Foreword viii
Acknowledgments x
Introduction: The Unbridled Science of Flavor xiii
Part 1 The First Law of Flavor: Flavor Is Taste and Smell 1
Chapter 1 Taste 4
Chapter 2 Smell 8
Chapter 3 Flavor First 18
Part 2 The Second Law of Flavor: Flavor Follows Predictable Patterns 23
Chapter 4 Putting Patterns to Work 29
Chapter 5 The Five(ish) Tastes 34
Salty 35
Sour 48
Sweet 70
Umami 82
Bitter 97
Spicy 108
Chapter 6 Smell 123
Fruity 127
Vegetal 144
Flavors of Intensity and Defense 152
Spiced 159
Herbal 169
Meaty 184
Part 3 The Third Law of Flavor: Flavor Can Be Concentrated, Extracted, and Infused 191
Chapter 7 Concentrating Flavor 194
Juicing and Pressing 194
Concentrating Flavor by Removing Water 197
Concentrating Flavor by Drying 199
Chapter 8 Extracting and Infusing Flavor 201
Moving Molecules Around, Selectively 202
Like Dissolves Like: Simple Molecular Rules for Extraction and Infusion 203
Making Water Watery and Oil Oily: Polarity 203
Giving Smell Molecules a Big Greasy Hug: Extracting and Infusing with Fats 203
Concentrated, Fatty Extractions 204
Extracting and Infusing with Water 215
Between Polar Opposites: Vinegar, Alcohol, and Beyond 217
Keeping It Casual: Cooking with an Infusing Mindset 223
Part 4 The Fourth Law of Flavor: Flavor Can Be Created and Transformed 231
Chapter 9 Creating Flavor with Heat 235
Liquid Gold: Caramelization 235
Turning Up the Heat: Creating Flavors with Burning, Charring, and Smoke 239
A Whole Lot of Browning: The Maillard Reaction 244
Chapter 10 Creating Flavors with Fermentation 251
Making Vinegar: Creating Pungently Sour Flavors out of Alcohol 255
Lactic Fermentation: Creating Tangy Flavors from Trace Sugars 259
Creating Umami: Fermenting with Fungi 271
Selected Bibliography 285
Index 297