Science Vs Never Put Meatballs on Spaghetti, with Samin Nosrat
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Nov 20, 2025 
Samin Nosrat, an award-winning chef and author of the acclaimed book 'Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat,' joins to share her passion for the science of cooking. She discusses why you should never put meatballs on spaghetti due to textural conflicts and the importance of salt in enhancing flavors and colors in food. Samin also reveals the secrets of cake making, why room-temperature eggs matter, and the geopolitical story behind cinnamon. Plus, she reflects on the value of handmade food and her emotional experiences in the culinary world.
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Food As Cultural Anchor
- Samin Nosrat describes her family's Iranian Baha'i background and how her mother used food to keep cultural identity alive.
- She recalls bringing Persian dishes to school and facing classmates' rejection, which deepened her outsider feeling.
Chasing The Perfect Yellow Cake
- Samin became obsessed with the light texture of boxed yellow cake and pursued how to replicate it at home.
- She learned industrial pre-oiling and discovered Rose Levy Beranbaum's reverse-creaming to achieve cake-mix-like tenderness.
Master The Four Elements
- Learn to use Salt, Fat, Acid, and Heat as your compass when cooking any dish.
- Balance those four elements to cook intuitively and substitute ingredients confidently.
