The Science of Cooking: Every Question Answered to Perfect Your Cooking

258 Pages·2017·67.99 MB·English

by  Stuart Farrimond

SCIENCE COOKING
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SCIENCE COOKING
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DR. STUART FARRIMOND
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Senior Editors First American Edition, 2017
Bob Bridle, Claire Cross Published in the United States by DK Publishing
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ISBN 978-1-4654-6369-2
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choices, and every effort has been made to include only
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CONTENTS
FOREWORD 8
TASTE AND FLAVOR 10 FISH AND SEAFOOD 64
In Focus: FISH 66
The Process of PAN-FRYING 76
KITCHEN ESSENTIALS 20
The Process of SOUS VIDE 84
An Essential Guide to KNIVES 22
An Essential Guide to POTS AND PANS 24
EGGS AND DAIRY 92
An Essential Guide to UTENSILS 26
In Focus: EGGS 94
In Focus: MILK 108
MEAT AND POULTRY 28
In Focus: CHEESE 120
In Focus: MEAT 30
The Process of GRILLING 44
The Process of SLOW COOKING 54
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RICE, GRAINS, AND PASTA 126 HERBS, SPICES,
OILS, AND FLAVORINGS 178
In Focus: RICE 128
The Process of PRESSURE COOKING 134 In Focus: HERBS 180
In Focus: CHILES 188
In Focus: OIL AND FAT 194
VEGETABLES, FRUITS,
NUTS, AND SEEDS 146
BAKING AND
The Process of STEAMING 152
SWEET THINGS 206
In Focus: POTATOES 160
The Process of MICROWAVING 164 In Focus: FLOUR 208
In Focus: NUTS 174 The Process of OVEN BAKING 222
In Focus: SUGAR 230
In Focus: CHOCOLATE 236
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS AND INDEX 244
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Dr. Stuart Farrimond
FOREWORD
Every cook knows that preparing food for others can bring a joy that is even more fulfilling than eating.
Cooking is termed an “art” and is steeped in rituals sprinkling of chemistry shows why a steak left to
and processes that chefs throughout the ages have sizzle on a hot grill evolves from a bland and chewy
followed blindly. Many of these “rules,” however, serve hunk of flesh into a mouthwatering, meaty delight.
to confuse and stifle creativity. Science and logic show With striking imagery and diagrams, this book
us that often customs are simply wrong. For example, delves into the most commonly used cooking
beans do not need to be soaked for hours before processes and techniques; shines a spotlight on core
cooking, meat does not need to be rested to seal in ingredients, such as meat, fish, dairy, spices, flour, and
juices, and marinated meat can taste better if left for eggs; and offers a guide on how to equip your kitchen
one hour, rather than five. with the best gear.
In this book, I answer more than 160 of the most Writing in informal language and with minimal
common culinary questions and conundrums, drawing jargon, my aim is for you, the reader to understand
on the latest research to give meaningful and practical more of the science of food and cooking to help lift
answers. I show that science can be a vehicle for fully the lid on their creativity. No longer shackled by the
appreciating the wonders that we see in the kitchen rules of a recipe, cooks can use science to invent
every day. With the aid of a microscope, we can see dishes and experiment. After you read this book, I
how a whisk transforms the yellow slime of egg white sincerely hope that you feel inspired and equipped to
into a snow-white cotton-like meringue. And a cook in a new way that will both delight and surprise.
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