, so many cultures have contributed so much to our American way of life.

       Excellent Reference Book, 9. Februar 2000

A great book to compliment cookbooks. No serious kitchen should be without it.

       Rigorous, but understandable., 10. September 1999

This book is NOT a cookbook, but it's a damned good reference for figuring out why your sauce was flat.

I first received this book from a friend, about 3 years ago. I read it, then re-read it, and was amazed that the technical references and jargon were so easily described.

As a chemical engineer by trade and a cook by avocation, I loved this book, both for the technical details and the writing, as well as the explanations of the science behind the "obvious". If you're a technically-inclined person, you'll appreciate the references and notes. If you, like some unnamed previous reviewers, are looking for an easy guide to food, this isn't it. This book appeals to cooks who know how to make things, but want to know why those things are made. This isn't a compendium of recipes, nor is it a guide to cooking. It's an easily understandable review of why foods do what they do.

If you enjoy cooking and wonder why "browning" makes a tastier dish, get this book. Nothing here is a surprise to the seasoned cook. There are no de rigueur recipes. Whatever.