Aduke.2019 net.cooks utzoo!decvax!duke!jds Tue Apr 13 19:15:26 1982 information wanted The recent articles on utensils has brought to mind this long planned but often postponed request. This is a request for information or, better still, pointers to information. I am interested in high technology cooking. What advances in cooking technology have been truly advantageous when compared to more traditional techniques? I propose three rules for judging new techniques (or less standard older techniques such as the use of a wok.) A new technique is view as advantageous when compared to another technique if it satisfies any one of these three criterion: 1) Better food is produced, i.e. taste, nutrition, texture. 2) Equal quality food is produced at a lower cost where cost includes time, effort, and energy. 3) A slight decrease in quality is offset by a large cost savings. A word of justification is in order for the third rule. Certain foods are extremely difficult or costly to prepare. Any technique that makes available food that might not be attempted otherwise deserves consideration. For example, while some may prefer the texture of 'pate' produced by a knife over a food processor, the difference is questionable. There is no question as to the savings. Similarly, does the high cost of a convection oven really gain you anything? Most reliable sources seem to say no. The problem is in finding unbiased information. I have found that traditional cookbooks don't discuss pasta machines, microwave ovens or convection ovens. Indeed, most do not even consider the inexpensive alternatives such as clay cookers, slow cookers, pressure pots or baking tiles. And if one turns to cookbooks dealing with a specific technique or to manufacturer's information, that information is useless. If one believes the cookbooks for microwave ovens, you can do anything with a microwave. While such ovens are quite useful for some things, they fail at other. Yet I have not found a microwave cookbook that was honest about meat. Similarly, any pressure cooker cook book will tell you how to cook broccoli. Yet a pressure cooker will not give the best results. Green vegetable produce volatile acids that will condense on the lid of a pot. It will then run back down into the liquid and bleach the vegetable. I am often surprised that the directions to my ice cream churn don't suggest replacing the ice with glowing coals. Perfect for barbecue! So what I am asking for is reliable guidance in choosing both techniques and technologies. Please, unless they illustrate so point, NO RECIPES! ----------------------------------------------------------------- gopher://quux.org/ conversion by John Goerzen of http://communication.ucsd.edu/A-News/ This Usenet Oldnews Archive article may be copied and distributed freely, provided: 1. There is no money collected for the text(s) of the articles. 2. The following notice remains appended to each copy: The Usenet Oldnews Archive: Compilation Copyright (C) 1981, 1996 Bruce Jones, Henry Spencer, David Wiseman.