Ideology

I just filled out a survey directed to professional cooks/chefs. For the most part it was fine, although there were some stupid questions such as:

“What’s your favorite spice?” — Depends on what I’m cooking. And do herbs count as a ‘spice,’ and what about flavorings such as lemon or capers?

“What’s your signature dish?” — Everything I associate my name with. What? You want me to pick a favorite child?

But there was one question I really liked: “What do you think about molecular gastronomy in terms of introducing chemical elements into dish preparation?”

This is a great question — not least because of the ignorance it presumes. After all, everything is composed of chemicals — salt is sodium chloride (a combination of two elements that are individually poisonous to humans) — MSG (mono-sodium glutamate) occurs naturally in soy sauce, tomatoes, and Parmigiano Reggiano. Recently an article in the Times On Line wondered if E! Bulli chef Ferran Adria was “poisoning” his customers. A German food critic, Jörg Zipprick, had asserted that:

“These colorants, gelling agents, emulsifiers, acidifiers and taste enhancers that Adria has introduced massively into his dishes to obtain extraordinary textures, tastes and sensations do not have a neutral impact on health,” says Zipprick, adding that some have a laxative effect.

Jeez! Three glasses of iced tea gives me the runs. So does too much orange juice. And drinking too much water causes me to urinate frequently.

I understand Zipprick’s point, the random addition of ingredients to create an affect when the effects on our bodies isn’t well known is a bad idea. I agree completely with that thesis. I minimize the amount of processed food I consume with the presumption that by doing so I minimize the ill-effects of added chemicals on my body — not that I come even close to considering my body a temple: It’s more like a Mayan pyramid swallowed by jungle.

Nevertheless, point taken. However, that distinctive bitter note we like so much in almonds? Cyanide — prussic acid. And the bitterness in winter greens? The same. Cabbages and onions contain sulfur — yet another element and chemical. Everything except energy is composed of chemicals even water is hydrogen dioxide.

If the chemicals are benign in the quantities used then I have no objection. I personally prefer adding anchovy paste to my tomato sauce rather than pure MSG, but I prefer adding MSG to my chicken soup to anchovy paste. I also prefer that my food look like food and I’m no more a fan of oyster foam than boneless, skinless chicken breasts. But that’s my preference.

But whatever your no-doubt thoughtful preferences about local versus imported food, organic versus conventional food. Cooking should never be about ideology, it should always be about flavor. Think I’ll have a Quarter-pounder and fries for supper tonight — chemicals and all.

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