Several weeks ago I went to the Bay Area Maker Faire, an annual event for inventors and do-it-yourself enthusiasts. A combination county fair with side shows of steam punk vehicle rides, the Maker Faire has been described as a playground for geeks. In the building featuring O’Reilly Publications (a sponsor), I found Cooking for Geeks: Real Science, Great Hacks and Good Food. This is a cookbook for those wanting to know how food works: there are sections on the chemical reactions that occur when heating and cooling food, the role of air in baking, food additives (make your own liquid smoke), and kitchen hardware as well as ways to organize your equipment and ingredients. Interspersed are recipes and interviews with innovative cooks, scientists and foodies. Writer Jeff Potter has his own blog and you can sign up for email, Facebook and Twitter updates.

By the way, another Maker Faire sponsor TechShop will open up a site this month in downtown San Jose a few blocks from King Library.