Although the combination of science and cooking may seem fashionably modern, in fact the pairing of these disciplines goes way back. This book gives readers a better understanding of the terminology that describes the nature of ingredients and why they produce certain reactions. It also helps readers discover the potential of a wide range of products that can be used in a diversity of preparations. They can quickly and easily look up and find, in plain language, everything they need to know about the science of cooking. As the name suggests, the book has a lexical format, with all the entries in alphabetical order.