Foreword

For Floyd Cardoz, who made Goan cuisine shine bright.

For Michael, who makes me laugh.

I have spent more than 40 years trying to understand food science. I started with Harold McGee’s classic On Food and Cooking, which, to this day, I find both brilliant and impenetrable. Next, I used Shirley Corriher’s CookWise and BakeWise, both of which bridged the gap nicely between science and cooking. I worked with Bob Wolke (What Einstein Told His Cook), a man with a sense of humor and good storytelling skills. Finally, I have worked for many years with Guy Crosby, Milk Street’s in-house food scientist, who answers our day-to-day questions, such as “Why can’t you make mayonnaise during a thunderstorm (or can you)?” and “Why did a duck braised in red wine explode in the oven?”