Entitlement

[wally1]

Sorry if you said this in the book, it has been a time since I read it when the HC came out, but how did you come up with the title HOW TO READ A FRENCH FRY?

[russ parsons]

That's the question everyone asks and I thank my agent every time someone does. The title does stick out.

It comes from a story I did a long time ago, some of the information from which ended up in the book. When I do my "Mr. Science" stories, one of the things I do is go to the library and do literature searches on the topics. Then, because I'm basically scientifically illiterate, I call the people who did the research to get them to explain it to me. Scientists are used to talking to scientists and they communicate in a secret code, like ants, or journalists. I see my role as acting as translator between the people who have the information (the scientists) and the people who can use the information (my readers). So I keep asking them more and dumber questions, trying to get them to "concrete-ize" their observations: What does this look like? How will I know this? What does this smell like? What does that mean? They really are, most of them, very good sports about it.

I was talking to a guy who specializes in oil chemistry and he was explaining to me how oil changes during the cooking process and what effect that has. He used the example of a french fry and said that you could tell what stage of oil a french fry had been cooked in by looking at it. He explained that really fresh oil doesn't fry very well, that a french fry cooked in it will be pale and may be raw or undercooked at the center. Break-in oil that has been used a little gives perfect french fries, crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside, sharp corners, etc. And then the oil begins to degrade. And he finished by saying "That's how you read a french fry." I included that line in the chapter synopsis when I turned in the proposal (I don't even remember what the original title was supposed to be) and my agent, Judith Weber, sent me back an immediate e-mail suggesting that as a title. For that alone, she earned her 15%

[fifi]

Scientists are used to talking to scientists and they communicate in a secret code, like ants, or journalists. I see my role as acting as translator between the people who have the information (the scientists) and the people who can use the information (my readers).

And THAT, me dear, is a noble calling. Thank you for attempting it. You do it very well.