The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science

Where Science Meets the Sizzle of Home Cooking!
The Overview:”The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science” by J. Kenji López-Alt is not just a cookbook; it’s an extensive guide that marries science with culinary arts. I purchased this book as a gift for a food enthusiast, and here’s why it was a hit:The Good:Comprehensive Content: This book is a tome of knowledge, covering a vast array of cooking techniques, recipes, and scientific explanations behind why we cook the way we do. It’s perfect for those who want to understand the “why” as well as the “how” of cooking.Visual Appeal: The book itself is thick and beautifully presented, with hundreds of full-color photographs that not only illustrate the recipes but also the science behind them. It looks and feels like a premium publication, making it a joy to browse through.Educational and Practical: Each recipe comes with detailed instructions, variations, and notes on what can go wrong, teaching cooks to troubleshoot and innovate. The author’s approach demystifies cooking, making it accessible to both beginners and seasoned chefs.Gift-Worthy: My friend, a self-proclaimed “foody,” was thrilled with the gift. The combination of science, detailed recipes, and the sheer volume of content made it a standout present for anyone passionate about cooking.The Not-So-Good:Size and Weight: Its thickness is both a pro and a con. While it’s packed with information, it’s not the most portable book, which might be a minor issue if you’re looking for something to take on the go or fit into a small kitchen space.Overall:”The Food Lab” is a masterpiece for anyone who loves to cook, learn, and experiment in the kitchen. Its blend of science and practical cooking advice makes it invaluable. The only downside is its size, but for someone who appreciates culinary literature, this is a minor detail.Pros:Extensive, well-explained content with a scientific approachBeautifully designed with high-quality photosIdeal for both learning and practical cookingAn excellent gift for food enthusiastsCons:Very thick and heavy, less ideal for portabilityConclusion:If you’re looking to gift something that will both inspire and educate, “The Food Lab” is an exceptional choice. It’s not just a cookbook; it’s an educational journey through the science of cooking that will be appreciated by anyone who loves to delve deep into the art of food preparation.

Funny and informative fare!
This book wasn’t even on my radar until my best friend mentioned that it was on sale. As an occasional collector of cookbooks, I could not pass up the opportunity for such a tome, promising a wealth and depth of techniques, modern cookery, and quality photos. I was not disappointed! It is the first book I have ever ordered online to arrive in its own factory shrinkwrap, which for some odd reason felt extra fancy.It is a HEAVY hardcover book, so beware that if you are ordering multiple items from Amazon at once, this may be at the bottom of a box you forgot was arriving! I have only just cracked it open to see if random ingredients like brandy are covered (it is).Another great treat is the voice of the author. J. Kenji López-Alt is hilarious! Just read the paragraph flexing science-y facts and wry references about asparagus on page 457!I am already excited to learn about new and exciting ways to prepare foods, better techniques, and elevated lingo for hoity-toity dinner chats (minus the cringe).

VERY USEFUL

This is an awesome book for any home cook who enjoys cooking things that tastes awesome and enjoys to understand why and how recipes come together.The author is a true scientist, and extensively tests recipes. He then takes the time to explain the testing process, showing ideas and failures along the way until coming up with the best way of cooking something. As a fan of his food lab series on seriouseats.com , I have tried several recipes from his website and have rarely been dissapointed. One good example is with eggs, where they are boiled in 30 second intervals to find the perfect time to boil them. He also tests out several theories such as steaming, adding vinegar, starting cold, etc to come up with the best possible way to boil your egg for consistent results. Another great example is on steaks , and the idea that a steak must be seared to hold in the juices. He debunks this completely, along with other steak folklore such as only flip once and testing doneness by touch. I have cooked steaks using the methodologies and can finally confidently cook steaks to the exact doneness that I want, with a beautiful crusted exterior and an evenly cooked inside.So far every recipe I have tried from the book have been excellent. Buttermilk pancakes were fantastic, and even the brussel sprouts were stellar…best I have ever made.There is no way you can read and cook from this book without becoming a better cook. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys time in the kitchen.One word of caution is that recipes in this book can be described best of American. There is only one dessert recipe. You won’t find a lot of ethnic food recipes in this book. This is a bit unfortunate , as he has produced some unreal recipes for tacos, ramens, and other awesomeness on his site. I suspect future books are in the works.