We look at the chemistry behind the Maillard reaction, known as the "browning reaction." Science makes your food delicious. Why does fresh, hot toast have a more complex flavor than plain bread? Why ...

Things that scare me in the kitchen: mandolines, lighting a gas hob with a matchstick, onions, chicken-washing discourse, people who want to help, cooking with or without a timer, post-lasagna washing ...

THE enzymic oxidation of polyphenols, particularly in the presence of amino-acids, is well known to be a cause of browning in foodstuffs. The mechanism of non-enzymic browning reactions is, however, ...