The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science

The Food Lab is a cookbook for the food geek, the novice, and the perfectionist. Author López-Alt presents his love for good cooking by showing the science of why these recipes work, and he shows it with a sense of humor. This is a massive book, weighing in at 6 pounds! Recommended By Tracey T., Powells.com

Whether he's boiling hundreds of eggs to figure out what really makes their shells stick or frying up dozens of steaks to debunk long-held myths, J. Kenji López- Alt shows that home cooks don't need a state-of-the-art kitchen to cook pitch-perfect meals. In a unique book centered on beloved American dishes such as prime rib roast, Caesar salad, and buttermilk biscuits, Kenji explores the science behind searing, baking, blanching, and roasting. In hundreds of easy-to-make recipes with over 1,000 full-color images illustrating step-by-step instructions, readers will find out how to make perfect roast turkey with crackling skin, how to make scrambled eggs extra fluffy or creamy, and much more. Combining the unrelenting curiosity of a cheerful science geek with the expert knowledge of a practiced chef, gives readers practical tools and new approaches that they can apply the next time they step into the kitchen.

"...explains the mysteries of cooking in real-life terms. I devoured Kenji's book, fascinated and engrossed in every single page—and you will be too." David Lebovitz, author of My Paris Kitchen

"...a monumental achievement. This is sure to become a must-read for anyone who cares about cooking better food." Dave Arnold, co-owner of Booker & Dax, author of Liquid Intelligence

A grand tour of the science of cooking explored through popular American dishes, illustrated in full color.

J. Kenji López-Alt is the managing culinary director of SeriousEats.com, author of the James Beard Award-nominated column The Food Lab, and a columnist for Cooking Light. He lives in San Francisco with his wife Adriana.