Any food that is not eaten in its raw, natural state requires the alteration of its molecular structure by a cook, as in the roasting of goat (fire), the boiling of herbs (water), or the curing of ham (air and salt). In On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen Harold McGee writes, "Foods are mostly built out of just four kinds of molecules—water, proteins, carbohydrates and fats. And their behavior can be described by just a few basic principles."' The explicit manipulation of food by means of elemental properties is fundamental to its most basic preparation, whether we're talking about chefs inspired by the cuisine at El Bulli, familiar dishes recreated with empirical zeal by Alton Brown, or a mother's home cooking.
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