What Einstein Told His Cook 2: Further Adventures in Kitchen Science
by Robert L. Wolke, with recipes by Marlene Parrish
Norton, 464 pp., $25.95
If I had to describe this sequel to professor Wolke’s What Einstein Told His Cook: Kitchen Science Explained in comparison to TV shows, a combination between Good Eats, MythBusters, and Monthy Python’s Flying Circus would be a fair assessment. Einstein Told His Cook 2 is not only an interesting and useful reference book but a fun-filled science adventure for foodies. Focusing on eight major food categories – beverages, dairy and eggs, vegetables, fruits, grains and carbohydrates, seafood, meats, and herbs and spices – Wolke answers questions sent by his syndicated-column readers, offering a wealth of interesting food facts. His prose is well-crafted and engaging, and while his answers are of a serious scientific nature, his writing is anything but serious, full of witty and funny remarks guaranteed to elicit at least a smile from the reader. Wolke answers such pressing foodie questions as “Is there a formula for telling when I am getting dangerously drunk?,” “Why does all cream cheese come from Philadelphia?,” “Why are there rainbows in my roast beef?,” and “Why do pantry-pest bugs survive inside a can of Cayenne pepper?” among many others. I especially love the silly Foodie Fictionary entries scattered throughout the book, like “Baked Alaska – the end result of global warming.” Wolke’s wife, Marlene Parrish, adds recipes to illustrate some of Wolke’s examples and explanations of chemical processes common during food preparation.This article appears in May 27 • 2005.
