Science and Cooking: From Haute Cuisine to Soft Matter Science - Baking

As I posted in a previous blog entry, I've enrolled in an on-line course about the relationship between science and cooking.

Here's what went down week 9 .

• To coincide with all the holiday baking going on, this week's lesson explores the basic physics and chemistry involved in baking. Joanne Chang is this week's celebrity instructor.
• Baking involves a lot of the topics already covered in the course. Understanding these concepts won't make you a master baker, but hopefully, it will help you make better sense of the recipes you're using: 
• Elasticity -  the properties of gluten; the elastic network that occurs in proteins, starches, and sugars.
• Viscosity - any time something expands and rises, it involves the flowing of molecules by each other; without it, your breads wouldn't rise, and your cakes and cookies wouldn't expand.   
• Emulsions - baked goods tend to be made of bubbles that are packed together, and those bubbles are the result of gas expansion that occurs during baking.
• Heat transfer - obeys the laws of diffusion.
• Joanne Chang shows us some of the science behind making a birthday cake and a flaky pie dough:
  
  
• Though a birthday cake would work for Christmas baking (think about it), here's the recipe for another cake used in this lesson to try over the holidays, a Coca Cola cake:
  

  Ingredients

  1 cup cola
  1/2 cup buttermilk
  1 cup butter, softened
  1 3/4 cups sugar
  2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  2 cups all-purpose flour
  1/4 cup cocoa
  1 teaspoon baking soda
  1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
  3/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted (optional garnish)

  
  
  1. Combine the cola and the buttermilk in a bowl, then set the mixture aside.
  2. Beat the butter at a low speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar; beat until blended. Add the egg and vanilla, and again beat at low speed until blended.
  3. Combine the flour and cocoa to the cola mixture. Add to the butter mixture alternately with the cola mixture; begin and end with the flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended.
  4. Stir in the marshmallows. Pour the batter into a greased and floured pan. Bake at 350° for 30 to 35 minutes. Now is the time to make your frosting.

  1/2 cup butter
  1/3 cup cola
  3 tablespoons cocoa
  1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar
  1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  5. Combine the butter, cola, and cocoa and bring it to a boil in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the butter melts. Remove from heat, and whisk in the sugar and vanilla.
  6. Remove the cake from the oven, and allow it cool 10 minutes. Pour the frosting over the warm cake. Garnish with the pecans, if desired.

Infographic: Holiday Drinks From Around the World

Infographic via visual.ly

Deceived by a Huxtable

With Bill Cosby's troubles being one of the biggest stories in the news these days, it got me thinking about an episode of "The Cosby Show". It was the one where Denise wanted to sleep on the sidewalk in order to get tickets to see The Walking Lemons, that ended with Denise and her friends, Cliff, Claire, and their friends all dancing in the living room. The B-plot of this episode involved trying to get Rudy to eat her Brussels sprouts. The cutest Cosby kid hated those mini cabbages, and who could blame her? They were boiled, green, and slimy. But as is the case in most vegetables, getting children (and adults) to eat them all depends on how you cook them. I recently tried a recipe that brought out the flavour of the sprouts and made them a great side dish for any dinner table. As for Cosby himself? Like many people who grew up watching the Huxtables, and have fond memories of Fat Albert, I really hope the rape accusations aren't true. But with more women coming forward by the day, it looks like all the jazz musician grandfathers in the world can't save him now.

Ingredients

4 strips thick-cut bacon
2 tablespoons butter
454 g. Brussels sprouts, halved
1/2 large onion, chopped
salt
pepper

1.  Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it's crispy. Place the bacon on a paper towel-lined plate, and then roughly chop it up.
2. In the same pan with the bacon fat, melt the butter over high heat. Add the onions and Brussels sprouts and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sprouts are golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Season everything with salt and pepper, to taste, and toss the bacon back into pan. Serve immediately.
   
   Makes 4 to 6 servings

2014 Gift Guide

It's that time of the season again to give thanks and presents to the food lovers in our lives. If you're looking for some gift suggestions,  here are some that have caught my eye that may tickle your fancy.

For more gift ideas, check out last year's Gift Guide.

• Auto-measuring Spice Rack
  Stylish and suitable for use under a cabinet or on a shelf, the removable spice compartments each feature an auto-measure for a perfect 1/ 4-teaspoon measurement, as well as the standard shaking and pouring methods.
  

• Baking Bad: Great Recipes. No Meth-in Around
  What could be better for a "Breaking Bad" fan than re-watching their favourite season with some Meth Muffins (complete with blue sugar crystals) and some Ricin Crispie Treats by their side? For fans of AMC's monster hit, the only gift that could be more perfect than this cookbook is a RV for another type of cooking.
  
• Beer Making Kit
  Whether it's a craft beer aficionado, or someone who just likes drinking beer, at some point, that person has considered brewing their own brew. With this gift, you can help them achieve that goal. Many local brewers started out doing this as a hobby, so who knows where this gift can go. Available for different styles of beer, the kit includes a set of 10 beer bottles, a bottle capper and caps.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Flameless Cooker
  No fire, no gas, no electricity? No problem. With this Japanese import, a meal can be cooked just about anywhere. Perfect for the camper or survivalist on your shopping list.
  
• Hand Free Wine Glass Holder
  Ideal for the attendee to the annual Wine and Food show or for people who like to talk with their hands when they drink.
  
• Mini Stovetop Smoker
  This will allow someone to have the flavour of smoked food from their stove-top without filling the house with actual smoke. It can also be used as a steamer, and who doesn't like cooking equipment that's multi.
  
• Muffin Tops Muffin Mold
  Even the health conscious can use a reminder to go to the gym. For those occasions, there are these muffin pans.
  
• Palm Peeler
  It makes peeling potatoes like child's play, and it's a safe way to allow children to help out preparing the vegetables for the day's meal.
  
• Smartphone-controlled Sous-Vide Machine
  Everything else seems to be controlled by your cellphone, why not a sous-vide machine? Tap the Mellow app on a cellphone, tell the cooker what temperature, how long, and when to begin making dinner, and by the time they get off the bus, their food has been cooked, using less electricity than their stove. Makes up to 6 adult servings of food.
  
• Spiral Vegetable Slicer
  Vegetarian cooking fans will love this tool for making things like garnishes for salads and vegetable noodles, a great pasta substitute.
  
• Star Wars Lightsaber BBQ Fork
  Whether a Jedi or a Sith, any fan of barbecue and the Star Wars movies would want a BBQ fork that looks just like a lightsaber. That should tide them over until Episode 7 arrives in theaters.
  
• Ultimate Wine Bottle Glass
  This is the glass for those days when the only things keeping a person from putting the bottle to their lips the second it's uncorked is dignity, self respect, and society.
  
• Umami: Unlocking the Secrets of the Fifth Taste
  For the food lover who wants to know more about the fifth taste, this book will give them both technical data and cultural history while allowing them to deploy umami like a pro.
  

Random Thoughts About Ottawa's Whole Foods

When the decision was made to redevelop Lansdowne Park, one of the selling points was that Whole Foods was going to be one of the stores in the commercial part of the new urban park concept for the area. My first exposure to the natural and organic foods supermarket chain was during an episode of "Top Chef" when the chefs were scrambling to buy ingredients for a QuickFire Challenge. I was surprised at the variety of items available in this store - someone bought an ostrich egg there for an omelet. The grand opening of the store was yesterday, so I made my way over during my lunch hour to see what all the fuss was about. Here's what I thought:

• It's not hard to be the shining jewel of the renovated Lansdowne Park when your competition is a Winners and a Sporting Life (think their opening days were as hyped and anticipated?).
• Some people braved a windchill of -17 Celsius and arrived at 6AM for a 9AM opening to say they were the first people inside. I was not one of those people, as I've never been in that much of a rush to give people my money.
• I hear the first 500 customers were given gift cards, ranging from $5 to $500 - nope, still not reason enough for me get there that early.
• It will be interesting to see how this company will fair in Ottawa once the coolness factor wears off.
• Not surprisingly, parking for this place is limited. Something to keep in mind if you're planning on buying a lot of groceries.
• I'm willing to bet that the majority of people here buying stuff would never think of buying similar products at any of the health food stores in Ottawa that were around before Whole Foods came to town.
• With more than 50 foods from Ontario and West Quebec producers, hopefully, this will be local enough for those concerned about their carbon footprint.
• They make use of every inch of the 39 000 square feet they have to play with. This is your one-stop-shop for all things organic, with a wide selection to choose from. Just don't expect that products will be any cheaper, organic food is still as expensive as ever.
• I had no idea there was more than one choice available when it comes to turnips.
• If you can get away with selling packages of asparagus with the ends removed to the lazy, more power to you.
• Not an ostrich egg to be seen.
• The cheese selection is second to none. Pretty good looking meat section and bakery as well.
• Best things I sampled: the fresh guacamole and the popcorn with drizzled chocolate on it.
• Despite Health Canada's assurances of safety, Whole Foods does not sell any genetically modified foods. I mention this because if you don't trust Health Canada, what exactly do you eat?
• Bought a fair trade coffee and the best carrot muffin I've ever eaten on the way out. 
• OVERALL IMPRESSION: Whole Foods lives up to the hype, it's a great store for natural and organic foods, with a wide selection of ingredients that will make your recipe that much better;  that said, I don't see it being a regular destination for anyone who doesn't live in the immediate area, or has money to burn.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

For reasons beyond my comprehension, my favourite NFL team is the New York Jets. As a distraction while watching them get their asses handed to them again, I carved our jack-o-lantern for Halloween. As a treat to my wife and son for high-jacking the living room TV to watch that debacle, I made them some roasted pumpkin seeds.

Ingredients

pumpkin
salt
seasoning

• Get to the seeds inside the pumpkin by either cutting the gourd into pieces, or by cutting a hole in it so you can reach in and take them out. Clean the seeds of any excess pumpkin innards under running water.
  
• Place the seeds in a pot and sprinkle them with about a tablespoon (15 g.) of salt.
  
  Cover the seeds with water, bring to boil, and let simmer for 10 minutes. Drain the seeds in a colander and dry lightly them with a paper towel.
• Spread the pumpkin seeds onto a baking sheet and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil (as I was out of olive oil, I used canola oil instead).
  
  Sprinkle your flavour popcorn seasoning on top (I used Old Bay), and roast the pumpkin seeds at 400°F (204°C) for 10 minutes, or until they have reached your preferred level of toasted-ness. Let the pumpkin seeds cool before eating.
  

Want a Moist Turkey? Brine it!

With Thanksgiving around the corner, the goal of whoever is cooking the turkey is to make sure the bird is moist and tender. This can be done by brining your poultry, a simple method of marinating the bird in a salt solution infused with aromatic herbs, spices, fruits and vegetables. The salt changes the structure of the muscle tissue in the meat which allows it to swell and absorb water and flavourings which results in tender meat once cooked. Here's the method I used when I brined the turkey for the Franklin family meal last Christmas:

Ingredients

cold water
1/2 cup (125 g) Kosher salt
1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar
2 cups (473 mL) boiling water

NOTE: The brining process takes time, so if you plan to do this, consider starting the day before you plan to cook the turkey. If the turkey is frozen, thaw it according to the package directions before brining.

1. In a pan on the stove, dissolve the salt and brown sugar in 2 cups of boiling water (or vegetable stock). Allow the mixture to cool in either the freezer or overnight in the refrigerator, depending on your time constraints.
2. Pour the brine solution into a food-grade container large enough to hold the turkey, and enough cold water to cover the bird. Add your favourite dried spices (i.e. a tablespoon of sage, oregano, thyme, rosemary, basil, cinnamon) and seasonings (i.e. peppercorns, garlic cloves). Feel free to substitute some of the water with cold tea, lemon or orange slices, fruit or vegetable juices, cider, wine or beer.
3. Untie your turkey, and remove the giblets from the neck cavity and the neck from the body cavity. Trim away any large areas of fat or excess skin around the body cavity, and cut off the tail. Wash the bird inside and out under cold water, rinse the bird thoroughly. Place the turkey into the brine, adding more water if necessary to completely submerge it. If the turkey keeps floating up, find a way to weigh it down.
4. The turkey and brine solution must be kept below 40°F/4°C  during the brining, so stick your container in the fridge, or somewhere cool, like in the basement, for at least ten hours.  About halfway through the brining process, turn your poultry over to ensure an even brining throughout. Ice packs or reusable gel packs may be used to maintain the brine's cold temperature, but do not put ice directly into the solution as this will dilute the brine.
5. Remove the turkey from the brine, rinse it inside and out under cold water, and dry the bird thoroughly using a kitchen towel. Allow to come up to room temperature for an hour before you plan to roast it to ensure proper and safe heat penetration. Then cook the turkey as normal.