Robert L. Wolke (; April 2, 1928 – August 29, 2021) was an American chemist,
professor emeritus
''Emeritus'' (; female: ''emerita'') is an adjective used to designate a retired chair, professor, pastor, bishop, pope, director, president, prime minister, rabbi, emperor, or other person who has been "permitted to retain as an honorary title ...
of
chemistry at the
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) is a public state-related research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The university is composed of 17 undergraduate and graduate schools and colleges at its urban Pittsburgh campus, home to the univers ...
. He was a food columnist for ''
The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'', and had written multiple books, which aim to explain everyday phenomena in non-technical terms:
''What Einstein Didn't Know: Scientific Answers to Everyday Questions'' contains answers to everyday questions (e.g. "Why do car batteries go dead in winter?" and "Why does warm beer go flat?"), attempting to explain them scientifically but without using technical terms (though it often shows technical terms after their definitions). It also contains bar bets and "Try it" experiments related to the current subject.
''What Einstein Told His Barber: More Scientific Answers to Everyday Questions'' is a
nonfiction book written by Wolke. It is the sequel to ''What Einstein Didn't Know: Scientific Answers to Everyday Questions''.
''What Einstein Told His Cook: Kitchen Science Explained'' provides answers to common
food science
Food science is the basic science and applied science of food; its scope starts at overlap with agricultural science and nutritional science and leads through the scientific aspects of food safety and food processing, informing the development ...
questions. The book also contains recipes by Wolke's wife,
Marlene Parrish. Both the
James Beard Foundation
The James Beard Foundation is a New York City-based national non-profit culinary arts organization named in honor of James Beard, a prolific food writer, teacher, and cookbook author, who was also known as the "Dean of American Cookery." The prog ...
and
International Association of Culinary Professionals The International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) is a United States-based not-for-profit professional association whose members work in culinary education, communication, or the preparation of food and beverage.
History
The organizati ...
have nominated this book as 2005's best technical or reference book.
''What Einstein Told His Cook 2, The Sequel: Further Adventures in Kitchen Science'' () is a
nonfiction book and sequel to ''What Einstein Told His Cook: Kitchen Science Explained''; this book provides answers to common questions related to
kitchen science.
Awards
Wolke won awards such as the
American Chemical Society
The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a scientific society based in the United States that supports scientific inquiry in the field of chemistry. Founded in 1876 at New York University, the ACS currently has more than 155,000 members at all ...
's 2005
' Bert Greene Award, and the
James Beard Foundation
The James Beard Foundation is a New York City-based national non-profit culinary arts organization named in honor of James Beard, a prolific food writer, teacher, and cookbook author, who was also known as the "Dean of American Cookery." The prog ...
's award for the best newspaper column.
Death
Wolke died on August 29, 2021, due to complications from Alzheimer's disease. He was 93.
References
External links
Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wolke, Robert
1928 births
2021 deaths
American food chemists
American food writers
American science writers
Scientists from Pittsburgh
James Beard Foundation Award winners
University of Pittsburgh faculty
Cornell University alumni
People from New York City
Neurological disease deaths in Pennsylvania
Deaths from Alzheimer's disease