The Science of Cooking

1: Foreword
2: Taste and flavour


1: Why do we cook?
2: How do we taste?
3: Why does cooked food taste so good?
4: Why do some flavours go together so well?


3: Kitchen essentials


1: An essential guide to knives
2: An essential guide to pots and pans
3: An essential guide to utensils


4: Meat and poultry


1: In focus: meat
2: How can I tell if meat is good quality?
3: Should I avoid buying meat that has gone brown?
4: Why do different meats look and taste so different?
5: Is it better to choose organic meat?
6: Are purebred and heritage cattle breeds tastier?
7: Do larger chickens lack flavour?
8: How can an animal's feed affect the taste and texture of its meat?
9: Is fillet steak from the tenderloin really the best cut of beef?
10: Why is it so expensive to buy Wagyu beef?
11: What is the difference between organic, free-range, and indoor chickens?
12: How can I tell if meat has been injected with water?
13: If I freeze meat, will it destroy the taste and texture?
14: Do I really need to pound meat?
15: The process of barbecuing
16: What are the benefits of marinating meat?
17: Should I season meat with salt well in advance or just before cooking?
18: How do I smoke meat at home?
19: Is it possible to age meat at home?
20: Should I trim all the fat off meat?
21: Does it matter if you cut meat across the grain or along it?
22: What is the secret to perfectly crispy pork crackling?
23: Should I cook meat from room temperature?
24: Does searing a steak really "seal in" juices?
25: How do I cook the perfect steak?
26: The process of slow cooking
27: How can I stop chicken or turkey from drying out?
28: What does basting do?
29: How can I tell when meat is done?
30: Why do I need to rest meat after cooking?
31: What can I do with overcooked meat?
32: What's the secret of a tasty sauce?
33: Is it worth all the effort to make my own stock?
34: Why is it safe to eat rare beef, but not chicken or pork?
35: Why do so many foods taste like chicken?


5: Fish and seafood


1: In focus: fish
2: How do I know if fish is fresh?
3: Why is fish called "brain" food?
4: Why does salmon come in varying shades of orange?
5: Is farmed fish as good as wild?
6: Is it better to buy prawns with their heads on?
7: Is it better to buy prawns raw or pre-cooked, fresh or frozen?
8: Why do we eat oysters raw?
9: When is the best season for oysters?
10: The process of pan-frying
11: How can I preserve fish at home?
12: What happens when you salt bake fish?
13: Is it better to buy fresh or frozen fish?
14: Can I cook fish from frozen?
15: Should I bake fish in a parcel or uncovered?
16: How can I keep fish moist with different cooking methods?
17: Can fish go soggy if poached slowly?
18: The process of sous-vide
19: How do I cook fish to have crispy golden skin?
20: Why don't you need to rest fish?
21: Can I eat sashimi safely?
22: How does citrus juice "cook" raw fish?
23: Why do shellfish change colour when cooked?
24: What are the rules when cooking mussels?


6: Eggs and dairy


1: In focus: eggs
2: Should I limit how many eggs I eat?
3: Are there more nutrients in free-range eggs?
4: Is it safe to eat raw eggs?
5: Where is the best place to store my eggs?
6: Why do rotten eggs smell bad?
7: How can I tell if an egg is fresh?
8: Is it true that only fresh eggs poach well?
9: How can I cook soft-boiled eggs with runny yolks?
10: What's the best method to peel hard-boiled eggs?
11: How do I make the perfect scrambled eggs?
12: What is the secret of creamy, smooth custard?
13: Does it matter if yolk gets in my whipped egg whites?
14: How can I prevent split mayonnaise?
15: In focus: milk
16: Why do we pasteurize milk?
17: Can I cook successfully with low-fat dairy products?
18: Which type of cream should I use?
19: How can I heat milk without a skin forming?
20: Can I make ice cream at home without an ice-cream maker?
21: Do ice-cream makers make creamier ice cream than whisking by hand?
22: Is it worth making my own yogurt?
23: Why does yogurt split in spicy dishes?
24: Should I eat probiotic yogurt?
25: In focus: cheese
26: If the veins in blue cheese are mould, why is it edible?
27: Why are some cheeses so strong and smelly?
28: Why does some cheese go stringy?
29: Should I avoid processed cheese?
30: Can I make perfect soft cheese at home?


7: Rice, grains, and pasta


1: In focus: rice
2: How much water should I add to my rice?
3: How can I cook fluffy rice every time?
4: Is it okay to reheat cooked rice?
5: The process of pressure cooking
6: Why is wholegrain better than processed?
7: Do I really need to soak pulses before I cook them?
8: Why exactly is quinoa so special?
9: How can I stop beans giving me gas?
10: Is it true that uncooked kidney beans are poisonous?
11: Why does popcorn pop?
12: How can I make my own fresh pasta?
13: Is fresh pasta better than dried?
14: How does adding salt to my pasta water help?
15: Should I add oil to the cooking water to stop pasta sticking?


8: Vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds


1: Are organic fruit and vegetables better than non-organic?
2: Are heirloom varieties tastier?
3: Do vegetables lose nutrients as they age?
4: Is it better to eat vegetables raw?
5: Should I throw away the green tops?
6: Is it better to peel or scrub?
7: Can leaving mushrooms in the sun really increase their vitamin D content?
8: The process of steaming
9: How do I chop an onion without crying?
10: Why do different-coloured peppers taste different?
11: How do I roast vegetables without them going soggy?
12: How do I cook vegetables to optimize nutrients?
13: Does adding salt to the water cook vegetables faster?
14: What is the secret of the perfect vegetable stir-fry?
15: In focus: potatoes
16: How do I make fluffy mashed potatoes?
17: The process of microwaving
18: How does lemon juice stop sliced fruit from turning brown?
19: Is juicing a good substitute for whole fruit and vegetables?
20: How do bananas help ripen other fruit?
21: How do you use bananas at different stages of ripeness?
22: Can I cook soft fruit from frozen?
23: How can I cook fruit without it turning mushy?
24: Why are olives brined?
25: Are black olives really dyed?
26: In focus: nuts
27: How can I enjoy the freshest nuts?
28: Do nuts and seeds taste better cooked?


9: Herbs, spices, oils, and flavourings


1: In focus: herbs
2: What's the best way to prepare fresh herbs?
3: How do I get the best from dried herbs?
4: When should I add herbs during cooking?
5: Can how I prepare garlic affect its strength?
6: How can I get the most flavour from spices?
7: Why do recipes often say to add spices to oil at the start?
8: Why is saffron so expensive?
9: In focus: chillies
10: How can I tame food that's too hot?
11: What's the best way to take away chilli heat?
12: In focus: oils and fats
13: Why are some olive oils better quality than others?
14: What's the best way to store olive oil?
15: Why does food cook faster when it's fried?
16: Why is fried food bad for your health?
17: How does alcohol enhance food?
18: What happens when I flambe food?
19: Does alcohol really evaporate when I cook with it?
20: How can I stop my salad dressing from splitting?
21: Is there much variance between different grades of balsamic vinegar?
22: In focus: salt
23: Can I salvage over-salted dishes?
24: Is it better to use light or dark soy sauce for cooking?


10: Baking and sweet things


1: In focus: flour
2: Why do I need to sift flour?
3: Why do baking recipes recommend adding salt?
4: Can I use baking powder instead of bicarbonate of soda?
5: Which is the best type of fat for baking?
6: How important is it to preheat the oven?
7: Why hasn't my cake risen?
8: Why do cakes go hard and biscuits soft?
9: What is a sourdough starter?
10: What are the basics of a good bread dough?
11: Why do you need to prove dough before baking it?
12: The process of oven baking
13: Why doesn't gluten-free bread rise very well?
14: Why isn't home-made bread as light as shop-bought?
15: Why shouldn't I "overwork" pastry?
16: Do I always need to chill pastry before rolling it out?
17: What's the secret to light puff pastry?
18: How do I prevent my pie getting a "soggy bottom"?
19: In focus: sugar
20: Can I make fluffy marshmallows at home?
21: What is the secret behind caramelization?
22: How do I get my jam to set properly?
23: In focus: chocolate
24: Why does chocolate from different countries taste so different?
25: What is the difference between melting and tempering chocolate?
26: Can I still use chocolate that's turned white?
27: How do I salvage melted chocolate that's gone lumpy?
28: How do I make a chocolate ganache?
29: Can I make chocolate sauce that hardens on ice cream?
30: How do I master a chocolate souffle?


11: Index and acknowledgments