Harold McGee talks about how our sense of smell affects taste, why things smell the way they do and the ways different chemicals combine to create surprising (and sometimes distasteful) odors.
The proportion of people who say they have a "great deal" of confidence in scientists to act in the public interest increased from 21% in 2016 to 35% in 2019, according to the Pew Research Center.
While some bakers believe that soft wheat flour, found primarily in the American South, is the best for making light, flaky biscuits, others say the key to better biscuits comes down to technique.
In her four-part show, James Beard award-winning food writer and chef Samin Nosrat travels the globe, talking to home chefs to learn more about the four essentials of great food.
In Robert Dunn's new book, Never Home Alone, he explores our symbiotic relationship with food: Not only do we impact the bacteria in our food, but the microbes in our food imprint our bodies.
Brian Wansink made a name for himself producing pithy, palatable studies that connected people's eating habits with cues from their environment. His data manipulation now serves as a cautionary tale.
Why do artichokes look so strange? What makes okra so slimy – and how can science help you turn that attribute into a taste sensation? Two botanists take plant science into the kitchen.
Brick transfers heat to dough more slowly than steel, allowing both crust and toppings to simultaneously reach perfection. In a home oven, that balance is elusive — but you might be able to get close.
Cheese rinds may seem simple, even discardable, but the microbial world they contain is complex. Among their inhabitants: bacterial swimmers that hop on highways of fungal tendrils to get around.
Jami Curl is a homemade candy evangelist. The sweet stuff can be made from "real" ingredients — and you can do it at home. The process can be intimidating, but also kind of magical.
The fanciful dish was meant to impress nearly 400 years ago, so don't roll your eyes at photos of these pretty edibles: They're actually a time-honored tradition tinged with a bit of kitchen science.
From avocado to almonds, vegan frozen desserts abound today. But replicating the complex choreography of water, protein, fat and sugar that milk usually takes care of is a challenge.
Sure, brown rice is better for you than refined white rice. But if you cringe when you see it on sushi, there's good reason behind that, and it's rooted in flavor science and biochemistry.
A new technique that examines the evolution of taste suggests that the strong flavor of red wine may dominate the taste of some cheeses, while white varieties may be more versatile and refreshing.
Many bakers treat their sourdough starters like a family heirloom. Some starters date back decades, even centuries. Now researchers want to analyze your starters to unlock their flavor secrets.
Online sources suggest cooking vegetables in the microwave for a quick and easy dinner. But microwaving veggies can get a little bit explosive. Who knew kale chips could offer a lesson in physics?
Too much salty goodness isn't great for health. Food companies looking to cut the sodium while keeping the flavor have a promising candidate: potassium chloride. But it's far from perfect.
When it comes to produce, the answer is yes, experts tell us. But the reasons are complicated — and sometimes mysterious even to restaurant critics, chefs and food scientists.
Impossible Foods took a high-tech approach to creating a meat-free burger that replicates the real thing. It's all designed to tempt carnivores to eat less meat. And it's set to hit restaurants soon.
Part of what makes a wine-growing region special may be its microbes. A study finds that the collection of bacteria and fungi on pressed grapes can help predict the flavor profile of a finished wine.
Kenji Lopez-Alt left a restaurant job to test and write about the mysteries of food science. His new book details findings from how best to sear a steak to how to get more golden pancakes.
