Molecular Gastronomy
1 Introduction
The cook and the scientist
The cook makes a dish using food, the ingredients. A cook knows precisely how much of
each element and each action to use. He performs basic actions;
- Cutting
- Mixing
- Heating/cooling
- Separating
- Concentrating
5 basic components of all foods:
- Fats
- Proteins
- Carbohydrates
- Water
- Air
Flavourings: salts, acids, alcohol etc.
Scientists call bread a foam, cheese a gel and butter an emulsion.
Molecular gastronomy
In molecular gastronomy, the kitchen and science are united.
Scientific aim: explain chemical and physical processes that take place during cooking.
Application-oriented aim: use knowledge to develop new cooking instruments and
ingredients and design new dishes.
The English physicist Charles Williams found out a formula to find out the perfect cooking
time for a soft boiled egg:
ρ = density (dichtheid)
c = the specific heat capacity
K = thermal conductivity of 'egg' (warmtegeleiding)
According to this formula, a medium egg (57 g) straight from the fridge (4°C) takes 4,5
minutes to cook. The same egg would take 3,5 minutes if it had been stored at room
temperature (21°C).
1 Introduction
The cook and the scientist
The cook makes a dish using food, the ingredients. A cook knows precisely how much of
each element and each action to use. He performs basic actions;
- Cutting
- Mixing
- Heating/cooling
- Separating
- Concentrating
5 basic components of all foods:
- Fats
- Proteins
- Carbohydrates
- Water
- Air
Flavourings: salts, acids, alcohol etc.
Scientists call bread a foam, cheese a gel and butter an emulsion.
Molecular gastronomy
In molecular gastronomy, the kitchen and science are united.
Scientific aim: explain chemical and physical processes that take place during cooking.
Application-oriented aim: use knowledge to develop new cooking instruments and
ingredients and design new dishes.
The English physicist Charles Williams found out a formula to find out the perfect cooking
time for a soft boiled egg:
ρ = density (dichtheid)
c = the specific heat capacity
K = thermal conductivity of 'egg' (warmtegeleiding)
According to this formula, a medium egg (57 g) straight from the fridge (4°C) takes 4,5
minutes to cook. The same egg would take 3,5 minutes if it had been stored at room
temperature (21°C).
