Harold McGee, food science expert, joins Dave Arnold to discuss melons, garlic, corn, and more. They also talk about health issues, knife safety, hats, confusion surrounding nitrogen, American gladiators, and the coffee industry.
Nitrogen is commonly used for coffee and beer, while nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, is used for home nitro drinks and whipping cream.
Removing the green shoot from garlic cloves is a personal preference that can improve the flavor of garlic, especially when it is green and sprouting.
Deep dives
Using nitrogen and nitrous oxide in bar drinks
Nitrogen is commonly used for coffee and nitrous oxide for home nitro drinks. The terminology can be confusing, but in the context of coffee and drinks, nitro usually refers to nitrous oxide.
Removing the green shoot from garlic cloves
Removing the green shoot from garlic cloves is a personal preference. It is believed to improve the flavor of garlic, especially when it is green and sprouting. However, it is not necessary to remove the germ if it is not green or sprouting.
Preserving the freshness of watermelon juice
Fresh watermelon juice has a short shelf life due to its volatile compounds. These compounds break down quickly, leading to a loss in freshness. Currently, there is no known way to preserve the freshness of watermelon juice beyond a few minutes.
The use of nitrogen and nitrous oxide in bar drinks
Nitrogen is commonly used for coffee and beer, while nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, is used for home nitro drinks and whipping cream. Nitrogen is used to create a creamy texture and flavor, while nitrous oxide creates a frothy texture and enhances flavors.
This week on a special episode of Cooking Issues with Dave, Nastassia and Jackie Molecules all in LA together - Harold McGee joins the show to chat about a myriad of topics including melons, garlic, corn and more.