This was a pretty cool book that explained a lot of things that I didn't know about, like the difference between appetizers, canapes, and hors d'oeuvres. I thought they were all pretty much the same thing.

This book was received as an ARC from Harper Wave and Harper Business in exchange for an honest review are completely my own. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

I love this book and am familiar with Brette's newsletter and when I am cooking and reading recipes for the cooking demo or watching Top Chef and having questions, it is good to get some insights on the similarities and differences of each type of food and how and what to use them in. The one I really had to read was the difference between Mayonnaise and Aioli. I always thought aioli was made with different ingredients and was the sophisticated version of mayonnaise but as Brette put it all you are eating is mayonnaise no matter what you call it. With so many variations of recipes and ingredients, this book will become useful when planning my next cooking demo and referencing some fun facts, tips and tricks for our community.

We will consider adding this title to our TX Non-Fiction collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

A handy reference guide for things in the kitchen that are similar but not the same. For instance, what are the differences between fresh, dry, and instant yeast? Can you use them interchangeably? Are baking and roasting the same thing? What about hot cocoa and hot chocolate?

This is not a comprehensive cooking manual along the lines of The Joy of Cooking or a similar tome, but it has interesting facts and helpful tips for many culinary mysteries. Since I reviewed an ARC that was not fully formatted, I'm not sure if the final version will have illustrations or photos, but I hope so.

Confused about the difference between all purpose four, bread flour and cake flour? Or baking vs. roasting? Or if there really is a difference between cold brew and iced coffee? Or ginger ale and ginger beer? Well, then you absolutely need this book because I, too, have been confused by the endless semantics surrounding food. Is it cider or is it juice? Is it a broth or a stock? Honestly, before this book, as a lay-person and spare-time cook, I could not have answered any of those questions. I highly recommend this book for anyone who has ever had those questions about food but have been too embarrassed to ask. Definitely pre-ordering this to put on my cookbook shelf.

For the curious-minded, What's the Difference? is a goldmine of culinary resources and references. Each section is a miniature narrative showcasing similar, often-confused items from recipes, food styles, and culinary techniques. Warshaw's down-to-earth style makes each entry feel like a conversation, easy and light. Often there are authorities on each subject offered as proof, but this isn't always the case. It seems there is a bit of opinion mixed with the facts, but it is clear the opinion was formed from a place of experience, so we'll allow this testimony into the record. In fairness, there is an extensive bibliography at the end, which is excellent for the fact-checkers of the world. While the content is engaging, the layout of the book is cumbersome and would really benefit from some reader's advisory like clear charts, graphs, or even a pull quote to reinforce the authority. A book like this needs design to help tell the story in a visually engaging way - things should be easier to read at a glance that entices like a well-plated dish on an Instagram feed. It is, after all, a book on food, and the reader should be able to eat it with their eyes.