On Food and Cooking

(Barry) #1

250ºF/120ºC rather than 212ºF/100ºC.
(Enclosing the water in an airtight container
traps the water vapor, which in turn raises the
boiling point of the water.) Pressure cooking
heats foods very rapidly, which means that
it’s also very easy to overcook fresh
vegetables. It’s best to follow specialized
recipes closely.


Hot Air, Oil, and Radiation:
Baking, Frying, and Grilling


These “dry” cooking methods remove
moisture from the food surface, thus
concentrating and intensifying flavor, and can
heat it above the boiling point, to
temperatures that generate the typical flavors
and colors of the browning reactions (p. 777).


Baking The hot air in an oven cooks
vegetables and fruits relatively slowly, for
several reasons. First, air is not as dense a

Free download pdf