Cooking for Engineers

[tamaranth]

what it says on the tin.
Explains why cooking works.

You might note that I called both mayonnaise and vinaigrette dressing emulsions. But, a vinaigrette eventually seperates while mayonnaise maintains its state of emulsion. This is because of the egg yolks which contains a substance called lecithin (an emulsifier)... This substance when mixed with water (the lemon juice) and oil (the olive oil) helps hold the two together in suspension. Of course, if we kept mixing more and more oil into the mixture, we would eventually overwhelm the emulsifier and the whole emulsion would separate.

Comments

[vgqn.livejournal.com]

Great site, thanks. And he's local to me even! (Not that it makes a difference, but I was amused to read about a local gardening event.)

I don't agree with all his conclusions (free-range vs factory poultry), but it's interesting to read.

[purpletigron.livejournal.com]

What does he say about poultry?

[vgqn.livejournal.com]

That he doesn't think free-range birds taste better than factory birds due to being free-range. He believes that they're being fed better quality feed and that factory birds could taste as good if they had better feed. I can't speak to the feed question, but I find free-range birds to have a firmer, more toothsome texture which I've attributed to the exercise they get. It's certainly well-documented with many animals and birds that the more exercise muscles get, the more flavorful they are.

[purpletigron.livejournal.com]

Well, taste is subjective, therefore he's wrong to attempt a definitive statement. I suspect that you've made a good point. But I see the improved flavour of free range birds as a nice fringe benefit of ceasing inhumane treatment...