McMolecular McGastronomy
Molecular Gastronomy is the pompous name for an often pompous kind of cooking. Chefs from all over are doing more chemistry set things in their kitchens -- gels and liquid nitrogen and weird little deconstructed items on the plate -- sometimes they work out well, and the result is something amazing.
In Spain, Ferran Adria presented incredible food at his (now closed) El Bulli. In Chicago, Grant Achatz at Alinea does crazy, nutty stuff with his ingredients. When it works, it's delicious and a lot of fun. When it doesn't, it's a pompous pain in the behind.
Which is why I appreciated this interesting insight by Jeb Boniakowski in The Awl, in a larger piece he posted about his dream of a mega McDonald's in Times Square:
How much difference really is there between McDonald's super-processed food and molecular gastronomy? I used to know this guy who was a great chef, like his restaurant was in the Relais & Châteaux association and everything, and he'd always talk about how there were intense flavors in McDonald's food that he didn't know how to make. I've often thought that a lot of what makes crazy restaurant food taste crazy is the solemn appreciation you lend to it. If you put a Cheeto on a big white plate in a formal restaurant and serve it with chopsticks and say something like "It is a cornmeal quenelle, extruded at a high speed, and so the extrusion heats the cornmeal 'polenta' and flash-cooks it, trapping air and giving it a crispy texture with a striking lightness. It is then dusted with an 'umami powder' glutamate and evaporated-dairy-solids blend." People would go just nuts for that. I mean even a Coca-Cola is a pretty crazy taste.
He's absolutely right.
Imagine how a fancy molecular chef would describe a Pringles potato chip? Or Pop Rocks?
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Comments:
Aug '10
Re: McMolecular McGastronomy
Here's my quibble with that statement: Define "we", and define 'processed foods'.
Only then can I decide if my definition for 'processed foods' is the same as yours.
I get very grumpy about the imprecise use of words like "we", or "some", or "many", or "lots", etc...
Edited on January 29, 2013 at 9:51pmJul '11
Re: McMolecular McGastronomy
Barkha Herman: Rob, as a fellow squish, I have to disagree.
Yes, cooking is cooking so there is a co-relation between McDonalds happy meal and my grandmothers home made curry. But they are not the same.
Clearly, not all Molecular Gastronomy is created equal. But this:
does not equal this: · 1 hour ago
Actually, with the nearest one of the first in Amsterdam, from what I can determine, I would rather have it over the second, which I can make a rough version of, myself, and have. My attempts at the first aren't near as tasty.
But your kilo-meterage may vary.
Jan '13
Re: McMolecular McGastronomy
I've eaten at Alinea and at Achatz other restaurant Next when they did their tribute to El Bulli.
Those were truly indescribable experiences. Occasionally a course kind of misses, but when you get 25-30 courses, it's easy to forgive one or two that don't quite become art.
Molecular gastronomy done well is truly amazing. I wouldn't want it every meal, but it is a very fun way to have dinner once in awhile.
Edited on January 29, 2013 at 9:12pmAug '10
Re: McMolecular McGastronomy
Monty Adams:
Molecular gastronomy done well is truly amazing. I wouldn't want it every meal, but it is a very fun way to have dinner once in awhile.
Sorta like McDonalds!
;-)
Jul '12
Re: McMolecular McGastronomy
Nathaniel Wright:
McDonald's food endures because it is tasty and consistent across the globe.
Whenever Mr of England and I travel abroad he always makes us try a McDonalds for one of the meals. The global consitancy means you can always get a BigMac, but what is interesting are the local dishes that are "McDonald-ised". You can get a good idea of the food tradition of the country by what is different at a McDonalds.
Oct '10
Re: McMolecular McGastronomy
Mrs. of England
Nathaniel Wright:
McDonald's food endures because it is tasty and consistent across the globe.
Whenever Mr of England and I travel abroad he always makes us try a McDonalds for one of the meals. The global consitancy means you can always get a BigMac, but what is interesting are the local dishes that are "McDonald-ised". You can get a good idea of the food tradition of the country by what is different at a McDonalds. · 4 minutes ago
Yes, this is true. In Hawaii they serve sticky rice and saimen. Oh yeah, and Portagee sausage with breakfast.
What do they offer in France, I wonder. Brie on the cheeseburgers?
Aug '10
Re: McMolecular McGastronomy
Nathaniel Wright:
McDonald's food endures because it is tasty and consistent across the globe.
I would like to challenge that assertion just a wee little bit.
My taste buds tell me that the beef in US McDonalds hamburgers is a fair bit greasier than the beef in Canadian McDonalds hamburgers.
But that is only my personal experience, and your results may indeed vary.
Aug '10
Re: McMolecular McGastronomy
Severely Ltd.
Mrs. of England
Nathaniel Wright:
McDonald's food endures because it is tasty and consistent across the globe.
Whenever Mr of England and I travel abroad he always makes us try a McDonalds for one of the meals. The global consitancy means you can always get a BigMac, but what is interesting are the local dishes that are "McDonald-ised". You can get a good idea of the food tradition of the country by what is different at a McDonalds.
Yes, this is true. In Hawaii they serve sticky rice and saimen. Oh yeah, and Portagee sausage with breakfast.
What do they offer in France, I wonder. Brie on the cheeseburgers?
In France they have the CroqueMcDo: 2 melted slices of Emmental cheese and a slice of ham toasted between 2 flattened hamburger buns.
Source: 40 International McDonalds Menu Items
Aug '10
Re: McMolecular McGastronomy
Let me stop for a second and praise a dear friend who has left us.
Fred was the guy who pretty much started this conversation, and a million others. Here's the most recent obit.
He made the world a safer place in his own way, as every one who has seen a McDonald's in a dicey foreign country is immediately reassured that "maybe it's not so dicey after all".
Visionaries ,working in the shadow of other visionaries, are seldom recognized. There are some global brands to be sure, but the one he built certainly has grown into something above a Marlboro cigarette or a Coke.
He was a modest, brilliant, hardworking, and truly fun person. He lived for his friends and his family and he did have ketchup in his veins.
Say a prayer for Fred Turner.
"You want fries with that ?"
Aug '10
Re: McMolecular McGastronomy
flownover:
He made the world a safer place in his own way, as every one who has seen a McDonald's in a dicey foreign country is immediately reassured that "maybe it's not so dicey after all".
Indeed. There are places on the planet which had never experienced the luxury of "clean restaurants with sanitary kitchens" until McDonalds moved in.
Re: McMolecular McGastronomy
I wish I could un-know this.
Re: McMolecular McGastronomy
Monty Adams: I've eaten at Alinea and at Achatz other restaurant Next when they did their tribute to El Bulli.
Those were truly indescribable experiences. Occasionally a course kind of misses, but when you get 25-30 courses, it's easy to forgive one or two that don't quite become art.
Molecular gastronomy done well is truly amazing. I wouldn't want it every meal, but it is a very fun way to have dinner once in awhile. · 3 hours ago
Edited 3 hours ago
Oh man. I'm jealous.
And I totally agree: when in the hands of a master, it's amazing. But every night? I'd rather have a great burger.
Re: McMolecular McGastronomy
Barkha Herman: Rob, as a fellow squish, I have to disagree.
Yes, cooking is cooking so there is a co-relation between McDonalds happy meal and my grandmothers home made curry. But they are not the same.
Clearly, not all Molecular Gastronomy is created equal. But this:
does not equal this: · 4 hours ago
No, but -- and I'm speaking as someone who has actually gone to cooking school and who is, when you get right down to it, a food snob -- there's no way to improve on the McDonald's Bacon/Egg/Cheese biscuit.
No way.
Jul '11
Re: McMolecular McGastronomy
Rob Long
No, but -- and I'm speaking as someone who has actually gone to cooking school and who is, when you get right down to it, a food snob -- there's no way to improve on the McDonald's Bacon/Egg/Cheese biscuit.
No way. · 6 minutes ago
Their Vegan menu leaves much to be desired.
Aug '10
Re: McMolecular McGastronomy
Rob Long
And I totally agree: when in the hands of a master, it's amazing. But every night? I'd rather have a great burger. · 26 minutes ago
Correct me if I am wrong, but I once read an article about El Bulli and I think they quoted an estimate of 500 bucks for dinner ?
Now I have been tagged in Paris and snagged in Rome and bagged in NYC for the big tabs, but that new Dollar Menu at Mickey Ds ? Double cheeseburgers for a buck ??
That goes beyond cuisine into economic . Or taking a McD cheeseburger, discarding the undressedbottom bun ,folding it and voila double !
Gotta love the Escoffier Cooking School in the right column .
You can never use too much butter.
Edited on January 30, 2013 at 12:59amAug '10
Re: McMolecular McGastronomy
Rob Long
I wish I could un-know this.
It all comes down to using every last part of the buffalo.
Aug '10
Re: McMolecular McGastronomy
Rob Long
Oh man. I'm jealous.
And I totally agree: when in the hands of a master, it's amazing. But every night? I'd rather have a great burger. · 44 minutes ago
Molecular Gastronomy has you covered: The recipe for the perfect burger requires a vat of liquid nitrogen.
Aug '10
Re: McMolecular McGastronomy
Barkha Herman
Rob Long
No, but -- and I'm speaking as someone who has actually gone to cooking school and who is, when you get right down to it, a food snob -- there's no way to improve on the McDonald's Bacon/Egg/Cheese biscuit.
No way.
Their Vegan menu leaves much to be desired.
Vegans eat the food that food eats.
;-)
Aug '10
Re: McMolecular McGastronomy
flownover
Or taking a McD cheeseburger, discarding the undressedbottom bun ,folding it and voila double !
You should try a McGangBang.
The sign of a great McDonalds is when you can order a McGangBang and you don't have to explain to them what you're talking about.
Aug '10
Re: McMolecular McGastronomy
Misthiocracy
flownover
Or taking a McD cheeseburger, discarding the undressedbottom bun ,folding it and voila double !
You should try a McGangBang.
The sign of a great McDonalds is when you can order a McGangBang and you don't have to explain to them what you're talking about. · 18 minutes ago
I love it , and will try to order one here. Takes me back to the days when four guys would form up in a square and walk through the drive thru at Jack in the Box because they didn't have service otherwise after midnight . Drunk frat boys, one making engine noise, one singing as we lacked the radio, one ordering , and me, riding shotgun.