Wednesday 30 March 2016

32. Kitchen Mysteries by Herve This


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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