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Everything You Pretend to Know About Food: And Are Afraid Someone Will Ask

(Everything You Pretend to Know Series)
by Nancy Rommelmann      

Description
What is the difference between sauteed, fried, pan-fried, stir-fried, and deep-fried? How can wine have legs? What is dim sum? For those of us who aren't gourmet chefs but still want the know-how to decipher a menu in an upscale restaurant, talk food at a cocktail party, or simply impress family and friends, here is a culinary handbook that takes the mystery out of food. From beverages to breads, fruits to fish, pasta to potatoes, Everything You Pretend to Know About Food and Are Afraid Someone Will Ask offers a pantry-full of savory facts, including common cooking phrases and terminology, often misused food terms, and fascinating food lore. Ideal for browsing, for quick reference or deep study, this delightful book will enlighten and entertain both the genuine foodie and the culinary novice on the most universal of subjects: food.

Review
This little book is the sort you want to keep by your bedside, or by the toilet. Its for reading in small doses, occasionally. Not a reference book, it's more along the lines of Ripley's Believe It or Not crossed with Larousse Gastronomique. In addition to classic definitions, many current food fads are also described. All is presented lightly and not at all technical. Pure enjoyment!
Reviewer: Gregory D. Stanton, from Los Angeles, CA