Dr. Luis Mispireta’s From a Heart Surgeon to a Cook explores the world of taste and flavors, while offering scientific information about the composition of foods.

The author’s apparent aim is to inspire people to cook to improve their health, but the book lacks an introduction to give readers a roadmap. Instead, Mispireta dives right into how we taste things, then discusses flavor and introduces recipes as examples for how flavors and cooking techniques work in tandem. Subsequently, he offers information on everything from how carbohydrates are metabolized to various cooking methods, from coddling to stewing to infrared heat appliances, with recipes to illustrate.

Mispireta delivers scientific information some might skim over (i.e.: the chemical structures of various fats). Other details are more directly helpful. For example, he delineates spices into categories of sweet, sharp, fresh and earthy, listing primary and secondary flavors along with appropriate food pairings. Allspice, for example, pairs well with tomatoes, tomato-based barbecue sauce, orange vegetables, savory dishes like grain salads and polenta, as well as beets, carrots, parsnips and winter squash.

Unfortunately, the text contains many punctuation and spelling errors, and although Mispireta’s recipes look delicious, his directions aren’t always clear or complete. For “Fricassee of grouper,” he tells readers to: “Sauté the fish brushed with olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper in a skillet with small amount of olive oil, just enough to cover the surface of the skillet, until golden; flip them over and repeat.” This overlooks vital information: what heat and approximate cooking time? Also, the instructions seem to indicate that the fish should be seasoned first, but the direction is vague and doesn’t specify exact amounts of salt and pepper.

Finally, presentation is inconsistent. For example, some recipes are introduced as “Recipe example,” others as “Example recipe”; the former is sometimes bolded, sometimes not.

While readers will find helpful information here, the book requires quality editing and a more polished presentation to broaden its appeal.

Also available in paperback and ebook.