The visionary food chemist surveys a vast new world of flavor.

A Note on the TranslationTables, Figures, and Color PlatesIntroduction: Why the Need for Note-by-Note Cooking Should Be Obvious1. Shape Polyhedrons Nonpolyhedral Solids The Fable of the Man with the Golden Brain2. Consistency A Woeful Misunderstanding The Relation Between Consistency and Flavor Not Everything Has to Be Soft Thinking in Physical Terms Additives Contrasting Consistencies3. Taste Misdirection and Misperception The Impossible Description of Unknown Tastes Sapid Compounds Mineral Salts Organic and Mineral Acids Amino Acids and Their Derivatives Sugars Alcohols and Polyols Intense Sweeteners Flavoring Agents Bitterants Matrix Effects A New Basic Taste4. Odor Manipulating Odorant Compounds Methods of Extraction and Processing Natural, Same as Natural, Artificial Volatility, Threshold Perception, Toxic Risk A Lexicon of Basic Culinary Odors Odorant Compounds On the Properties of Odorigenic Extracts and Compositions Trigeminal Sensations5. Color The Eye Precedes the Palate Legally Approved Coloring Agents Natural Versus Artificial Redux6. Artistic Choice and Culinary Nomenclature Substance and Form The Construction of Flavors Naming Dishes The First Generation of Note-by-Note Menus7. Nutrition, Toxicology, Market Dynamics, Public Interest The Mixed Blessings of Abundance A World of Plenty, Filled with Danger Selection and Supply of Compounds Political ConsiderationsAppendix: A Few RecipesIndex