That's it

[Duer 157099]

After much resistance, I've finally succumbed.

After scoffing at the likes of Marcel (Top Chef), I have finally decided to find out what the hell "molecular gastronomy" is all about. I like a trend to get, y'know, old and passe befofore I finally learn about it.

Is MG old and passe?

Well, I don't care, because it combines my two favorite passions, food and science.

I've been spending days immersed in this website (and others): www.khymos.org and my imagination is just all fired up.

I'm dying to start playing but don't have the proper reagents yet; although since I have a science background, I do have plenty of the hardware :grin:

The funny thing is that, and maybe this is just from watching Top Chef, up until this week, I thought MG was mostly defined by the use of "foams" and frankly, foams just don't excite me (although I've never worked with any nor even tasted any -- well, besides the usual in normal food).

No, I'm on a quest now, to get into the hydrocolloid aspect of things. All I really need is some sodium alginate and I'm on my way.

Anyone else fooled around with this?

[Warpy]

1. Foams are just the latest gimmick

and I doubt I'm alone in finding the idea just a little bit nauseating, especially those savory foams.

The same goes for molecular gastronomy, although it has the chance of eventually producing something both practical and wonderful.

In the short term, it's just another thing to fool stupid rich people with jaded palates into thinking they're getting the absolute best of everything.

[Duer 157099]

3. I have a friend...

who, when I recently brought up the subject of gourmet cooking, told me that he had been dragged to the French Laundry and that he wasn't impressed and that given his druthers, he would have rather eaten at In-n-Out. :wow:

That just floored me.

[Warpy]

5. I live in a town where the finer the dining experience

the worse the food. I would be much happier if someone opened a classic French place with fluorescent lights and Formica tables than I am with exotic ingredients tortuously prepared and arranged on a plate with dots of flavored goo all around and lighting so dim it's hard to find it all.

My favorite restaurant here is a combination Vietnamese restaurant and car emissions testing place. The decor is sparse but the food is heavenly.

[Duer 157099]

6. I agree, in general

and I'm no food snob, not by any stretch of the imagination (I still eat at Jack in the Box, and Taco Bell, for gods sake! -- ok, not often, but I do it)

But I'm reading Ruhlman's book right now, The Soul of a Chef, and I'm at the part about Thomas Keller (French Laundry) and how Ruhlman came to be the guy who wrote the cookbook (TFL cookbook) with Keller. Ruhlman's description of his first dining experience at TFL is ... well, it might be hyperbole on his part, I don't know, having never dined there, but his description is that it was the next best thing this side of heaven (ok, granted he was trying to win the chance to write the cookbook, so his state of mind was definitely biased). But to juxtapose that, Ruhlman's experience, with that of my friend (who'd rather have a burger at in-n-out) was an extreme case of cognitive dissonance :crazy:

[Duer 157099]

4. That was my initial reaction too, and why it's taken me so long

to finally look into this.

It struck me as completely unnecessary and pretentious, especially after spending much time at YouTube viewing clips from places like Moto etc.

But, a few aspects *did* get the best of my curiousity, and now I'm finding I need to really look further.

For me, since I'm not a pro nor have any affiliation with the industry, and do little to no entertaining, it's simply about the chemisty involved, and experimenting using strategies I'm familiar with (as in a lab). I think it's going to be lots of fun.

[Duer 157099]

2. More links

Here are the sites that I've been spending the most time at, these are truly packed full of new and interesting things (to me, anyway):

http://hungryinhogtown.typepad.com/hungry_in_hogtown/2007/02/nutella_not_jus.html

and the forums at egullet are an excellent resource, here's one thread in particular that got me:

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=86839&hl=alginate

I'm working on acquiring the things I need to start experimenting - I'm curious if there are any others here either who have delved into this, or are interested in trying.