Read What Einstein Kept Under His Hat: Secrets of Science in the Kitchen Online
Authors: Robert L. Wolke
toxic chemicals in, 323–24
smokers, 320–24
smoking, commercial, 354, 355
Smoky Garlic Mayonnaise, 384
s’mores, 429
Smorstix, 429
soaking dried beans, 144–46
soaps, 376
sodium benzoate, as preservative, 374
sodium bicarbonate.
see
baking soda
sodium carbonate, 376
sodium erythorbate, 285
sodium hydroxide (caustic soda; lye), 230
in dishwasher detergent, 377
in oil production, 162
sodium nitrite, meats cured with, 282–84
sodium percarbonate, to remove red wine stains, 48–50
sodium triphosphate (STP), scallops treated with, 263
soft-serve ice cream, 65–66
soleras y crideras,
30–31
solubilities, of tannins, 7
solutes, 316
solutions, 382
concentrated, 188
diluted, 189
osmosis and, 186–89
solvation, 316
solvents, 316
sopressata,
280
sorbitol, 234
soup, split pea, solidification with refrigeration of, 209–11
sour cream, 55
in Best Damn Cheesecake, 71–72
to cool heat from capsaicins, 337
homemade, 63–64
whipping, 63–64
sour mash whiskey, 36–37
souse, 280–81
soybean paste, fermented, 138
soy milk, 132–33
curdling of, 136
in Not-Very-Indian Pudding, 134–35
spaghetti, 221, 222
Spanish Mashed Potatoes, 118–19
specific heat, of water, 398
spelling, 419
spices
herbs versus, 326–27
“hot,” 332–38
shelf life of, 348, 350–51
timing of addition in cooking, 347–48
website for, 328
see also
specific spices
Spicy Chocolate Crinkle Monsters, 329
spinach
iron in, 122–23
oxalic acid in, 123
spin axis, 97
spin radius, 97
split pea soup, solidification with refrigeration of, 209–11
spoilage, 373–74
of butter, 173–74, 369
freezing to prevent, 374
preservatives to prevent, 374–75
smoking to prevent, 322
see also
rancidity, of oils
spores, bacterial, 310–12, 346
stachyose, 204
Stafford, Orin F., 318
stain removal
of red wine stains, 47–50
testing before using techniques for, 50
Staphylococcus aureus,
283
starches, 204–5, 206
in grains, 203
hardening of leftover rice due to, 211–12
in mashed potatoes, 207–9
solidification of pea soup with refrigeration and, 209–11
as thickener, 381–82
Stefan-Boltzmann Law, 19
stevia, 234
Stilton, 77
stocks, 303–8
amount of water for, 305
color of, 303–4
cooling, 307–8
simmering, 305–6
skimming, 306–7
starting with cold water, 304–5
storing, 308
stone fruits, 148
stoppers, for Champagne bottles, 34
storing
of butter, 372
of sea salt, 362
of stocks, 308
of tofu, 137
see also
freezing
STP (sodium triphosphate), scallops treated with, 263
Strawberry Preserves, 190–91
Streptococcus cremoris,
63
Streptococcus diacetylactis,
63
Streptococcus lactis,
63, 68
Streptococcus thermophilus,
60–61
string cheese, 78–79
substrates, of enzymes, 12
sucrose, 203–4, 206, 233
functions of, 234–35
in honey, 236
sugar(s), 203–4
invert, 204
osmosis and, 186–89
in prepared foods, 233–34
in Strawberry Preserves, 190–91
table.
see
sucrose
see also
specific sugars
sugar alcohols, 233–34
sugar-amine browning reactions.
see
Maillard reactions
sugar bloom, on chocolate, 440
sugar browning, 299
sugar of lead, 234
sulfites, 27–28, 375
as preservatives, 374
sulfmyoglobin, 278
sulfur, 28
sulfur dioxide, 28, 374
sun tea, 303
sushi,
nigiri,
242
suspensions, colloidal, 382–83
swallowing, 5
sweating onions, 341
sweetened condensed milk, 55
sweetness
bruising of fruit and, 155–56
ripening of fruit and, 152
sweet potatoes, in Chili Pepper Hash Browns, 339–40
synthetic rubber, 405
syringol, 324
Syzygium aromaticum,
361
table sugar.
see
sucrose
tannic acid, 8
in tea, 14
tannin(s), 8
cloudiness of iced tea due to, 6–7
color of, 14
in tea, 11, 13
tanning
of hides, 8
of human skin, 8
TBHQ (tertiary butylated hydroquinone), 375
TCBY frozen yogurt, 66
tea
black, 10–11
brewing, 15–16
caffeine in, 15
color of, 13–14
flavor of, 11
green, 10–11
iced, clear versus cloudy, 6–7
iced, sun tea, 303
in My Chai, 9
oolong, 10–11
water temperature for brewing, 303
tearing, when cutting onions, preventing, 125–28
technical words, misuse of, 418–22
temper, loss of, in chocolate, 435–36
temperature
of boiling water, 16
chilling beverages with ice cubes and, 41–42
chilling onions to prevent tearing and, 127
of coffee, adding cream and, 18–20
conversion between Fahrenheit scale and Celsius scale and, 388–89
cooking hard-boiled eggs and, 99
cooling hard-boiled eggs and, 96
crystallization, of cocoa butter, 436, 437
deterioration of vegetable oil due to, 180
direct versus indirect grilling and, 319–20
eating cold foods to cool off and, 67
flavor release by alcohol and, 315
of food, cooking and, 386
frosting of glass containing mint julep, 39–40
heat of fusion and, 42
heat versus, 385, 419
of ice cubes in bars, 42
of items placed in refrigerator, 308
killing
Clostridium botulinum
and, 346
melting, 436
oven.
see
oven temperature
rate of cooling and, 19, 412
rehydrating dried beans and, 145–46
ripening of fruit and, 151, 152
for saving leftover Champagne, 33–34
shelf life of herbs and spices and, 350
of simmering liquids, 309
for smoking foods, 322
of soft-serve ice cream, 65–66
solidification of pea soup with refrigeration, 209–11
see also
cooling; freezing; refrigeration
tenderizing marinades, 288–89
tépin,
335
terminology, misuse of, 418–22
terpenes, 24, 331
tertiary butylated hydroquinone (TBHQ), 375
theaflavins, 11
thearubigins, 11
Theobroma cacao,
432
theobromine, 433, 441
thermodynamics, 390
thickeners, 381–82
thiols, 24–25
thiopropanol sulfoxide, 125–26
thiosulfinates, 343
thousand-year-old eggs, 105–6
time
for cooking roasts, shape and, 409–10
energy usage of fast and slow cooking methods and, 410–15
for marinating meat, 288, 289
of microwave cooking, 393–95
for simmering of stocks, 306
timing of adding herbs and spices and, 347–48
toasting marshmallows, 428–29
tocopherols, 173
tofu
storing, 137
types of, 135–37
tomatoes
color of, 111
in Ultimate Oven Paella, 258–60
tortillas, 230–31
to cool heat from capsaicins, 337
corn, 230–321
flour, 230
trachea, 4
trans fats (trans fatty acids), 166–71
Traunfeld, Jerry, 92
triglycerides, 169–71
in oils, 160–61
tuna
color of, 242–45
eggs of
(bottarga),
247–48
2 percent milk, 55
Ultimate Oven Paella, 258–60
Uncle Ben’s converted rice, 216
undulant fever, 77
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
advanced meat recovery system requirements of, 274
limit on nitrite amounts imposed by, 283
regulation of cream labeling by, 56–57
restriction of mechanically separated meat by, 272
unsaturated fatty acids, 169–70
unsweetened chocolate, 433
urea, in skate, 247
USDA.
see
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
vacuum, partial, 292
vacuum marinators, 291–93
Valencia rice, 213
van der Waals forces, 370
vanilla, 363–66
vanilla beans, 364, 365–66, 425
vanilla extract, 366, 425
labeling of, 425
Vanilla planifolia,
364
Vanilla tahitensis,
364
vanillin, 365
synthetic, 365, 425
variety meats, 274–75
veal
Osso Buco, 300–301
stock, 306
vegetable(s), 107–46
colors of, 109–13
cooking, color and, 111–13
smoking of, 354
stock, 306
see also
specific vegetables
vegetable oils
deterioration of, 180
fractionated, 168
functions of, 176
garlic, 345
garlic-infused, 345–47
mustard, 336, 337, 358
olive.
see
olive oil
partially hydrogenated, 167
production of, 161–63
rancidity of, 172–75
in tenderizing marinades, 289
triglycerides in, 160–61
Veggie Wash, 114–15
Vidalia onions, 128, 129–30
vinegar
for disinfecting surfaces, 116
for washing produce, 115–16
in water for boiling eggs, 95
virgin olive oil, 179
vitamins
in honey, 236–37
vitamin C as preservative, 375
vitamin E in cattle feed, 279
wasabi, 336
real and ersatz, 356–58
Wasabi Guacamole, 360
washing produce, 113–16
washing soda, in dishwasher detergent, 376
water
alcohol mixed with, 313–15
amount for stocks, 305
in beverages, 4
boiling, 16
in butter, 82–83, 84
as conductor of heat, 404
hydrogen bonding in, 398
hydrophilic substances and, 437–38
lowering of freezing point by adding bourbon, 39–40
produced by burning of propane, 319
in scallops, FDA regulation of, 263–64
scallops soaked in, 263
in sea salt, 74
specific heat of, 398
temperature of.
see
water temperature
for washing produce, 115
Waterhouse, Andrew L., 48
water in oil suspensions, 381
water temperature
for brewing coffee, 17
for brewing tea, 16, 303
for starting stock, 304–5
warm water as breeding ground for bacteria and, 303
weep, in meat packages, 277
“wet” scallops, 263
wheat, 202–3
whey, draining off yogurt, 63
whipping pasteurized egg whites, 104–5
whiskey
bourbon, 36
sour mash, 36–37
white peppercorns, 333
white stocks, 304
whole milk, 55
wild salmon
Blistered Wild Salmon, 241
color of, 239
Williams & Humbert, 29
wines
apple, 197
blending and aging for Sherry, 29–31
Champagne, saving, 33–34
flavor added by, 315
fortified, 30
myth of flavor release by, 313–15
red, removing stains made by, 47–50
Sherry, 28–31
sugar of lead and, 234
sulfites in, 27–28
winterizing, of oils, 162
Wolfert, Paula, 410–11, 415–16
Wolke’s Law of Pervasive Perversity, 18, 409
wood alcohol, 22
x-rays, airport security, inability to kill insects and parasites, 376
xylitol, 234
yellowfin tuna, 242, 245
yellowtail, 242
yogurt, 59–62
calories in, 60
flavor of, 61
frozen, 66
lactose intolerance and, 61
production of, 60–61, 62
thickener in, 59
Yogurt Cheese, 63
Young, L. L., 291
Yukon Gold potatoes, 208–9
discoloration in, 117
zero fat milk, 55
zingerone, 331, 336
ziti, 222
More Praise for
What Einstein Kept Under His Hat
“Bob Wolke is that rare mix of lab-coat scientist and raconteur, as if Albert Einstein’s mother had married Rodney Dangerfield’s father. He’s informed, amusing, and delivers clear answers as well as good, in-depth science.”
—Christopher Kimball, founder, publisher, and
editor of
Cook’s
Illustrated
and
Cook’s Country
“Robert Wolke’s scientific lore is more than entertaining—it’s essential to making us better cooks, more savvy shoppers, and less phobic eaters.”
—James Peterson, author of
Splendid Soups
and
Glorious French Food
“I may never need to know why baking soda turns red cabbage blue, but it’s reassuring to know that I can find the answer, along with many others, in here.”
—Bill Yosses, author of
The Perfect Finish
“Books like Robert L. Wolke’s are showing cooks how to continue evolving at a time in which it would appear that gastronomy has stalled.”
—Ferran Adrià, chef and founder,
El Bulli restaurant, Roses, Spain
“Bob Wolke writes about the hows and whys of cooking with clarity, humor, and passion. Who else can explain the science of braising or the mechanics of heat transfer and still make you chuckle?”
—Jack Bishop, editorial director,
Cook’s Illustrated
“Wolke’s explanations are so well written that they read like a witty novel, except it is all true.”
—Elinor Klivans, author of
Chocolate Cakes: 50 Great Cakes for Every Occasion
“Infectious, informative, and even surprisingly useful.”
—Mark Kurlansky, author of
Cod
and
The Story of Salt
“Teaches cooks about chemistry, and chemists about food. If you love cooking, chemistry, and puns, this is for you!”
—Charles P. Casey, former president, American Chemical Society
“An engrossing, authoritative, witty, lucid, and insightful book that provides a host of answers to questions that you’ve probably always wondered about as well as those that you’ve never imagined.”
—
Chemical Educator
“Wolke . . . manages to combine the clarity of a good journalist with the nosiness of a good scientist. He doesn’t just dissect food, he loves to cook and eat it too. He is . . . just the kind of scientist who would be vivacious at a dinner party.”
—Jean-Baptiste Sancey,
chef and owner, The Railway gastropub, Honiton, UK
“Wolke knows his stuff; bridges the gap between laboratory and kitchen.”
—Rhonda Parkinson, author of
The Everything Stir-Fry Cookbook
“This guy knows
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