Everyday Science of Cooking

Why did your sauce split, your carrots refuse to soften, your steak turn grey, or your bread come out different from last week's loaf? This book answers those questions in plain language. Each chapter takes an everyday kitchen problem and explains the science behind it: emulsions, pectin, the Maillard reaction, protein denaturation, starch gelatinisation, gluten, caramelisation, and the effects of salt and acid. You get practical fixes, safe experiments with ordinary ingredients, a method for testing changes in your own kitchen, and a troubleshooting table for when dinner goes wrong. No science background is needed, only curiosity and a stove. Learn why recipes work, so you can adjust them with confidence when your ingredients, pan or oven behave differently.

Imad Muratspahic is an independent author of practical how-to guides, technical handbooks, history and fiction. The books aim to be clear, honest and useful from the first page.