Acid

Question 1

Acid

Answer 1

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.

Question 2

Acid’s effect on flavor

Answer 2

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.

Question 3

wine vinegar regions

Answer 3

Italy, France, Germany, Spain

Question 4

rice vinegar regions

Answer 4

Asian countries, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, China, etc

Question 5

Apple cider vinegar salad regions

Answer 5

England, Germany, American South

Question 6

Lemon juice

Answer 6

Lemon trees are suited to coastal climates in Mediterranean countries

Question 7

Lime juice

Answer 7

Lime trees grow in tropical climates. Lime is the preferred citrus from Mexico and Cuba to India, Vietnam and Thailand

Question 8

Pickle cultures

Answer 8

Every culture has pickles, from kimchee to sauerkraut

Question 9

acid’s effect on food

Answer 9

It primarily affects flavor, but it can also trigger chemical reactions that change the color and texture of food.

Question 10

acid and color

Answer 10

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.

Question 11

acid and vegetables and legumes

Answer 11

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.

Question 12

acid and pectin

Answer 12

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.

Question 13

acid and chemical leavenings

Answer 13

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.

Question 14

Cooking legumes and acid

Answer 14

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.

Question 15

acid and egg

Answer 15

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)

Question 16

Acid and dairy proteins

Answer 16

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.

Question 17

Acid and doughs/batters

Answer 17

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.

Question 18

Acid and meat and fish proteins

Answer 18

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.

Question 19

Acid and collagen

Answer 19

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.

Question 20

Two methods of producing acid in food as we cook

Answer 20

Browning food (caramelization, Maillard reaction) and fermentation

Question 21

caramelization and acid

Answer 21

A single sugar molecule will caramelize into hundreds of new and different compounds, including some acids. Caramel is acidic and more complex and flavorful.

Question 22

Maillard reaction

Answer 22

The chemical reaction involved in browning meats, seafood, vegetables, baked goods, and just about anything else.

Question 23

fermentation and acid

Answer 23

Fermentation produces, among other things, acid

Question 24

cooking acids

Answer 24

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.

Question 25

maceration

Answer 25

from latin “to soften,” is the process where ingredients soak in some acid (usually vinegar or citrus juice) to soften their harshness. Coat the vegetable in acid and wait ten to twenty minutes

Question 26

deglazing a pan

Answer 26

Using wine or other to loosen and dissolve food particles that are stuck to the bottom, getting their flavor and preventing the dish from skewing too sweet.

Question 27

garnishing acids

Answer 27

Unlike salt, acid added at the last moment often improves food; brightness etc of the acid not being lost in the cooking. Sometimes you can use the same kind of acid for cooking and garnishing; tomatoes, wine, giving layers of multiple tastes of the same ingredient. Layering many different acidic garnishes can balance as well.

Question 28

umami

Answer 28

savoriness, the result of flavor compounds called glutamates (monosodium glutamate, MSG, is chemically manufactured), which are abundant in Parmesan and tomato ketchup. Many sources of umami are also rich in salt and acid.

Question 29

Condiments and sauce

Answer 29

Sources of both acid and salt and umami, improving flavor and completing dishes.

Question 30

Sweetness and acid

Answer 30

Always balance sweetness with acid to trigger more types of tastebuds and to offer flavor contrast.

Question 31

acid balance in a meal

Answer 31

Each dish should be balanced on its own, but it should also be balanced with the other dishes in the menu.