cooks have taken advantage of this to make
small flavored spheres and threads: they
prepare a calcium-free alginate solution of the
desired flavor and color, and then drip or
inject it into a calcium solution, where it
immediately gels. Gellan, an industrial
discovery, is a carbohydrate secreted by a
bacterium, and in the presence of salts or acid
forms very clear gels that release their flavor
well.
Sauces Thickened
with Flour and Starch
Many sauces, from long-simmered classic
French brown sauces to last-minute gravies,
owe at least part of their consistency to the
substance called starch. Unlike the other
thickening agents, starch is a major
component of our daily diet. It’s the molecule
in which most plants store the energy they
generate from photosynthesis, and provides