What's the Difference?: Recreational Culinary Reference for the Curious and Confused

by Brette Warshaw

From the creator of the What’s the Difference? Newsletter, a whimsical and practical reference for food nerds and novices alike,  covering dozens of culinary topics, that clears up confusion over similar terms, techniques, dishes, and more.

Do you know the difference between sweet potatoes and yams? Bourbon and rye? Crumbles, cobblers, and crisps? Most people don’t, even a number of home cooks—which is why they turn to Brette Warshaw. This informative reference makes clear the differences between things that are often confused in the kitchen, on the plate, behind the bar, and everywhere in between.  Illustrated.

Genres: Nonfiction, Food, Cookbooks, Cooking, Reference, How To, Audiobook

240 pages, Hardcover

First published June 8, 2021

About the author

Brette Warshaw is a writer living in New York City. She’s an editor at Apple News and has worked at publications such as Lucky Peach and Food52. In her free time, she enjoys throwing dinner parties and organizing her pantry.

Reviews

[Petra X · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why would a book like this be so fascinating I'd read it straight through and then go back to reread entries? I don't know, it just is. Maybe it's the writing which is very light and slightly humorous but concentrates on being informative. Anyway 5 star writing.

I think my favourite entry was Crispy v Crunchy.

A crispy food is defined as a dry, rigid food which, when bitten with the incisors, fractures quickly, easily, and totally while emitting a relatively loud, high-pitched sound.

On the other hand, a crunchy food is defined as a dense-textured food which, when chewed with the molars, undergoes a series of fractures while emitting relatively loud, low-pitched sounds.

So, in non-science speak: crispy foods are bitten with the four pointy teeth at the front of your mouth, while crunchy foods are chewed with the teeth in the back. Crispy foods break easily, while crunchy foods often require more working of the jaw. And the chewing-sound of crispy foods is higher-pitched than the chewing-sound of crunchy foods, the flute to crunchy’s bassoon.

Let’s apply these definitions to real life. Lay’s potato chips? Crispy. Ice? Crunchy. Saltines? Crispy. Those hard, sourdough pretzels? Crunchy. Celery? Both—it snaps cleanly, and also undergoes a series of fractures when chewed.

____________________

Notes on reading I'm addicted to the UK and Australian versions of Masterchef, and they are forever coming up with dishes with weird names, like no one has a sauce anymore it's always jus or coulis or a glaze or some word I've never heard of before but it still looks like a sauce. This book explains the alternative names and if they are the same.

The US Masterchef is a game show and the credits at the end make it clear that the judging is a joint descicion between the judges and the producers - ie what is going to be the best tv. Canadian Masterchef is a joke of product placement. The last one I watched had some sort of oven (microwave?) with a vacuum drawer below and each contestant had to cook a course and mention the brand name and the item in full. One time after another. But the UK and Australian contestants very often go on to become chefs or open their own restaurants, so it's a foodie show, game show too but more emphasis on the food.

Ok I'm justifying my addiction to low level tv shows when I could be doing something useful or self-improving or reading Dostoevsky or something. We all have our little vices (and this is just one of mine).

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting!

I didn’t expect this to be very interesting but it was! A bit of humor thrown in was perfect. After reading this I understand more about liqueurs, different booze, salt, sugar, yams, shrimp and much more.

[Mona · Rating 4 out of 5]

not bad, overall pretty informative and entertaining

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 rounded down

Interesting collection of very brief articles explaining the difference between culinary terms that might be confused or confusing--what's the different between cornmeal, grits, and polenta? how about rye, whiskey, bourbon, and scotch? Most I was already aware of, but some were new. While I appreciated the book as a singular reference point, I do wish a bit more work had gone into this to make it feel a bit more of a cohesive collection and something special in terms of the book itself. It really just felt like the author had copied & pasted all of this from his newsletters, and if you're going to take something you've put out for free and then charge money for it, I do want there to be a bit of a value add. Even the ending of the book just... didn't exist. There was just the last entry, and that was it.

[Alan (the Lone Librarian on film festival hiatus) Teder · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Food & Drink answers you always wanted
Review of the Harper Wave hardcover edition (June, 2021)

I heard about this book through one of the always entertaining and informative reviews from the prolific reader Petra X. The book sounded like it would be both educational and humorous and it did not disappoint those expectations.

What's the Difference? is a selection from the past food and beverage entries in author Brette Warshaw's blog at What's the Diff?. The blog covers all sort of topics, but the book collects entries on food & beverage only, of which there are 33 past entries available to read at the blog archive. So you can read about 1/3rd of the book for free there (the complete book has 102 entries).

Regardless of whether you are a casual or a serious food/drink enthusiast, I think you are certain to find some surprising information in What's the Difference? and be entertained at the same time. For myself, several of the items that were news to me were:
- most brand-labelled aioli is just flavoured mayonnaise, but true aioli is only oil, garlic & salt;
- button, cremini & portobello mushrooms are actually all the same mushroom but just picked at different lifetime stages;
- the difference between marmite and vegemite (neither of which I have ever tasted).

[Randal White · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are like me, and enjoy watching cooking competition shows on television, this book can be a big help!

Have you found yourself watching Top Chef, or Chopped, only to be confused by unusual ingredient names? I have, and have found that this book goes a long way into explaining things. For example, what's the difference between broccoli and broccolini? The different types of yeast, or of flour?

There are about 100 items referenced here, all in an easy to read and engaging style. It's the kind of book that you can pick up and read an entry at a time, then come back to next time you have a question.

So, whether you are an aspiring chef, or want to impress your friends at a dinner, or just want to understand the cooking shows, this would be a good book for you!

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I find myself being (hopefully temporarily) being avoided by friends. I think they’re a little tired of my new habit of often pointing at random things and stating “Do you know how this is different from x?” and then trying to dazzle with my (sometimes trivial) knowledge!

What a fun book! I would love to have a copy of this to keep on my coffee table… I think it would be popular among my guests, and would be the fodder for a lot of interesting conversations over dinners and drinks!

I was unfamiliar with the newsletter when I requested a copy of the ARC, but since I find myself frequently googling “what’s the difference between” I knew this book would be a great choice for me.

My complaint, and this may be because it’s the ARC and the final copy looks completely different, is that the book is HEAVY with content but not a lot of pictures, illustrations, or charts. Visually, it was lacking appeal.

I didn’t “sit down and read” this, but I’m sure that’s not the intent. I glanced through the table of contents and chose chapters I was interested in. I then went back and perused the other sections just out of curiosity. Needless to say, my mental library of (mostly) useless knowledge is huge and getting bigger by the day!

One of the things I most appreciate about NetGalley is the opportunity to find books way outside of my normal parameters, and this title is a perfect example of that!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

[Tara Weiss · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Brent Woo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Starts off strong and promising. The first few entries there's strong wit and thoughtful comparisons. But as it goes on, the entires get drier and drier, eventually boiling (or is it simmering?) down to just lists of characteristics.

The task at hand is inherently boring (even the title "what's the difference" suggests the answer is just bullet points), so I wouldn't punish the author for that. But I think what would take this to the next level is if it stepped back and we got some insight on why these are commonly confused, why are kitchen terms so misused and abused? Some of them are the confluence of different cultures (Dumpling vs. Gyoza vs. Potsticker vs. Wonton), while some of them are single-source culture but transliteration errors (Sherbert vs Sherbet). The "Dinner vs Supper" entry comes closest to this ideal, explaining that the merge and confusion came about as a result of industrialization. "Marmite vs Vegemite" is also a great entry, explaining the origin and divergence of the two. More of that!

[Ron · Rating 3 out of 5]

A compendium of brief, clear little essays that attempt to make clear the differences between similar-looking/sounding/semi-mysterious food and cooking terms. How does turbinado sugar differ from other brown sugars (It's raw and unrefined, allowing more flavor nuances, the cognoscenti aver)? Can you use littleneck or cherrystone clams instead of chowder clams in your clam chowder? (yes, but avoided using steamer clams.) How different are butterscotch and caramel? (Butterscotch is made with melted butter and sugar, cooked til golden; caramel is melted sugar, sometimes with some water added, and cooked until golden.) And so on.
Read as bedtime reading, a collection of short and undemanding entries as I snuggle down. For that, it was very good. It would also be a useful enough resource in the kitchen, or to settle arguments about, say, the difference between zucchini and crookneck squash (not very much).
I will remember to look for this on Daedalus. If marked down, get it.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Cheri · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting book, mostly for inexperienced cooks. The author should have done more research as some entries were incomplete. For instance, the author seems to have confused all condensed milks with sweetened condensed milk. Evaporated milk and condensed milk can easily be substituted for one another. There is no real difference in taste, smell, texture, or appearance. Sweetened condensed milk, however, is an entirely different can of milk, and is usually used for making desserts.
A great book for trivia buffs, but not really worth the hard cover price. I recommend waiting for the Book Bub special.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was just a cool book! The author goes into detail about several foods that are often confused or misused in their names. For example, the difference between jam, marmalade, jelly, preserves, etc. Some of the entries of this book didn't appeal to me, such as the ones about coffee and alcohol, but this book was a fun read and I definitely learned something from it!

[Chandler · Rating 4 out of 5]

cute art

[Rose Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

It passed the time.

[Dave · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was okay, but nothing special. Some of the explanations relied on a single source (e.g., Barbecue) which limited its usefulness. Some of the entries were good for reference. But given the cover price of the hardback, there is no way I would purchase it for my library.

[Jane]

I love this type of book, where I find tidbits of information worth reading out loud.

[Cory · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very fun and lighthearted read. Definitely a good coffee table book filled with tons of fun facts and clarifications about assumptions we make about common place foods!

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

What's the Difference? is a really useful cooking and ingredient reference by Brette Warshaw. Released 6th June 2021 by Harper Collins on their Harper Wave imprint, it's 240 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately; it makes it so easy to find information with the search function.

My maternal grandmother used to tell a story from my mom's youth where she had sent her to the grocery store to get cabbage and my mum (not being particularly motivated to learn to do kitchen/"women's" stuff - it was the 60s), came home with a head of iceberg lettuce instead. My grandmother was astounded, but honestly, there are so many similar things about which I would not have a clue. I can't reliably identify more than a couple types of mushrooms in the grocery store, can't definitely tell the difference between a yam and a sweet potato (or taro), don't know the different cuts of beef, don't think I could tell the difference between bologna and mortadella, and so on. This is the book for those of us who wonder about those things. It's also a great reference to have around in case a last minute ingredient substitution needs to be made.

The book is arranged alphabetically from active dry yeast to wine and includes a useful selection of culinary knowledge, some of which was hitherto quite arcane and confusing to me (did I know the difference between appetizers, canapés, and hors d’oeuvres? I did not). I couldn't have explained the difference between different beers or wines either. I'm still not a sommelier, but at least I have access to a basic reference to avoid some of the bigger pitfalls.

Five stars. I read this one from cover to cover and really enjoyed it. Most readers will likely skip around to salient info as and when needed. This would make a good selection for home or public library acquisition, or for gift giving to cookbook loving friends.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

They're. There. Their. There are many books out there that can explain this homophone that often confuses people. "What's the Difference?", is a great book for those wanting distinctions in the garden and the kitchen. Brette Warshaw created a blog several years ago with various posts describing differences between items. This book is great example of a successful blog turned book. If you are new to Western style of cooking and unfamiliar with many of the ingredients and trying to find the comparable ingredient from your culture, this is a great book. A great example of this notion is her discussion of "cornmeal, grits, and polenta." The illustrations felt appropriate to the topic and page size.


***Thank you NetGalley for providing me with access to this e-preview. This review is based on an ARC.***

[(a)lyss(a) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a surprisingly fun book!

Answering questions like the difference between different kinds of yeasts and flours and other culinary curiosities this book gives simple explanations of various culinary terms. From the difference between roe and caviar or how creme fraiche is different from sour cream this is a helpful little reference guide. Most explanations are fairly short and straightforward.

These tips are less fun party gimmicks and more cooking references to know. It's an interesting variety of information that's easy to flip through.

[April Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very entertaining and handy reference book, and something any foodie, home chef, or cooking newbie would enjoy. Are you confused by all the rice options at the store? Do you want to know what makes simmering different from boiling or poaching? You'll find answers here, along with many others questions you might have (or didn't know you had) about the culinary arts. Warshaw's amusing and conversational style of writing make this book enjoyable rather than stuffy, and the information can be very helpful, whether you're learning to cook or have years of experience under your apron ties. A great addition to any kitchen library!

#WhatstheDifference #NetGalley

[Lisa Konet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought I knew my way around the kitchen enough and am not a basic/novice cook, but this book had me questioning myself a lot. I loved the humor throughout and was entertained. This was a good way to learn about items, food and tools people use in the kitchen everyday. Are you using your rolling pin correctly? Probably not.

Highly recommended and getting this at publishing. Humorous and helps you feel more confident in the kithen.

Thanks to Netgalley, Brette Warshaw and Harper Wave and Harper for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 6/8/21

[AcademicEditor · Rating 5 out of 5]

A handy little book that makes you feel smart--or at least, equipped to throw down some serious food trivia. Some differences, such as between kinds of yeast and flour, may make a difference in your recipes. Others, like the difference between mayo and aioli, turn out to be non-existent. The author sources information from everyone from manufacturers to Martha Stewart, so you don't have to. Great addition to a kitchen bookshelf!

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

[Megan Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book for a foodie or anyone who likes to cook or anyone who wants to help their chances of winning a trivia game! This book helps clarify some things that you may have always wondered about. It's fun to share the new knowledge you've gained with those you are cooking and/or eating with during a meal. This was a quick, easy read, but I took my time with it and savored it because I truly enjoyed reading it.

[Edward Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started to read this book back on the 20th before my wife absconded with it and I was forced to wait until she was done. Once I had my grubby mitts on it, it was game over! A quick and easy read that explains the differences between many different foods and drinks such as a porter vs. a stout, portabello, crimini, and button mushrooms (SPOILER: there is no difference) and just how they came into being in the general market.

Enjoy!

[Carolyn Page · Rating 3 out of 5]

What it says on the packet: Recreational (for fun). I enjoyed reading this, and actually read it straight through instead of as a reference! Now I have read it though, I don't think I will refer to it again, as it does its job really, REALLY well.

The author explained differences simply, and in way that sticks in your head. Really enjoyable, so four stars, but kind of a novelty and I don't think I'd read it more than once, so 3 stars. Will recommend to others, though!

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading through this title. Some of the foods I already knew the differences in, but I truly learned a lot about the ones I didn't. I think home cooks, food industry employees, and culinary students will especially find this title useful and interesting. I am recommending my library purchase a copy for our culinary program.

[Shadae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Obviously this is more reference than not. I don't plan to read it cover to cover but rather to flip back and forth as I have been. Technically I could Google the answers but this book provides succinct answers to fleeting questions I'd have while browsing groceries or watching cooking shows. Very useful if you aren't sure about substitutions and a fun read for the lover of food.