Science Meets the Art of Cooking

Any well-heeled chef will tell you that a true understanding of cuisine implies a rather extensive, albeit anecdotal, understanding of chemistry, biology and physics. To be sure, thanks in part to the increased popularity of TV networks catering to a growing food & wine-loving audience, so-called "molecular gastronomy" has taken off.

Among the earlier adopters exploring new avenues in molecular gastronomy is Heston Blumenthal, whose now defunct television show In Search of Perfection was featured on the Food Network, introducing audiences to this exciting new world. However, a functional understanding of the basic science and chemistry of food doesn't begin at the molecular level, at least not for mere mortals like you and I. All one needs is basic knowledge of maths, proportions, sequences and geometry with an eye towards time management and duration.

For example, a functional cook--let alone chef--must be familiarized with a rather vast array of measurement and calibrating elements before even gathering the ingredients--a stage often referred to in French as the mise-en-place. Ergo the near-impossibility for a would-be chef to develop quickly should this practical knowledge be lacking. Consider the age-old Oriental art of making noodles. This knowledge seems to have been borrowed from sword smiths who discovered that beating and plying iron many, many times would produce a virtually unbreakable and surgically sharp blade. Quickly, if I wanted 4096 strands of firm yet slender hair-like noodles, how many times must I fold a kneaded thread of dough? Click here for cool video demonstrating this rather fine art of prepping noodles.

Now don't get me wrong, I don't take out a pocket calculator or scale to measure ingredient inputs and volumes. A good eye and an understanding of proportions usually go a long way to prepare tasty and nuanced dishes. But it's still a matter of intuitive science in knowing to adjust the amount of seasoning to add to a wine/broth reduction; knowing full well that the simmering concoction will ultimately lose more than half of its liquid to evaporation (essentially water and alcohol) before it is finally ready to be saved in the ice box.

Other sciences, or measures, come to us in the form of time-tested traditions. Many are now guidelines for what constitutes the "best" method to produce a tasty vinaigrette. For example, the basic guideline is a ratio of 3-to-1 for oil versus vinegar (or citrus). Does this mean one cannot adjust that ratio based on personal flavor? Of course not. But the 3-to-1 rule of thumb is a guideline applied by most sauciers and trained salad chefs.

Another mathematical rule of thumb is to compare desired cooking times with the thickness of a cut of meat (or weight in the case of larger cuts). The guidelines are set according to the desired grades of cooking (i.e. bleue, rare, medium-rare, medium, well-done). And now with rather inexpensive digital thermometers, chefs can be more confident attaining perfect cooking grades since these devices are typically calibrated to alert of a desired grade at temperatures lower than would normally be indicated in a cook book. Because food continues to cook even after removal from a heat source (proteins are especially sensitive), such a calibration eliminates the risk of overshooting and wasting a perfectly good and often expensive cut of beef or game.

In other words, there are some Basic rules of thumb when cooking meats to desired grade that tend to vary but will cluster around widely-applied figures and temperatures. For example: For a medium-rare steak measuring one inch in thickness (i.e. 2.5 cm), cook for 2-2.5 minutes per side at medium-high heat; allow 5 minutes of rest before serving. Here's an extensive meat cooking chart for reference. Unfortunately, it provides temperatures in degrees Fahrenheit so you may have to use my conversion tables from the link above to determine degrees Celsius.

In the end, cooking is an art and a science. No doubt, what constitutes good flavor may find its expression in molecules, chemical reactions and physical properties. But science is integral to the cooking process and matters less to the palate of those enjoying a sublime meal. Nonetheless, what might not find expression in terms of acidity, volume, physical properties like boiling points or viscosity, are now becoming more important in the kitchen. And even if one is not so inclined to pursue the path of Heston Blumenthal and would rather preserve the more artistic, intuitive and creative dimensions of cooking, it won't hurt to know a bit of math or chemistry.

Bon appétit!

10 Skills Every Cook Should Know

When my eyes were opened to the wonderful joys of cooking over a decade ago, I must admit that I was less-than-jubilant when it came to the nuts and bolts of mise-en-place, chopping, dicing, slicing, the sous-vide method, de-glazing, preparing a mirepoix and other "basic" kitchen skills.

The idea of a dish the end-game of a particular cuisine was certainly a great source of excitement, fueling my curiosity and creativity. It was the more tactical (and often tedious) steps required in getting started or preparing ingredients for cooking that slowed my learning curve, or dampened my enthusiasm.

However, I must say that patience is a virtue. Anyone wishing to hone or perfect an artistic or creative skill must patiently develop the basics. What decent pianist cannot owe his or her pedigree to having had to spend countless hours doing basic chords on the keyboard? SFGate.com has a nifty guide to the ten basic skills every cuisine aficionado should master. Only then can one elevate their performance level in the culinary arts.

Food Pairings with Wine & Beer

Ever since my eyes opened to the universe of wine and cooking more than ten years ago, I distinctly recall my "formative" years as somewhat awkward when it came to the all-important issue of pairing wines with food, and even less so with regards to beer. Thankfully, the ex-girlfriend who I'd dated at the time had already developed a passion for wine and cooking. To be sure, I credit her with introducing me the finer joys of gastronomy, which helped accelerate my learning and deepen my appreciation. But the skill of combining rather subtle and often complex flavors or textures between a Pauillac and a grilled tenderloin in black truffle reduction was still a frustrating experience.

Although I can now say that I have developed a rather keen skill in pairing my many tasty dishes with all manner of wine and beer, I still wish I'd learned more and had access to the vast resources of the internet in my formative years. Perhaps this link to this simple and intuitive guide might help you.

But, as with most things we curious spirits seek to learn and master, passion is the penultimate destination in the learning and discovery of truly interesting or provocative things. With regards to the art of pairing foods with wine (or any form of flavorful and textured libation), it was the necessary passion for wine, and then cooking, that opened the door to the rather subtle art of pairing. In other words, one cannot reasonably expect to become a world-class sprinter the moment they to walk. There is a process, a cultivation.

As with music, songwriters and composers know too well how challenging their art can be without a profound mastery of at least one musical instrument. Although untrained ears can easily distinguish, and appreciate the artistic value, between Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata and the egregiously annoying pop songs of our post-modern era's boy bands, the listener may lack the ability to internalize the subtleties and pleasure of "knowing" how to compose an authentic piece of music.

So just as the skilled and passionate composer must master the piano, or perhaps a guitar, before gaining the knowledge and passion to imagine, explore and finally express (on paper at least) a harmonious arrangement or composition, the wine and food aficionado must develop first his passion for wine and food in an exclusive way. Once the two are thoroughly developed to the point of deep knowledge and appreciation (i.e. passion) can the two come together; can the composer bring otherwise competing and possibly cacophonous sounds into a harmony and expression that sublimates the sounds into art.

What in cognitive psychology is referred to as Gestalt theory is perhaps the best scientific corollary I can make here, i.e. the Gestalt effect refers to the form-generating capability of our senses, particularly with respect to the visual recognition of figures and whole forms instead of just a collection of simple lines and curves. Some might define Gestalt in the more common coinage: The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. In many respects, the art of pairing wine with food is consistent with this effect, and therefore possible for all those inclined to passionately learn and understand the components of pairing. And as with the composer who combines rather disparate sounds to form a greater whole--a symphony for example--the avid food- and wine-lover can transform experience of savoring fine wine with a tasty dish into a culinary phenomenon greater than its component elements.

Pairing dishes with wine is easier with a useful online guide. Click here for a rather simple one from the Ernest & Julio Gallo winery (USA).

If you're interested in learning the subtle pairing principles with beer, This link to Epicurious website can accelerate and enhance your learning.

Salute!

25 Online Places to Read Books for Free

Do you love to read but hate to walk or drive or rise from a prone position on your hammock? Well, if you have Internet access, you don’t have to! (Granted, if you only have a desktop computer, you’ll probably have to sit up.) With these 25 great sites, you have access to tens of thousands of books, plays, essays, poems and other written works in electronic form anytime for free!

With the scanned documents, you can even enjoy the illustrations and the visual look and feel of the often historic works. The texts available are primarily older ones whose copyright protection has expired, and thus they’re now in the public domain, so don’t expect to find the latest Twilight book or anything like that. Still, there are plenty of cool e-books to explore — from Dracula to Alice in Wonderland — and plenty of useful stuff you’ll no doubt have to read at some point in an English class.

Click here to access Ace Online Schools guide to the best FREE reading online.

Cheers,

Patrick