Cook’s Illustrated and America’s Test Kitchen for giving me my first schooling in the world of recipe development, food writing, video, and television Sheryl Julian had faith in my abilities as a freelance journalist when I gave her absolutely no reason to, and Jolyon Helterman is the one who actually taught me those skills Any writer who tells you that their voice and style are all their own are lying to you We’re all influenced by who we read My writing is a stew of mannerisms, jokes, and styles that I’ve mashed together from all over the place Jeffrey Steingarten and Michael Ruhlman taught me that gonzo journalism is alive and well in the food world Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall and Anthony Bourdain reminded me that good food writing, like all good writing, has to be personal Jacques Pepin’s mastery of technique and his ability to express not just how to do something but why you should care is breathtaking (his “Complete Techniques” makes for some riveting beach reading Trust me) Whenever I’m in a rut where my words just aren’t light or humorous enough I reread a Douglas Adams or Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., novel, or perhaps watch a few Monty Python sketches Even more than my own efforts, these are the folks that I really owe my writing and recipe testing style to, and I hope my words do them proud I owe a big debt of gratitude to Russ Parsons (How to Read a French Fry), Aki Kamozawa and Alex Talbot (Ideas in Food), Robert Wolke ( What Einstein Told His Cook), Dave Arnold (Liquid Intelligence) and Nathan Myhrvold and the entire Modernist Cuisine team for leading the charge when it comes to good food science education and advocacy for the public I’d like to thank my editor, Maria Guarnaschelli, who, despite her fearsome reputation, turned out to be my biggest supporter I trembled as I turned in my original 800-page manuscript for what was supposed to be a 300-page product She turned around and said “I like it Can you write me 600 more?” (Are you kidding? I had to work to get it down to 800 in the first place!) I’ve been with her for five years and three assistants now, and she has never once said “no” to me, even when she probably should have Finally, I wouldn’t be the person I am today if I hadn’t snuck into the living room every morning at a.m in my Winnie-the-Pooh pajamas to catch an episode of Mr Wizard’s World on Nickelodeon So here’s to you Don Herbert, for inspiring generations of young nerdlings to go out and become full-fledged nerds ... “no” to me, even when she probably should have Finally, I wouldn’t be the person I am today if I hadn’t snuck into the living room every morning at a.m in my Winnie -the- Pooh pajamas to catch an episode of Mr Wizard’s... product She turned around and said “I like it Can you write me 600 more?” (Are you kidding? I had to work to get it down to 800 in the first place!) I’ve been with her for five years and three assistants now, and she has never once said...advocacy for the public I’d like to thank my editor, Maria Guarnaschelli, who, despite her fearsome reputation, turned out to be my biggest