"As Serious Eats's culinary nerd-in-residence, J. Kenji López-Alt has pondered [how to pan-fry a steak with a charred crust and an interior that's perfectly medium-rare from edge to edge when you cut into it] and more. In [this book], Kenji focuses on the science behind beloved American dishes, delving into the interactions between heat, energy, and molecules that create great food. Kenji shows that often, conventional methods don't work that well, and home cooks can achieve far better results using new--but simple--techniques"--Amazon.com.

Includes index.

Preface / by Jeffrey Steingarten -- Introduction: A nerd in the kitchen -- What's in this book? -- The keys to good kitchen science -- What is cooking? -- Essential kitchen gear -- The basic pantry -- Eggs, dairy, and the science of breakfast -- Soups, stews, and the science of stock -- Steaks, chops, chicken, fish, and the science of fast-cooking foods -- Blanching, searing, braising, glazing, roasting, and the science of vegetables -- Balls, loaves, links, burgers, and the science of ground meat --Chickens, turkeys, prime rib, and the science of roasts -- Tomato sauce, macaroni, and the science of pasta -- Greens, emulsions, and the science of salads -- Batter, breadings, and the science of frying.