David Joachim is co-author of the book "The Science of Good Food: The Ultimate Reference on How Cooking Works". The book explains the physical and chemical transformations that govern all food preparation and cooking. Home cooks can learn how copper bowls effect eggs, what kind of grill gives you the best crust on a steak, what happens to shortbread at high altitude, how butter tenderizes cake... and more than 100 recipes!

David came by the show to share some kitchen tips that are sure to make you a better cook!

1) Eggs: Beating your egg whites in a copper bowl makes a chemical compound that will make your egg whites fluffier and let your souffles and cakes rise higher. Adding a bit of Cream of Tartar to your egg whites will make the foam created more stable!

2) Carrots: Take the green tops off fresh carrots - the greenery will require water to survive, thus sucking the water out of your carrots! Cutting the green tops off will keep your carrots crispy and firm.

3) Herbs: Shake out dried herbs into your hand before putting them into the pot or pan; the steam from the cooking get heat and moisture in the jar, making the herbs bland before their time. Also, if you're using dried herbs in the place of fresh, use about a third less dried herb than the fresh the recipe calls for. When herbs are dried, the volume reduces, requiring less to flavour your food.

4) Potatoes: Chilling potatoes before frying (for french fries or other fried dishes) converts some starch to sugar, giving a nice browned, crisp crust. Cook at a low temperature for about 20 minutes before putting them in stews, roasts and soups - it will firm up the cell walls of the potatoes to stop them from becoming mushy over longer cooking times.

5) Cookie storage: Putting an apple in the cookie jar will help your cookies stay moist and chewy. Sugar attracts moisture from the apple to keep your cookies soft. However, don't try the apple with the bread bin - an apple is higher in sugar than the bread, so it will dry out your bread!

For more about David and the book, visit:
www.davejoachim.com/home.php