Modernist-Cuisine-Vol.-1-Small

4
GOOD OLD-FASHIONED CHEMISTRY
THE NEWFANGLED NATURALS
Although we rarely think about it, many of the foods considered
most natural, familiar, and safe are actually produced by chemical
processing under the care and control of food scientists.
The methods used to make the Modernist ingredients
below are the same as those used to produce the
traditional ingredients listed on the previous page.
With the exception of xanthan gum, which is
fermented, all the compounds below are made by
chemical purification from natural organic sources.
Baking soda
Made with calcium carbonate, salt, ammonia,
water, carbon dioxide
Process: chemical purification from organic
and inorganic sources
Decaffeinated coffee
Made with coffee beans and carbon dioxide
Process: critical point extraction (see page
4·363)
Gelatin
Made with pig or fish skin
Process: chemical purification from natural
organic sources
Activa (transglutaminase)
Made with milk
Uses: binding, firming, improving creaminess
Alginate
Made with seaweed
Uses: thickening, spherification
Carrageenan
Made with seaweed
Uses: thickening, clarifying, binding moisture
Hard liquor
Made with fruits, sugars, grains, and other
plant products
Process: fermentation then distillation
Maple syrup
Made with tree sap
Process: chemical purification from natural
organic sources
Salt
Made with seawater, mineral salt
Process: chemical purification from inorganic
sources
Guar gum
Made with guar seeds
Uses: thickening, homogenizing, binding
Gum arabic
Made with tree sap
Uses: binding
Locust bean gum
Made with locust beans
Uses: thickening, gelling
Sugar
Made with cane or beet juice
Process: chemical purification from natural
organic sources
Vinegar
Made with sugars, yeast, bacteria
Process: microbial fermentation and sometimes
distillation
Wine
Made with grapes, sugars, yeast
Process: microbial fermentation
Modified starch
Made with tapioca starch from cassava root,
other natural sources
Uses: thickening, stabilizing, emulsifying
Pectin
Made with orange rinds
Uses: thickening, gelling, stabilizing
Xanthan gum
Made with sugar, bacteria
Uses: stabilizing
256 VOLUME 1 ·· HISTORY AND FUNDAMENTALS
FOOD AND HEALTH 257