Supply chain manager Bradley “Brad” Berfield has held senior distribution and logistics positions at companies such as Coldwater Creek, Inc., and Wegmans Food Markets. Outside of his professional life, Brad Berfield enjoys cooking.
Cooking is not just an art, it’s also a science. A session in the kitchen is like time spent in a chemistry laboratory where you mix ingredients and expose them to different environmental elements to come up with a predefined result. Understanding the science of cooking will improve the outcomes of your culinary work. You learn that science by experimenting.
When you’re in the kitchen, don’t just follow recipes religiously. Vary the quantities of ingredients to know which changes affect which flavors. For example, if you want stronger flavors, going for more than the conventional single clove of garlic is a must.
Don’t stop at the ingredients. Experiment with different methods of cooking, too. Dry methods such as roasting, grilling, baking, and broiling have different effects on food from wet methods such as boiling, stewing, steaming, and poaching. The amount of heat energy food is exposed to also affects its texture and taste. For example, when meat is baked its crust becomes brown, signifying the binding of carbohydrates and proteins. This gives meat its strong flavor and improves its texture for easier digestion. As you learn the chemical reactions different ingredients and environmental factors create, you will become a better cook.
