Food Science
Cooking isn't just an art; it's a science. We'll help you understand the physical and chemical processes that make food look, smell, and taste the way it does.
Bloom Phase: How to Read the Bubbles In Your Coffee
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Trapped-Gas_Final_Kondrich_v2-resized-aa4014a1c413422c8453bc04af4d825d.jpg)
Can You Stop Beans From Making You Fart? We Put 17 Methods to the Test
From Birth to Bake: How Bubbles Form in Batters and Doughs
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2015__11__20151028-cookie-faq-creaming-blue-butter-detail-sarah-jane-sanders-5b706b4efaf8479f9776f72dba1c0be5.jpg)
Cookie Science: Why Cream Butter and Sugar?
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2015__12__20151201-baking-powder-vicky-wasik-2-bc534b7950894f70844dd914295d5951.jpg)
How Does Baking Powder Affect My Cookies?
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/SofteningButter-HERO-c95581a48bdf4105b42416723cde3108.jpg)
The Best Way to Soften Butter
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2015__12__20151201-brown-white-sugars-vicky-wasik-1-898ec68e89a343efae5821991246854e.jpg)
Cookie Science: The Real Differences Between Brown and White Sugars
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2016__07__20160707-legumes-red-kidney-beans-vicky-wasik-4-7835e58628a94f3fba1ad8d2defc3137.jpg)
Brining Beans With Baking Soda: An Investigation
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/20210507_meringue_cookies_nik_sharma_edit.jpg-00-97216375ec8142019288ac1d4d935610.JPG)
The Science Behind Vegan Meringues
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2015__12__20151201-eggs-vicky-wasik-191fad1feebf4b3e89b0e8e908d61852.jpg)
Cookie Science: How Do Eggs Affect My Cookies?
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__2020__07__20200729-chicken-acids-yogurt-nik-sharma-5-58a1c68f9d994f8b9f16986948d2782a.jpg)
The Science of Yogurt Marinades
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2015__12__20151201-baking-soda-vicky-wasik-1-97f2937c0cbe49e3bf0b94f563fc00f5.jpg)
How Baking Soda Works
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2015__04__Anova-Steak-Guide-Sous-Vide-Photos15-beauty-736633d3c3374147b8e1a78194e95dda.jpg)
An Introduction to the Maillard Reaction: The Science of Browning, Aroma, and Flavor
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__2019__08__20190708-lactation-cookies-vicky-wasik-21-9243f2faaa8e4d20a25f5a45987d5382.jpg)
Cookie Science: The Importance of Scraping Your Bowl
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__2020__05__20200512-sourdough-starter-close-up-AP-starter-day-11-tim-chin-75fca9f0362a44758633a10f19957ede.jpg)
The Science of Sourdough Starters
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2016__07__20160711-salt-sprinkle-vicky-wasik-1-7f15e16f3bfb46f5bede653586c8d04b.jpg)
Flavor Science: How We Taste Sweet, Sour, Salty, and More
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__2020__02__20200207-mustard-oil-cucumbers-vicky-wasik-4-8d372e9a173e4c8ead15fad32079b3db.jpg)
The Truth About Mustard Oil: Behind the "For External Use Only" Label
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/20160601-american-cheese-primary-4514e3761bdb41f3b73d44a9420e05b0.jpeg)
What Is American Cheese, Anyway?
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2012__12__20121204-big-ass-steak-butter-basted-06-700447f642964a3e9270e1643c8b0c93.jpg)
What's a Smoke Point and Why Does it Matter?
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__2020__02__20200211-pressure-cooker-brisket-vicky-wasik-16-461ce5f704684c07b538f0bc0a10dda0.jpg)
What a Pressure Cooker Does Best
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__drinks.seriouseats.com__images__2013__09__20130921_Scale-7de07515031042ad87354d7b3bdfefc8.jpg)
Cocktail Science: Do Alcohol Calories Count?
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__2020__06__20200610-tadka-2-nik-sharma-1202dd3797044c84b950161ff30d4cc3.jpg)
How to Make Tadka
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2012__09__20120905-Chip-Faced-SV-Primary-a6f0b6e2f434495a9f4ca1dd83f5b5a9.jpg)
The Science Behind Salt and Vinegar Chips
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__2020__08__20200811-banana-candies-shutterstock-scaled-11e8880d5dd34a58ac3f9c646133911a.jpg)
Meet Isoamyl Acetate, the Banana-Flavored Molecule You Love to Hate
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__2020__07__20200724-cooking-without-smell-Serious-Eats_Islenia_milien-2bf0cd7b0d0e43988662201aa1365eb0.jpg)
Smell Loss and Its Impact on Enjoying Food
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__2019__03__pressure-cooker-bc49415b2cbd47a9b0f77cf0c105c9e2.jpg)
How Pressure Cookers Actually Work
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/boliingwater-Amandasuarez-hero-15c969283eec4a34b7a38874cfc85f45.jpg)
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know (Plus More!) About Boiling Water
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2015__02__20150218-staff-pics-cheese-vicky-wasik-1-5d91a8d14cf145109b24f2f7e0e21e58.jpg)
The Case for Room-Temperature Foods
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__2019__01__20190111-MSG-vicky-wasik-1-3-703fcd133656400b8378092d8a872996.jpg)
Is MSG Actually Bad for You?
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__2019__03__20171108-thanksgiving-wine-vicky-wasik-2-ed2b5448beb944b98551bbb24ef5aaec.jpg)
Behind the Phenomenon That Makes Your Wine Smell Like Farts
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__2019__10__emulsions-9da481cbb81a402f9bc579ff4b0d85ff.jpg)
The Food Lab Video Series: Emulsions
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__2019__10__boiling-water-f13e076f248f44dfbeb8c6a8dbe55e6b.jpg)
The Food Lab Video Series: Boiling Water
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__slice.seriouseats.com__images__2012__12__20121211-pepperoni-curl-pizza-lab-01-6109e17ffa4a487b855011d9f0f1a55d.jpg)
Why Does Pepperoni Curl?
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2016__05__20160504-sauteed-asparagus-vicky-wasik--3-b6f58c8cb8144209aa126d4093bf70f0.jpg)
Why Asparagus Makes Pee Smell
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2017__03__20170210-vietnamese-chicken-emily-matt-clifton-3-fa88a707a8754bd5b11535b919fa7563.jpg)
Meet Warmed-Over Flavor, the Phenomenon That Turns Leftovers Funky
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__drinks.seriouseats.com__images__2014__01__20140127_Header-268c378568c245e5867f9b4b0fc461fe.jpg)
The Science of Jello Shots
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2014__09__20140918-butter-oil-temperature-food-lab-3-ca260147471b492a8d9f4ec6e797649a.jpg)
Does Mixing Oil and Butter Really Alter the Smoke Point?
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2015__02__20150219-grilled-brie-and-nutella-sandwich-vicky-wasik-1-85c2713e981c4ebca36fef707039c097.jpg)
The Science of Melting Cheese
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__drinks.seriouseats.com__images__2013__07__20130716foamquin-24a95ee0b89c49eda9f72c528e608906.jpg)
Cocktail Science: All About Foams
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2015__09__20150902-panzanella-salad-food-lab-kenji-03-5a433f1628534618a3ca47a872ed7743.jpg)
How Salt Can Improve Your Tomatoes
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__aht.seriouseats.com__images__20101014-aging-burger-14-a186aff419834419ae9a1e32557dce2e.jpg)
Revisiting the Myth of The 12-Year Old McDonald's Burger That Just Won't Rot (Testing Results!) | The Food Lab
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2016__12__20161212-sauerkraut-vicky-wasik-12-8b01049918dd456ea3a90d83ecb8df01.jpg)
The Science of Lactic Acid Fermentation: Pickles, Kraut, Kimchi, and More
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__assets_c__2014__06__20140610-bloody-mary-NorthEndGrill-4-thumb-610x458-406034-41f8ba4e2d7d46df9a4f1a58e42bdb75.jpg)
The Bloody Mary: The History and Science of an Oddball Classic
Cream Science: On Whipping, Butter, and Beyond
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__drinks.seriouseats.com__images__2013__09__simple_syrup_16092013-1118ae4048bd49a9b05d86c574b01329.jpg)
Cocktail Science: Simpler Simple Syrup
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/20170908-tomato-preservation-vicky-wasik-16-NO-BASIL-6ea3ad1da929475b82b2b26ad27ce3d4.jpg)
How to Can Tomatoes
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/20161018-negroni-variations-vicky-wasik-seriouseats-93158094e25f425daf8e2af4b30ebdf7.jpg)
Science! This is Why Hot Water Can Freeze Faster Than Cold Water
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2015__12__popcorn2-web-cf253fe9b1dd45f3a0842bd8f013818f.jpg)
What Is Diacetyl?
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__drinks.seriouseats.com__images__2014__01__20140110_Sparkling_Cocktail-49f46e30cc344c0e906949e25ab96035.jpg)
The Science of (and Guide To) At-Home Carbonation
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2016__02__20150424-12-year-old-mcdonalds-burger-kenji-redo-7-59d56c88038945218418a7d96d5bb6c0.jpg)
Here's Why McDonald's Burgers Don't Rot | The Food Lab
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__20100208munster-306791ffc0c74e628330c7685ec06285.jpg)
Get To Know the Microbes and Bacteria That Bring Us the Cheese We Love
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__drinks.seriouseats.com__images__2013__06__Ice_clear_ice-e56109a88a494c20b035db30aad0f0fc.jpg)
Cocktail Science: 5 Myths About Ice, Debunked
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__2019__03__20190129-pancakes-vicky-wasik-22-3f8e157308ba49f2a9ba39a04edf90d1.jpg)
Sotolon: The Molecule That Smells Like Pancakes, Fall, and a NYC Mystery
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__slice.seriouseats.com__images__20100111-pizzawater-thumbnail-e73b1c22e9224ec7bdd9b714eed3c196.jpg)
Is Good Pizza Really All About the Water? | The Food Lab
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2015__09__20150923-food-lab-science-of-heat-01-ed65af8797434828a15f551b32357bc9.jpg)
The Science of Heat vs. Temperature
Can Eating Yeast Really Keep You From Getting Drunk?
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2014__08__20140813-absinthe-with-without-water-louche-66a8956754154249a25505028f193e2b.jpg)
Why Does Absinthe Get Cloudy?
Cocktail Science: 8 Tips and Tricks For Getting the Most Out of Citrus