SC - cooking chemistry questions

[Daniel Phelps]

Perhaps the bitterness you experienced came from the grated zest.  When I
process zest strips for canding I boil it in at least two changes of water.
This removed the bitterness associated with any of the white pith of which,
while I take great pains to remove it, some small amount always seems to
linger.   The candied zest tastes sublimely orange with no trace of
bitterness.
- -----Original Message-----
From: Reia M. Chmielowski <kareina at eagle.ptialaska.net>
To: sca-cooks at Ansteorra.ORG <sca-cooks at Ansteorra.ORG>
Date: Sunday, January 03, 1999 11:43 AM
Subject: SC - cooking chemistry questions


>Greetings,
>
>I was in an experimental mood yesterday and tried something new for dinner
>(out of my own imagination, not inspired by any cook-books or recipes I'd
>seen).  I had a good sized round loaf of bread I'd not yet sliced (having
>not yet finished the first loaf), so I cut open the top, pulled out the
>crumbs, cooked some red lentils in chicken broth with spices (also added
>extra spices to the crumbs), and then got creative.  I added grated orange
>peel to the cooking lentils, and squeezed the orange juice over the crumbs.
>  I also let a good bit of pulp (in tiny bits) go into the crumbs.  Then I
>poured the lentils and remaining broth over the crumbs and put it all into
>the bread crust, wrapped it in foil and set it aside for a while.  A bit
>before the time my roommate would be due home from work I put the loaf in
>the oven to bake.
>
>The bread crumb-lentil-orange mixture was quite tasty when first mixed, and
>the orange wasn't overpowering--the spices (I think I used turmeric,
>nutmeg, ginger, saffron, cubebs, grains of paradise, galingale, cumin,
>chilli powder, pepper, garlic and onion salt) were still noticeable.
>However, once it came out of the oven the orange was the predominate
>flavor, and it was slightly bitter.  I still found it enjoyable.  However,
>one of my roommates found it barely edible, and then only after he added
>sugar.  He said that the orange was just too much for him.  The other
>roommate said that he was neutral on the whole thing and ate it without
>complaint (but without the compliments that my cooking usually get from
him).
>
>Which brings me to the questions.  Can anyone explain to me what it is that
>would make the orange mellow before and strong after?  Was it more due to
>the heat of baking, or the sitting an hour or so before baking?  Was the
>very different reactions due solely to the differences in what people are
>able to distinguish?--I know that some people are able to taste/smell
>things that other people can't detect.  To avoid triggering the reaction in
>him again should I:  1) skip the orange all together?  2) use less orange,
>but still use all parts?  3) use only the zest?  4) use only the juice?  6)
>use much more spices (curry style) to make that stronger than the orange?
>5) is there any reason I should have avoided including the pulp?  Any other
>comments/suggestions?
>
>Thanks,
>
>--Kareina
>
>
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