Gastronomia

Molecular Gastronomy

a r t s a nd t r a d i t i on s o f t h e t a b l e

arts and traditions of the table: perspectives on culinary history
Albert Sonnenfeld, series editor

Salt: Grain of Life Pierre Laszlo, translated by Mary Beth Mader Culture of the Fork Giovanni Rebora, translated by Albert Sonnenfeld French Gastronomy: The History and Geography of a Passion Jean-Robert Pitte,translated by Jody Gladding Pasta: The Story of a Universal Food Silvano Serventi and Françoise Sabban, translated by Antony Shugar Slow Food: The Case for Taste Carlo Petrini, translated by William McCuaig Italian Cuisine: A Cultural History Alberto Capatti and Massimo Montanari, translated by Áine O’Healy British Food: An Extraordinary Thousand Years of History Colin Spencer A Revolution in Eating:How the Quest for Food Shaped America James E. McWilliams Sacred Cow, Mad Cow: A History of Food Fears Madeleine Ferrières, translated by Jody Gladding

Hervé This

Molecular Gastronomy
Exploring the Science of Flavor

translated by m.b. debevoise

columbia university press {new york}

columbia university press Publishers Since 1893 New York Chichester, West Sussex Copyright ©Éditions Pour la Science 2002. Translation copyright © 2006 Columbia University Press All rights reserved Columbia University Press gratefully acknowledges permission to reprint excerpts from The Physiology of Taste by Jean Brillat-Savarin, translated by M. F. K. Fisher, copyright 1949 by the George Macy Companies, Inc. Used by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc. Library ofCongress Cataloging-in-Publication Data This, Hervé. [Casseroles et éprouvettes. English] Molecular gastronomy : exploring the science of flavor / Hervé This ; translated by Malcolm DeBevoise. p. cm. -- (Arts and traditions of the table) Includes bibliographical references and index. i s bn 0 -231-13312-x (alk. paper) 1. Food --Sensory evaluation. 2. Flavor. 3. Gastronomy. i. Title. ii. Series.tx546.t5513 2005 664'.072-- dc22 20050053784 Columbia University Press books are printed on permanent and durable acid-free paper. Printed in the United States of America Designed by Linda Secondari + Vin Dang. Ferdinand typeface by Isaac Tobin. c 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

It is not enough to know the principles, one needs to know how to manipulate.
—Dictionnaire de Trévoux, quoted by m i c h a e l f ar a d a y in the first edition of Chemical Manipulation (1827)

15

Preserves and Preserving Pans • 65

16 Saving a Crème Anglaise • 68 17 Grains of Salt • 71 18 Of Champagne and Teaspoons • 74 19 Coffee, Tea, and Milk • 76 Part Two : The Physiolo³ of Flavor 20 Food as Medicine • 83 21 Taste and Digestion • 86 22 Taste in the Brain • 88 23 Papillary Cells • 91 24 How Salt Affects Taste •94 25 Detecting Tastes • 97 26 Bitter Tastes • 100 27 Hot Up Front • 103
series editor’s pr e f a c e • ix

Contents

28 The Taste of Cold • 106 29 Mastication • 109 30 Tenderness and Juiciness • 112 31 Measuring Aromas • 115 32 At Table in the Nursery • 118 33 Food Allergies • 121 34 Public Health Alerts • 124 Part Three : Investigations and Models 35 The Secret of Bread • 131 36 Yeast andBread • 134 37 Curious Yellow • 137 38 Gustatory Paradoxes • 140 39 The Taste of Food • 143 40 Lumps and Strings • 146 41 Foams • 149 42 Hard Sausage • 152 43 Spanish Hams • 155 44 Foie Gras • 158 45 Antioxidant Agents • 161

Introduction to the EnglishLanguage Edition • 1 Part One : Secrets of the Kitchen 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 11 Making Stock • 23 Clarifying Stock • 26 Hard-Boiled Eggs • 29 Quiches,Quenelles, and Puff Pastries • 32 Échaudés and Gnocchi • 35 The Well-Leavened Soufflé • 38 Quenelles and Their Cousins • 41 Fondue • 44 Roasting Beef • 47 Wine and Marinades • 53

10 Seasoning Steak • 50 12 Color and Freshness • 56 13 Softening Lentils • 59 14 Souffléed Potatoes • 62

46 Trout • 164 47 Cooking Times • 167 48 The Flavor of Roasted Meats • 170 49 Tenderizing Meats • 173 50 Al...