Science of Cooking

WHAT ARE THE TOP CULINARY INSTITUTES IN AMERICA?

Today is

Why does food brown when cooked

Chicken breast with carrots cooked at 200F		Chicken breast with carrots cooked above 300F

Browning, or the Maillard reaction, creates flavor and changes the color of food. Maillard reactions generally only begin to occur above 285°F (140°C). Until the Maillard reaction occurs meat will have less flavor. Shown above are two identical dishes cooked (left) below (140°C) and right at much higher temperatures. Both caramelization and the maillard reaction only occur on the right producing the noticeable brown color.... Read more

Foods

EGGS

SCIENCE AND COOKING OF EGGS

Anatomy of a Chicke Egg

Eggs Safety

Buying and Storing Eggs

Egg Nutrition

Why are some eggs hard to peel?

Why do some eggs crack when boiled?

Naked Egg Experiment

TOMATOES

SCIENCE AND COOKING TOMATOES

What are Heirloom Tomatoes?

How to Roast Tomatoes

Health Benefits of Tomatoes

Lycopene and Tomatoes

RECIPES

Science of Food and Taste

WHAT ARE THE FOUR BASIC FOOD MOLECULES

WHAT ARE THE BASIC TASTES?

THE MOLECULAR BASIS OF TASTE -- TASTE MOLECULES

WHERE ARE FOODS DIGESTED?

WHAT IS FLAVOR?

WHAT IS MSG AND IS THERE A NATURAL MSG?

THE UMAMI BUZZ

WHAT ARE ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS (SUGAR SUBSTITUTES)?

WHAT ARE THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS?

WHAT ARE THE BEST ROAST CHICKEN RECIPES-- A LOOK AT HOW THE BEST CHEFS APPROACH THIS RECIPE.

Cooking Techniques
ENHANCING FLAVOR -- AND UMAMI
		Flavor can be enhanced many ways... Umami is now the commonly used term by taste scientists for the fifth taste (the first four being salt, sweet, bitter and sour).. . Read more . In cooking, brining is a process similar to marination in which meat is soaked in a salt solution (the brine) before cooking.. Read more about Brining -- See also Curing --> .. Read about Curing

FOAMS
		Foams can produce a lighter feel than a to a thick sauce. They can provide both a tactile and textural aspects, and they can provide a visual aspect to a dish.... Read more--

SOUS VIDE COOKING
		Several chefs have claimed the perfect sous vide egg to be the 65 °C (145°F) egg where both whites and yolk have similar consistencies. Read more about Sous Vide Cooking
		With changes in how we cook and eat the fields of culinary arts and culinary science appear now to be merging into one. ..What is Molecular Gastronomy? ... Read more -- Molecular Gastronomy

BROWNING FOODS
		Why does food on the stove top sometimes not sear? Why does food sometimes stick to the surface of a pan? Read more on Science of Browing Foods: What is the Maillard Reaction? What is Caramelization? Why does food stick to Stainless Steel Pans? What are the Best Roast Chicken Recipes?

SCIENCE OF SLOW COOKING
		What gives slow cooked food it's texture and taste is when collagen melts to form gelatin at about 160F. Since denaturation of collagen is a kinetic process it is a function of both temperature and duration of heating ... read more about the Science of Slow Cooking (Meats) -- See Also: Important Temperatures in Cooking

COOKING FISH IN THE MICROWAVE
		Parchment paper is a heavy-duty paper sold on rolls in boxes, like aluminum foil and plastic wrap. It is moisture-resistant and grease-resistant making ideal for low fat cooking Read more about using parchment paper for microwave cooking fish and vegetables... Read more..