The Chemistry of Cookery

by cookery, and my own small contributions to the experimental investigation of the subject. Under these difficult circumstances I have endeavoured to place before the reader a simple and readable account of what is known of ‘The Chemistry of Cookery,’ explaining technicalities as they occur, rather than abstaining from the use of them by means of cumbrous circumlocution or patronising baby-talk. With a moderate effort of attention, any unlearned but intelligent reader of either sex may understand all the contents of these chapters; and I venture to anticipate that scientific chemists may find in them some suggestive matter. If these expectations are justified by results, this preliminary essay will fulfil its double object. It will diffuse a knowledge of what is at present knowable of ‘The Chemistry of Cookery’ among those who greatly need it, and will contribute to the extension of such knowledge by opening a wide and very promising field of scientific research. I should add that the work is based on a series of papers that appeared in ‘Knowledge’ during the years 1883 and 1884. W. MATTIEU WILLIAMS. STONEBRIDGE PARK, LONDON, N.W. _March 1885._ CONTENTS. CHAPTER PAGE I. INTRODUCTORY 1 II. THE BOILING OF WATER 8 III. ALBUMEN 19 IV. GELATIN, FIBRIN, AND THE JUICES OF MEAT 32 V. ROASTING AND GRILLING 47 VI. COUNT RUMFORD’S ROASTER 63 VII. FRYING 84 VIII. STEWING 111 IX. CHEESE 127 X. FAT—MILK 156 XI. THE COOKERY OF VEGETABLES 173 XII. GLUTEN—BREAD 194 XIII. VEGETABLE CASEIN AND VEGETABLE JUICES 211 XIV. COUNT RUMFORD’S COOKERY AND CHEAP DINNERS 227 XV. COUNT RUMFORD’S SUBSTITUTE FOR TEA AND COFFEE 245 XVI. THE COOKERY OF WINE 265 XVII. THE VEGETARIAN QUESTION 294 XVIII. MALTED FOOD 303 XIX. THE PHYSIOLOGY OF NUTRITION 313 INDEX 325 THE CHEMISTRY OF COOKERY. CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTORY. THE philosopher who first perceived and announced the fact that all the physical doings of man consist simply in changing the places of things, made a very profound generalisation, and one that is worthy of more serious consideration than it has received. All our handicraft, however great may be the skill employed, amounts to