The Science of Good Cooking

Description

THE REVOLUTIONARY BOOK THAT BRINGS SCIENCE TO THE STOVE

Great cooks seem to operate on intuition. Watch one at work and you might think he or she must have a sixth sense that switches on in the kitchen. But great cooks aren t psychic. They simply understand the fundamental principles of cooking the unspoken rules that guide their every move in the kitchen. What s behind these principles? Science.

At America s Test Kitchen, we know something about that. The team at Cook s Illustrated has spent the past 20 years investigating every facet and every detail associated with home cooking through tens of thousands of kitchen tests. In The Science of Good Cooking, we distill the past two decades of this test kitchen work into 50 basic cooking concepts, ones that every home cook should know.

These concepts sound suspiciously simple: Gentle Heat Retains Moisture. Salty Marinades Work Best. Starch Helps Cheese Melt Nicely. Sugar Changes Sweetness and Texture. It turns out that these ideas are not only easy to understand but also easy to master. And don t worry there is no molecular gastronomy, liquid nitrogen, or fancy equipment involved. As always, our mission is squarely focused on great home cooking.

In addition to explaining how food science works (and why you should care), The Science of Good Cooking shows you the science. This book brings you into the test kitchen with 50 unique (and fun) experiments engineered to illustrate (and illuminate) the science at work. The experiments demonstrate why adding fat to your eggs will make the perfect tender omelet, why grinding your own meat will make the ultimate burger, and why you should have patience before carving your roast.

And because no concept is complete without recipes, The Science of Good Cooking includes more than 400 classic Cook s Illustrated recipes that take the science to the stove, putting the principles to work. The book offers a fresh perspective on everything from roasting a chicken to baking chocolate chip cookies. These are the fundamental recipes home cooks struggle to get right. And when these recipes are coupled with the simple science explaining how and why they work, the results are illuminating.

CONCEPT 1: Gentle Heat Prevents Overcooking
CONCEPT 2: High Heat Develops Flavor
CONCEPT 3: Resting Meat Maximizes Juiciness
CONCEPT 4: Hot Food Keeps Cooking
CONCEPT 5: Some Proteins Are Best Cooked Twice
CONCEPT 6: Slow Heating Makes Meat Tender
CONCEPT 7: Cook Tough Cuts Beyond Well-Done
CONCEPT 8: Tough Cuts Like a Covered Pot
CONCEPT 9: A Covered Pot Doesn’t Need Liquid
CONCEPT 10: Bones Add Flavor, Fat, and Juiciness
CONCEPT 11: Brining Maximizes Juiciness in Lean Meats
CONCEPT 12: Salt Makes Meat Juicy and Skin Crisp
CONCEPT 13: Salty Marinades Work Best
CONCEPT 14: Grind Meat at Home for Tender Burgers
CONCEPT 15: A Panade Keeps Ground Meat Tender
CONCEPT 16: Create Layers for a Breading That Sticks
CONCEPT 17: Good Frying Is All About Oil Temperature
CONCEPT 18: Fat Makes Eggs Tender
CONCEPT 19: Gentle Heat Guarantees Smooth Custards
CONCEPT 20: Starch Keeps Eggs from Curdling
CONCEPT 21: Whipped Egg Whites Need Stabilizers
CONCEPT 22: Starch Helps Cheese Melt Nicely
CONCEPT 23: Salting Vegetables Removes Liquid
CONCEPT 24: Green Vegetables Like It Hot—Then Cold
CONCEPT 25: All Potatoes Are Not Created Equal
CONCEPT 26: Potato Starches Can Be Controlled
CONCEPT 27: Precooking Makes Vegetables Firmer
CONCEPT 28: Don’t Soak Beans—Brine ’Em
CONCEPT 29: Baking Soda Makes Beans and Grains Soft
CONCEPT 30: Rinsing (Not Soaking) Makes Rice Fluffy
CONCEPT 31: Slicing Changes Garlic and Onion Flavor
CONCEPT 32: Chile Heat Resides in Pith and Seeds
CONCEPT 33: Bloom Spices to Boost Their Flavor
CONCEPT 34: Not All Herbs Are for Cooking
CONCEPT 35: Glutamates, Nucleotides Add Meaty Flavor
CONCEPT 36: Emulsifiers Make Smooth Sauces
CONCEPT 37: Speed Evaporation When Cooking Wine
CONCEPT 38: More Water Makes Chewier Bread
CONCEPT 39: Rest Dough to Trim Kneading Time
CONCEPT 40: Time Builds Flavor in Bread
CONCEPT 41: Gentle Folding Stops Tough Quick Breads
CONCEPT 42: Two Leaveners Are Often Better than One
CONCEPT 43: Layers of Butter Make Flaky Pastry
CONCEPT 44: Vodka Makes Pie Dough Easy
CONCEPT 45: Less Protein Makes Tender Cakes, Cookies
CONCEPT 46: Creaming Butter Helps Cakes Rise
CONCEPT 47: Reverse Cream for Delicate Cakes
CONCEPT 48: Sugar Changes Texture (and Sweetness)
CONCEPT 49: Sugar and Time Make Fruit Juicier
CONCEPT 50: Cocoa Powder Delivers Big Flavor