Rating: 
Summary: Excellent book!
Review: I picked this up on the suggested of Alton Brown, the host of "Good Eats" on FoodTV. If you enjoy the "how and why" elements of his show, or you are interested in learning how cooking works, you will find this book invaluable. Each chapter is relatively independent of the others, so they can be read as they appeal to you.
Rating: 
Summary: Dense, but worth the effort
Review: I purchased this book on the tangential advice of Michael Ruhlman's "The Making of a Chef" -- it was one of the three Bibles of Cooking, if I remember correctly. As a scientist and a foodie/gastronome, I found this book fascinating and worth the effort of slogging through the tougher, denser, meatier bits.Mmmm, collagen.
Rating:
Summary: Dense, but worth the effort
Review: I purchased this book on the tangential advice of Michael Ruhlman's "The Making of a Chef" -- it was one of the three Bibles of Cooking, if I remember correctly. As a scientist and a foodie/gastronome, I found this book fascinating and worth the effort of slogging through the tougher, denser, meatier bits. Mmmm, collagen.
Rating:
Summary: Dense, but worth the effort
Review: I purchased this book on the tangential advice of Michael Ruhlman's "The Making of a Chef" -- it was one of the three Bibles of Cooking, if I remember correctly. As a scientist and a foodie/gastronome, I found this book fascinating and worth the effort of slogging through the tougher, denser, meatier bits. Mmmm, collagen.
Rating:
Summary: Good for a textbook, not for bed time reading...
Review: I really enjoy books that get into the "why's" of cooking like "What Einstein Told His Cook", and "I'm Just Here for the Food", but this book went a little far for me. I did find it interesting, as it is by far the most in depth science/cooking book I've seen, but it is not for light reading. In all, if you're looking for some reference material -- this is it, but if you're looking for an easier to read book on the subject try Robert Wolke's "What Einstein Told His Cook".
Rating:
Summary: Years to absorb all this lore!
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: There is no other choice for the technical side of cooking
Review: If you are a cooking professional, or just some curious Schmoe, you can do no better than this book. It, along with "The Curious Cook" are MUSTS when trying to learn the nature of cooking and ingriedients. It manages to inform without being text-book dry.
Rating:
Summary: "The most complete reference book on food I have found"
Review: If you want to know how the application of heat on beef tissues creates a chemical reaction in the tendons and muscle fibers, then this is the book for you. I am fascinated by the extent to which the book goes into detail about the chemical processes involved with cooking. The historical passages are quite inspiring as well. I thouroghly enjoy this book, and refer to it time and time again for important and useful information.
Rating:
Summary: Jam-packed with food information
Review: Just the other day, while we were driving down the road, my 11 year old son asked me why milk gets clumpy when it goes sour. Thanks to the information I learned reading the "milk" section of this book, I could actually explain why! I would concur with those who've already left good reviews, but I thought I would add my story of why I found this an interesting and useful tome.
Rating:
Summary: Remarkably Readable
Review: McGee has taken a subject that I find a bit dry and written about it in a style that it is remarkably readable. I had a hard time putting this book down. Be warned that the same meandering style that makes this book so readable also makes it a less-than-perfect reference book.
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