CULINARY REACTIONS The Everyday Chemistry of Cooking

Sean Pratt's peppy narration conveys the intrigue and diversion to be found in the kitchen. In this book he analyzes what exactly is being stirred up and and created when one cooks. Embedded in the layers of cake, bread, ice cream, sugar, and spices of culinary creations is a myriad of chemical reactions involving microbial life, the denaturing of proteins, and intricate molecular reactions and interactions with the body that reveal the real complexity of kitchen science. Pratt's light tone and playful persuasiveness tempt listeners to follow instructions to extract DNA from a pumpkin or to try the recipes for such delicacies as cherry dream cheese. Although the audiobook can become quite detailed in its discussion of science, as with the explanation of amino acids, Pratt's liveliness tempers the elaborations with an upbeat pace. Ultimately, he helps the author achieve his goal for this informative book--to entertain and have fun. M.F. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2017]