Group Project: Molecular Gastronomy

MOLECULAR GASTRONOMY

GROUP REPORT BY GROUP 8, SO GR8

STS THX

ABSTRACT

The advent of Molecular Gastronomy, or the investigation and application of scientific processes in the context of cooking, has revolutionized the world of cuisine. This report provides an overview of the rich history of the practice, from its inception under Nicolas Kurti and Hervé This to its current worldwide popularity. It also gives a brief description of the many processes and techniques used under Molecular Gastronomy, such as Spherification, Emulsification, and Molecular Mixology.

“I think it is a sad reflection on our civilization that while we can and do measure the temperature in the atmosphere of Venus we do not know what goes on inside our soufflés.”

- Nicholas Kurti

A. INTRODUCTION

Basic scientific principles and concepts form an integral part of nearly every aspect of the human experience. Hunger and sustenance, perhaps the most primal human urge, is no exception; the very act of cooking and preparing food is wholly dependent on physical and chemical processes. Molecular Gastronomy is, quite simply, a celebration of this relationship through the application of conventional scientific techniques to both improve regular cuisine and create works of culinary art that are completely unprecedented and unique.

B. HISTORY

The term Molecular Gastronomy was coined in the 1980-1990’s by a Hungarian physicist named Nicholas Kurti and French chemist Hervé This. The scientists’ goal was to debunk the mystery behind the physical and chemical processes that occur in cooking, thereby empowering cooks to improve their own culinary skills. There were many key events that made Molecular Gastronomy to what it is now. The first of these occurred in 1967, Kurti gave a talk entitled “The Physicist in the Kitchen". In 1984, Harold McGee published the first edition of On Food and Cooking. In 1992, Elizabeth Thomas, with Kurti’s assistance pioneered a series of workshops called “Workshop on Molecular and Physical Gastronomy” (Raiswell).

               

Molecular gastronomy blew up on the world stage in the late 1990s and early 2000s, as all kinds of chefs began to experiment with the science of cooking. Adria and Blumenthal were joined by other notables such as Pierre Gagnaire, Homaro Cantu and Grant Achatz, some of whom created their own kitchen laboratories for molecular gastronomy. (Lersch).

Today, some of the well-known names associated with molecular gastronomy include Homaro Cantu of Moto Restaurant with his edible paper and the Miracle Berry, Ferran Adria who is dubbed the "Salvador Dali of the Kitchen" and is also known for his foams,  Wylie Dufresne, the owner of wd-50, Grant Achatz, owner of Alinea, and Heston Blumenthal, owner of The Fat Duck based in the UK.  In the Philippines, restaurants inspired by molecular gastronomy have also emerged such as Vask in Bonifacio Global City, Zenses Neo-Shanghai Cuisine in Makati and Iscreamist in Quezon City, which both experiment with liquid nitrogen (Starchefs, 2014).

B. METHODS

SPHERIFICATION

Spherification is the process of making spherical consumables using edible liquids. Products of Spherification often possess qualities similar to that of caviar, however, the process can be used in the formation of other foods, such as eggs, gnocchi, and ravioli. The techniques used to create the spheres vary: from creating a thin gel membrane that coats the sphere, allowing the liquid to keep its spherical shape, or having the sphere completely gelled all throughout (Spherification Technique: The Basic Guide to Spherification).

EMULSIFICATION AND FOAMS

When two or more substances, such as oil and water, are not capable of blending into a homogeneous solution, they are immiscible. Emulsification, paves the way to this incapability, turning these heterogeneous substances into a homogeneous mixture, using an emulsifying agent. These kinds of mixtures have different chemical properties which do not allow its particles to dissolve, so these particles just remain suspended. Foam is similar to emulsification in the need for a surfactant (“Emulsifying Technique”). However, while emulsions trap solids or liquids inside a mixture, foams trap air inside the mixture. The term foam is still a general term and still has many different types. One such type of foams are called airs. Airs are dry foams and are made up of bubbles which are typically large. . Aside from classifying foams into wet and dry, it can also be separated into light and dense foams. Airs are again an example of very light foams while whipped cream is for dense foams. Its density depends on the wetness and the coarseness of the bubbles. The common tools used for creating foams are whisks or immersion blenders, whipping siphon, mixer, milk frother and aquarium bubbler (“Guide to Modernist Foams”).

MOLECULAR MIXOLOGY

The method of creating cocktails with the use of molecular gastronomy tools and techniques is Molecular Mixology. It is a unique practice of incorporating science in the techniques of drink mixing (Colleen). Molecular Mixology promotes various modern ways of cocktail presentation, for example using foams, powders, liquid nitrogen, gels, mists, heat, solidifying liquids and atomised sprays which enhance the drink’s aesthetic appeal. Other recipes used by molecular mixologists include jellied wines, cocktails frozen by liquid nitrogen, and adding flavored foams, bubbles and smoked aromas to the drinks (O’Neil, 2006).

C. CONCLUSION

Even seemingly mundane and conventional methods of cooking such as frying or boiling make use of scientific principles similar to those used in the most advanced spherification or mixology techniques of Molecular Geometry. It is thus strange that very few people are aware of, or are appreciative of, the unimaginable relevance of science in their kitchens. This is precisely why Molecular Gastronomy is so important: beyond creating fantastic new recipes, it raises a higher level of awareness and wonder of the role science plays into our lives. The techniques, processes and even equipment used in Molecular Gastronomy are highly varied and diverse, yet there is one main thing which links them together. All these discrete, separate factors share in the true core of Molecular Gastronomy: the recognition and celebration of the beautiful and inextricable relationship between food and science. At the end of the day, science has elevated human sustenance from a mere biological activity to an art form; thanks to Molecular Gastronomy, cuisine will continue to progress, innovate, and elevate itself alongside our rapidly evolving society.

D. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Ak, Ajmal, 2012. Molecular Gastronomy. http://www.slideshare.net/ajmalagm/molecular-gastronomy-12029401. March 16, 2014.

Culinary Schools.com, 2014. What is Molecular Gastronomy?: A Definition & Short History. http://www.culinaryschools.com/what-is-molecular-gastronomy-definition. March 16, 2014

Cantu, Homaro, 2013. The Power of the Miracle Berry. Huffington Post: The Blog. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/homaro-cantu/miracle-berry_b_2775033.html. March 18, 2014.


"Emulsifying Technique." Modernist Cooking Made Easy. http://www.modernistcookingmadeeasy.com/info/emulsifying-technique (accessed March 19, 2014).


Go, Jeatte. 2014. Iscreamist review - quezon city -  what chemists eat. http://learningtocompute.blogspot.com/2013/04/iscreamist-review-quezon-city-what.html. March 18, 2014

Golangco,Vince, 2010. Molecular gastronomy and liquid nitrogen at Zenses neo shanghai cuisine. Food and Restaurants. When in Manila. http://www.wheninmanila.com/molecular-gastronomy-and-liquid-nitrogen-at-zenses-neo-shanghai-cuisine/. March 18, 2014

Graham, Colleen. Molecular Mixology. About.com Cocktails.http://cocktails.about.com/od/mixology/g/molecular_mix.htm. March 15, 2014.

"Guide to Modernist Foams." Modernist Cooking Made Easy. http://www.modernistcookingmadeeasy.com/info/modernist-techniques/more/culinary-foams-technique (accessed March 19, 2014).


Lersch, Martin. History. http://blog.khymos.org/molecular-gastronomy/history/. March 16, 2014.

Molecular Gastronomy History. http://www.molecularrecipes.com/molecular-gastronomy/molecular-gastronomy-history/. Molecularrecipies. March 16, 2014.

Molecular Recipes.com. 2012. Molecular Mixology – Gels, Paper, Caviar and more! http://www.molecularrecipes.com/molec.../molecular-mixology/. March 15, 2014.

Moore, Brett. Ferran Adria. About.com Gourmet Food. http://gourmetfood.about.com/od/chefbiographi2/p/ferranadriabio.htm. March 17, 2014.


Museum of Science and Industry Chicago. Fast Forward... Inventing the Future. The Innovators: Homaro Cantu. http://www.msichicago.org/whats-here/exhibits/fastforward/the-innovators/homaro-cantu/. March 17. 2014.

n.d., Heston Blumenthal Biography. The Fat Duck. http://www.thefatduck.co.uk/Heston-Blumenthal/Biography/. March 18, 2014.  

O’Neil, Darcy. 2006. An Introduction to Molecular MIxology. Art of
Drink.http://www.artofdrink.com/2006/04/molecular-mixology.php. March 15, 2014

P. Lee, M.A. Rogers; June 2012; Effect of calcium source and exposure-time on basic caviar spherification using sodium alginate; Vol. 1, Issue 2, Pages 96-100; AZTI- Tecnali; International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science; http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1878450X13000073; 10 March 2014

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