Building a Meal: From Molecular Gastronomy to Culinary Constructivism (Arts and Traditions of the Table: Perspectives on Culinary History) (Hardcover)

~ Hervé This (Author), Malcolm DeBevoise (Translator) "To make a traditional hard-boiled egg with mayonnaise, we have to hard-boil an egg, on the one hand, and make a mayonnaise sauce on the..." (more)
Key Phrases: culinary dictums, culinary constructivism, molecular cuisine, Hard-Boiled Egg, Leg of Lamb, Green Beans (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. French chemist This, co-creator (with fellow scientist Nicholas Kurti) of the kitchen science discipline known as molecular gastronomy, offers readers a window into his world through this wide-ranging, deeply engaging scientific deconstruction of classic dishes. Those hoping to find recipes for concoctions like wasabi foam or celery "caviar" will be disappointed; This dismisses such cuisine as parlor tricks for foodies. Instead, he examines what he calls "culinary dictums," such as adding salt to water when boiling eggs or starting a stock with cold water, using science to confirm, disprove or update common kitchen wisdom. Beginning with the humble hard-boiled egg, This explains food concepts thoroughly but plainly-among them why creamy sauces "break," the proper time to salt a steak, and the importance of soaking sliced potatoes in water before French frying them. This's tour is frequently fascinating, and his digressions on a host of topics (from cooking trends to proper mayonnaise-beating etiquette to noted French mathematician Blaise Pascal) lend charm and warmth. For anyone expecting a clinical approach buttressed by equations and formulas, the biggest surprise isn't This's dedication to good old flavor, but his insistence that love is a cook's most important ingredient.
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Review

"[A] wide-ranging, deeply engaging scientific deconstruction of classic dishes." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review) "A beautifully written treatise on the tenets of molecular gastronomy and cooking's role in modern society." -- Natalie Fasano, Eats.com

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 152 pages
• Publisher: Columbia University Press (April 3, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0231144660
• ISBN-13: 978-0231144667
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 6.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: No customer reviews yet. Be the first.
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #35,093 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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