1: Foreword
2: Taste and flavour
- 1: Why do we cook?
- 2: How do we taste?
- 3: Why does cooked food taste so good?
- 4: Why do some flavours go together so well?
3: Kitchen essentials
- 1: An essential guide to knives
- 2: An essential guide to pots and pans
- 3: An essential guide to utensils
4: Meat and poultry
- 1: In focus: meat
- 2: How can I tell if meat is good quality?
- 3: Should I avoid buying meat that has gone brown?
- 4: Why do different meats look and taste so different?
- 5: Is it better to choose organic meat?
- 6: Are purebred and heritage cattle breeds tastier?
- 7: Do larger chickens lack flavour?
- 8: How can an animal's feed affect the taste and texture of its meat?
- 9: Is fillet steak from the tenderloin really the best cut of beef?
- 10: Why is it so expensive to buy Wagyu beef?
- 11: What is the difference between organic, free-range, and indoor chickens?
- 12: How can I tell if meat has been injected with water?
- 13: If I freeze meat, will it destroy the taste and texture?
- 14: Do I really need to pound meat?
- 15: The process of barbecuing
- 16: What are the benefits of marinating meat?
- 17: Should I season meat with salt well in advance or just before cooking?
- 18: How do I smoke meat at home?
- 19: Is it possible to age meat at home?
- 20: Should I trim all the fat off meat?
- 21: Does it matter if you cut meat across the grain or along it?
- 22: What is the secret to perfectly crispy pork crackling?
- 23: Should I cook meat from room temperature?
- 24: Does searing a steak really "seal in" juices?
- 25: How do I cook the perfect steak?
- 26: The process of slow cooking
- 27: How can I stop chicken or turkey from drying out?
- 28: What does basting do?
- 29: How can I tell when meat is done?
- 30: Why do I need to rest meat after cooking?
- 31: What can I do with overcooked meat?
- 32: What's the secret of a tasty sauce?
- 33: Is it worth all the effort to make my own stock?
- 34: Why is it safe to eat rare beef, but not chicken or pork?
- 35: Why do so many foods taste like chicken?
5: Fish and seafood
- 1: In focus: fish
- 2: How do I know if fish is fresh?
- 3: Why is fish called "brain" food?
- 4: Why does salmon come in varying shades of orange?
- 5: Is farmed fish as good as wild?
- 6: Is it better to buy prawns with their heads on?
- 7: Is it better to buy prawns raw or pre-cooked, fresh or frozen?
- 8: Why do we eat oysters raw?
- 9: When is the best season for oysters?
- 10: The process of pan-frying
- 11: How can I preserve fish at home?
- 12: What happens when you salt bake fish?
- 13: Is it better to buy fresh or frozen fish?
- 14: Can I cook fish from frozen?
- 15: Should I bake fish in a parcel or uncovered?
- 16: How can I keep fish moist with different cooking methods?
- 17: Can fish go soggy if poached slowly?
- 18: The process of sous-vide
- 19: How do I cook fish to have crispy golden skin?
- 20: Why don't you need to rest fish?
- 21: Can I eat sashimi safely?
- 22: How does citrus juice "cook" raw fish?
- 23: Why do shellfish change colour when cooked?
- 24: What are the rules when cooking mussels?
6: Eggs and dairy
- 1: In focus: eggs
- 2: Should I limit how many eggs I eat?
- 3: Are there more nutrients in free-range eggs?
- 4: Is it safe to eat raw eggs?
- 5: Where is the best place to store my eggs?
- 6: Why do rotten eggs smell bad?
- 7: How can I tell if an egg is fresh?
- 8: Is it true that only fresh eggs poach well?
- 9: How can I cook soft-boiled eggs with runny yolks?
- 10: What's the best method to peel hard-boiled eggs?
- 11: How do I make the perfect scrambled eggs?
- 12: What is the secret of creamy, smooth custard?
- 13: Does it matter if yolk gets in my whipped egg whites?
- 14: How can I prevent split mayonnaise?
- 15: In focus: milk
- 16: Why do we pasteurize milk?
- 17: Can I cook successfully with low-fat dairy products?
- 18: Which type of cream should I use?
- 19: How can I heat milk without a skin forming?
- 20: Can I make ice cream at home without an ice-cream maker?
- 21: Do ice-cream makers make creamier ice cream than whisking by hand?
- 22: Is it worth making my own yogurt?
- 23: Why does yogurt split in spicy dishes?
- 24: Should I eat probiotic yogurt?
- 25: In focus: cheese
- 26: If the veins in blue cheese are mould, why is it edible?
- 27: Why are some cheeses so strong and smelly?
- 28: Why does some cheese go stringy?
- 29: Should I avoid processed cheese?
- 30: Can I make perfect soft cheese at home?
7: Rice, grains, and pasta
- 1: In focus: rice
- 2: How much water should I add to my rice?
- 3: How can I cook fluffy rice every time?
- 4: Is it okay to reheat cooked rice?
- 5: The process of pressure cooking
- 6: Why is wholegrain better than processed?
- 7: Do I really need to soak pulses before I cook them?
- 8: Why exactly is quinoa so special?
- 9: How can I stop beans giving me gas?
- 10: Is it true that uncooked kidney beans are poisonous?
- 11: Why does popcorn pop?
- 12: How can I make my own fresh pasta?
- 13: Is fresh pasta better than dried?
- 14: How does adding salt to my pasta water help?
- 15: Should I add oil to the cooking water to stop pasta sticking?
8: Vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds
- 1: Are organic fruit and vegetables better than non-organic?
- 2: Are heirloom varieties tastier?
- 3: Do vegetables lose nutrients as they age?
- 4: Is it better to eat vegetables raw?
- 5: Should I throw away the green tops?
- 6: Is it better to peel or scrub?
- 7: Can leaving mushrooms in the sun really increase their vitamin D content?
- 8: The process of steaming
- 9: How do I chop an onion without crying?
- 10: Why do different-coloured peppers taste different?
- 11: How do I roast vegetables without them going soggy?
- 12: How do I cook vegetables to optimize nutrients?
- 13: Does adding salt to the water cook vegetables faster?
- 14: What is the secret of the perfect vegetable stir-fry?
- 15: In focus: potatoes
- 16: How do I make fluffy mashed potatoes?
- 17: The process of microwaving
- 18: How does lemon juice stop sliced fruit from turning brown?
- 19: Is juicing a good substitute for whole fruit and vegetables?
- 20: How do bananas help ripen other fruit?
- 21: How do you use bananas at different stages of ripeness?
- 22: Can I cook soft fruit from frozen?
- 23: How can I cook fruit without it turning mushy?
- 24: Why are olives brined?
- 25: Are black olives really dyed?
- 26: In focus: nuts
- 27: How can I enjoy the freshest nuts?
- 28: Do nuts and seeds taste better cooked?
9: Herbs, spices, oils, and flavourings
- 1: In focus: herbs
- 2: What's the best way to prepare fresh herbs?
- 3: How do I get the best from dried herbs?
- 4: When should I add herbs during cooking?
- 5: Can how I prepare garlic affect its strength?
- 6: How can I get the most flavour from spices?
- 7: Why do recipes often say to add spices to oil at the start?
- 8: Why is saffron so expensive?
- 9: In focus: chillies
- 10: How can I tame food that's too hot?
- 11: What's the best way to take away chilli heat?
- 12: In focus: oils and fats
- 13: Why are some olive oils better quality than others?
- 14: What's the best way to store olive oil?
- 15: Why does food cook faster when it's fried?
- 16: Why is fried food bad for your health?
- 17: How does alcohol enhance food?
- 18: What happens when I flambé food?
- 19: Does alcohol really evaporate when I cook with it?
- 20: How can I stop my salad dressing from splitting?
- 21: Is there much variance between different grades of balsamic vinegar?
- 22: In focus: salt
- 23: Can I salvage over-salted dishes?
- 24: Is it better to use light or dark soy sauce for cooking?
10: Baking and sweet things
- 1: In focus: flour
- 2: Why do I need to sift flour?
- 3: Why do baking recipes recommend adding salt?
- 4: Can I use baking powder instead of bicarbonate of soda?
- 5: Which is the best type of fat for baking?
- 6: How important is it to preheat the oven?
- 7: Why hasn't my cake risen?
- 8: Why do cakes go hard and biscuits soft?
- 9: What is a sourdough starter?
- 10: What are the basics of a good bread dough?
- 11: Why do you need to prove dough before baking it?
- 12: The process of oven baking
- 13: Why doesn't gluten-free bread rise very well?
- 14: Why isn't home-made bread as light as shop-bought?
- 15: Why shouldn't I "overwork" pastry?
- 16: Do I always need to chill pastry before rolling it out?
- 17: What's the secret to light puff pastry?
- 18: How do I prevent my pie getting a "soggy bottom"?
- 19: In focus: sugar
- 20: Can I make fluffy marshmallows at home?
- 21: What is the secret behind caramelization?
- 22: How do I get my jam to set properly?
- 23: In focus: chocolate
- 24: Why does chocolate from different countries taste so different?
- 25: What is the difference between melting and tempering chocolate?
- 26: Can I still use chocolate that's turned white?
- 27: How do I salvage melted chocolate that's gone lumpy?
- 28: How do I make a chocolate ganache?
- 29: Can I make chocolate sauce that hardens on ice cream?
- 30: How do I master a chocolate soufflé?
11: Index and acknowledgments

The Science of Cooking

Every Question Answered to Perfect your Cooking