Cooking For Geeks Part 17

Tree Nut Allergies Ingredients to avoid Almond (b.u.t.ter, pastes such as marzipan, flavoring, extract), brazil nut, cashews (b.u.t.ter, flavoring, extract), chestnuts (water chestnuts are okay as they're not actually nuts), hazelnuts (filberts), hickory nuts, macadamia nuts (Queensland nut, bush nut, maroochi nut, queen of nuts, bauple nut), pecans, pine nuts, pinon (pignoli), pistachios, walnuts, nut meal, nougat, nut paste, Nutella.

Foods commonly containing nuts Baked goods, snack foods, Asian foods, pesto, salads, candy. Cross-contamination is a major concern, so inspect packages for statements such as "may contain trace amounts of..."

Subst.i.tutions Working around nut allergies can be tricky. As with peanut allergies, your best bet is to select recipes that don't rely on nuts. In salads and snacks, you can use seeds, such as sunflower, pumpkin, or sesame seeds. Sunflower b.u.t.ter can replace nut b.u.t.ters.

NoteSesame seed allergies are not uncommon, so check with your guest on this subst.i.tution.

Soy Allergies Ingredients to avoid Hydrolyzed soy protein, miso, shoyu sauce, soy-anything, soy protein concentrate, soy protein isolate, soy sauce, soybean, soybean granules, soybean curd, tempeh, textured vegetable protein ("TVP"), tofu.

Foods commonly containing soy Baby foods, baked goods (cakes, cookies, m.u.f.fins, breads), baking mixes, breakfast cereals, packaged dinners like spaghetti or macaroni and cheese, canned tuna packed in oil, margarine, shortening, vegetable oil and anything with vegetable oil in it, snack foods (including crackers, chips, pretzels), nondairy creamers, vitamin supplements.

Subst.i.tutions There are no good subst.i.tutes for items like tofu and soy sauce, so choose recipes that don't directly rely on soy-based products. Note that soy is used in an amazing number of commercial products-often in places that you wouldn't suspect, such as pasta sauce-so read labels carefully!

Wheat Allergies Note that a wheat allergy is not not the same as a gluten intolerance. Wheat allergy is often confused with celiac disease (gluten intolerance), which is an autoimmune disorder in which the small intestine reacts to the ingestion of gluten. Still, celiac disease is often easier to explain as a severe allergy so that people unfamiliar with the details of it understand the importance of handling food for those with it. the same as a gluten intolerance. Wheat allergy is often confused with celiac disease (gluten intolerance), which is an autoimmune disorder in which the small intestine reacts to the ingestion of gluten. Still, celiac disease is often easier to explain as a severe allergy so that people unfamiliar with the details of it understand the importance of handling food for those with it.

Wheat allergies are triggered by proteins present in wheat specifically, not the gluten. Unlike those who have wheat allergies, individuals with celiac disease must avoid all all gluten, regardless of source. Be careful to avoid cross-contamination: even a knife used to b.u.t.ter toast might contain sufficient trace amounts of gluten to cause problems, so make sure to carefully wash and rinse utensils, dishes, and hands when cooking for someone with gluten intolerance. For more information on celiac disease, visit gluten, regardless of source. Be careful to avoid cross-contamination: even a knife used to b.u.t.ter toast might contain sufficient trace amounts of gluten to cause problems, so make sure to carefully wash and rinse utensils, dishes, and hands when cooking for someone with gluten intolerance. For more information on celiac disease, visit http://www.celiac.org.

Ingredients to avoid Wheat (bran, germ, starch), bulgur, flour (graham, durham, enriched), gluten, modified food starch, malt, spelt, vegetable gums, semolina, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, starch, natural flavoring.

Foods commonly containing wheat Breads (bagels, m.u.f.fins, rolls, donuts, pancakes), desserts (cakes, cookies, baking mixes, pies), snacks (crackers, chips, cereals), most commercial soups including broths, pastas (noodles, packaged dinners containing pasta), condiments (soy sauce, Worcesters.h.i.+re sauce, salad dressings, barbeque sauces, marinades, glazes, some vinegars), beverages (beer, nonalcoholic beer, ale, root beer, instant chocolate drink mixes), meats (frozen meats that are packaged with broth, lunch meats, hot dogs), gravies and sauces (most likely thickened with wheat flour), flour tortillas, tabbouleh (salad dish), pilafs.

Subst.i.tutions Flour - Replacing wheat flour is tricky, because it contains gluten, which creates bread's characteristic elastic structure and texture. It is difficult to duplicate wheat baked goods (especially bread) without wheat flour. Some nonwheat flours, such as barley and rye flour, do contain the proteins necessary to form gluten.NotePeople with a wheat allergy can usually tolerate those flours while people with celiac disease cannot.

- Rice flour and rye flour are easy to find. Check your regular grocery store. You can use either in place of wheat flour in some recipes (subst.i.tuting at a 1:1 ratio). Tapioca starch, potato starch (use cups per 1 cup of wheat flour, a 0.625:1 ratio), potato flour, and sorghum flour can also be used.

- You can achieve better results by blending several flours together. For an all-purpose flour mix, combine cups (120g) white rice flour, cup (30g) potato starch (not potato flour!), 2 tablespoons (15g) tapioca starch (also called tapioca flour), and, optionally, teaspoon (1g) xanthan gum.

Pasta - Luckily, there are great alternatives to wheat pasta! Pasta also comes in rice, corn, and quinoa varieties. Take care to not overcook these types of pasta, because they can get mushy and fall apart easily, and remember to make sure the colander is really clean if you've previously used it for wheat pasta.

Snacks - If your guest is more sensitive or has celiac disease, be sure to double-check with the manufacturer about shared manufacturing lines and cross-contamination. Rice cakes, rice crackers, popcorn, and corn and potato chips make for excellent wheat-free snacks (but are not necessarily gluten-free).

AppendixB.Afterword CURIOSITY AND THE JOY OF DISCOVERING HOW SOMETHING WORKS ARE TWO OF A GEEK'S DEFINING CHARACTERISTICS. I can think of very few other things that have brought me as much joy as learning to cook and providing for others. It scratches the same neurons that solving a puzzle or producing a brilliant piece of code does, but tastes better and often takes less time-not to mention that you can do it for other people and make them happy, too! I can think of very few other things that have brought me as much joy as learning to cook and providing for others. It scratches the same neurons that solving a puzzle or producing a brilliant piece of code does, but tastes better and often takes less time-not to mention that you can do it for other people and make them happy, too!

Speaking of puzzles, here's how to solve the 12-coin problem I gave in the first chapter. Start with coins 14 on the left side and 58 on the right side. If the scale registers them as equal, place 9 and 10 on the left and 11 and 1 on the right side. If equal, 12 is the bad one. If not equal, remove 11 and 1 and move 10 to where 11 was. If the scale remains in the same unbalanced position, 9 is the bad one. If the scale is balanced, 11 is the bad one. And if the scale flips to the other side, 10 is the bad one. The trick is to realize that a balance scale can give you not two but three bits of information: <, =,="" and="">, as opposed to = and !=. I'll leave solving the problem of the starting positions of 14 and 58 being unequal for you.

I hope that by now the puzzle that is learning to cook has been replaced with the joy of understanding the basic mechanics of the system. True, there are still many more puzzles left to understand, but the core principles of cooking can actually be summed up in a single page (see next page).

Whatever your reasons for learning to cook-health, financial, social, giving, romantic-and whatever your style, cooking should be fun. I hope you've found this book useful in showing you ways to bring a certain playfulness to food, both inside and outside the kitchen.

Happy cooking!

Potter's Kitchen TipsManage expectations and perceptions. When cooking for someone, expectations and perceptions are just as important as the objective quality of the dish. Only you, as the cook, will know what it was supposed to be. If the chocolate souffle falls, call it a fallen chocolate cake, toss some berries on top, and s.h.i.+p it. When cooking for someone, expectations and perceptions are just as important as the objective quality of the dish. Only you, as the cook, will know what it was supposed to be. If the chocolate souffle falls, call it a fallen chocolate cake, toss some berries on top, and s.h.i.+p it.[image]Use quality ingredients. The number one predictor of a great tasting meal is great-tasting produce and ingredients. Tomatoes should taste like tomatoes, avocados should be soft and creamy, and apples should have their distinctive crisp. The number one predictor of a great tasting meal is great-tasting produce and ingredients. Tomatoes should taste like tomatoes, avocados should be soft and creamy, and apples should have their distinctive crisp.[image]Create harmony and balance. Harmony is found in combining compatible ingredients. Balance is found in adjusting sweetness and sourness (acids) and seasoning correctly with salt. Start with good produce, taste it, and adjust with an acid (vinegar, lemon juice) and salt. Harmony is found in combining compatible ingredients. Balance is found in adjusting sweetness and sourness (acids) and seasoning correctly with salt. Start with good produce, taste it, and adjust with an acid (vinegar, lemon juice) and salt.[image]Practice food safety. When working in the kitchen, be mindful of the growing conditions for pathogens. Avoid cross-contamination by was.h.i.+ng your hands. Frequently. Foodborne illness isn't fun, but it's usually the secondary complications for at-risk populations that are life-threatening. When working in the kitchen, be mindful of the growing conditions for pathogens. Avoid cross-contamination by was.h.i.+ng your hands. Frequently. Foodborne illness isn't fun, but it's usually the secondary complications for at-risk populations that are life-threatening.[image]Eat whole foods. There's nothing inherently wrong with processed foods, but they tend to be higher in salt, sugar, and fat. Food additives aren't in and of themselves evil, but like anything, too much-or not enough-can be problematic because of what our body does or doesn't do in response. There's nothing inherently wrong with processed foods, but they tend to be higher in salt, sugar, and fat. Food additives aren't in and of themselves evil, but like anything, too much-or not enough-can be problematic because of what our body does or doesn't do in response.[image]Measure temperatures, not time. Proteins in meats and starches in grains undergo physical reactions at certain temperatures, regardless of whether they're boiled, grilled, or sauteed. A 4 lb chicken will cook faster than a 6 lb chicken, but both will be done at the same temperature. Timers are useful, but internal temperature tells you a lot more. Proteins in meats and starches in grains undergo physical reactions at certain temperatures, regardless of whether they're boiled, grilled, or sauteed. A 4 lb chicken will cook faster than a 6 lb chicken, but both will be done at the same temperature. Timers are useful, but internal temperature tells you a lot more.[image]Add flavor and aroma with browning reactions. When sugars caramelize (for sucrose, starting at around 340F / 171C) and proteins undergo Maillard reactions (starting at around 310F / 155C), they break down and form hundreds of new compounds. For some reason, we like the way those compounds smell. When sugars caramelize (for sucrose, starting at around 340F / 171C) and proteins undergo Maillard reactions (starting at around 310F / 155C), they break down and form hundreds of new compounds. For some reason, we like the way those compounds smell.[image]Pay attention to the details when baking. Use weight instead of volume measurements, and pay attention to the various variables in play; gluten levels, moisture content, and pH levels especially. Baking is a great place for A/B experimentation: the ingredients are cheap, relatively consistent, and easy to foist off onto coworkers trying to lose weight (muhahaha). Use weight instead of volume measurements, and pay attention to the various variables in play; gluten levels, moisture content, and pH levels especially. Baking is a great place for A/B experimentation: the ingredients are cheap, relatively consistent, and easy to foist off onto coworkers trying to lose weight (muhahaha).[image]Experiment! If you're not sure how to do something, take a guess. If you aren't sure which way to do something, try both. One way will probably work better, and you'll learn something in the process. Worst case, you can always order pizza. Have fun, be curious, but use your common sense and be safe. If you're not sure how to do something, take a guess. If you aren't sure which way to do something, try both. One way will probably work better, and you'll learn something in the process. Worst case, you can always order pizza. Have fun, be curious, but use your common sense and be safe.[image]

AppendixC.About the Author Jeff Potter has done the cubicle thing, the startup thing, and the entrepreneur thing, and through it all maintained his sanity by cooking for friends. He studied computer science and visual art at Brown University. has done the cubicle thing, the startup thing, and the entrepreneur thing, and through it all maintained his sanity by cooking for friends. He studied computer science and visual art at Brown University.