Science of Cooking: Ask the Inquisitive Cooks! (2024)

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" Before I make jam, can I find out how much pectin is in the fruit? "

Hi Anne and Sue,

Is there any way of determining the pectin content of fruit before making jam or jelly? Then I would be able to find out if a fruit would set without added pectin.

Thanks,
Theresa

Still have more questions? You'll find more answers in our archived monthly feature articles by the Inquisitive Cooks.

( Meet the Inquisitive Cooks )

Dear Theresa,

Yes, there is a test using rubbing alcohol that provides a rough indication of the amount of pectin in fruit juice.

Alcohol Test: Mix 1 teaspoon of cooked, cooled fruit juice with 1 tablespoon of rubbing alcohol. Use a closed container and shake gently. Juices rich in pectin form a solid jellylike mass that can be picked up with a fork. However, juices low in pectin form only small jellylike particles, so such fruits require powdered or liquid pectin in order to set.

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Caution: Do not taste the fruit-alcohol mixture, as rubbing alcohol is poisonous. Just throw it away, and wash all your utensils well.

While pectin naturally occurs in fruit, the amount can vary. Fruits such as citrus, tart cooking apples, cranberries, and quince are high in pectin. Fruits such as late-season blackberries, cherries, and nectarines, are at the low end of the pectin scale. Apricots, peaches, rhubarb, and strawberries, among others, are classed as medium in pectin content. The pectin content in all fruit is also generally higher when fruit is just barely ripe and diminishes as it matures from fully ripe to overripe.

Pectin can't work alone, however. Without the correct proportions of acid and sugar, jams or jellies won't set. These proportions vary according to the fruit you're using. Thus, using tried-and-true recipes when making jams and jellies generally gives a much higher quality product than if you're trying to ad-lib.

Homemade preserves taste so special come winter!

Anne & Sue

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FAQs

What is the scientific approach to cooking? ›

Molecular gastronomy is the scientific approach of cuisine from primarily the perspective of chemistry.

How does cooking affect connective tissue? ›

Structural changes

In the temperature range between 50 and 71 °C (122 to 160 °F) connective tissue in the meat begins to shrink. Further heating to temperatures above 71 °C causes the complete denaturation of collagen into a gelatin-like consistency.

Who is the chef that uses science? ›

Blumenthal calls his scientific approach to cuisine "multi-sensory cooking", arguing that eating is "one of the few activities we do that involves all of the senses simultaneously".

What is the basic science behind cooking? ›

The role of heat, acid, and enzymes in cooking

Heat and enzymes: Heat breaks down enzymes such as proteins. This is called denaturing, and it's why egg whites turn solid and white when you cook them. Without this reaction, many foods wouldn't have their distinctive "bite" when you eat them.

What is the science of cooking called? ›

molecular gastronomy, the scientific discipline concerned with the physical and chemical transformations that occur during cooking. The name is sometimes mistakenly given to the application of scientific knowledge to the creation of new dishes and culinary techniques.

What is the best question to ask a chef? ›

General Icebreaker Chef Interview Questions
  • When did you decide to become a chef?
  • What is your signature dish? ...
  • What is your favorite or least favorite dish to prepare? ...
  • How do you describe your overall cooking philosophy?
  • Name the three kitchen tools you can't do without?
  • Why are you considering a new position?

What is cooking in simple words? ›

Cooking, also known as cookery or professionally as the culinary arts, is the art, science and craft of using heat to make food more palatable, digestible, nutritious, or safe.

Does slow cooking destroy protein? ›

Because of the lower temperature, the nutrients in the food remain more stable than other methods of cooking. By virtue of being in sealed unit, whether using an electric slow cooker or in a casserole dish in your oven, any of the nutrients usually lost in the liquid from heat are simply reabsorbed into the meal.

Which nutrient is most affected by the cooking process? ›

The water-soluble vitamins are the most vulnerable to processing and cooking. Careful cooking and storage will help retain the nutrients in your food. Excessive consumption of ultra-processed foods can result in weight gain in the short term and diet-related disease in the long term.

Who taught Gordon Ramsay to cook? ›

After earning a vocational diploma in hotel management from North Oxon Technical College in 1987, he moved to London and began honing his culinary skills under chef Marco Pierre White at the restaurant Harvey's and under chef Albert Roux at La Gavroche.

Who is the godfather of chefs? ›

Auguste Escoffier (born October 28, 1846, Villeneuve-Loubet, France—died February 12, 1935, Monte-Carlo, Monaco) was a French culinary artist, known as “the king of chefs and the chef of kings,” who earned a worldwide reputation as director of the kitchens at the Savoy Hotel (1890–99) and afterward at the Carlton Hotel ...

What is an expert cook called? ›

To simply answer this question, a chef is an individual who is trained to understand flavors, cooking techniques, create recipes from scratch with fresh ingredients, and have a high level of responsibility within a kitchen.

What is the scientific approach? ›

The scientific method is the process of objectively establishing facts through testing and experimentation. The basic process involves making an observation, forming a hypothesis, making a prediction, conducting an experiment and finally analyzing the results.

What are the scientific principles of food preparation? ›

For the most time it is important to know how your food will react in certain situations and cooking conditions. The six basic principles will surely help you with that! They are as follows: Caramelization, Coagulation, Denaturation, Emulsification, Gelatinization and the Maillard reaction.

What is the hypothesis of cooking? ›

The cooking hypothesis starts with the claim that unlike other animals, hom*o sapiens has evolved an obligation to include cooked food in the diet such that we cannot live without it.

What is scientific method in food? ›

Nutritional scientists discover the health effects of food and its nutrients by first making an observation. Once observations are made, they come up with a hypothesis, test their hypothesis, and then interpret the results.

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