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| Introduction | |
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| Acknowledgments | |
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| Sweet Talk | |
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| What is raw sugar? | |
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| Is refined white sugar unhealthful? | |
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| How can you soften hardened brown sugar? | |
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| What are treacle, sorghum, and sulphured molasses? | |
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| What's the difference between cane sugar and beet sugar? | |
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| How do you dissolve two cups of sugar in one cup of water? | |
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| What does "caramelize" mean? | |
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| How are starches and sugars related? | |
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| How do they get corn syrup from corn? | |
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| What is Dutch process cocoa? | |
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| Why does chocolate melt in the mouth? | |
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| How do they make white chocolate? ... and more | |
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| The Salt of the Earth | |
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| What are all those special salts and tenderizers in the supermarket? | |
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| What are salt substitutes? | |
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| Why do we add salt to the water for boiling pasta? | |
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| What's so special about sea salt? | |
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| Kosher salt? | |
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| Freshly ground salt? | |
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| Can a potato remove the excess salt from over-salted soup? | |
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| Why do recipes tell you to use unsalted butter and then add salt? ... and more | |
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| The Fat of the Land | |
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| What's the difference between a fat and a fatty acid? | |
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| Why are oils only partially hydrogenated? | |
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| Why do we clarify butter? | |
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| How do they make corn oil? | |
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| How do the various cooking oils compare? | |
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| What can you do with used cooking oil? | |
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| How do nonstick cooking sprays work? | |
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| What noodles contain fat? | |
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| Is heavy cream really lighter than light cream? ... and more | |
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| Chemicals in the Kitchen | |
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| What do home water filters do? | |
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| What's the difference between baking powder and baking soda? | |
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| Is aluminum dangerous? | |
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| What is baking ammonia? | |
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| Sour salt? | |
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| Cream of tartar? | |
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| Artificial vanilla? | |
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| MSG? | |
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| Why is there "no calcium" in cream cheese? | |
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| Why does lasagne dissolve metal? | |
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| How is vinegar made? | |
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| Are green potatoes poisonous? | |
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| How is lye used in our foods? ... and more | |
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| Turf and Surf | |
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| Is a rare steak bloody? | |
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| What makes ground beef brown? | |
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| Is prime rib prime beef? | |
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| Why is the meat near the bone "sweetest?" | |
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| What do bones contribute to a stock? | |
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| What's the best way to skim fat from a stock? | |
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| How do they make all those different hams? | |
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| How does brining work? | |
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| How long is "overnight"? | |
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| What makes gravy lumpy and greasy? | |
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| Why does fish cook so quickly? | |
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| Why does fish smell fishy? | |
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| What is surimi? | |
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| Are oysters on the half-shell alive? | |
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| Should lobsters be boiled or steamed? ... and more | |
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| Fire and Ice | |
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| What is a calorie? | |
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| How is cooking different at high altitudes? | |
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| Why does water boil? | |
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| Why does it take so long to reduce a stock? | |
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| What do the Btu ratings of ranges mean? | |
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| Does the alcohol boil off when you cook with wine? | |
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| Can you really fry an egg on the sidewalk? | |
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| Is charcoal or gas better for grilling? | |
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| What's the best way to defrost foods? | |
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| Why do bakers roll out their dough on marble? | |
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| Can hot water freeze faster than cold water? | |
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| Can eggs be frozen? | |
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| What is freezer burn? | |
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| Why does blowing on hot food cool it? ... and more | |
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| Liquid Refreshment | |
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| Is coffee acid? | |
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| Does espresso contain more caffeine than American coffee? | |
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| How is coffee decaffeinated? | |
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| What's the difference between a tea and a tisane? | |
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| What makes soft drinks so acidic? | |
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| Does belching contribute to global warming? | |
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| Can soda go flat in an unopened bottle? | |
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| How can you open a bottle of Champagne with aplomb? | |
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| Why do some wines have plastic "corks"? | |
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| What do you do with the wine cork when the waiter gives it to you? | |
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| How much alcohol is there in various beverages? ... and more | |
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| Those Mysterious Microwaves | |
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| How do microwaves make heat? | |
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| Why does microwaved food have to stand for a while? | |
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| Why do microwave ovens cook so much faster than conventional ovens? | |
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| Why mustn't one put metal in a microwave oven? | |
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| Can the microwaves leak out of the box and cook the cook? | |
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| What makes a container "microwave safe"? | |
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| Why do some "microwave safe" containers still get hot in the oven? | |
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| Is it dangerous to heat water in a microwave oven? | |
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| Do microwaves change the molecular structure of food? | |
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| Do microwaves destroy the nutrients in food? | |
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| Why does microwave-cooked food cool off faster than food cooked in a conventional oven? ... and more | |
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| Tools and Technology | |
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| Why doesn't anything stick to nonstick cookware? | |
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| What's the "best" kind of frying pan? | |
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| Does a magnetic rack affect the sharpness of your knives? | |
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| What's the difference between a pastry brush and a basting brush? | |
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| How can you get the most juice out of a lemon or lime? | |
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| What's wrong with washing mushrooms? | |
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| Does tarnish affect the properties of a copper frying pan? | |
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| What's the easiest way to clean silverware? | |
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| Why are there separate measuring cups for liquids and solids? | |
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| How do "instant-read" thermometers work? | |
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| How do pressure cookers work? | |
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| How do induction-heated ranges and light ovens work? | |
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| Why do crackers have those little holes in them? | |
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| What are the pros and cons of food irradiation? | |
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| What are all those special compartments in your refrigerator? ... and more | |
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| Further Reading | |
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| Glossary | |
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| Index | |