Why Do Lobsters Turn Red When You Cook Them?

Overall Ranking 5) Maybe Skip

Why Do Lobsters Turn Red When You Cook Them by Hervé This, 2009, Fall River Press

Would I Recommend Reading It?

A short book gets a short review. It is 152 quick, interesting facts regarding the chemistry that occurs unseen in your kitchen. 

However, most are inapplicable to your daily cooking. There is little to no cohesion as everything appears randomly dispersed. Here are two examples that appear back to back:

"Did you know it's possible to cook without heat? Cooking with acids, for example, is simply a matter of placing the food - usually fish - in lemon juice or vinegar. The acid makes the proteins coagulate."

Which then switches up immediately to this.

"The green highlights in a young white wine are due to the chlorophylls extracted during fermentation. Over time, this color will diminish as the molecule quercetin oxidizes and ages."

Cool but not actually useful. Even if there was something you would want to remember you would need to skim the entire book in order to dig it back up.

If you are into quick tidbits that you can instantly forget, then you'll enjoy it. Otherwise, don't waste your time.

Additional Information on the Author

Hervé This (crazy last name) is a French physical chemist and co-founder of molecular gastronomy who has written numerous books exploring the science, physics, and chemistry of cooking. These are the books you want to seek out if you want to actually learn something. Please be aware that his writing style is closer to a textbook than an academic novel. 

• Molecular Gastronomy: Exploring the Science of Flavor
• His most popular book debunks traditional cooking maxims, examines taste physiology, and explores the molecular science behind everyday dishes like eggs, steak, and chocolate.
• Kitchen Mysteries: Revealing the Science of Cooking
• -Answers common culinary questions, such as why vegetables change color during cooking or how to keep a soufflé from falling.
• Building a Meal: From Molecular Gastronomy to Culinary Constructivism
• Focuses on six classic bistro favorites to isolate the exact chemical properties that stimulate appetite and flavor.
• The Science of the Oven
• Explores how thermal energy and heat transformations affect ingredients during the baking and roasting processes.
• Cooking: The Quintessential Art
• Investigates the philosophical and scientific intersections of culinary craft and art.
• Note-by-Note Cooking: The Future of Food
• Introduces a futuristic approach to cooking using pure chemical compounds rather than traditional tissues like meat or vegetables.

He also maintains a blog that he regularly publishes on. It is in French but has built in translations for you to turn on https://hervethis.blogspot.com/

Books to Bowls OUT!

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