This morning, some questions. Here are my answers, with comments :
In an answer to a question on your website about DSFs, you mention that dimension "does not mean size, but the number of parameters that you need to describe a system." You give mayonnaise as an example: D0(O)/D3(W). Why does the oil occupy 0 dimensions as opposed to the liquid water phase that occupies 3? What are the parameters pertaining to a given phase?
Here, I have to explain, in order to avoid my friends going first on other pages, looking for explanations on DSF.
DSF stands for "disperse systems formalism", i.e. a kind of algebra that can be used in order to describe the physical organization of colloids, that is systems such as foams, gels, emulsions, suspensions...
In this formalism, one describes objects by their "physical dimension", and the nature of the "phases" (gaz, liquid, solid...), including the relationship between the constituants.
The dimension is indeed the traditional mathematical object. A dot has dimension zero, a line dimension one, a surface dimension two, a volume a dimension 3, and there can be non integer dimensions, such as for fractals.
In a mayonnaise : the sauce itself is certainly 3 dimensional. The continuous phase is water (W), which means that the sauce formula begins with D3(W°. Now, if you look at it, you see that there are oil droplets are dispersed in the water phase. But the oil droplets are "physically" of dimension 0, because they are more than one order of magnitude smaller than the reference size, i.e. the radius of the sauce. And these droplets D0(O) are randomly dispersed in the water sauce, hence the formula.
Given a random dispersion system formula, how would you go about interpreting that into a physical manifestation (a dish)? How do you interpret each operation––specifically inclusion, superstition, and intermixing?
I don't understand the question. Can you explain what you mean ?
As a study of the science regarding cuisine, what distinguishes the molecular gastronomy from the scientific field of food science?
This is very clear, and there are obviously historical reasons. If you look to any Food Science textbook, such as the Food Chemistry (Springer), you will never see "real food", such as coq of vin, poisson braisé, etc. The only topics being discussed are food ingredients, or food processes of the industry. See this explained in more details in my article of the Accounts of chemical research.
Did the Futurist Ideology regarding future food consumption (as Marinetti predicted in the Cucina Futurista) inspire your concept of Note-by-Note cooking in anyway? How did your work in the fields of food science and molecular gastronomy influence this idea?
No. I don't have time for this. The idea of note by note cooking is explained in my book on the topic.
By the way, in some posts of my blogs you will see that there could be more, such as injecting sensations into the brain, without eating physically. This is very exciting, but I shall not work on it.
And I don't understand clearly the second question here.
In many of your lecture demonstrations, you use flavor compounds in powder form. What are the processes of extracting flavor or odor molecules from ingredients––like basil, or olive oil for example? Are there any methods that can be used at home with basic supplies?
Compounds responsible for taste or odor, or trigeminal can be solid or liquid (for gases, the amount of material is too small).
The process of extracting? It depends on the particular compounds. Some can be recovered by distillation, other by membrane filtration, etc.
At home ? Who would you mind extracting at home, as you don't do it for sugar or salt ? Of course, you can if you have the equipment, but supercritical CO2 is expansive. Rotary evaporators are now in some kitchens.
Seeing that you have greatly impacted the development of molecular gastronomy/cuisine/Note-by-Note cooking, why don’t you consider yourself a chef?
Why I don't consider myself a chef ? Because a chef cooks professionnally. If I would open a restaurant, I am quite sure that I would do well, but I also know that I am a dwarf, artistically, compared to my friend Pierre Gagnaire. I am no artist, even if my technique is probably better than the technique of all chefs (remember one invention per month for more than 15 years, and I can make 40 liters of whipped egg white from one egg). I cook daily for my family since I am 6 BUT I am not interested in all this.
My life is physical chemistry, equations, science, enlarging the realm of knowledge, of scientific knowledge. For me, technique and technology (even my own inventions) are nil ! My only proudness are some scientific results that I was able to get. My job, for which I am paid, is physical chemistry... and now that I answered, I am coming back VERY FAST to my equations and calculations.
jeudi 3 mars 2016
mercredi 17 février 2016
The next seminar on molecular gastronomy in New York
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dimanche 3 janvier 2016
The gelification of oil
I am frequently asked about how making "solid oil", in particular by friends from olive oil producing countries.
There are many solutions about this, but one is making a "graham" (an invention I did many years ago), in this way :
1. take some water
2. add some coagulating proteins (egg white, for example)
3. add oil while whipping, in order to make a firm emulsion
4. cook for some dozens of seconds in a microwave oven
5. dry at lot temperature.
And this is called a "graham".
There are many solutions about this, but one is making a "graham" (an invention I did many years ago), in this way :
1. take some water
2. add some coagulating proteins (egg white, for example)
3. add oil while whipping, in order to make a firm emulsion
4. cook for some dozens of seconds in a microwave oven
5. dry at lot temperature.
And this is called a "graham".
samedi 28 novembre 2015
No mustard in a mayonnaise !
The true history of mayonnaise is the following. Already in the Viandier, by Guillaume
Tirel ("Taillevent", at the beginning of the , 15th century, cooks were preparing sauces called "rémoulade", based on mustard, with a hot or cold liquid.
Later, cooks added egg yolk, because we know how such food ingredient is improving the flavour.
Then, in the 18th century, and we don't have details, someone forgot the mustard, and got an emulsion similar to the cold rémoulade based on mustard and oil, but with a much more delicate flavour, because the mustard is somehow acrid. The sauce mayonnaise was created, and it was a wonderful discovery!
Alas, at the very beginning of the 20th century, the book entitled Guide culinaire (which was written by Philéas Gilbert, Emile Fetu and Auguste Escoffier, but the last one was alone on next editions) proposed to used mustard in the mayonnaise, whereas Gilbert correctly said that there should be no mustard in one of his own book published in 1934. This was a real mistake, and this is why I hate this wrong book, showing the utmost ignorance (mayonnaise is not the sole mistake). Worst, M. Grégoire and M. Saulnier, students of Escoffier, popularized the mistake... so that, today, many cooks confuse rémoulade and mayonnaise.
But it's not difficult! In order to make a mayonnaise, you need one egg yolk, one teaspoon of good wine vinegar, salt, pepper, and oil that you add drop by drop while whisking.
But no mustard, otherwise you get a rémoulade, not a mayonnaise !
Later, cooks added egg yolk, because we know how such food ingredient is improving the flavour.
Then, in the 18th century, and we don't have details, someone forgot the mustard, and got an emulsion similar to the cold rémoulade based on mustard and oil, but with a much more delicate flavour, because the mustard is somehow acrid. The sauce mayonnaise was created, and it was a wonderful discovery!
Alas, at the very beginning of the 20th century, the book entitled Guide culinaire (which was written by Philéas Gilbert, Emile Fetu and Auguste Escoffier, but the last one was alone on next editions) proposed to used mustard in the mayonnaise, whereas Gilbert correctly said that there should be no mustard in one of his own book published in 1934. This was a real mistake, and this is why I hate this wrong book, showing the utmost ignorance (mayonnaise is not the sole mistake). Worst, M. Grégoire and M. Saulnier, students of Escoffier, popularized the mistake... so that, today, many cooks confuse rémoulade and mayonnaise.
But it's not difficult! In order to make a mayonnaise, you need one egg yolk, one teaspoon of good wine vinegar, salt, pepper, and oil that you add drop by drop while whisking.
But no mustard, otherwise you get a rémoulade, not a mayonnaise !
vendredi 13 novembre 2015
From our friends in NYC
Hello all,
The November meeting of the Experimental Cuisine Collective will take place Friday, November 20, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the food studies department at NYU (35 W. 4th
Street, room 1080 on the 10th floor).
Make sure to note: different time, different place!
Marion Nestle will give a presentation on the subject of her latest book,
Soda Politics. You will also partake in a blind soda tasting.
Please RSVP at ecc112015.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!
And you'll find below what we sent in October, for those of you who missed it then.
Our ninth (!!!) year of programming takes
place amidst a changed landscape, with more food and food+technology
events and meetups than ever. We look forward to fostering the unique
community of the ECC for many more years to come, with programs that
continue to interrogate the intersections of science
and food, but focusing on fewer meetings each year: two in the fall and
three in the spring. Of course, if timely programming ideas come along
(a great book is released, a great organization offers an opportunity to
co-host an event), more will take place,
so don't hesitate to be in touch with those!
All my best,
Anne
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Anne E. McBride
Director, Experimental Cuisine Collective
Anne
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Anne E. McBride
Director, Experimental Cuisine Collective
mercredi 4 novembre 2015
News from the Molecular Gastronomy Group in Lebanon
Dear all
This is a announcement from the Molecular Gastronomy Group in Lebanon (in charge: Pr Reine Barbar)
In
the scope of the project entitled “Preservation and development of
Lebanese Culinary Heritage by Molecular Gastronomy”, the Holy Spirit
University and the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie would like to
invite you to a series of workshops on the theme “New Kitchen Stories
from the lab”. Chef Marijana Pedovic (Serbia) and Chef Sasa Hasic (Croatia) will be delivering these workshops (cf biographies below).
Workshop number
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Public
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Date
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Time
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Location
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Workshop 1
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Food engineering students
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November 9, 2015
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1-5 pm
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Cordon Bleu Kitchen, USEK
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Workshop 2
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Food engineering students
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November 10, 2015
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9 am-1 pm
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Cordon Bleu Kitchen, USEK
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Workshop 3
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Culinary Schools students
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November 11,2015
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9 am-1 pm
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Cordon Bleu Kitchen, USEK
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Workshop 4
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Professional Chefs
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November 12, 2015
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9 am-1 pm
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Cordon Bleu Kitchen, USEK
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Demonstration
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All public
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November 13, 2015
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11:15-12:15
Workshop topic of Mrs Marijana Pedovic: Illusion on a plate
1:45-2:45
Workshop title of Mr Sasa Hasic: Sea Bites
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Cooking Festival- Biel, Beirut
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About Chef Sasa Hasic :
A
bright, talented and self-motivated Chef with a track record of various
delicious meals and creative decorative food displays from different
parts of the world and cuisines. Sasa is reliable, trustworthy and
flexible chef as well as team worker, experienced in planning,
directing, and supervising of food preparation and cooking activities in
a busy environment.
About Chef Marijana Pedovic:
Chef
Marijana Pedovic is born in 1988 in Novi Pazar, Serbia, living in Novi
Sad. MSc Molecular Gastronomy, graduate with honors. She made the first
master thesis in Balkan about Molecular Gastronomy. She is a PhD student
in Food Technology.
She is Executive Chef, President and one of the founders of Serbian Association of Molecular Gastronomy.
She has professional practice in 4* and 5* hotels and restaurants in Balkan from commis to Executive Chef.
She has two contracts on cruisers around the world as Executive Sous Chef/step up Executive Chef.
Over 20 trained Chef under command, free education for students.
Science award for achievement, professional award from WACS for team leader.
She is a fighter and dreamer.
Chef du département des Sciences Médicales Fondamentales
Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences Médicales
Université Saint-Esprit de Kaslik
P.O. Box 446 | Jounieh | Lebanon
www.usek.edu.lb
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