One prominent aspect of molecular gastronomy is the modern chef’s use of hydrocolloids such as gelling, thickening, and emulsifying agents in the creation of unique dishes. This new work from famed chef Ferran Adria’s Alícia Foundation provides a trove of scientific information on a variety of popularly used hydrocolloids in a reader-friendly format. Topics include, for example, the behavior of agar-agar gel in water and how that behavior changes when sugar, salt, lemon juice, or olive oil is introduced into the mix. The book also provides a number of recipes for the various hydrocolloids.