Why does fresh fish remind us the smell of sea air?
One of the characteristics of a fresh saltwater fish is its distinctive smell of seacoast air. Why is that?
The Ocean aroma of the seacoast comes from compounds called bromophenols*. These molecules are synthesised by algae and some primitive animals from bromine* ; an abundant sea water element. Present in sea water, bromophenols are propelled into the seacoast air by the actions of the waves and the spray, where we smell them directly.
Wild saltwater fish also store bromophenols either by eating algae or algae eaters. This is how the aroma of fish remind us the seacoast air.
On the other hand, farmed saltwater fish can lack of this aroma because fish feed doesn't contain any bromophenols. Nowadays, some fish farmers supplement the their artificial feed with these compounds, but nothing is worth the "real mac coy".
Bromine
Atomic number : 35
Atomic mass : 79.904 g.mol -1
Electronegativity according to Pauling : 2.8
Density : 3.1 g.cm-3 at 20°C
Melting point : - 7.2 °C
Boiling point : 58.8 °C
Vanderwaals radius : 0.165 nm
Ionic radius : 0.195 nm (-1)
Isotopes : 10
Electronic shell : [ Ar ] 3d10 4s2 4p5
Energy of first ionisation : 1142.7 kJ.mol -1
Standard potential : 1.08 V
Discovered by Anthoine Balard in 1826
Bromophenols
The complete series of 19 bromophenols have been studied by density functional theory (DFT) calculations at the B3LYP/6-311G++(d,p) level. The molecular structures and properties of bromophenols are strongly influenced byintramolecular hydrogen bonding of ortho-bromine, steric and inductive effects of substituted bromine, and other intramolecular electrostatic interactions. Systematic trends in several structural parameters and molecular properties of bromophenols have been found with the increasing number of bromine substitutions, including increase in O-H bond length, decrease in C-O bond length, red shift in O-H stretching frequency, and blue shift in O-H torsional frequency. Correlations among several key molecular parameters as well as those with available aqueous pK[a] values are examined. Comparisons with chlorophenols have indicated that the inductive effect of substituted bromine appears larger and bromophenols are slightly stronger acids than chlorophenols.
Copyright 2006 INIST-CNRS. All rights reserved
Glazed Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes were introduced to Africa from Latin America with Portuguese sailors. Nowadays, they are widely cultivated throughout South Africa. There is a quite simple recipe from South-Africa that provide a very nice accompaniment to a char grilled chicken dish or grilled fish, vegetarians would find quite attractive too.
This what you need for 4 people:
- 1 teaspoon Honey.
- 1 tablespoon Sultanas.
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Ginger.
- Juice of a Lemon.
- Grated rind of an Orange.
- 1 teaspoon of Cinnamon.
- 2 Sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced (about 1/2 inch thick).
- 1/4 cup of Water.
- 2 tablespoon of Olive oil.
- Salt & Pepper.
First Parboil the sweet potatoes, dry them and let cool down. In a heavy pan pour the olive oil, and mix in the honey as well as the sultanas on a low heat. Then add the ginger, cinnamon, orange rind, lemon juice, ginger and the water. Cook this mixture, slowly, for 10 minutes stirring from time to time.
Next add the potatoes to the mixture, mix them well but gently to make sure that they are coated from all sides. Place them on a greaseproof oven dish and cook them at high temperature (200 degrees Celsius) for 10 to 15 minutes.
"A man replete with food is not the same man when fasting"
Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin
Vegetarians/ Vegans/ Dairy free/ Gluten free.
Renaissance Culinaire Links - Guide to Culinary & Baking Resources For professionals & Home users.
Why is there seasons for fish and crustaceans?
We are familiar with seasonality for fruits, vegetables even milk. But Seasons for fish and crustaceans, it is not that obvious. Why can it be considered that a particular fish, shellfish or crustaceans has variations of qualities because of the natural phenomenon of the seasons.
Fishes live out a life ruled by a dual type cycle. During the first phase they grow and mature, accumulating energy reserves and reaching their peak of culinary quality. The second phase is a period in which they expend those reserves to migrate and create masses of eggs or sperm for the next generation. Unlike most land animal, which store their reserves in layers of fat tissues, fishes use the proteins of their muscle mass as their energy pack.During migrations and spawning, they accumulate protein-digesting enzymes in their muscle and literally transform their own flesh into the next generation.
This makes their meat meager and spent, resulting in spongy,mushy dishes.
Crustaceans (crabs, shrimps, lobsters) quality is also, subject to fluctuation due to season cycles.
One typical aspect of crustaceans is their shell. To grow they must periodically cast off the old cuticle and create a larger new one. It is called molting. During this process the animal constructs a new, flexible cuticle under the old one from its body's protein and energy reserves. Then, it squeezes its shrunken body through weakened joints in the old shell, then pumps up itself with water (from 50-100% of its original weight) to stretch the new cuticle to its maximum volume. Finally, the shell hardens and gradually replaces its body water with muscle and other tissues.
Molting means that crustacean flesh quality is highly variable. An actively growing animal has dense, abundant muscle while an animal preparing to molt or newly molted have a poor muscle mass and is mainly filled with water.
Hsing Jen Cha
Balance of flavours, textures colors and cooking methods plays a very important part in Asian cuisine. This dessert uses two of the original products of Asia, almonds that became established in Asia before spreading westward to the middle-east and Mediterranean countries, and rice which was domesticated 7000 BC in the Yangtze river valley in China.
Note that the rice and almonds need to be soaked overnight.
Serves 4 :
- 200g Pearl Rice.
- 100g Almonds, skinned.
- 590 ml Water.
- 6 tablespoon Sugar.
- 1/2 teaspoon of Bitter almond essences.
- 1 pod of Cardamon, pounded.
- 12 Whole almonds, whole, skinned and toasted.
There it goes, Drain the rice and the almonds and grind them in a food processor. Then place this mix in a heavy pot with the sugar, almond essence, cardamon and the water and cook gently for 30-40 minutes, stirring constantly.
Let to infuse for 5 minutes and serve lukewarm topped with the toasted almonds.
"Our lives are not in the hands of the Gods, but in the lap of our cooks"
Lin Yutang
Vegetarian/ Vegan/ Dairy free/ Gluten free.
Contains nuts.
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