Cooking is applied chemistry, and the basic concepts of chemistry—molecules, energy, heat, reactions—are keys to a clearer understanding of what our foods are and how we transform them. A casual acquaintance with these concepts is enough to follow most of the explanations in this book. For readers who’d like to get to know them better, here’s a brief review.
From the book On Food and Cooking (2nd edition) by Harold McGee. © 2004 Harold McGee.
By permission of Scribner, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.