A Good Book: What Einstein Told His Cook by Robert Wolke

Dean Lawrence J. Johnson

With the current Langsam Library exhibit “What’s On Your Bookshelf? What UC Deans are Reading,” Source introduces a new column, “A Good Book,” that will highlight favorite books of people in the UC community. In this first column, Dean Lawrence J. Johnson, College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services, talks further about What Einstein Told His Cook, by Robert Wolke, which is included in the exhibit on the 4th floor of Langsam Library.

“I am very interested in cooking and often read books on the subject. I have shelves of cookbooks at home and have grown tired of books that are merely a collection of recipes. As my skills as a cook have grown, my interest in cookbooks has changed. Now I look for books that focus on cooking techniques and approaches. By understanding the foundations and mechanics of cooking, I am able to combine approaches to create dishes without recipes. More importantly, I am able to add a twist to creations without making them unrecognizable. I understand the theory of the dish and am able to play with the parameters to create a unique taste.

What Einstein Told His Cook is a book about the physical properties of cooking. It explains the physical reasons why cooking practices work or don’t work. Included are such things as why yeast makes bread rise, the difference between baking soda and baking powder, why buttering the pan works, how non-stick pans work, as well as other common cooking practices.

The book also talks about practices that don’t have a good physical reason. For example, my mother taught me to add salt to water when cooking pasta. I was told that this raises the temperature and cooks the pasta faster. The author talks about this practice and shows that the water temperature with the typical amount of salt added is essentially the same as the temperature without salt. Moreover, the amount of salt needed to change the water’s boiling point would make the pasta inedible. While all of this may sound dull, it is presented in a humorous way and makes you think. As a result, you get a good laugh and learn foundational practices of cooking. There are practices that I have changed because I’ve read this book. Perhaps more interestingly, though, some practices (like adding salt to pasta water) I still do, but now because of the tradition. Many of these ‘unfounded’ practices link me to people I love from my past who helped me learn to cook. So while the reason for the practice is no longer valid, the memory of the person and the feelings engendered keep me doing it. Consequently, I still add salt to my pasta water.”

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