Praise for the First Edition:

“One of the most useful books on understanding cooking, kind of like a rock-and-roll version of Harold McGee’s On Food and Cooking.”

—Andreas Viested, The Washington Post

Cooking for Geeks

Why, exactly, do we cook the way we do? Are you curious about the science behind what happens to food as it cooks? Are you the innovative type, used to expressing your creativity instead of just following recipes? Do you want to learn to how to become a better cook?

Cooking for Geeks is more than just a cookbook. Author and cooking geek Jeff Potter helps you apply curiosity, inspiration, and invention to the food you prepare. Why do we bake some things at 350°F / 175°C and others at 375°F / 190°C? Why is medium-rare steak so popular? And just how quickly does a pizza cook if you “overclock” an oven to 1,000°F / 540°C? This expanded new edition provides in-depth answers, and lets you experiment with several labs and more than 100 recipes—from the sweet (a patent-violating chocolate chip cookie) to the savory (pulled pork under pressure).

When you step into the kitchen, you’re unwittingly turned into a physicist and a chemist. This excellent and intriguing resource is for inquisitive people who want to increase their knowledge and ability to cook.

• Discover what type of cook you are and learn how to think about flavor

• Understand how protein denaturation, Maillard reactions, caramelization, and other reactions impact the foods we cook

• Gain firsthand insights from interviews with researchers, food scientists, knife experts, chefs, and writers—including science enthusiast Adam Savage, chef Jaques Pépin, and chemist Hervé This

Jeff Potter is curious about the science of food and loves finding answers to why ingredients and recipes work the way they do. By bringing science to food-minded people—and food to science-minded people—he educates the public about how to master the kitchen. Jeff also works with organizations and tech startups to build the technology behind their products. He’s been featured in USA Today, the Today Show, and is a regular guest on Science Friday.

Twitter: @oreillymedia
facebook.com/oreilly