The Future?

So, I was reading the cover story in this weeks Time Magazine, "10 Ideas that are Changing the World." And I found #5 to be quite interesting.

"Kitchen Chemistry. Why the squishy art of cooking is giving way to cold hard science."

I realize not too many people have found my blog yet, but I encourage you to read the story. The article talks about things like using specific measurements rather than relative judgment, which is not so off the wall. But then moving on to things like using chemicals like agar-agar and xanthan gum, which it claims are better versions of gelatin and cornstarch. It also mentions speed ovens that can cook a 3.5 lb. chicken in 14 minutes, and stove tops that can change temperature by the degree.

I believe there is a level of science to cooking, and certain ingredients should be exact; however, there are other portions of cooking that should lie on judgment. We've certainly come a long way from throwing spaghetti against a wall to see if it's done, but there's individual taste to consider.

Take for example salt. The amount of salt added to a dish goes far beyond one person's preference for a salty taste. The sodium in saliva differs from person to person, which means one persons over-salted dish may be perfect to someone else. It's alright if Kraft knows that an egg cooks differently at 60 degrees Celsius than at 61 degrees Celsius, but to the home cooks- we know when an egg looks cooked; and with experience, that judgment is close enough.

We can't let the personal touch leave the kitchen- after all, without the personal touch, will we ever taste anything new and exciting? Or will it be like going to a diner, that have the same dishes, made the same way they were 30 years ago? Remember, be creative and don't treat a recipe as a complicated formula- everyone has a preference, and some type of personal touch, even if it's as simple as a shake of the salt.