Taste Buds and Molecules The Art and Science of Food, Wine, and Flavor

by Chartier, Francois

• ISBN13: 9781118141847
• ISBN10: 1118141849
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2012-02-28
• Publisher: Wiley

Summary

"If Catalan superchef Ferran Adria is the leading missionary of molecular gastronomy, Mr. Chartier is his counterpart with a corkscrew."- Globe and Mail This award-winning book, now available for the first time in English in the U.S., presents a cutting-edge approach to food and wine pairing. Sommelier Francois Chartier has spent the better part of two decades collaborating with top scientists and chefs to map out the aromatic molecules that give foods and wines their flavor. Armed with the results of his extensive research, Chartier has been able to identify why certain foods and wines work well together at a molecular level. In this book, he has gathered his findings into a simple set of principles that explain how to create ideal harmonies in food and wine pairings. This new approach to the art and science of food and wine pairing will be an invaluable resource for sommeliers, chefs, and wine enthusiasts, as well as a fascinating read for anyone who is interested in the principles of modernist or "molecular" cuisine. The Canadian edition of Taste Buds and Molecules was a 2011 IACP Award nominee, and the original French-language edition, Papilles et Molecules, was named the Best Cookbook in the World in the category of Innovation at the 2010 Paris World Cookbook Awards. The book includes a foreword by Juli Soler and Ferran Adria of El Bulli, who worked closely with Chartier in planning the menus at their renowned restaurant.

Author Biography

François Chartier is the author of the popular French-language annual wine and food guide La Sélection Chartier, now in its sixteenth edition, as well as the bestselling à Table avec François Chartier. In 2009, Chartier's original French edition of Taste Buds and Molecules (Papilles et Molécules) made its grand entrance onto the world's cooking stage when it won the prestigious Gourmand World Cookbook Award for Best Innovative Cookbookin the World—all languages considered. Chartieris the only Canadian to have ever been namedthe best world sommelier in French wines and spirits at the prestigious Grand Prix Sopexa. Pioneering what he calls "aromatic food harmonies and sommellerie," he used his groundbreaking research to collaborate with Ferran Adrià and Juli Soler on the 2009–2010 menu at their legendary restaurant elBulli, which was voted the world's best restaurant five times over. He has been featured in such publications as Wine Spectator and in 2008 received l'Ordre National du Québec, the highest distinction bestowed on citizens by the Québec government. The Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail named him one of the forty-five Canadians who have most influenced world change in 2010, recognizing his research work, scientific contributions, and role in the application of the theory of aromas in cooking. Chartier's new television show on Télé-Québec, Papilles, introduces unpretentious aromatic recipes, reinvented classics, and cleverly chosen and accessible food and beverage pairings.

Table of Contents

Foreword by Juli Soler and Ferran Adrià, elBulli restaurant 8

Foreword by Dr. Richard Béliveau 11

Acknowledgments 12

Author Introduction 14

Introductory Chapters

The Culinary Revolution 19
Unleashed by the principles of food harmony and molecular sommellerie

Food Harmony and Molecular Sommellerie 23
The genes of a new harmonious science balancing cuisine, wine, and wine and food pairings

elBulli 29
A trip into the universe of the “Best Restaurant in the World”

Aromas and Flavors 35
The fundamental importance of aromas in identifying and appreciating the taste of foods, wines, and beverages

Chapters on Food and Wine Pairing

Mint and Sauvignon Blanc 43
An open door into the world of anise-flavored foods and wines

Sotolon 57
The molecular chain linking vin jaune, curry, maples syrup, Sauernes, etc.

Fino and Oloroso 65
A veil of aromas with sherry wines

Oak and Barrels 77
Oak: The maestro of aromas and flavor enhancement

Beef 87
From the stockyard to the oven

Gewürztraminer/Ginger/Lychee/Scheurebe 95
Molecular family history

Pineapple and Strawberries 105
A strange overlapping destiny

Cloves 111
The spice of the barrel

Rosemary 121
A Southerner … with an Alsatian profile!

Saffron 131
The Queen of Spices

Ginger 141
A seducer with a great power of attraction

Maple Syrup 149
The aromatic sap stamped with a Quebec identity

Quebecois and Classic European Cheeses 159
Tracking down their aromas

Cinnamon 169
A hot and sensual spice

Capsaicin 177
The "fiery" molecule in chili peppers

A Taste of Cold 187
Apples and other foods with refreshing flavors

Experiments in Food Harmony and Molecular Sommellerie 197
A molecular tasting meal with two master chefs

Mini Glossary 211

Bibliography 212