BOOK REVIEW: Kitchen Mysteries by Hervé This
Being from a Culinary Arts background, I simply adore the
way food is prepared and served. Coupled with my intrigue in Science, I found
myself wondering just why a luscious salted butter caramel crystallizes when
you stir it but if left untouched becomes the familiar heaven that goes in a
pecan pie or how meringues puff up in the oven when they are just egg whites
and sugar beaten into a foam. This study of food science is called molecular
gastronomy and is a subject that is picking up pace in both overseas and our
very own homeground Malaysia.
An international celebrity and founder of molecular
gastronomy, or the scientific investigation of culinary practice, Hervé This is
known for his groundbreaking research into the chemistry and physics behind
everyday cooking.
In Kitchen Mysteries, the author offers a helping of his
world-renowned insight into the science of cooking, answering such fundamental
questions as what causes vegetables to change colour when cooked and how to
keep a soufflé from falling.
He illuminates abstract concepts with practical advice and
concrete examples – for instance, how sautéing in butter chemically alters the
molecule of mushrooms – so that cooks of every stripe can thoroughly comprehend
the scientific principles of food.
Flipping through these pages was like entering a fantasy
world which I’ve only looked at from the outside in. Now with the inside out
knowledge of food and its many wonders I have come to realize that more alcohol
to flambé my crepe suzette might not be the best idea. Scientifically prosaic
and insightful, I highly recommend this book to readers who just want to know
what puts the punch in their food from stove to the table.
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