Cookbook review: Molecular Gastronomy

Today I want to introduce you to a great little book, Molecular Gastronomy, by Herve This.  Some may get the wrong impression from the title - it's not filled with spherification, gels and foams, rather he is a French food scientist and he mostly wants to teach us how to cook better.  Indeed, he is one of the go-to guys for all the modern chefs you think of when you think of molecular gastronomy, and he often works with them to discover the best techniques to accomplish the desired flavours, colours and textures by utilizing a career studying the actual mechanics of cooking food.

You may also feel a bit intimidated by the prospect of reading a scientist's book, but don't be.  Mr. This has managed to explain his discoveries in plain language, and many chapters are only a couple pages long.  This is a super book for commuting or fitting in with a busy schedule since it is so easy to finish a train of thought.  One of my favorite chapters is on "softening lentils" where he cites a laboratory experiment where numerous batches of lentils were all cooked identically, except for the cooking temperature, in order to discover the best way to cook them with minimal breakage.  Is that passion or what?  He may not be a chef, but he's most definitely French.  Another entertaining chapter talks about cheeses and the process to determine if a variety deserves a protected designation of origin.  There are actually juries trained in tasting cheese who decide these matters - how's that for a sweet job?  I'm already drooling.  Sound interesting?  CHECK IT OUT HERE