[geeks] new lists? 8-)

[William Enestvedt]

> >    Have you read the red-and-blue book BY Harold McGee?
> 
> nope but i'm willing to bet it probably attempts to debunk 
> half the culinary myths out there.
> 
   Just the contrary: the author of "On Food and Cooking," Harold McGee,
explains why many of those cherished myths are *true* with photomicroscopy
images, in-kitchen tests, and by asking chemists and physicists. My favorite
is the explanation why some fruits ripen more quickly in a paper bag
(self-stimulated release of ethylene) but not others. It's got history,
nutrition, science (from 8th grade to college-level), and really cool
pictures, and tackles the question of whether to sear steak before grilling.
   The book itself is a healthy three inches thick, but I let it take up
space on the narrow kitchen cookbook shelf because it helps settle
differences between two recipes, and explain _why_ I'm doing some things. (I
like to read through the Betty Crocker version of a recipe, then the Silver
Palate version, and then the James Beard version, and come down somewhere in
the middle. If there's not enough common ground, out comes McGee for the
lightning round.
   Also, it's fun to browse while something's in the oven! My wife complains
about me having too many cookbooks, but she happily eats the home-made ice
cream and lets me cook almost anything I want -- except for chili...
-wde
P.S. The sequel to "On Food and Cooking," BTW, sucks. And another guy who
writes about why food does what it does (like baking in a cement "beehive"
over or doing stuff with yeast), John Thorne, provides a scary look at what
happens when cooks get _too_ geeky and flat-out lose perspective.
P.P.S. McGee also explains why farts happen, which appears to be of interest
to some subscribers to these lists...
--
Will Enestvedt
UNIX System Administrator
Johnson & Wales University -- Providence, RI
Will.Enestvedt at jwu.edu
Phone: (401) 598-1584 -- Cell: (401) 258-9169