Acid Flashcards
Acid
Any substance that registers below 7 on the pH scale, anything fermented, anything that tastes sour. Acid balances food, granting the palate relief and making food more appealing by offering contrast.
Acid’s effect on flavor
Acid makes our mouths water more, and unlike salt, which has an absolute threshold of saltiness, acid balance is relative. Acid balances, acting as a foil to salt, fat, sugar, and starch.
wine vinegar regions
Italy, France, Germany, Spain
rice vinegar regions
Asian countries, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, China, etc
Apple cider vinegar salad regions
England, Germany, American South
Lemon juice
Lemon trees are suited to coastal climates in Mediterranean countries
Lime juice
Lime trees grow in tropical climates. Lime is the preferred citrus from Mexico and Cuba to India, Vietnam and Thailand
Pickle cultures
Every culture has pickles, from kimchee to sauerkraut
acid’s effect on food
It primarily affects flavor, but it can also trigger chemical reactions that change the color and texture of food.
acid and color
Acid dulls vibrant greens (so wait until the last possible moment to dress salads, mix vinegar into herb salsas, and squeeze lemon over cooked green vegetables), but keeps reds and purples vivid. Raw fruits are vegetables that are sucesptible to oxidation will retain their natural color if coated with a little acid.
acid and vegetables and legumes
Acid keeps vegetables and legumes tougher, longer, and anything containing cellulose or pectin will cook much more slowly in the presence of acid. To prevent unnecessary cook time, cook the vegetables/etc until they’re tender before adding acidic ingredients.
acid and pectin
Acid encourages bonds between pectin groups (the gelling agent in fruit) so that they can trap water and help set jam, jelly, or fruit fillings.
acid and chemical leavenings
Acid is required when using chemical leavenings like baking soda (baking powder already contains powdered acid). Acid reacts with baking soda to release carbon dioxide bubbles to leaven baked goods, so doughs with BS should have an acidic ingredient like natural cocoa powder, brown sugar, honey, or buttermilk.
Cooking legumes and acid
Add a pinch of baking soda to nudge the bean water away from acidity toward alkalinity, ensuring tenderness. And adding acid to cooked beans sort of “uncooks” them, tightening and toughening the skins a bit, so plan to cook those beans a touch longer than otherwise.
acid and egg
Acid encourages the proteins in an egg white to coagulate (assemble) more quickly but less densely than they otherwise would. A few drops of lemon juice produce creamier, tenderer scrambled eggs, and a capful of vinegar helps poached eggs have a speedy coagulation of the white while preserving the runny yolk, helps stabilize whipped egg whites (usually cream of tartar)
Acid and dairy proteins
Acid coagulates (curdles) dairy. With the exception of butter and heavy cream, which are very low in protein, dairy should only be added to acidic dishes at the last minute.
Acid and doughs/batters
Acid will tenderize doughs and batters much as fat does. The acid will disrupt the gluten network, resulting in a more tender product. For a more chewy result, wait as long as possible in dough-making to add acidic ingredients.
Acid and meat and fish proteins
Acid tenderizes, then toughens meat and fish proteins, denaturing and then coagulating the proteins, the unwound protein coils reconnecting into an intimate network, similar to the way proteins react to heat.
Acid and collagen
Acid helps break down collagen, the main structural protein found in tough cuts of meat; the more quickly the collagen melts, the sooner the meat will grow juicy and succulent. This is why many braises and stews call for wine or tomatoes.
Two methods of producing acid in food as we cook
Browning food (caramelization, Maillard reaction) and fermentation
caramelization and acid
A single sugar molecule will caramelize into hundreds of new and different compounds, including some acids. Caramel is acidic and more complex and flavorful.
Maillard reaction
The chemical reaction involved in browning meats, seafood, vegetables, baked goods, and just about anything else.
fermentation and acid
Fermentation produces, among other things, acid
cooking acids
Acids that have been worked into a dish from the start, like tomatoes in pasta sauce, beer in chili, etc. They tend to be mellow and subtle, though their absence is sharply felt.
