Saturday, June 12, 2010

Cooking: physics vs chemistry vs alchemy

Cooking physics - simple - apply heat to item to make it hotter.

Cooking chemistry - combine ingredients x y and z.  Mix in a certain way to create a batter that is different then the sum of parts.

Cooking alchemy - when ingredients combine to something vastly more than you'd expect from the simple list of ingredients.

I indulged in alchemy tonight.  I made basic bread dressing to go with a turkey breast I was cooking.  The ingredient list is really simple - onion, celery, bread (cheap white bread will do fine), a bit of seasoning and either chicken stock (which I never have on hand) or chicken bouillon cube and water and an egg.  That's it.  Somehow, they combine to make a side dish that I always love.