Mayonnaise "takes" when a series of liquids form a semisolid
consistency. Eggs, a liquid, become solid as they are heated,
whereas, under the same conditions, solids melt. When meat is
roasted, its surface browns and it acquires taste and texture. What
accounts for these extraordinary transformations?
The answer: chemistry and physics. With his trademark eloquence
and wit, Hervé This launches a wry investigation into the chemical
art of cooking. Unraveling the science behind common culinary
technique and practice, Hervé This breaks food down to its
molecular components and matches them to cooking's chemical
reactions. He translates the complex processes of the oven into
everyday knowledge for professional chefs and casual cooks, and he
demystifies the meaning of taste and the making of flavor. He
describes the properties of liquids, salts, sugars, oils, and fats
and defines the principles of culinary practice, which endow food
with sensual as well as nutritional value.
For fans of Hervé This's popular volumes and for those new to
his celebrated approach, The Science of the Oven expertly
expands the possibilities of the kitchen, fusing the physiology of
taste with the molecular structure of bodies and food.
eISBN: 978-0-231-51854-3
Subjects: General Science, Chemistry, Physics
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