🍤 Ever Wondered About The Vibrant Science Behind Cooking Crustaceans?
Plus A Spicy Shrimp Roast Inspired by Goan Flavors 🌶️
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Hello Pals!
I finally turned in the early delivery of my book manuscript last Friday and shared a note about it on Substack. Based on some comments, I realized that different authors might have different definitions of an "early delivery"? There were some questions about the process, so I’m briefly explaining what mine is like.
The book writing process varies by publisher. Some might ask for a sample to understand what the book entails, while others want the whole thing delivered. I fall into the former group. I sent my editor at Chronicle Books about 1/4th of the final manuscript. This included the table of contents, the introduction, a few chapters, and some recipes.
Providing this chunk gives my editor a sense of the book's direction and offers my book designer material to work with. It's also an excellent way for me to stay on track. Now that my editor has grasped the book's premise, I can pester her with all my questions and get the guidance I need. The photography will come much later after the recipe testing is complete. I prefer this method because I can create recipes that fit the book's narrative and use them as examples to illustrate the concepts or arguments I’m trying to make.
This book is probably one of the most challenging projects I've undertaken. I'm learning a lot of new concepts and getting answers to many questions. But that's precisely why I love writing cookbooks with a strong science theme—it's a constant adventure of discovery.
When we write recipes, we always try to include cues in addition to time and temperature that describe visual, aromatic, taste, and textural endpoints. This helps give you more than one tool to rely on. It enables you to develop your intuition and trust your skills. One of the places where this shows up is when we cook crustaceans like shrimp and lobsters. The color transformation! You’ll notice a color change as the raw shellfish is cooked; it quickly transitions from bluish-green to a bright orange pigment. The flesh of the crustacean also changes from translucent to an opaque white as the proteins denature. The science behind the color change of the shell is remarkable, and it’s like a fashion show with a surprise reveal at the end. Watch the video to learn how the color change occurs.
I’m currently enjoying reading Richard Wrangham’s Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human. This book is a fascinating exploration of how humans evolved after they learned to control fire and use it to cook. Another book that I love but am not reading is a puzzle book called Murdle Vol 1. It’s a fun book with logic puzzles you need to solve, and it’s been a good way for me to relax before bed at night. (As Michael often points out, I’ve become my mother; we love doing puzzles in the evenings after dinner.)
I’m going on a holiday! We haven’t taken a proper vacation in a while. I’m somewhat envious of my relatives and friends who live in other countries with a better work-life balance. So you can imagine how thrilled I am to visit the South of France next month. I’ll spend a few weeks with friends in Marseille and the nearby region. I’ve been warned about the summer heat, so I’ve been stocking up on shorts, Budgy Smugglers, and sunscreen. If you have recommendations on places I must visit or dishes I should absolutely eat, please share them in the comments below.
Have a lovely weekend,
Nik
P.S. Next week’s newsletter will go out a little earlier than usual because of the July 4th holiday weekend.
This week, on what to cook: First up is the new Lychee Pastis Refresher I made as part of my special ongoing recipe series with Breville InFizz Fusion. All you need to put it together is the lychee-infused syrup from the can of fruit, lime juice, Pastis (preferably by Ricard), and some mint. I’ve also listed a non-alcoholic option on the blog. The flavors of this drink are the perfect antidote to the heat, and I plan to make it several times while in France.
And while we’re here, might I encourage you to stuff your onions with lentils and use sweet, umami-loaded black garlic to make this yogurt cauliflower dish at The Guardian?
This week’s recipe for my paid subscribers is an easy Spicy Shrimp Roast with potatoes and bell peppers. It's a quick and satisfying dish that is hot and vinegary, and those familiar with Goan cuisine will notice some of those flavors.
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