| 50-5555 | TX551 | 2012-275111 MARC | | Science & Technology General | | Aguilera, José Miguel. Edible structures: the basic science of what we eat, tr. by Marian Blazes. CRC Press, 2013. 442p index afp ISBN 1439898901 pbk, $39.95; ISBN 9781439898901 pbk, $39.95. Reviewed in 2013jun CHOICE. | | The title of this work might make readers think about Hansel and Gretel and the cottage in the forest made of candy, cake, and cookies. Not so! This book, first published in Chile in 2011, is about food physics. And there is nobody better than food scientist Aguilera (Pontifical Catholic Univ. of Chile) to explain this complex subject in everyday language. Students of gastronomy, nutrition, and food technology will find this well-illustrated book a splendid resource to augment their textbooks, and even serve as one. Science communicators should thank the author and his translator for providing such a praiseworthy example of interpretive writing. The volume’s extensive index will guide readers into and through the clearly subdivided 13 chapters, each with referenced endnotes. Chapter titles deliberately suggest who might be best targeted as a reader, e.g., readers interested in food engineering will enjoy “Nutritional and Culinary Thermodynamics,” while those interested in cooking as a profession will like “The Empowerment of Chefs” and “The Science That Fascinates Chefs.” The discussion of “Homo gastronomicus” will interest all audiences. But basically the book is about the molecules that are shaped into the structures (and fluids, odors, and colors) that delight and nurture us. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readership levels. — M. Kroger, emeritus, Pennsylvania State University, University Park Campus |
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