Critics of Molecular Gastronomy

Minor Quibbling

The CC receives a lot of comments/questions/criticisms from the readers of this blog, and he does answer them but here's the request.

Why not post the comments/questions/criticisms right here?

Part of the point is that this is a community of food lovers, and we're all here to learn so why not share and share alike?

Food in Movies

Given how visual food is, one would think that it is not too hard to film it. However, it seems to be surprisingly hard. Waiting around for broth to boil isn't exactly dramatic.

However, there are many movies about food, largely concerned with exploring metaphors around food : food as communication, food as sensuality, food as sex, food as culture.

Here are some of the movies on food that the CC loves.

• Eat Drink Man Woman

  Perhaps, the CC's favorite movie on food. Just the opening sequence gives the CC goosebumps. He's probably watched it more than a hundred times. The movie itself is quite amazing too.

• Mostly Martha

  The original German movie (not the crappy remake.) Features an obsessive-compulsive chef whom the CC strongly identifies with. The CC's love of Italian food plays a role too.

• Tampopo

  How could you possibly not love the delightful quirkiness?

• Mirch Masala

  Not exactly a movie on food but certainly one to exploit the metaphors around it.

• Delicatessen

  Apocalyptic future. Cannibalism. A "bullshit detector". Lentil smugglers! What's not to like?

The CC has almost certainly seen all and any movies related to food. Some are charming and quirky; some are routine and forgettable; some have exquisite filming of food sequences but not much else.

Just for the record, the CC singles out "Babette's Feast" for most boring food movie ever. There were some peasants, and a flopping turtle, and there was supposed to be the "transcendental power of art in the name of God" or some such. God help us if we have to sit through this stuff on a routine basis!

Perhaps the audience would like to chime in?

What is an opinion?

Ever hear of the "age-old adage" that "breakfast is the most important meal of the day"? Do you refer to "bacon and eggs" as a quintessentially "American breakfast"?

More importantly, do you believe them to be true?

Both are the creation of the public-relations genius (or evil genius) Edward Bernays, and were created to increase sales of bacon. Effectively, it involves manipulation via using "third-party authorities" to plead the cause.

First, doctors were polled on the "virtues of a heavy breakfast". Then, other doctors were polled with the adage that their colleagues thought that "heavy breakfasts were virtuous for the following reasons" and "did they agree with it?" (Psychology being what it is very few people have the guts to disagree with their colleagues.) Then, it was publicized that "most doctors recommend a heavy breakfast", "bacon and eggs are a heavy breakfast", "most Americans like bacon and eggs", etc. and voilà! Instant Americana.

Same goes for pancakes by the way. A pure creation of Dr. Bernays' propaganda.

Morals, if any?

Don't believe "received opinion", and "authenticity" is a dubious beast.

2008...

... will be the International Year of the Potato!

Who wants rosemary fries with that?

Karela Kaju Kishmish

The CC has posted this particular recipe before but he finds it impossible to invent new tricks each time so you will have to be content with a "show-n-tell" instead.

Ingredients

4-5 small karelas, cut into rounds
1/3 cup peas (frozen is fine.)
1/3 cup cashews (broken)
1/3 cup raisins
1/2 tsp asafoetida
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric (optional)
4-5 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp poppy seeds
salt to taste

Recipe

The mise-en-scène; from left clockwise: raisins, peas, broken cashews.

Karela's (bitter gourds)
Peeled karela's
They look like naked mole-rats, don't they?

Cut the bitter gourds into rounds, cover with salt, and mix.

Add water, and soak for at least an hour. The goal is to leech out the bitter part via osmosis. (Don't worry about the salt; you can always control the recipe later.)

Rinse them thoroughly, and squeeze, squeeze, squeeze. Dry thoroughly.

First, we pan-fry the bitter gourd rounds.

When they look fried, add the brown sugar, and let it caremelize.

Watch how everything turns dark brown.

When they are fried, drain them using paper napkins. They should be thoroughly dry before the next step.

Dry roast equal proportions of coriander seeds and cumin. When it gives off a fragrant smell, pulverize it into a powder (dhanajeeru.) The CC just uses a coffee grinder.

Fry some oil, add the asafoetida, fry, add the above dhanajeeru; the red chilli powder, the fried bitter gourd, the raisins and the cashews. Add a tiny amount of water.

Add the peas, and the poppy seeds towards the end. If it looks too wet, let it cook uncovered. You want it to be on the dry side.

Fresh Turmeric Pickle

Technically it's not a "pickle" because it hasn't really been fermented but it's so delicious, why argue?

Ingredients

fresh turmeric
sea salt
water

Recipe

This is what fresh turmeric looks like. You can see for yourself what it resembles!

First, you need to peel it.

The peeling process will stain your hands. Consider this as a "Badge of Honor" for your dedication to the culinary arts. (Do not let it stain your clothes. They will be ruined, as all of South Asia knows!)

Cut them up into rounds (or whatever), and toss sea salt on top of it. (Do not skimp on the sea salt.)

Cover it completely with water, and let it steep for at least 24 hours. You can put it in the fridge but strictly speaking, it is not necessary.

Mushroom, Leek and Spinach Frittata

The frittata is one of those Italian concepts born in poverty.

Think of it as an "egg pie" with stuff added in a form convenient for both transport and storage. (Yes, Virginia! there was a world before refrigeration, and they loved picnics too!)

Before the CC goes on, let's review the "concept".

First, you "cook" a lot of stuff, let it cool, mix it in with a lot of eggs, let the eggs cook into a "pie", let it cool, and cut it up.

The pieces are high in both taste and protein, and once they cool, they will last a long time without refrigeration. Not surprisingly, they taste better the next day.

Before the CC gives the recipe, let it be noted that this is one where times and details must necessarily be approximate. You are dealing with cooking eggs, and times depends as much on how well you've fried your vegetables (aka. water content in the egg mixture) to the number of eggs, to the ratio of the diameter of your pan to your burner (aka. evaporation rate.)

In short, art is involved.

However, the recipe is simple provided you follow the CC's instructions.

In fact, you will be well served if you make sure that you never turn the gas burner above "medium low".

Ingredients

4-5 leeks
1 lb mixed mushrooms (crimini, shiitake, etc.)
5-6 dried porcini mushrooms
1 lb spinach
18 eggs
freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano
salt and pepper

Recipe

Reconstitute the dried porcini mushrooms in warm water.

First up, the mise en scène, clockwise from top left: crimini mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, leeks, and reconstituted porcini mushrooms.

The raw spinach. Just exhibiting this here to get a sense of scale.

The spinach must be blanched in boiling water. It will change color to a dark green.

The same quantity on spinach (to show the reduction due to blanching.) Now you must take this, and squeeze, and squeeze, and squeeze, and squeeze. When you can't squeeze any more, you must squeeze further.

The spinach. This is smaller than a fist. Dice it as finely as you can.

Les oeufs
Grated parmesan added.
Add some black pepper (not shown), and whip the eggs until they are nice and fluffy.

Now, we're going to fry the leeks, and the veggies. First up, the leeks at a medium-low heat. All this frying will try your patience (you cannot hurry this.)

The leeks look done.

In go, the shiitakes.

Almost 5 minutes later.

In go the criminis.

Five minutes later.

In go the diced porcinis (save the water, filter it, and add it to the beaten eggs.)

Lastly, the spinach.

The fried mixture (almost 10 minutes later.) You must let this cool to room temperature before adding to the egg mixture (otherwise the heat will coagulate the egg proteins.) The CC just stuck it in the fridge to cool.

The whipped eggs along with the above mixture.

Heat the pan at a "medium low" heat, and toss in the mixture. Roughly five minutes in, take a spatula, and insert it around the edges and under to check that the egg surface has solidified. The surface will still be wet. Cover, and let it cook for 8-10 minutes checking periodically. (covering is important!)

Lift the cover. If the eggs looked steamed through, remove the cover. Traditionally, this was the time they put the skillet under the broiler to cook the top. However you can just let the ensemble keep cooking for 7-8 minutes on a very low heat. (It is important that it be uncovered to let whatever moisture there is escape.)

The frittata very close to the end.

The frittata

Silkie Chickens

The meat is supposed to be lean and gamy, and the color a rich dark black.

Moules Marinières et Frites Rôtis

The marinières are sailors. One surmises that the title comes from the elementary simplicity of the dish. Whether it was made for sailors, or by sailors, or whether the sailors ever even ate it is disputable but why let etymology get in the way of a good dish?

Assuming the sailors ever ate this, the CC doubts very much whether they cared for nutritional integrity. However, we live in modern leaner times, and even classic dishes must tow the line.

Like all dishes of this ilk, the details are a little vague. The herbs are really whatever was in season, or even whatever was available. The only constant seem to be the mussels (moules), and the fries (frites.) It would be a bit tricky to make a dish without its main ingredients (not that that has ever stopped anyone from trying!)

Ingredients

1 lb mussels
1 diced onion
5-6 cloves garlic
1-1/2 cup "good" dry white wine
thyme
rosemary
olive oil
sea salt and pepper

1 lb potatoes
sprigs of rosemary
olive oil
sea salt and pepper

crusty bread

Recipe

The potatoes are coated in olive oil, sprinkled with sea salt, and black pepper, and sprinkled with whole rosemary.

Bake in an oven at 450F for an hour. Roughly halfway through they must be turned over. Be careful or else they will stick.

onions+garlic and thyme+rosemary
Fry the onions and garlic, at a very low heat.

Add the tomato paste (not shown), fry for a bit, and the herbs.

Toss in the wine, and add the mussels. Cover, and let it steam to cook the mussels. Discard any that don't open. Remove the mussels, and let the remaining portion reduce for a bit. Pour it over the mussels.

This is the final product (a tad sanitized.) Part of the charm is eating with your fingers. Make sure you sop of the juices with the fries or the bread!