The A to Z of Molecular gastronomy : The Tribune India

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The A to Z of Molecular gastronomy

Come to think of it and you’ll realise that the first-ever chemists on earth were cooks. They were the first ones to take natural elements and transform them to give us something extraordinary; something new, flavourful, safe to consume and interesting.

The A to Z of Molecular 
gastronomy

packing a pretty punch: Dealing with molecules, and not ingredients, can change the look of a simple beetroot soup. However, it calls for money, equipment and time Photos: istock



Protima Tiwary

Come to think of it and you’ll realise that the first-ever chemists on earth were cooks. They were the first ones to take natural elements and transform them to give us something extraordinary; something new, flavourful, safe to consume and interesting.

Cooks and chefs have been working with these transformations for centuries. Take a look at any cuisine and you’ll see how each one of them has evolved over the years, yet maintained a distinctive taste and style of its own. All this was possible when various ingredients were combined and honed to perfection. Over the years, cooks have begun to look beyond simple dishes in a distinctive cuisine; they have the thirst for adventure and want to explore more by combining two elements they never thought would have worked together. And molecular cooking fans that urge to do more with foods.

The chemistry of food

Those with some interest in cooking would have heard the term molecular cooking. It is the science of using food chemistry to understand and improve cooking. Cooks today are definitely up for toying with the idea of molecular gastronomy, but not many of them actually think about the molecules. Since the inception of cooking, chefs have looked at just one thing: ingredients. It is the only thing that matters to them as that’s what they have to work with in the kitchen.

However, you cannot deny it: molecular gastronomy is changing things in the kitchen. Take, for example, liquid nitrogen. The instant freezing technique came to prominence when chef Heston Blumenthal used it in the Fat Duck restaurant in Berkshire about 10 years ago. It has since been adopted by high-end cocktail bars, restaurants and has even featured in TV cooking shows. Have you heard of freeze drying? Freeze drying a fruit would mean the texture of the fruit has been preserved, but one bite into it will have you experiencing a strong flavour in a powdery texture.

How safe is it?

While this interesting form of cooking has definitely spruced things up for customers, not much has been spoken about the safety involved in the cooking.  There is a finite risk you’re taking if you don’t know what you’re doing. A little carelessness might end up in a very nasty case of food poisoning. A simple mishap like meat that has been exposed to some kitchen bacteria, or if you don’t use the right temperature to cook, or if the meat is a few hours too stale, can result in a major accident.  While cooks do follow the basic principles of hygiene, there are some mistakes that need extra attention to detail. 

Then there is the question of who will handle molecular cooking. It requires a lot of training and understanding. There are studies involved that ensure that the cooks know what they’re dealing with, and how dealing with molecules, and not ingredients, can change the game. 

A cook needs to understand why the temperature of something is important, why something needs to be cooked for a certain amount of time, why certain ingredients cannot be mixed, and a lot more. This requires investment of money, equipment and time. 

Those at the receiving end

Molecular gastronomy involves cooking with a miniscule quantity of molecules and elements. People are wary of ingesting these chemicals, but chefs assure us that the quantity used has almost zero effect on the consumer’s health. If consumed in larger quantities, these will affect health. 

Whacky foods lead where...

Eggs with charcoal ashes, carbonated vodka spheres, ginger gel sheets and smoked masala beer are just some of the items we can name in this ever expanding list of food items. Customers are enjoying the dining experience as the creations are a perfect way to break the ice. Is it just a fad or is it here to stay, only time will tell. 

Molecular gastronomy has allowed chefs to play with their creations and present plates that are fun, dramatic and, sometimes something that the customers have never seen before. However, it would not be an exaggeration to say that it is food writers who’ve made cooking today sound like an experiment. Nevertheless, molecular gastronomy sounds like novelty cooking, a process where sophisticated instruments are used to manipulate molecules to give us something new. Well, that’s molecular science, and molecular gastronomy still has a long way to go. Right now, we’re still dealing with ingredients rather than molecules.

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