From our friends in NYC

Hello all,      The Experimental Cuisine Collective's February meeting will take place on Monday, March24, from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Chemistry Department at NYU, room 1003 (31 Washington Place, between Washington Square Park and Greene Street). You will need a photo ID to enter the building.       In her presentation, Teaching The Evolution Of Food and Medicine with Bitters, Shoots and Roots Bitters cofounder Rachel Meyer will take us on a journey into the history of the foods we eat and the mechanisms of evolution at work during the domestication of plant species from around the world. Through a series of interactive tastings, you will be treated to a molecular, chemical, and archaeobotanical tour of the geography of food origins and the ways plants have traditionally been exploited before they became the foods we prize today. Some unusual suspects, experienced through bitters, cocktails, and tisanes, include arborvitae, bhut jolokia peppers, cannibal's tomato, Chinese indigo, devil's hand flower, hemp seeds, monkfruit, moringa, sambong, and tartary buckwheat. Rachel is a plant evolutionary biologist and founder of Shoots and Roots Bitters, which manufactures bitters and educates people about a wide array of the most evolutionarily and ethnobotanically fascinating species found around the world. Many of these species are her or her business partners research subjects. She earned her doctorate through the City University of New York and New York Botanical Garden Plant Science PhD program, and is currently a postdoctoral researcher in New York University in the Purugganan lab, focusing on crop genomics. As part of Shoots and Roots, she teaches workshops on the Evolution of Food, Nature's Pharmacy, The Science of Taste, and Botany for Bartenders. Her team also delivers their bitters and botanical science knowledge through flavor-sensory rich lectures and cocktail hours. She is from Los Angeles, but has lived in Harlem for 8 years, which is where the Shoots and Roots headquarters and kitchen space are.   Please RSVP at ecc032014.eventbrite.com. A link is also posted on our website. If you RSVP and can no longer make it, please let me know right away so that your seat can be released---thank you!    All my best, Anne  ---- Anne E. McBride Director, Experimental Cuisine Collective

ABOUT THE EXPERIMENTAL CUISINE COLLECTIVE The Experimental Cuisine Collective is a working group that assembles scholars, scientists, chefs, writers, journalists, performance artists, and food enthusiasts. We launched in April 2007, as a result of the collaboration of Kent Kirshenbaum of the chemistry department and Amy Bentley of the nutrition, food studies, and public health department at New York University with Chef Will Goldfarb of WillPowder. Our overall aim is to develop a broad-based and rigorous academic approach that employs techniques and approaches from both the humanities and sciences to examine the properties, boundaries, and conventions of food. Visit the ECC online at www.experimentalcuisine.com.

Tomorrow in Paris

Dear Friends

 

I have the pleasure to remind you that tomorrow, 24th of February 2014, from 4.00 to 6.00 PM, Abbé Grégoire street (Ecole supérieure de cuisine française, Centre Jean Ferrandi of the Paris Chamber of commerce). 

It is an exception, because usually we have our seminar the 3rd Monday of the month, and not the 4th. 

 

The topic for tomorrow's seminar was decided last month, by the participants of the January seminar, and it will be : 

What is the influence of the size of meat peaces when you make a meat stock? 

What is the influence of bones in stocks ? 

 

See you tomorrow if you can+will. 

 

 

 

Chers Amis

Permettez moi de vous rappeler que c'est demain, 24 février 2014, de 16 à 18 heures, au 28 bis rue de l'Abbé Grégoire (Ecole supérieure de cuisine française du Centre Jean Ferrandi de la Chambre de commerce de Paris) que nous aurons notre séminaire du mois de février (exceptionnellement le 4e lundi du mois, au lieu du 3e).

Le thème qui a été retenu par les participants du séminaire de janvier, pour notre séminaire de demain est :

Quelle est l'influence de la taille des morceaux de viande utilisés pour la confection d'un bouillon de boeuf ?

Quelle est l'influence des os ?

Au plaisir de retrouver ceux qui veulent+peuvent.

Again, questions and answers, and again, a confusion between science and cooking !

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 :

1. 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.

2. 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...

3. 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).

4. 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!

5. 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!).

6. 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?” ;-)

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. 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?

13. Is Stoichiometry important in molecular gastronomy? What are some examples of stoichiometry in molecular gastronomy?

14. 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.

15. What are some examples of precipitation reactions within foods/molecular cuisine?

Same as before

16. What types of reactions are most common in molecular gastronomy? What are some examples of these?

Same as before

17. 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.

18. What are some examples where acids and bases are manipulated in molecular gastronomy?
19. 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.

20. How does different PH levels effect food?

Same as before

21. Can hydrated compounds be explained through the dehydration of food?

Sorry but I don't understand the question

22. 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 ?

23. What is chemically happening in the process of spherfication?

See articles on that.

24. When maltodextin is added to fat, what is chemically happening?

Everywhere on the net.

25. What properties of soy lectin, xanthan Gum and sodium citrate that make them emulsifiers?

Again, see my courses.

26. How does Agar Agar gell work/ why does it have the properties it has?

Everywhere on the net

27. How does sodium Alginate gell work/ why does it have the properties it has?

Everywhere on the net

28. 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.

This is from NYC

Dear Friends
I am happy to forward you this :

Experimental Cuisine Collective   February 2014 meeting Upcoming ECC Events Visit our website to see dates and speakers as we schedule them for 2014 and add them to your calendar.    Quick Links... Experimental Cuisine Collective NYU Chemistry NYU Food Studies WillPowder WillEquipped Hello all,      The Experimental Cuisine Collective's February meeting will take place on Tuesday, February 18, from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Chemistry Department at NYU, room 1003 (31 Washington Place, between Washington Square Park and Greene Street). You will need a photo ID to enter the building.       In her talk, Food Design: Affecting the Route from Hand to Mouth, Emilie Baltz---photographer, designer, author, and artist extraordinaire---will talk about the role of design in food "beyond the plate": from product, sensory and experiential examples in her own body of work.   Please RSVP at ecc022014.eventbrite.com. A link is also posted on our website. If you RSVP and can no longer make it, please let me know right away so that your seat can be released---thank you!    All my best, Anne  ---- Anne E. McBride Director, Experimental Cuisine Collective  ABOUT THE EXPERIMENTAL CUISINE COLLECTIVE The Experimental Cuisine Collective is a working group that assembles scholars, scientists, chefs, writers, journalists, performance artists, and food enthusiasts. We launched in April 2007, as a result of the collaboration of Kent Kirshenbaum of the chemistry department and Amy Bentley of the nutrition, food studies, and public health department at New York University with Chef Will Goldfarb of WillPowder. Our overall aim is to develop a broad-based and rigorous academic approach that employs techniques and approaches from both the humanities and sciences to examine the properties, boundaries, and conventions of food. Visit the ECC online at www.experimentalcuisine.com.

Forward email This email was sent to herve.this@paris.inra.fr by aemcbride@gmail.com |   Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | Privacy Policy. Experimental Cuisine Collective | New York University | 411 Lafayette Street | 5th Floor | New York | NY | 10003

From our friends running molecular gastronomy in Cuba

6to CONGRESO LATINOAMERICANO Y DEL CARIBE SOBRE CALIDAD E INOCUIDAD DE LOS ALIMENTOS

5^to CONGRESO NACIONAL DE ALIMENTACION Y NUTRICION

CUBALUMIÈREGOURMET 2014

Lema del Evento:

“La cultura alimentaria en la Ciencia de los Alimentos, la Gastronomía y los medios audiovisuales”

15 al 19 de Septiembre del 2014

Palacio de Convenciones de La Habana, Cuba

A message and answers

Today, received this : 

Dear Mr.This

My name is XXXX and I attend a high school named Enskilda gymnasiet in Stockholm, Sweden. I’m studying a natural science program and right now I’m doing a project regarding chemistry. I’m investigating if molecular gastronomy is going to be included in meals of a family’s’ daily life.

The past evolution of food shows that we are always trying to develop food so that it will be as easy, comfortable and quick as possible for a common family to put food on the table.

I’ve read an extremely interesting article where you participated in a Swedish magazine called ”Forskning & Framsteg”. Furthermore, I was wondering if you could take a tad of your time and help me with my project by answering a few questions.

1.    1.  Do you think molecular gastronomy will be included in a future family’s everyday meals? If so, in what way?

2.     2. How do you think catering will look like in the future? What will be its contents? Is there a possibility that we might have a powder that we will mix with water, which will give us meatball dough?

3.     3. Do you think there will be some kind of replacement for todays’ protein? If so, how and what?

4.     4. Do you think the molecular gastronomy has to develop further to prepare the society in case of a cataclysm or a long term cut of electric power? If so, in what way?

5.     5. In 20 years, how would you imagine a lunch for a stressed, hard working person would look like? Is there a possibility that this person will only have to take a pill to get all the nutrition we need to survive?

Thank you in advance.

Here the answer : 

Thanks for your message. Please do look at https://sites.google.com/site/travauxdehervethis/, as the English section contains a lot of questions+answers.

Specifically :

1.   Do you think molecular gastronomy will be included in a future family’s everyday meals? If so, in what way?

Molecular gastronomy is science, that you confuse probably with molecular cooking. Indeed, some years ago, I would had say yes, but I am now proposing something much more important, called "note by note cooking". And yes, for sure, note by note cooking is the future of our food, for many reasons that I am explaining in a book in French (English version in October).

2.     How do you think catering will look like in the future? What will be its contents? Is there a possibility that we might have a powder that we will mix with water, which will give us meatball dough?

Catering in the future ? Note by Note. By the way, the idea of pills, or powder, or capsules is a fantasm. If you calculate the needed energy for just survival, it takes more than 300 g using the most energetic compounds  (which is fat) ! Except if we find a more energetic (and edible) compound...

3.      Do you think there will be some kind of replacement for todays’ protein? If so, how and what?

Remember that we need nitrogen ! And that as living organisms are concerned, we have to take the biology of evolution into account.

4.     4. Do you think the molecular gastronomy has to develop further to prepare the society in case of a cataclysm or a long term cut of electric power? If so, in what way?

Molecular gastronomy has to develop in order to make new discoveries, but science has nothing to do with society issues. Only technology does. And the Note by Note project has to spread. Many questions have to be studied. Ten billions people in 2050, plus predicted crisis for water and energy!!!

5.     In 20 years, how would you imagine a lunch for a stressed, hard working person would look like? Is there a possibility that this person will only have to take a pill to get all the nutrition we need to survive?

Answered above.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year

Dear Friends

The world is not restricted to my  small surrounding, but 2013 was not so bad:

- we went on with our monthly seminar of molecular gastronomy (after 13 years), and we got many thankflul messages from the culinary world

- note by note cooking developed explosively, and it goes on in this way

- we actively fought against "fear merchants", in particular in the frame of the French Academy of agriculture

- using blogs, we explained broadly that science is different from technology and technique

- we tested many new educational methods, et we proposed broadly many educational new ideas

- we helped the regional Science and Food Culture Circles to develop and work

- we looked for more "Light" through articles, internets sites, posts...

- we went on our scientific studies, with many colleagues and students

- we had the 20th group for the Institutes for Advanced Studies in Gastronomy

- we contributed to develop molecular gastronomy in many countries of the world

Many of these works were achieved with your help : thanks !

Let's walk toward more Light in 2014.

Happy New Year to you