Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking

I saw this in a bookstore as I was walking by and became intrigued. It is a sort of "cookbook" that goes down to the basic theory of cooking. The author is Persian, but raised mostly in the US. She has traveled a great deal and worked in a highly rated restaurant. From her experience, she identifies the four key elements of food preparation.

Salt helps bring out the flavor in food. We crave salt. Too much salt can make food unpalatable. Too little and it is bland. Processed foods tend to be overly salted. However, with natural foods, we can be liberal in our salting. Different types of salt behave differently, especially in how they are absorbed. Timing also impacts the food, with salt being absorbed when food is cooked with salt vs. covered with it at the end.

Fats differ by culture. There are also many different nuances in fats. Olive oils are common in mediterranean cooking, yet exist on a broad spectrum. Butter is common in more northern climates. There are also various animal fats. Choosing a fat appropriate for the cuisine is important. Fats also allow for higher temperatures thus allowing crisping and bringing out moisture.

Acids, such as vinegar and citrus help bring out flavors and provide balance. Yogurt is also a common acid source.

Heat is how food is cooked. There are many different means of cooking, from roasting, sauteing, blanching, etc. Different cooking times and temperatures can produce very different results. Understanding the nuances is critical.

This book has a lot to take in. The key point is to understand what you are cooking and what you are trying to do with the food. Different foods have different characteristics. Even the same foods can be different depending on how fresh they are or what we are trying to do with them. Cooking is a mixture of art and science. Understanding the "rules" allows us to "break" them for maximum taste.