On food and cooking the science and lore of the kitchen ( PDFDrive ) 1464

newfamiliesofmoleculesandnewaromatic
dimensions(seeillustrationbelow,andbox,p.
779).

Representative aroma molecules produced by
caramelization (left; see p. 656)and by the
Maillard reactions between carbohydrates
and amino acids( r i g h t ) .Amino acids
contribute nitrogen and sulfur atoms to
produce the distinctive central rings of
(clockwise from top)pyrroles, pyridines,
pyrazines,thiophenes,thiazoles,andoxazoles.
Each ring can be augmented with other
structures attached to the carbon atoms.
Maillard products have a range of qualities,
fromleafyandfloraltoearthyandmeaty.
HighTemperaturesandDryCookingMethods


BothcaramelizationandMaillardbrowning
proceedatarapidrateonlyatrelativelyhigh
temperatures.Caramelizationintablesugar
becomesnoticeableataround330ºF/165ºC,
Maillardbrowningperhaps100ºF/50ºCbelow
that.Largeamountsofenergyarerequiredto
forcetheinitialmolecularinteractions.The
practicalconsequenceofthisisthatmost
foodsbrownonlyontheoutsideandduring
theapplicationofdryheat.Thetemperature
ofwatercan’triseabove212ºF/100ºCuntilit
isvaporized(unlessit’sunderhighpressure

inapressurecooker).Sofoodsthatare
cookedinhotwaterorsteamed,andthemoist
interiorsofmeatsandvegetables,willnever
exceed212ºF.Buttheoutersurfacesoffoods
cookedinoilorinanovenquicklydehydrate
andreachthetemperatureoftheir
surroundings,perhaps300to500ºF/159–
260ºC.Soitisthatfoodscookedby“moist”
techniques—boiling,steaming,braising—
aregenerallypaleandmildcomparedtothe