I want to start cooking (I will use a microwave). I will follow recipites but I also want to know why things happen, eg. what function does fat have in cooking (not talking about fat as the heating medium), what funtion does sugar have or eggs. Where do I find not just how to make a tasty dish but what is happening when I cook.

dherman1

Keep in mind that with a microwave, you are pretty much limited to the boiling point of water as the microwaves excite the water molecules and they in turn heat the surrounding food. (hmm, sounds kinda fun....)

There are some caveats though. In super smooth containers (a brand new glass, etc) the water will actually get super heated and will not boil. This is due to there not being any rough surface (essentially microscopic scratches) that allow bubbles to form. Then, when you insert a spoon, your finger etc, the water erupts in a massive explosion.

Another caveat is browning mats. These are used to capture the energy and create hot zones. Microwave Pizzas are a good example of this.

As others have pointed out, Microwaves are great for re-heating things. Or thawing things. Or melting. But for cooking? I will stick to fire.

As for determining when things carmelize, coagulate, etc. they are dependent on the moisture content of the item. And, as eggs, bacon, etc are natural products, the moisture content between two similar items can vary.

But, don't let our opinions sway you from learning to cook via the micowave. There may be a future cook book author in the near future.

Good luck, and ENJOY your trials.

dmatos

For great discussions on how things cook, and why things cook, look up a man called Alton Brown. He does FoodTV shows that talk about the science behind cooking. He also has very entertaining cookbooks available. Check your local library.