Molecular gastronomy

Molecular gastronomy is a field of culinary arts that combines cooking with science. Chefs in the field learn about the how and why of food and the science behind cooking. Through molecular gastronomy, they use the properties of chemistry and physics to deconstruct foods; create textures, temperatures, and flavors; and turn solids into liquids and vice versa. Chefs who use this technique want to provide foods that are as unique, fun, and creative as they are appetizing. The bizarre and interesting molecular gastronomy techniques both intrigue the mind and tantalize the taste buds. Some chefs do not like to use the term molecular gastronomy to refer to their style of cooking because they believe it connotes an image of a laboratory, which is not very appetizing. An example of a molecular gastronomy cooking technique is using liquid nitrogen to make ice cream. The liquid nitrogen not only freezes the ingredients in mere minutes, it also produces silky ice cream devoid of ice crystals.

Background

Although the science behind cooking had been studied for centuries, the beginnings of molecular gastronomy date to the 1980s. Physical chemist Hervé This (pronounced "Tees") suffered a cooking disaster while making a cheese souffle. The recipe called for the egg yolks to be added two at a time, but This decided instead to add all of the egg yolks at once. The souffle did not turn out right, inspiring This to investigate the science behind cooking.

In the time that followed, This baked more soufflés, analyzing the how and why of the entire cooking process. He moved on to other dishes, researching the rules and steps of specific recipes and investigating why they turned out the way they did when followed precisely. The science behind it uncovered why ingredients performed the way they did under certain circumstances, such as why a soufflé swells when cooking. The chef paired with Oxford University physics professor Nicholas Kurti, and together they coined the term molecular and physical gastronomy (later shortened to molecular gastronomy) in 1988.

The field was not very popular at first; people did not want to complicate the art of cooking with science. However, it quickly gained loyal followers as This and Kurti began to demonstrate how it worked and how it helped them create amazing culinary masterpieces. Some of the techniques This created included using an electrical current to smoke fish, adding cold water while beating egg whites to produce foamier eggs, and determining the perfect temperature for cooking eggs to produce a cooked white and liquid yolk.

He also introduced flavor pairings that the average person would not think go together, such as blue cheese and pineapple or strawberry and coriander. He used science to explain how the molecules of two strong flavors could reinforce the taste of each ingredient. He also used this same technique for the smells of certain foods. As the field expanded, it not only focused on science and technology to explain the behavior of atoms and molecules in foods, but it also included the art component of cooking, helping to make it more appealing to both chefs and eaters.

Overview

As molecular gastronomy gained popularity, more chefs began to experiment with and manipulate foods. They added chemicals that changed liquids into gels, foams, vapors, and creams, and turned solids into liquids or gels. The chemicals alginate and calcium chloride turn liquids into little jellied balls, a process known as spherification. Methyl cellulose, which turns into gel when heat is applied, is used by many bakeries to ensure pie fillings firm up during baking. Chefs can also use the chemical compound to create eccentric dishes that confuse the senses, such as hot ice cream. To make hot ice cream, methyl cellulose is added to an ice cream base, and the mixture is submerged into hot water, where it becomes a hard mass. It is eaten in its hot state and melts as it cools.

Chefs can create powdered forms of foods from mixing an oil-based liquid with maltodextrin to form a dust that when eaten releases a potent flavor. Some chefs use powders as garnishes, while others create full courses from them. Emulsifiers such as soy lecithin and xanthan gum can help create a uniform dispersion of two liquids. Transglutaminase, also known as "meat glue," is used to break down the cells of proteins and create a mush that can be bound together with other meats or manipulated into other foods such as noodles.

In addition to powders, chefs can create airs and foams to replace sauces and gravies. Airs, which are foamy substances lighter and thinner than sauces, are prepared by blending cooking juices with a stabilizer such as lecithin. This creates a frothy air that is served over or alongside foods. Foams, which are made in the same way, get their thicker texture from the use of a carbon dioxide dispenser.

Chefs also began to use a variety of new devices, methods, and equipment that transformed cooking processes. The method of sous vide is a way to prepare foods such as meats or eggs vacuum-sealed in bags and placed in hot water. The process takes hours but delivers perfectly cooked foods because the water temperature is kept nearly constant. A vacuum sealer and a thermal bath can be used to cook foods sous vide, or a special machine can be used. After the meats are cooked, chefs typically brown them by using a blowtorch or searing them in a frying pan.

A piece of equipment called an anti-griddle is like a cooktop that works in reverse. Instead of heating foods, it freezes them instantly on a surface that is -30 degrees Fahrenheit. It works much in the same way as liquid nitrogen, although an anti-griddle is not nearly as cold nor as dangerous. Foods prepared on an anti-griddle are left frozen and crunchy on the outside yet creamy or even liquid on the inside.

Chefs who use molecular gastronomy also try to invoke eaters' other senses. Some use very dark or even pitch-black dining areas, so customers will not be distracted by the environment or the appearance of the food itself when eating. Chefs commonly appeal to eaters' sense of smell—probably the most important sense behind taste when consuming food. They may pair foods with fresh herbs, which the diners are urged to sniff while they are eating, to enhance the flavors of their meals.

Bibliography

Ashley, Steven. "Synthetic Food: Better Cooking through Chemistry." PBS, 5 June 2013, www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/next/physics/synthetic-food-better-cooking-through-chemistry. Accessed 3 Nov. 2024.

Harris, William. "How Molecular Gastronomy Works." HowStuffWorks.com, 3 Nov. 2023, science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/edible-innovations/molecular-gastronomy.htm. Accessed 3 Nov. 2024.

Lanchester, John. "Incredible Edibles." New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2011, www.newyorker.com/magazine/2011/03/21/incredible-edibles. Accessed 3 Nov. 2024.

Sherri. "Molecular Gastronomy: Where Science Meets Cuisine." Delishably, 1 July 2022, delishably.com/food-industry/Molecular-Gastronomy--Where-Science Meets Cuisine. Accessed 3 Nov. 2024.

Vigneron, Marcel. "Molecular Gastronomy Still Needs to Taste Good." Munchies, 18 Mar. 2016, munchies.vice.com/en/articles/molecular-gastronomy-still-needs-to-taste-good. Accessed 3 Nov. 2024.