Gathering with flames has a miraculous ability to make any, even the simplest, food is much better than at home – but why? Popsci.com information portal speakWhat lies in the magic of cooking on an open flame.
First of all, it is worth understanding that the flavor is a question not only the receptors in the language. It includes a combination of smell, texture, temperature, sound and even the history of the dish. An important role in all this is played by a process called Retronasal smell – moving the aroma of food from the mouth into a person's nose cavity. Around the fire, we felt not only the taste of food, but also inhaled a cloud of aromatic seeds – both from the dish and from the fire.
When frying food on fire, the ingredients go through the mayar reaction, as a result of amino acids and sugar are connected into hundreds of complex flavor compounds. Thanks to this reaction, fried steak, marshmallow and bread, grilled until golden brown, has their great aroma.
In addition, the fire brings pyrolysis to the dish and the thermal decay of organic ingredients to bring smoke foods, smoked notes. Unlike cooking on the stove, the preparation of open fire is based on heat radiation and smoking. Small spray particles withstand aromatic compounds from burning wood directly into food. Scientists are determined in the wood smoke of a dozen molecules, allowing you to feel better with the mind and sweetness of the dishes.
In addition, a meal behind a pile of fire is an experience that affects a person's emotions and mental state. Studies have shown that entertainment in nature reduces cortisol levels (stress hormones) in the human body, increasing thoughtfulness and sensory sensitivity. In this state, it is not surprising that the food becomes better – we really feel more than usual.
Human emotional foundation is also affected by the influence of justifying efforts – the principles of behavioral psychology, which claims that people tend to value more results if they try to achieve them. Because of this, some types of stewed meat or fried meat, which is necessary to create fire for a long time and diligently, seems extremely delicious.
Finally, it is worth noting that cooking on fire is one of the oldest practices in human history. According to anthropologists, our ancestors started using fire to cook more than a million years ago, even before they became the usual sense of this term. The fire not only makes food safer and more suitable for digestion, but also makes the meal a collective ritual.