Nik Sharma Author Talk • Fundamentals of Flavor: 100 Recipes for the Science of Better Cooking

Nik Sharma is the bestselling author of cookbooks celebrated for blending culinary science with deeply personal storytelling: Season, The Flavor Equation, and Veg-Table. A former molecular biologist, Sharma brings a unique lens to the kitchen, where flavor is both a feeling and a formula. He serves as Editor in Residence at America's Test Kitchen, where he hosts the James Beard nominated YouTube show Flavor Forward with Nik Sharma, is a co-host of the show In the Test Kitchen on Netflix, and is a cast member on America’s Test Kitchen show on PBS. Sharma is the creator of the award-winning blog Nik Sharma Cooks (formerly A Brown Table), and his writing and photography have been featured in The San Francisco Chronicle, The New York Times, The Guardian, and The Wall Street Journal, among others. He lives in Los Angeles, California, where he's always dreaming up his next recipe.

Fundamentals of Flavor - Building on the science-forward thinking of The Flavor Equation and the accessibility of his award-winning Veg-Table, Nik Sharma’s latest cookbook brings fascinating technical know-how to exciting everyday recipes. In these pages, Sharma explores the four powerful elements of nature and their profound influence on how we cook, delving into such topics and dishes as:

• Fire: How caramelization deepens the flavor of Caramelized Shallot and Feta-Labneh Dip
• Earth: How salt's minerality brings crispness to Salt-Baked New Potatoes with Gochujang Vinaigrette
• Air: Why drying out cookie dough results in perfect Extra Rich Chocolate-Cinnamon Crinkle Cookies
• Water: Why sous vide is the best way to cook a hearty, tender loaf of Icelandic Rye Bread
• And much more.

With more than 150 evocative photographs and 20+ infographics that simplify scientific principles for visual learners, this is a beautiful, foundation-building reference book for home cooks who approach their meals with a hunger for knowledge and big flavor.