RE: [CH] Cajun Boil
T. Matthew Evans (matt.evans@ce.gatech.edu)
Thu, 15 Aug 2002 12:17:11 -0400
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Larry Brown [mailto:lbrown53@bellsouth.net]
>Sent: Thursday, August 15, 2002 11:45 AM
>To: T. Matthew Evans
>Subject: Re: [CH] Cajun Boil
>
>
>What does the vinagar do in the boil??
>
>Larry
>
>
Larry --
More that anything, it's for the flavor -- similar to squeezing a fresh
lemon onto seafood before you eat it, or squeezing lime onto pad Thai. Acid
just tends to compliment seafood in a way that I cannot easily verbalize --
I have seen some people (many, really) squeeze lemons into their boiling
liquid and then adding the lemon halves in as well. I think this can be a
little bitter and prefer the hot sauce.
Additionally, I think there might be a little bit of "food chemistry"
happening here -- similar to adding a little white vinegar to your boiling
water when poaching eggs (so they stay together) or when poaching vegetables
(retains color). Along these same lines, a little acid is always good with
black beans, but you can't add it until the end as it makes the beans tough.
Does anyone have any more knowledge about the chemistry of such things?
Matt
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T. Matthew Evans
Graduate Research Assistant
Geosystems Group, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Georgia Institute of Technology
URL: www.prism.gatech.edu/~gte964w
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