Today, I received a long questionary from an English student, and I took some time to answer (primarily for the first questions; then I missed time).
Here it is :
How would you
explain the term ‘molecular gastronomy ‘to high school students
who have no background knowledge of the term?
First
molecular gastronomy is a part of sciences of nature. Which means
that we are trying to make scientific discoveries, such as oxygen,
inertia, quantum mechanics, or Higgs boson.
Of course, in the
case of molecular gastronomy, there is no hope to discover the Higgs
boson, because we are focusing on an energy scale which is between
van der Waals forces and 400 °C (OK, this should be in terms of
joules, but it is because I want to explain, as you said “for
student”).
What
can we discover ? For example, when we study carrot stocks, we are
focusing on the particular mechanisms through which plant tissues can
exchange with their environment, when cell walls are disrupted.
More
generally, in this direction, I am interested on how compounds are
exchanged between colloidal systems and their environment. Are there
classes of exchanges ? How to compare them ?
Or,
in another research line, I am interested in how chemical compounds
present in food are changed during culinary processes, in particular
in aqueous medium at 100°C for long times (hours). Indeed, this is a
big issue, as food thermally treated has its inside at 100 °C
maximum, and cooking times can be long. Imagine that organic
compounds are transformed into others: this would be organic
chemistry in water, from edible compounds, i.e. more or less “green
chemistry”.
Finally,
you see: in this field, no cooking ! Only physical chemistry, and the
more fundamental the better (for me).
Of
course there are many other possibilities. As I showed that cooking
has technical, art and social component, studies can be done in these
three fields.
What are your
thoughts of using molecular gastronomy as a teaching tool for high
school students?
Indeed
it was always my idea that cooking should not be taught as recipes,
as recipes make the cook like a machine. I proposed to reintroduce
culinary lessons at school, but only in relationship with science,
and with knowledge in particular. For example, in France children at
school learn how to make liters and liters of whipped egg white from
only one egg white. The world record, to my knowledge, is 40 liters.
There
are many benefits in having molecular gastronomy (under this name, or
not named) in the educational system, at any level, from school up to
university. In particular, people can cook. Then they can be happy to
learn science and other matters... because they can see how useful it
is. Then they can learn the difference between technique, technology,
science, art...
Then...
Do you think
learning chemistry through contextual learning is more beneficial
than just learning by writing facts and theories?
Yes
I do think so, and this tested idea is at the foundation of a
modification of the curriculum in France, again.
But
about teaching, I am very cautious, because the best educational
method can be bad when poorly used, whereas the worst method can
become wonderful in wonderful hands. Indeed, teaching is technique,
art, and social link (a very long story that I cannot develop here).
What are the
benefits of understanding the basics of chemistry?
All
your life includes chemistry, or more precisely the result of
chemistry : cosmetics, drugs, food, painting, varnishes... If some
people fear pesticides, this is because they don't understand what
compounds are. And they don't understand that grilling meat is making
more more dangerous compounds than pesticides! You cannot vote for
laws if you don't understand chemistry, at the XXIrst century. But
again, this could make a whole chapter!
Is molecular
gastronomy completely safe for your health? How would you explain
this to people who don’t have background knowledge in molecular
gastronomy and simply overlook it as unhealthy/unsafe?
Here
I see that you confuse molecular gastronomy and molecular cooking.
Please see the text about that. Science is safe for your health,
because it is knowledge, not food !
About
molecular cooking (not molecular gastronomy), if people fear it, it's
because they don't know the definition of molecular cooking : cooking
with new tools.
But
now there is a new chapter in the history: note by note cooking. And
them people will perhaps fear it. Please look at the text about note
by note cooking, in order to see :
-why
people will fear it
-
why I don't care about people fearing it (they will need it!).
Are molecular
gastronomy foods something that young children could consume?
“Molecular
gastronomy food “ cannot exist ! Remember that molecular gastronomy
is science, not food !
If
you discuss molecular cooking dishes, then it depends on what it
contains. Please never fall in generalities. For example, do you know
that children should not eat “saucisson”, because of nitrites ?
And
this is traditional food. Not molecular cooking.
By
the way, why don't you ask also “are traditional food something
that young children could consume?” ;-)
Can pure compounds
be produced and eaten in molecular gastronomy recipes?
Again,
no molecular gastronomy recipes. You probably think of note by note
cooking. The book in English about this will be published in NYC in
October.
What are some
prime examples of molecular gastronomy recipes that utilise the
changing of states of matter?
The
same as for traditional food. When you make a gel, there is a
transformation. When fat melts, there is a liquefaction, etc. Just
look at a culinary book.
What are some
examples of catalysts in molecular gastronomy? How do they work?
Again,
the confusion. But if you consider molecular cooking, it is the same
as for traditional cooking. But for note by note cooking, there will
be possibilities of many advances in this regard.
Could endothermic
and exothermic reactions be explained to young children through
molecular gastronomy? What are some examples of these reactions
within food?
Of
course, but there, I would need more time than I have now.
Can we use
molecular gastronomy to explain the different tastes of foods e.g.
acids/bases? What are some foods that can be explained through their
PH levels?
Yes.
There are many. Please see my podcasted courses on AgroParisTech, and
my various books. Sorrry, most of it is in French.
What are some very
simple reactions that can be explained to high school students
through food? For example reactions that a student would be able to
write out the formula and identify the product and reactant.
I
feel that I can explain any reaction to anybody. The question is how
deep?
Is Stoichiometry
important in molecular gastronomy? What are some examples of
stoichiometry in molecular gastronomy?
How could the
chemical calculation of concentration be taught through Molecular
Gastronomy?
If
you look to the “Cours en ligne” of AgroParisTech, in the part
“physical chemistry for formulation” or in the FIPDes part, you
will see many courses in English, at the university level. The same
content could be taucht in high schools.
What are some
examples of precipitation reactions within foods/molecular cuisine?
Same
as before
What types of
reactions are most common in molecular gastronomy? What are some
examples of these?
Same
as before
Are gels
classified as a solid or liquid why? How would you explain this to
young students?
About
gels, look to my AgroParisTech course en ligne, as said above.
What are some
examples where acids and bases are manipulated in molecular
gastronomy?
What are some
simple kitchen myths that have been proven wrong? What method was
used to prove these myths as false?
Please
see my article “Comparative molecular gastromy” in the Japanese
Journal of Cookery science.
How does different
PH levels effect food?
Same
as before
Can hydrated
compounds be explained through the dehydration of food?
Sorry
but I don't understand the question
Can the molecular
formula be determined for food? e.g. what is the molecular formula
of a strawberry? How is it found?
I
don't understand the question. Do you mean DSF ? If so, did you the
courses about that, and the articles ?
What is chemically
happening in the process of spherfication?
See
articles on that.
When maltodextin
is added to fat, what is chemically happening?
Everywhere
on the net.
What properties of
soy lectin, xanthan Gum and sodium citrate that make them
emulsifiers?
Again,
see my courses.
How does Agar Agar
gell work/ why does it have the properties it has?
Everywhere
on the net
How does sodium
Alginate gell work/ why does it have the properties it has?
Everywhere
on the net
What are the most
interesting chemicals have you worked with/ studied through
molecular gastronomy? What is it that you found interesting?
Water ! If protons are labile (as seen with NMR, it means that the
“are not” in the molecule, so that the H2O molecule does not
exist, as a fixed unit. This is one very interesting and simple case,
let's say prototype, for many other ideas in physical chemistry.
